Foreign Relations in Biblical Terms

The ancient Greeks called it hubris and the Jews call it chutzpah. It’s pride, which we all recollect goeth before a fall. It’s egotism. It’s claiming with little basis beyond your own assertion that you are right and, without a doubt the place where I see it most is in that group of fundamentalist preachers who seem to place themselves above the rest of us unwashed masses in the ability to communicate with God. And, surprise! I’m not talking here about Imams or Mullahs who somehow want us to suspend common sense and hate others with the particular vehemence that their religion seems to command for them. No, this time—or maybe once again—it’s Pat Robertson. Take a look at this: How Does He Know?

Is it not obvious that a loving God would not support the bloodshed, suffering and hatred that has permeated the Middle East for the second half of the Twentieth Century? Would a deity of mercy and dignity not want peace and sharing and co-existence among people in the Holy Land? It seems to me that would be the case. After a bloody half century of fighting for a homeland, we see glimmerings of hope that the legacy of terrorism that featured Nobel Peace Prize recipients Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat elevated from terrorist bombers to the Rose Garden of the White House might be coming to a slow end.

Arafat is dead. And Ariel Sharon, founder of Likud tires of the conflict and hard-line approach. He moves his party to the center and seeks a modus vivendi in Israel that would somehow give the Palestinians a reason to cooperate. He believes, apparently, so much in his peace “road map” that he confesses that his plan is not consistent with the ideology of Likud and removes himself to create a new party. Surprisingly (or maybe not after so many decades of war,) the majority of the electorate seems to agree with him and all the polls have been indicating that he would win a landslide in thirty days and carry enough seats in the Knesset to establish a stable government.

Now, fate has stepped in and Sharon lies in a coma after a massive stroke and extensive surgery. Most are saying survival is questionable and even with a miraculous recovery Sharon would not be able to provide the leadership needed.

So, we’ve got that great intellect Pat Robertson, as a national leader lies stricken on his (apparent) deathbed spouting that it is God’s punishment for “dividing” his land. Excuse me, but isn’t all of the land God’s if you are a true believer? And, if God steps into the fray to administer punishment when his land is divided, why didn’t he torch the UN in 1948 after partition?

Can Robertson possibly be taken seriously? If the Reverend is hearing voices and they are telling him not to seek peace and to delight in the loss of a nation’s leader, then I don’t think Patty is talking to God—at least not any gods that I’ve heard of.