We have previously discussed the war on atheists and agnostics that seems to be accelerating with the rise of people claiming to have no religious affiliation or belief in God in the United States, according to recent polls. There is a steady stream of statements from the national and international campaign by leaders against atheists, who appear to be fair game for hateful, ill-informed rhetoric. While you may have seen this already, Pat Robertson pushed this trend to a new low: telling his many viewers that atheists want to everyone to be miserable because they are miserable. They therefore what “to steal your holiday [Christmas] away from you.”
Here are his words of wisdom:
It’s, well, Christmas all over again. The Grinch is trying to steal our holiday. It’s been so beautiful, the nation comes together, we sing Christmas carols, we give gifts to each other, we have lighted trees, and it’s just a beautiful thing. Atheists don’t like our happiness, they don’t want you to be happy, they want you to be miserable. They’re miserable, so they want you to be miserable. So they want to steal your holiday away from you.
There is obviously a rising concern among political and religious leaders that faith is declining in society. Thus, even though the non-religous is now a majority in places like England, politicians are ratcheting up such rhetoric. Robertson’s rhetoric is particularly raw and inciteful, as are comparisons of atheists and agnostics to terrorists. It is an ironic twist. The effort to leave religious expressions to each citizen (as opposed to religious displays by the government) is viewed as a war on religion. There remains an insistence that the government affirm religious — and generally Christian — values and objects of faith. Robertson’s comments not only reflect a surprising insecurity as to the place of religion but an open hostility to those who want their government to be secular-based.
I’ve got nooz fer ya. Atheists ain’t interested in your holiday. As they’ll be left behind with tha jooz, maybe a couple could have your Rollses after the rapcha. I’d like tha pink one ya got from Falwell. Tha one with the latex ez ta clean interior.
Bron,
How are atheists destroying a religious holiday? And what do lighted trees, Santa Claus, and gift giving have to do with the Christian religion?
I’M IN UR COUNTRY STEALIN UR HOLIDAAAYZ
“Hateful, ill-informed” describes Pat to a “t”.
Posted – in the New Testament Jesus is asked how to identify false prophets and he makes it quite clear that failure to correctly predict the future is the sign. The Bible also makes clear (though not in the words of JC) what believers are to do with false prophets. Rev Robertson, according to the teachings of the book he states is the inerrant word of God, should be stoned to death.
This example of his inability to hear God is just the latest, he has a very long string of explicit predictions that have not come to be. I don’t know what the voices in his head are but they have demonstrated that they are not God.
The Islamists hate us for our freedoms.
The Atheists hate us for our Christmas. Lighted Christmas trees, singing and expensive gifts are all entirely about Baby Jesus.
We need to be really careful about designating things that targetted groups hate us for.
Who hates us for our Thanksgiving?
The Vegetarians need to keep a low profile if they don’t want that label.
Elaine:
Exactly, it cuts both ways.
It isnt freedom from religion, it is freedom of religion. The public square should have room for all beliefs. But government should be secular because there are so many different beliefs [and even if there were only one].
There is nothing wrong with a Nativity Scene on public property at Christmas. Just as there is nothing wrong with Lord Ganesh being displayed at the appropriate time.
Amen to that Elaine….
I laugh at fools but its not prudent to laught at Hitler. That being said in reference to the nut on television who says some outrageous things in order to get money, some observations about truth and happiness might be provident here. No pun intended.
I am a firm believer in Dog. I celebrate Xmas and New Years, Easter, Flag Day, July 4th, Black Friday, MLK Day, all of those religions days in America.
When I sit around my great grandparent’s christmas ornaments from Germany displayed on a real xmas tree I celebrate the pagan traditions of the fur tree decorated and the Sinter Klaus guy coming down the chimney. Those are all real Christian values to Robertson but in fact were STOLEN by so called Christians when they moved Christ’s birthday from July to December to cash in on the pagan celebration season and do what they do gbest which is Christian Mingle. If Pat were to know a thing about the thievery of the season by his Christian ancestors and counterparts he would not in good faith (no pun intended) be able to cash in on the celebration of Christ in the winter.
Randy Newman talked about Robertson in one of his songs:
He may be a fool but he’s our fool
If ya think your better than him you’re wrong
So I went to the park , took some paper along
and thats where I wrote this song..
We’re Rednecks, We’re Rednecks,
We dont know our arse from a hole in the ground…
–Rednecks, from the Good Ol Boys album 1974.
I will be completely happy this xmas season. I wont go out on Black Friday and spend away. I wont buy any spoiled nephews any xmas gifts, I wont buy that new car that Chevy has featured with a big xmas red ribbon, I wont go to church on xmas day or xmas eve and I wont give money in the plate when it passes by. I will give some money to some good charities and give some things to some needy people whom I personally know and I will adopt a cat from the cat orphanage and name him Mister December. I will be happy and content. I will celebrate all the pagan Yuletide events.
But when Sunday rolls around I wont praise the Lard and switch to Crisco on Monday. Nope.
So bron – if I called you a fat headed ignoramus whos most intelligent emissions were produced from your anus & you got upset that would mean there was some truth to the statement? Thats illogical. Your reaction to my slander has no bearing on its validity
Its not Christianity that atheists object to. What they object to is the constant efforts to force Christianity on the nation as a function of the government and to the exclusion of all other beliefs.
Robertson Admits he Blew Election Prediction he Received from God
submitted by Brian Tashman on Wednesday, 11/21/2012 12:20 pm
In January, televangelist Pat Robertson told 700 Club viewers that in his annual New Year’s “conversation” with God, the Almighty had revealed to him who the next president would be. Up through Election Day, Robertson harshly criticized President Obama and the Democratic Party while praising Mitt Romney. Then, Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network predicted a GOP sweep, leaving Robertson utterly confounded by Obama’s victory.
Today, responding to a question from a viewer who wondered why her business is struggling since she thought God told her it would be successful, Robertson admitted that he sometimes misses God’s message. “So many of us miss God, I won’t get into great detail about elections but I sure did miss it, I thought I heard from God, I thought I had heard clearly from God, what happened?” Robertson replied, “You ask God, how did I miss it? Well, we all do and I have a lot of practice.”
http://youtu.be/QF14lBHrQaU
Bron,
I’d say that atheists and agnostics and those who are not Christians are getting tired of the holier-than-thou Christians like Robertson who like to shove their religion in other people’s faces.
It is people like Robertson who are the miserable ones–always looking for problems and finding fault with other people who don’t view the world as they do. Not everyone is or wants to be a Christian–or a member of any organized religion.
Otteray Scribe:
many people are like petulant 12 year olds, probably a case of projection.
I know atheists who are very messed up people and I know Christians who are crazy.
If atheists are upset by that statement, there may be some truth in what he says.
So…..
But I disagree…. May a folks that I know that are declared atheist…. Are much more happy with themselves than the searching so called religious folks……
Mesopo….. Exactly….
The god most fundamentalists (of all monotheist religions) seem to believe in appears to have the disposition of a petulant twelve-year-old.
Yes, unless these God botherers are allowed to ram their beliefs into everyones lives they are being threatened. It really is that simple. If anyone anywhere makes the least attempt to recognize a non-mainstream Christian belief they are assaulting the one true God. What a weak little cosmic muffin their God must be.
I had no idea one has to be crazy to lead a modern religion, though I’m learning. The Lord works in mysterious ways, indeed – when he works at all.