Monday, February 10, 2014

Pat Robertson Trashes Creationist

In a sad, but not surprising move, Pat Robertson  has thrust himself into the debate between evolutionist Bill Nye and Creationist Ken Ham that was held in Kentucky this week. One would think that as a professing Christian that he would oppose the evolutionist viewpoint. Yet he used his 700 Club show platform to attack Ham and said that he was insulting Christians by interpreting the Bible "literally" to explain human origins.

Robertson latched on to Hams support for the Ussher Chronology, not universally held by young-Earth creationists. Robertson who has taken odd positions in the past like predicting hurricanes and endorsing euthanasia

There can be many reasons explaining why Robertson was impelled to make these remarks. My conclusion is that he suffers from what I call "Goldwater's disease". Those old enough to remember the sixties will recall how the media invariably launched tirades against Goldwater until 1974, when he became the 1st Republican to call for Nixon to resign. At this point the media suddenly decided that that Goldwater had "matured in office", and was now an "elder statesman".

Goldwater, clearly flattered at this acclaim would periodically take to attacking conservatives, (particuarly social conservatives,) and supporting liberal positions. One repeatedly has observed similar behavior it individuals as diverse as McCain and Billy Graham. Of course its easy for Robertson. As a charismatic his primary authority is not the Bible but his purported personal revelations. Perhaps God has explained human origins to Pat personally. I think not.

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