Christian leader's bizarre take on Haiti

As part of my 2010: Begin Again philosophy, I’m re-examining my stance of ‘live and let live’ when it comes to the spiritual walk of life. Just because I disagree with someone’s personal religious faith doesn’t mean I’m right and they’re wrong. I shouldn’t criticize another’s spiritual beliefs. Or so I used to think.

Now I’m wondering if we have a responsibility to speak out when a particular faith or church has leaders or teachings that build themselves up by tearing others down. Groups that cause harm to others by following a path they’ve determined is the only right way to go and to God.

My spiritual journey in life has taken me down some interesting paths. An atheist. Traditional, conservative denomination. Ultra-conservative. Back out to a much more liberal theology. Finally to my current sense of spirituality. That’s a good thing because when I see individuals like Pat Robertson spouting off offensive garbage about the current tragedy in Haiti, I’m happy to say I no longer call myself a Christian.

Robertson, a one-time U.S. presidential candidate and long-time right-wing Christian extremist, has basically claimed that the horror of the recent earthquake in Haiti is God’s way of dealing with Haiti because slaves “swore a pact to the devil” to gain independence from France in 1804. Robertson is a sad and pathetic man who called on the U.S. government to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2005.

While I no longer consider myself a Christian as usually defined by those who are, I feel compassion for all true believers who get lumped in with the misguided few who take such bizarre stands. Just as the majority of Muslims are not terrorists, I would venture to say the majority of Christians are not followers of the extremist views of Pat Robertson.

Leaders like Bishop John Shelby Spong are, in my mind, what a true Christian should be. If Bishop Spong were leading a church in my area, I’d be there every Sunday. If Pat Robertson had a church in my area, I’d just be embarrassed. My hope is that individuals like Spong will lead the evolution needed in the church today, while people like Robertson will see their approach become extinct.

What has happened in Haiti is a horrible tragedy. But it’s a natural event, not the punishment of some despotic spiritual tyrant so lacking in self-confidence that He needs to lash out at the impoverished ancestors of slaves over some perceived insult from 200 years ago.

Rather than casting blame on the victims, as Robertson has done, the world needs to come together at times like this to provide aid to a country that needed our help at the best of times. Now, it is the worst of times and they need support more than ever, not condemnation from a self-righteous religious extremist.

If you can, find a way to help. Lynda and I will be donating through her workplace, Sun Life, which will be matching all donations from its employees to provide help to the people of Haiti. Hopefully, many enlightened Christian churches will also provide support. That would be wonderful to see in light of the media attention Pat Robertson’s comments will gain.