Pat, Ariel, Katrina and God

Robertson Links Sharon's Stroke to Wrath. The Rev. Pat Robertson -- the Chancellor of the University I attend -- has linked Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke to punishment from God for partitioning Israel.

On The 700 Club Thursday, Pat said after a report from Chris Mitchell, the show's Mideast Correspondent, that Sharon had been punished for dividing up Israel.

It is ironic that the man who championed the so-called "Greater Israel" policy, and who fought to maintain Israel's territorial integrity, should also be the one who was responsible for dismantling that policy. But does that mean that a stroke in a 77-year-old man was God's judgment on him?

Robertson quoted the Book of Joel when he said that God "has enmity against those who 'divide my land.' God considers this land to be His. You read the Bible he says this is my land. And for any Prime Minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says 'No! This is mine.'"

The Hebrew word Joel uses in Chapter 3, vs 2 that Robertson quoted is 'erets and it is translated variously as land, earth, world, dust, and ground.

Pat goes on to imply that a similar fate might have befallen former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, for his land-for-peace plan. The 700 Club host says he would say "woe unto any Prime Minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the E.U., the United Nations or the United States of America."

Robertson ended the segment by saying "God says this land belongs to me, you better leave it alone."

The book of Joel does talk about God judging the nations. He speaks of bringing all those who have afflicted Israel into judgment. This is also the same book that says that God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh, and whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.

So is Robertson right in making his connection between Sharon's stroke and his policies? What about the Kuwaiti -- and the minister --who wrote that Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment on America for it's Mideast policy or its wickedness? Or those who said that 9-11 was the wrath of God for America's wickedness?

Or what about Robertson's earlier statements that the United States should "take out" Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez? Statements for which he later apologized? Are his comments about Mr. Sharon another example of an off-the-cuff remark that went awry?

A White House spokesman, Trent Duffy, speaking to reporters on Air Force One called Dr. Robertson's comments about Sharon "wholly inappropriate and offensive, and really don't have a place in this or any other debate."

CBN released a statement from Robertson's spokesperson, Angell Watts, part of which reads: Robertson is simply reminding his viewers what the Bible has to say about efforts made to divide the land of Israel.

She also expressed Dr. Robertson’s outrage at People for the American Way, who have a clear left-wing political agenda and who, on an ongoing basis, lift his comments out of context and widely circulate them in an attempt to discredit him.

So I wanted to ask: What do you believe?