Listen to SBC leaders condemning Robertson's call for the assassination of Chávez. Here's SBC President Bobby Welch:

"The Southern Baptist Convention does not support or endorse public statements concerning assassinations of persons, even if they are despicable despots of foreign countries, and neither do I," stated Welch in a Baptist Press story. "Everyone is aware that the United Stares has a military and government agencies to deal with our foreign threats in a forceful combative way. The Christian's responsibility is to pray for our leaders as well as the extremists around the world. Jesus Christ can save these people and change their lives."

"With unmistakable clarity and an apparent lack of self-consciousness, Robertson simply called for an assassination, presumably to be undertaken by U.S. military forces in violation of U.S. law.

"In so doing he gave the Venezuelan leader a propaganda gold mine, embarrassed the Bush administration, and left millions of viewers perplexed and troubled. More importantly, he brought shame to the cause of Christ. This is the kind of outrageous statement that makes evangelism all the more difficult. Missing from the entire context is the Christian understanding that violence can never be blessed as a good, but may only be employed under circumstances that would justify the limited use of lethal force in order to prevent even greater violence. Our witness to the Gospel is inevitably and deeply harmed when a recognized Christian leader casually recommends the assassination of a world leader...

"He has brought embarrassment upon us all.

...Pat Robertson bears responsibility to retract, rethink, repent, and restate his position on this issue..."

2. After claiming that Sharon's stroke was divine retribution, Robertson did which of the following?

(A) Explained that he was quoting from the Old Testament Book of Joel
(B) Suggested that the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin was also divine retribution
(C) He wrote, 'I ask your forgiveness and the forgiveness of the people of Israel for remarks I made."
(D) All of the above

3. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, has chastised Robertson, a fellow Southern Baptist, by making which of the following statements?

(A) Robertson is "way out on his own, in a leaking life raft."
(B) "I am almost as shocked by Pat Robertson's arrogance as I am by his insensitivity."
(C) He said that Southern Baptist Theological Seminary students were "embarrassed and incensed" at Robertson's suggestion that Sharon's stroke was divine retribution.
(D) He said, "Even if one agreed with Pat Robertson's position that the Israelis do not have the right to grant part of the Holy Land to the Palestinians, it would be well beyond Rev. Robertson's competence to discern that these tragic events were in any way, shape or form the result of God's judgment on any individuals."
(E) All of the above

4. Which of the following Protestant denominations has Robertson compared with "the spirit of the Antichrist"?

(A) Episcopalians
(B) Presbyterians
(C) Methodists
(D) All of the above

5. During the 700 Club broadcast on Thursday, September 13, 2001, Jerry Falwell blamed the terrorist attacks two days before on which of the following?

(A) The ACLU
(B) People for the American Way
(C) Federal courts that enforce the separation of church and state
(D) Feminists, gays, and lesbians
(E) All of the above

6. In response to Falwell's finger-pointing about September 11, Robertson did which of the following?

(A) He immediately replied, "I totally concur."
(B) He immediately blamed "the court system."
(C) He later chastised Falwell for making "a political statement of blame... that was severe and harsh in tone" and "totally inappropriate."
(D) He later said that he had not understood Falwell.
(E) He later blamed critics for taking Falwell's statements out of context.
(F) All of the above

7. In August 2005, Robertson stated on the 700 Club that  Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez should be "assassinated" for what reason?

(A) Because Chávez already "thinks we're trying to assassinate him."
(B) "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war."
(C) Because Chávez is "controlling a huge pool of oil."
(D) All of the above.

8. Following an international media frenzy over Robertson's nationally broadcast call for "American special forces" to "take out" Chávez, Robertson did which of the following?

(A) Falsely claimed that he never used the word "assassinate."
(B) He wrote, "Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement."
(C) He went on CNN and compared Chávez with Hitler.
(D) All of the above

9. Heritage Foundation Fellow Joe Loconte has written in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that evangelical leaders should do what to Robertson?

(A) They should "marginalize Robertson and his media empire -- publicly and decisively."
(B) They should "editorialize against his excesses."
(C) They should "refuse to appear on his television program and deny him advertising space in their magazines."
(D) They should "threaten to resign" from boards "unless he steps down from his public platform."
(E) All of the above

Gentle Reader, you undoubtedly do not need to be told that for each of the above questions, the ANSWER is "Both or all of the above."

BONUS: On Thursday, January 12, 2006, Robertson sent a public apology to Sharon's son. For 50 extra points, and a chance to do a Church Lady Superior Dance, come up with a sensible theory -- other than mental illness -- on why Robertson issues so many calls for divine retribution (or denials, clarifications, or belated apologies for same) on Thursdays.

Digg
del.icio.us
Newsvine
Reddit
stumbleupon
Facebook