And God said...*nothing*!!!

Okay, so college has started and classes are rockin' so far; but enough about my daily life.

Today I was reading through the news and I stumbled upon this article about Pat Robertson and his claims. Apparently this fellow is a prominent religious figure as the broadcaster of the "700 Club". Cool, cool, that's fine. I don't mind that you host a religious program that also gives news...no matter how much spin that can create (heck, I'll admit to reading news from the Vatican press, so fooey on me if I get mad at things like that) but here's what gets me: Mr. Robertson comes out and says that during one of his prayer retreats, God told him personally that their will be a "mass killing" in the USA sometime after September of this year. God didn't say it was nuclear apparently, just that it would be big like that. Mr. Robertson also claimed that the USA's friendship with Israel is feigned and that "God punished then-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with a stroke for ceding Israeli- controlled land to the Palestinians". That's some pretty detailed stuff. What kind of maniacal mysticism is this man spouting!?

I have a lot of issues with this piece of news. First of all, let's assume that God is telling Pat Robertson these things. Was it God's intention that Pat Robertson should spread the Good News to everyone he could? I don't know, but if God wanted people to know (other than Pat Robertson) he should just come out and say it. Second of all, what good is it for people to know this? All this can do is create panic and, in case of an actual attack, maybe make for some more believers... Maybe that's the point right there! Who knows. What are my personal thoughts about this? I think it's a load of absolute bull crap. Sorry, if there is a God up there, he doesn't much want to talk to you, Pat, and he sure as heck isn't going to tell you when attacks are happening or if he gave Ariel Sharon a stroke. You know how this guy justifies his ravings? He cites his prediction that Bush would win both of his elections. Hmmm...you know who else predicted that? Republicans, more than half of the media, and 50% of the population. It's called democracy and to predict a result that is not even a 50-50 chance in favor of your guy doesn't make you a prophet, even if you do talk in the name of the Divine. It makes you a member of the conservative media. He also apparently made predictions of some "storms and possibly a tsunami" on the east coast in 2006. It didn't happen like that, but he claims that what rains did happen was enough to confirm his prediction. Whatever...How can anyone who makes unfounded claims be believed...and if he is wrong he just shrugs it off as God's will. You can't put stock in that! Men should stay out of the business of the Divine. It does not suit them.

Of course you can all laugh at me when something terrible does happen...not that you would. You're not rooting for that are you? We shall see. *sigh* This world is a confusing place.