I took upon myself a most modest task. Critique the monstrous claim of Pat Robertson that the terrible earthquake that has decimated Haiti was a result of God's providential judgment on the nation. Apparently Robertson has more support among conservative Christians than I had wanted to believe. Four of the respondents in the thread came out actually defending the aging fundy. And they weren't just saying "He's a senile old man, so just leave him alone." No, they actually defended his claims.

Ososami mused: "The worldview hates any hints at divine judgement because it scares them ... this may be a call for repentance and soul searching as we do everything in our power to help Haitians...and could be a wake up call for all(not just Haitians)..."

With these rather cryptic words, Ososami seemed to be suggesting that just maybe this was God's judgment.

Dixie made a similar point: "God gives every opportunity for a country to repent prior to judgment - look at Ninevah, Sodom and Gomorrah, the world itself at the time of Noah, just to note a few. Why would we not think that His longsuffering and patience in Haiti would be met with some kind of wake up call to repentence."

If Ososami and Dixie were relatively qualified in their espousal of the divine judgment hypothesis, our next two commentators were not. Redphilly comments:

"Pat is telling it like it is. In fact, if he doesn't say this, God will retaliate against him. ... If Haiti did the grossly un-Godly thing that Robertson spoke of, then what has happened to them is because of it. We have a Jealous God and He has no problem admitting this to us. He put it in His Book. If Haiti went that far, it was spitting in Jehovah's Face and He is outraged every time He thinks about it. And Haiti suffers for it."

Redphilly goes on to say "If Haiti did this, they are our enemies." (The referent of "our" is not clear: The church? America?)

Finally, the most chilling comment comes from Dutchlionfrans who starts off colorfully by repudiating those who reprimanded Robertson as spewing vomit. Dutchlionfrans goes on: "Pat merely stated something that removed God's protection over the land of Haiti...." Finally, "So, instead of attacking Pat Robertson, attack and prosecute your criminal members of Congress, the Senate, the Judges who allow minorities, even 1 person to impose his/ her will over millions of Americans through the abuse of the court!"

Ososami and Dixie strike me as seriously misguided, if well intentioned, but Redphilly is scary. And Dutchlionsfrans is, well, terrifying. There is so much vitriol, hatred and xenophobia in Redphilly and Dutchlionsfrans that it is hopeless even to begin to engage them. All I can note is that Jesus didn't hang out with angry religious fundamentalists. He hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors, and Samaritans.

The other day a young Haitian girl was on the news. Her legs were caught underneath a large slab of concrete and doctors, desperate to free her, were preparing to amputate both legs without anesthesia.

Now think about it. There are Christians out there -- including four in my last thread -- who believe that this little girl is receiving the brunt of divine wrath because of the ill-defined sins of a nation state. How can I say in stronger terms that the suggestion is putrid, despicable, and evil and it can only increase the misery of this world whilst undermining the moral resolve of self-righteous religious zealots to help others in desperate need?