Since It Seems To Be The Hot Topic and All...

...I'd thought I'd write a few thoughts. It's come up in conversation a lot, and I've kinda been thinking about it more. I think people are forgetting a very important point in all of this. Pat Robertson apologized for the things he said. I've had to apologize for some statements in my life, and that is not a fun thing. Here's what he said:

Pat Robertson Clarifies His Statement Regarding Hugo Chavez

CBN.com – VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., August 24, 2005--

"I want to take this opportunity to clarify remarks made on the Monday, August 22nd edition of The 700 Club where I adlibbed a comment following a very brilliant analysis by Dale Hurd of the danger that the United States faces from the out-of-control dictator of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. In this story, Col. Chavez repeatedly claimed that Americans were “trying to assassinate him.”
In my frustration that the U.S. and the world community are ignoring this threat, I said the following:
'Thanks, Dale. If you look back just a few years, there was a popular coup that overthrew him; and what did the United States State Department do about it? Virtually nothing; and as a result, within about 48 hours, that coup was broken, Chavez was back in power. But we had a chance to move in. He has destroyed the Venezuelan economy, and he’s going to make that a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent. I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it. It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war, and I don’t think any oil shipments will stop. But this man is a terrific danger, and this is in our sphere of influence, so we can’t let this happen...We don’t need another 200-billion-dollar war to get rid of one strong-arm dictator. It’s a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with.'

Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him. "

*For the whole article, read here

Okay, I'm not really talking about the interview anymore. He's apologized.
I'm not a huge 700 Club watcher, nor do I agree with everything Pat Robertson says. In fact, sometimes I disagree a lot. But I also do not agree with everything Dave Reber says, Jenna Myrick says, Todd Sapp says, Bobby Bowden says, John Eldridge says, or James Dobson says either. The chances of me agreeing 100% with any Christian person in this world all the time is very unlikely. However, all the people I just named are Christian people who I believe are trying their best to make a difference and live the way Jesus wants them to. Who am I to bash their ministry? Maybe Bob Smith thinks that everyone should recite the Lord's prayer every night and he teaches that to all the people he's discipling. Maybe Joe Schmo thinks that speaking in tongues is a great way to praise God and does it in church every Sunday. Who am I to say mean stuff just because that the way they worship God isn't the same way I do on Sunday? People sure are quick to bash Pat Robertson's ministry now that he's said something wrong, making fun of his television program and all. The couple of times I've watched the 700 Club I've been so encouraged by all the good they do for people in Christ's name. (I don't agree with everything on that show, but I also don't agree with everything at my own church.) Here's just some of the ministries that CBN has:

World Reach
CBN WorldReach is CBN’s most ambitious global evangelistic outreach to date and is designed to take the Gospel to 500 million people through mass media and personal outreach.

CBN Animation
In 1977, an idea to reach children with the Gospel message through animated characters was born at the fledgling CBN. Now, more than 25 years later, CBN is the world leader in Bible-theme animation programs for TV.

Bless Israel
Israel is in the middle of what's being called the worst recession in its 55-year history. For a nation that boomed through most of the 1990s due to mass immigration, foreign investment and its high-tech industry, the fall has been fast and steep. The closure of thousands of businesses has been jarring. With a total of 1.2 million Israelis (almost a fifth of the population) now living in poverty, Israel is in desperate need of assistance.

Regent University
The nation's preeminent Christian university dedicated to combining quality education with biblical truths

The American Center for Law and Justice
Based in Washington, D.C., the American Center for Law and Justice specializes in constitutional law. Through work in the courts and the legislative arena, the ACLJ is dedicated to protecting your religious and constitutional freedoms.

Operation Blessing
Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation (OBI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, humanitarian organization that provides short-term medical, hunger and disaster relief and development assistance to people in need in the United States and around the world.

Plus, they have a 24 hour prayer line, free devotionals and a news program from a Christian standpoint. Let's look at the good, here. I don't know Pat Robertson personally, and most likely never will. I don't know his true motives in what he does. I'll never truely know what his heart is until we get to heaven. The only heart I can really know if my own. But, maybe the best thing to do in all of this is sit back and accept the guy's apology. He said himself that he said it in frustration. There are countless times that I've said things in frustration that I wish I could take back (but fortunately, I've never said them on national television). This is a fellow Christian who may have different political views than you, or a different denomination than you, or a different calling than you, but he is our brother in Christ whether we like it or not. I didn't hear the interview; I've only read it. I've heard plenty about it by the media. However, you can see the fruit of Pat Robertson's ministries every night at 11:00 on ABC Family along with some other T.V. stations at various times during the day.
When I'm leading ministries that are leading thousands of people to Christ every year and I'm doing all of the stuff CBN is doing and more, then I'll start criticizing Pat Robertson.