The conservative preacher and media magnate Pat Robertson passed away on Thursday. He was known for inspiring the modern Christian right, building a sizable national following, and frequently drawing condemnation for his inflammatory political remarks. He was 93 years old at the time of his death. Here are five of the biggest controversies surrounding Pat Robertson:
Also Read: Pat Robertson dead: Net worth, 700 Club, age, wife Dede Robertson, university, career and more
Blaming Gays for 9/11:
Robertson spoke with Jerry Falwell the week before September 11, 2001, who shared his viewpoint that the ACLU bears a large portion of the blame for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Furthermore, according to Falwell, the attacks were aided by pagans, pro-abortion activists, feminists, gays, and lesbians. Robertson responded, “I totally concur,” and President George W. Bush harshly rebuked the two evangelists for their remarks.
God’s Punishment – Hurricane Katrina:
In a statement made on The 700 Club on September 12, 2005, less than two weeks after Hurricane Katrina claimed the lives of 1,836 people, Robertson suggested that the hurricane was God’s retribution for America’s abortion laws. He asserted that the catastrophe in New Orleans and the September 11 attacks “could be connected in some way.”
Also Read: Who is Dede Robertson, Pat Robertson’s wife?
Comments about the Haiti earthquake:
International criticism was directed at Robertson’s response to the 2010 Haiti disaster. Robertson implied that the earthquake was the result of the Haitian people being “cursed” for making the “pact to the Devil” by the country’s founders in order to free themselves from the French slave owners.
Islamophobia:
Robertson asserted in 2009 that Islam is “a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination.” He continued, “You’re dealing with not a religion, you’re dealing with a political system, and I think we should treat it as such, and treat its adherents as such as we would members of the communist party, members of some fascist group”.
Anti-Buddhism:
On The 700 Club in March 2015, Robertson compared Buddhism to an illness. A multi-pronged assault on mindfulness practices was demanded by the American Centre for Law and Justice because allegedly “they appear to be similar to Buddhist religious practices.” It added, “Proponents of secular mindfulness say mindfulness is not a Buddhist practice; it is a contemplative practice used in religious traditions around the world by many different names.”
