Pat Robertson Prophecy 2007 Edition
[Final Update: Jan 2008] THIS JUST IN!!1!!1!! Pat's new and improved 2008 Predictions are in!
Pat Robertson, that huggable prognosticator of God, has made his annual predictions (broken CNN link) for this year. Last year it was tsunamis and hurricanes, this year it is massive terrorism in our largest cities. [Update: Alternative link found at Fox news for a nearly identical story]
Quick, someone alert Bush that his Iraq fight-them-there-so-we-don't-have-to-fight-them-here strategy has failed according to God (via Pat).
See also Americablog, Crooks&Liars, and Pharygula.
Besides Pat (and God) telling Bush that his terrorism plan will utterly fail this year -- even God is anti-Bush -- Pat's God-connection will once again be up for scrutiny in a short 12 months. ..And shown to be failed once again.
What amazes me is that a man, Robertson, whose predictions have been completely wrong 100% of the time can claim to have been right some of the time, and that this offers proof that God really does speak to him.
Very quickly let us pin down the predictions for posterity's sake.
Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson said Tuesday that God has told him that a terrorist attack on the United States would cause a "mass killing" late in 2007So according to God, via Pat, there will be an attack on American soil that is similar in magnitude to, but not necessarily, a nuclear attack. Be on the lookout!
"The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that."
And when is this going to happen?
[S]hould take place sometime after September.
So look for it in the months of September through December 2007. I know I will be.
What I found interesting though, was Pat's recounting of his record for previous predictions.
"I have a relatively good track record," he said. "Sometimes I miss."
So who knew that if God, the all-knowing, had a "relatively good" record at prediction, that this shows the supposed "perfection" of God? (Well, either that, or it shows how lousy PAt's listening skills really are.)
But if you look at his actual track record, the only thing he got right was the re-election of Bush in 2004. Putting him on the level of absolutely every single Republican who said the same thing. Everything else he has predicted has been completely wrong. This makes Pat, the official repositor of the Predictions of God, one for ?? Certainly not promising. Especially, since even the secular, "evil leftist" media predicted a Bush win as well.
So, I am left waiting, who will win the prediction wars this year, Bush or God (via Pat)?
Any thoughts in comments, please.
[Update: Sept 2007] We are entering the red zone of mayhem.
Labels: 700 club, christianity, reason
posted by jeffperado @ 11:11 AM
12 Comments:
Ah, you must be a True Christian.. Language like that is surely what Jesus would use. Don't you think?
Next time, try using that part of your brain not steeped in insults and profanity. I encourage debate and idea exchange, but mere insults are so boring.
interesting, ok the guy so said that ur a dick...well...i think he was probably thinking about himself. yeah i agree, he was a loser for saying that.
it seems lame that pat robertson says this stuff. i have watched his show on numerous occassions and he certainly opens his mouth a little too wide sometimes. i think he is to be shamed for claiming that he is speaking for God.
the man probably really thinks that he is recieving a word from God, but i wonder if he recieves that while on acid. (ok, sorry that was not called for, but it sure was hilarious...to me at least).
I know that Mr. Robertson has done alot of humanitarian aid to many countries and has helped many poor people worldwide, so i do respect him for that much.
I noticed that you are pitting Pat and "God" against Bush. It seems unfair that you would pit the two against each other. Pat is just kinda ...well..."out there" and saying crazy stuff...
Maybe it seems that you desire to create a win/win scenario for you...if there is some crazy deal that happens, then you get to bash Bush, but it nothing happens, then you get to bash Pat (and his "God").
I am not sure of your motives, but it seems to appear that that is what you are trying to do, it seems unfair.
But nonetheless, I looked this up just because I wanted to hear what Robertsons predictions were, yeah...that way I can laugh and be enraged at the same time when NOTHING happens.
If 2008 comes, without any "huge terrorist attack" I will have mixed emotions over it, I will be happy that nothing bad happened, and I will laugh at Robertson, but I will also be pretty ticked off about Robertson getting away with ludicrious unfounded "prophecies."
(watch, now that i said that, the prophecies will come true, then i will crap my pants)
Even if the prophecies come true, it doesnt prove anything. Seriously, anyone can make a million prophecies and eventually one of them will come true. We live in a day where terrorism is very alive and possible, so predicting it is now really prophecying, it is simply hypothesizing.
LOL!
anonymous,
Ok, I think I see what you're suggesting.
