One of the more frequent employers of the “disaster theology” tactic is Marion “Pat” Robertson. You know, the guy who thought the Haiti earthquake was the result of God having cursed that country for having thrown off the yoke of French colonialism, and who agreed with the Reverend Falwell that the September 11, 2001 attacks happened because of the ACLU, feminists, and gays (WebCite cached article; audio available here.).
It seems Patty-boy can’t get enough of his disaster theology; according to the Washington Post On Faith blog, Robertson did it again, with respect to the Virginia earthquake a few days ago (cached):
Pat Robertson, natural disaster interpreter extraordinaire, said on Wednesday’s 700 Club that the earthquake that struck the Washington region Tuesday “means that we’re closer to the coming of the Lord.”
On Thursday’s broadcast, Robertson pointed to the damage to the Washington Monument in the earthquake as a possible ‘sign’ from God:
“It seems to me the Washington Monument is a symbol of America’s power. It has been the symbol of our great nation. We look at the symbol and we say ‘this is one nation under God.’ Now there’s a crack in it… Is that sign from the Lord? … You judge. It seems to me symbolic.”
The idea that any given catastrophe is a signal that Jesus is finally coming back, is as old as Christianity itself, dating back at least to the evangelists:
The televangelist Wednesday cited Matthew’s Gospel, and the earthquake’s “upheaval in the earth” as a sign that the End Times are nearing. Natural disasters, war and “one world government,” Robertson said, citing Scripture, are all “birth pangs” of the world to come.
So you see, there’s nothing original here. This is really just “End Times” talk that no rational person need bother paying attention to. The problem is, there are too many irrational people in the US, and many of them are, sadly, paying attention to jabbering ignoramuses like Patty Robertson. Even worse … a lot of them vote!
Hat tip: Mark at Skeptics & Heretics Forum on Delphi Forums.