Pat Robertson calls for assassination of Chavez

[sgtmac_46]

Interesting point - where are all the other religious leaders at a time like this? I have heard no other religious leader complain about this statement - not Jackson, not the Pope, not Sharpton ... no one. Why not?

Well, if you want to know the truth, the answer is probably professional courtesy. Even if they disagree politically, doctors, lawyers and preachers are hard pressed to publically denigrate a fellow. There's an unspoken truce I would imagine.

 

[shesulsa]

The great White Shield - yes, yes.

It's a fine line to ride, that professionalism, is it not? So would you rather see other action on this by the religious community? or at least more outcry?

 

[sgtmac_46]

The great White Shield - yes, yes.

It's a fine line to ride, that professionalism, is it not? So would you rather see other action on this by the religious community? or at least more outcry?

I personally don't care. There's more than enough non-religious outcry to make a mountain of this molehill, without starting a religious war over it.

It's in the same category as college professors calling for a "Million Mogadishu's" against US troops, we shouldn't give him more publicity than he already has. I mean, Pat Robinson, despite is celebrity, is still a private citizen, and has the right, like all private citizens, to say the most asinine things imaginable.

 

[Tgace]

I dont think the Pope should even recognize televangelists IMO. I dont even think he fits in that crowd.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I mean, Pat Robinson, despite is celebrity, is still a private citizen, and has the right, like all private citizens, to say the most asinine things imaginable.

I love it.


ok, back to topic. (Sorry, that one had me chuckling).

 

[shesulsa]

I mean, Pat Robinson, despite is celebrity, is still a private citizen, and has the right, like all private citizens, to say the most asinine things imaginable.

True. But if you or I said it in a public arena ... what would happen to us, ya think?

 

[sgtmac_46]

True. But if you or I said it in a public arena ... what would happen to us, ya think?

If you said it, a bunch of right wingers would be calling you all sorts of nasty names. If I said it, a bunch of leftists would be calling me a fascist, and demanding that I get charged with a hate crime.

 

[Makalakumu]

It's in the same category as college professors calling for a "Million Mogadishu's" against US troops, we shouldn't give him more publicity than he already has. I mean, Pat Robinson, despite is celebrity, is still a private citizen, and has the right, like all private citizens, to say the most asinine things imaginable.

This isn't in the same catagory. If a college professor calls for a million mogadishu's there audience is going to be rather limited. Pat Robertson, unfortunately, has millions who watch him everyday....700 club, Christian Coalition, etc...

Stupid is stupid, but stupid with a big audience is dangerous.

On a side note, I don't think the liberals need to say anything after this. We should just sit back and let the right wingers pull the pin and drop the grenades in their own boats!

 

[sgtmac_46]

This isn't in the same catagory. If a college professor calls for a million mogadishu's there audience is going to be rather limited. Pat Robertson, unfortunately, has millions who watch him everyday....700 club, Christian Coalition, etc...

Stupid is stupid, but stupid with a big audience is dangerous.

On a side note, I don't think the liberals need to say anything after this. We should just sit back and let the right wingers pull the pin and drop the grenades in their own boats!

Not to mention Pat Robertson is allegedly a "conservative", right? I mean, that's what's really dangerous.

It's not really that you are attacking Robertson, he's a moron. It's that in the same breath you have to make a token effort to defend the professors statement as less dangerous. That's the power of ideology.

 

[Makalakumu]

Not to mention Pat Robertson is allegedly a "conservative", right? I mean, that's what's really dangerous.

It's not really that you are attacking Robertson, he's a moron. It's that in the same breath you have to make a token effort to defend the professors statement as less dangerous. That's the power of ideology.

Okay, classroom of people listening to one idiot with some supposed authority vs tele-evangelist with millions of people watching everyday hanging off this guy's every word.

HMMMM....

Ideology, I don't think so. I believe the appropriate response, "Yeah, I guess you have a point."

 

[Makalakumu]

Okay, classroom of people listening to one idiot with some supposed authority vs tele-evangelist with millions of people watching everyday hanging off this guy's every word.

HMMMM....

Ideology, I don't think so. I believe the appropriate response, "Yeah, I guess you have a point."

I also have to mention that sometimes these extreme forms of religion tend to disable people's ability to reason...

 

[Tgace]

So freedom of speech needs to be weighed against audience size?

 

[sgtmac_46]

Okay, classroom of people listening to one idiot with some supposed authority vs tele-evangelist with millions of people watching everyday hanging off this guy's every word.

HMMMM....

Ideology, I don't think so. I believe the appropriate response, "Yeah, I guess you have a point."

The fact that you truly believe that one is worse than the other says a lot. The professor indoctrinates thousands of students in his career who, in turn, go on to be leaders. Tele-evangelists sell metaphorical snake oil on TV. Actors in hollywood are adored by millions. Stupid statements by all of the above have a significant impact.