First, I would like to say that I made the Pat&God Vs. Bush comparison for its cynicism and sarcasm value. In other words, humor. I was not setting myself up for a win/win at all. How could I? Either there is a terrorist attack and the country (and I) lose, or there is no attack and Bush claims success (I would have to admit that giving Bush credit for success would be a lose for me (I still do not think his policies would be responsible for our safety), but a win for the country and me as I won't die in a terrorist attack!) So it is not a win/win for me.
As for bashing either Bush or Pat (or God) I can do that on many fronts without this absurd "Prophesy". They all deserve ridicule, with one glaring exception, God is not real. The Bible proves that.
second, you wrote about the charitable things Pat has done. I wonder, and ask you to consider, how much more charitability he could muster if he put 100% of his resources and effort into charity, instead of only a small percentage, while using the much larger percentage professing God? Just think of how much more he could do to help people if he put all his effort into it rather than just some token amount.
That is why I feel Christianity is so dangerous, so much energy time and money is put into God worship, when it could be used to better humanity.
But then again that's just me. I have this crazy belief that bettering humanity will do much more for bettering humanity than spreading sky fairy worship will better humanity.
I am taking the "wait and see" method. If nothing happens between October-December of 2007 then I won't take Pat Robertson seriously about anymore of his predictions. If something awful does happen in the U.S. between this time frame then I will pay a little more attention to see what Pat has to say. In my honest opinion. We all need to pray for the United States to seek God.
It sounds like you are dead set against the existence of God. You will find out for sure after your life here is over. I believe in God, and Jesus Christ as my savior. I did not always feel that way or believe.
It's a fairly easy decision for me. If there is no God and this is truly an accident, it is all for naught anyway. No loss if one believed in God or not, had a great life, or suffered greatly during their time on earth. Upon our death, we would cease to exist and have no recollection of any of it anyway.
If there is a God and all forms of faith and religion lead to him, and the Christian claim is wrong, then the believer in any faith or spiritual system would be alright.
But if the God of Christianity, the Holy Trinity, forgiver and redeemer of sins. Sender of Jesus Christ as the lamb by which all unrighteousness and sin is forgiven. If what the Bible teaches, and Jesus Christ says, and many others have proclaimed, then only belief and faith in him matters. Everything else that you or anyone else think is good or important or true, becomes meaningless. No other world view or religion makes similar claims or offers forgiveness and redemption, or hope.
Well Anonymous, You certainly did a good job of repeating Pascal's Wager. But you fell into the same trap: What if the Catholics are right, then all non-Catholics are in danger of burning in hell despite being Christian. What if the Mormons are right? Then you are in danger. What if the baptists are right? Then you are in danger of hellfire. What if the Seventh Day Adventists are right? Then you are in Danger. What if the "liberal" Christians are right (such as the United Universalists) are right? Then by my being a good person I get into heaven. That certainly makes Pascal's Wager a sucker's bet.
But here is the simple: Christianity insists that I accept that an all-powerful and all-knowing God so loves his creation that he could only save his own creation by segmenting himself into three beings and telling one third of Himself to commit suicide (in a temporary human form) as a bloody human sacrifice of himself to himself, even though He is God and cannot die, making the "sacrifice" no actual sacrifice at all.
But adding intellectual insult to feigned injury, the only way to get into heaven and spend eternity with this blood-thirsty heathen is to believe this story and accept that it makes any sense at all.
If I were to follow any religion at all, it would be that of native Americans, theirs is one of nature and makes sense at least.
The Lord did not segment himself at any point. That's the way it's been from the beginning of creation. (Genesis ch. v. 26) "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...".
You don't seem to realize why you need saving in the first place. You were created with a free will, to choose between right and wrong but we have all sinned and fallen short of God's standards. We choose to sin, nobody makes us. He didn't make us as puppets without a free will because He wants us to choose to follow Him. The only way to have eternal life is to acknowledge that we have sinned against Him and invite Jesus into our hearts because he sacrificed Himslef for us.
Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. He knew all along that He was going to die, that's why He came. But he didn't kill himself. He was the ultimate sacrifice, He took the beating we all deserve because He loves us. Did you know He was beat so bad that he was not recognizable as a man when it was over? He did not kill Himself, He was murdered but He never defended Himself because he knew it had to be done for you Mr. Perado.
How can you say it was not a sacrifice? He was in heaven, He was God who chose to become a man born in the lowliest of places. In Bethlehem which was like South Central Los Angeles of the time. He didn't need to take a beating from His own creation, He didn't need to bleed or experience death. He chose to do it. Thats sacrifice. Although you see the fact that He rose again as a reason to say that He sacrificed nothing because He never died, I see it as a reason to shout victory over death and the grave! There is hope in the world and His name is Jesus Christ.
Anonymous,
You claim Jesus was/is God. If God can sacrifice, then he cannot be perfect. It is that simple. Look, for Jesus to have made any sacrifice, he would have had to give up something. If He was God, then at no time could he have been less than perfect, and thus never gave up anything. Even if you claim being God in human flesh was a sacrifice, he was still God! And being God, he cannot die. Do you think God can die? If God can die then he is flawed. And I have to say, that no matter how YOU rationalize it, anyone who allows themself to die, when they have the power not to die, is committing suicide. And the last time I checked, suicide was a sin. But then again it was Jesus/God who cannot die! So you may consider it a sacrifice to give up nothing and call that non-sacrifice a sacrifice, I look at it and call it absurd. Would you go around telling your friends you had made the supreme sacrifice by allowing someone else to cut your fingernails? And Jesus' supposed sacrifice does not even rise up to that level of sacrifice.
But here is the real thing, how is it that this 'perfect' plan of salvation is ideal? I mean it has to be the stupidest way to forgive your own creation, wouldn't you say?? I mean David, Noah, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, and all the other Old Testament heroes are all burning in hell right now because they were not privy to the only path to salvation, accepting Jesus' sacrifice as their own, John 3:16. Or if they are in heaven, then before Jesus there was a level of righteousness that a mere human could attain to reach heaven. But then shouldn't all humans be held to that same level of accountability?
I don't know about you, but a heaven designed in such a way, that rapists, murderers, child molestors, and every other vileness of humanity could be let into heaven if they take the step of "allowing Jesus into their heart". It seems that a hell full of well meaning people who dedicated their lives to making humanity a better place but rejecting Jesus and/or God would be a much nicer neighborhood that a heaven filled with child rapists and murderers who accepted Jesus.
But the whole idea of there not being a level of righteousness to gain entry into heaven makes it by default a flawed place. I guess that makes it perfect for your flawed god.
P.S. I never said God segmented himself "at some point" I said he was segmented. Clearly if the trinity is a part of God (even though the Bible never mentions the trinity) then God is segmented into The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost. Thus segmented is the proper term.
Pay attention next time. IT will help make your arguments stronger if they are correct. (/end concern troll mode)
The Lord Says in Deuteronomy 18 18
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
Deuteronomy 18 21-22
You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spkoken by the Lord?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that os a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously.
First off for all you out there, here are the NKJV quotes. I prefer that version because it more closely resembles the actual codecs and oldest known texts. (The best -- while still flawed -- is the NRSV) But Bible Gateway is the best source for comparision and variety of bible version, so I use it.
Deut 18:18 [NKJV]
Deut 18:21,22 [NKJV]
The thing is this, just what does it prove? Every single one of the Old Testament prophets made prophecies that were so vague or untestable that they could neither be accepted or denied. They are no better than Nostradamus: "Red brothers" are Jack and Bobbie Kennedy??
But let us keep the topic on modern prophets. Name one, and show how it is fulfilled. If I claim that God told me that Kansas will the NCAA Championship and they do win, does that prove that not only I am a prophet, but am a prophet of God because I claim God told me this? How can you refute this at all?
The truth is there is no test for prophecy at all, not accuracy, not source, nothing. What if person A said that UNC would win and they claimed their source as Zeus and person B claimed Memphis would win and their source was God.
If UNC wins then does that prove there is a Zeus and no God? If neither wins then what do you believe, that there is no God and no Zeus, or that God is as flawed as Zeus, or that neither person can claim to be an actual "True" prophet of their deity? I mean what do you claim if UCLA wins, that New Ager Berkleyite who predicted a UCLA win is the one true religion?
Prophesy is a funny thing because there is no way to filter out random chance success from betting on the obvious, to being right but claiming the wrong prophetic source to being right and claiming the wrong source, to....
How do you clarify?
Prophecy is a fool's tool. Plain and simple. (Oh and I hear Allah is betting large on Texas.. Some Oil thing or other.)
In principle, a good happen, support the views of the author
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