The one difference? The professors are often paid by the tax payer, so in a sense they have a GREATER obligation to speak with some tact.

 

[sgtmac_46]

So freedom of speech needs to be weighed against audience size?

Audience size and political ideology. Basically, if you generally agree with a person's politics, he gets a pass when he says something moronic. If you hate the guys politics, any stupid thing is indicative of his entire political belief system.

Now, as for Pat Robertson....he's a private citizen. It would seem to me that he has a moral obligation to use a little more discreation when speaking, as he IS the head of a large religious organizations and has an audience of MILLIONS. Of course, as a private citizen, that moral obligation is between him, god and his followers.

We should label Pat the moron that he is and move on without trying to make this an indictment of the entire conservative world.

 

[Tgace]

Or religion....

 

[Makalakumu]

The fact that you truly believe that one is worse than the other says a lot. The professor indoctrinates thousands of students in his career who, in turn, go on to be leaders. Tele-evangelists sell metaphorical snake oil on TV. Actors in hollywood are adored by millions. Stupid statements by all of the above have a significant impact.

The one difference? The professors are often paid by the tax payer, so in a sense they have a GREATER obligation to speak with some tact.

While I agree 100% that public servents like teachers must speak with some tact...I still think there is a difference and I'm not defending the professor btw.

Pat Robertson will reach in one day more people then that professor reaches in his entire career by a factor of 1000. Further, Pat Robertson says stupid stuff like this everyday. I'm surprised it made news this time...

upnorthkyosa

Thats my last word, I'm going fishing. The Browns (trout) are running in from Lake Superior and I've got a personal record of 28 inches to beat. Last week I whacked a 25.

 

[Loki]

#30 - Is Pat Robertson correct when he says we should kill Hugo Chavez?
No, it's immoral and illegal.
Yes, Jesus would kill Chavez.
Yes, it's God's will.
No, that's damn stupid!

http://www.ihatepatrobertson.com/

Lot's of great stuff.

 

[DngrRuss]

I hate to say this, but I agree with Sgt.

Wrong is wrong. Professors do "indoctrinate" impressionable students to specific ideologies. If that young person has no real grasp of his own ethics and politics, the professor is a powerful influence.

However, I also agree that Robertson reaches more prople in a single day then that professor reaches in a lifetime. As I said, wrong is wrong, but the after-effects now fall into a question of degree.

Learning hatred, hypocracy, intollerance, and anger is no different whether it comes from the pulpit or the classroom. I think the bile rises especially high against Robertson because of his supposed Christian stance. Most sincere and honest Christians that I know wouldn't stand for that crap from one of thier local leaders. But Robertson has a national audience, and owns his own airwaves.

If a professor makes a blazingly stupid statement, he can be sanctioned, fired, or at the very least put into some deep, dark acedemic hole where he won't be influencing anyone. Rich, powerful, mass-media nuts like Robertson don't have to suffer the inconvenience of checks and balances.

 

[KenpoEMT]

...Professors do "indoctrinate" impressionable students to specific ideologies. If that young person has no real grasp of his own ethics and politics, the professor is a powerful influence.

However, I also agree that Robertson reaches more prople in a single day then that professor reaches in a lifetime. As I said, wrong is wrong, but the after-effects now fall into a question of degree.

...If a professor makes a blazingly stupid statement, he can be sanctioned, fired, or at the very least put into some deep, dark acedemic hole where he won't be influencing anyone. Rich, powerful, mass-media nuts like Robertson don't have to suffer the inconvenience of checks and balances.

I think that there is a vast difference between the types of individuals that are reached by any random professor and any random televangelist.

People who follow Pat Robertson blindly probably are not going to significantly impact society in any way greater than voting (if they even bother to vote) in elections; however, the young men and women who sit in a professors lecture hall day after day have the possibility of becoming very influential in this society (lawyers, judges, doctors, professors, politicians, etc, etc.).

Does anyone honestly believe that there is a judge or politician out there that hangs on every word that proceeds from the mouth of Robertson? I don't think so. Education tends to make one somewhat analitical.

Whichever ideology owns the systems of education and mass media, in time, will own the government.

 

[Marginal]

People who follow Pat Robertson blindly probably are not going to significantly impact society in any way greater than voting (if they even bother to vote) in elections; however, the young men and women who sit in a professors lecture hall day after day have the possibility of becoming very influential in this society (lawyers, judges, doctors, professors, politicians, etc, etc.).

Well now that we've established that the conservative elements in the forum no longer beleive that the media shapes or impacts public opinion in any way, I'll never have to hear about the problems presented by the liberal media or "liberal hollywood elites" like Micheal Moore (well, unless he's giving a college lecture) again. This is a productive discussion!