Maybe if he starts praying about it now he can stop it just like he prayed and God diverted a hurricane a few years ago.

One time Pat Robertson was speaking and Jesus started to take notes.  When someone asked Jesus, “why are you taking notes, didn’t you write the bible and create everything?” Jesus replied, “yes, but some of this stuff I’ve never heard before.”

You might be wrong about Ted Haggard getting a new book deal. Raise you hand if you would read a book about Ted’s life lessons this year?

Hey call me the “ark” rocker. But I again find myself feeling the need to “present” the other side by asking a couple of questions.

First question: Do we believe God uses prophetic voices to warn countries and people so they might turn in repentance?
2nd Question: How did most of those in times past treat the prophets? Didn’t they “scorn them” ridicule them for “getting things wrong or just appearing weird?” (I mean come on, parading naked through the streets?)
With the exception of Ninivah? They seemed to receive the phophetic voice and repented. They could have just as easily mocked Jonah in the press, written blogs about how stupid he was or how his personal political views were unchristlike.

While I’m at it, Ninivah brings up an interesting point. Technically Jonah “got it wrong.” He said, “40 days and Ninivah will be destroyed.” But it wasn’t. According to the way some want to interpret prophetic guidelines you would have stoned Jonah because what he said DID NOT happen. (yes, I know the story, I know they repented and God’ granted grace. But you only say that because you see God’s side revealed in that story.... is it possible you don’t see God’s side revealed in today’s stories?)

What I’m saying is perhaps we should not be so willing to discount the prophetic in our culture today. Yes, I know its embarrasing. Yes, I know its harsh. Yes, I know it appears wrong.

But what if God is using it anyway?

(Is it possible?)

Keith is right when he points out that OT prophets were frequently treated with derision and disbelief because of their unpopular prophecies and eccentric ways of communicating them.  But I think that the similarities between Pat and say, Jeremiah end there.  One major difference between Pat’s prophecies and the OT prophets’ is that there was usually a call for repentance, or some way to effect a change in the prophecies of doom and gloom.  Pat’s ideas of national repentance would seem to center around our treatment of Israel, not nationwide moral depravity.  Without getting into a debate on US foreign policy towards Israel, I disagree with Pat’s opinions and assessment of the nature of our relationship with Israel, which makes it real difficult for me to repent and thus forestall either typhoons or an impending Social Security crisis.

In the case of Jonah, as Keith pointed out, there was nationwide repentance which led to physical and spiritual salvation.  How can Pat say that nationwide repentance (ie, a dramatic change in foreign policy) saved us from the typhoon he predicted, and yet was not enough to result in Social Security reform (if that would indeed be his argument)?

It is right to caution against being quick to judge and ridicule a particular prophecy, but does that mean we are to suspend all judgement and critical thinking on every prophecy presented, even when presented by prophets with a less than 100% track record?

By the way, I don’t happen to think that Pat’s most recent prophecy is a real risk on his part; a cursory look at the current political events could result in similar predictions by reasonable people.

Yes, Brian, I guess what I was trying to say (and failed to do) was that even if there were some sort of terrorist attack on a major US city this year, due to the volatility of the current political situation, this would not necessarily be proof to me that Pat had heard from God when he predicted it.

Hmmm, insert “psychic xxx” over the name Pat Robertson and you have the next Tabloid headline for the predictions of 2007 issue. That’s the first thing that came to my mind.

Keith has a point I agree with, that the prophets of the OT were ridiculed and persecuted for their minsitries. However, Nora, you hit the nail on the head - their messages were preached with a call to repentance. The prophet had to have a 100% track record or they were a false prophet. With Robertson claiming God tells him these things, and then they don’t happen, I have to wonder which voice he was listening to? Can it be explained that God changed His mind, as we see happen every so often in the OT? I don’t think so - because the situations don’t match up. I think he’s hearing more of his flesh than anything else. When someone says they hear something from God and then they contradict themself later, one has to wonder....

I was saved in a church that always predicated the crash of economy, Y2K disaster, and that the anti-Christ was already born.

After years of hearing this stuff and never seeing it come together. No wonder we have such harsh critics. We constantly destroy our creditability and loose more an more people to these claims.

I don’t want to over communicate this but we have lost a lot of ground as being anything but foolish in the world we serve. A recent poll taken by men and how they view religion and the church boiled down to its all a joke.

I don’t have a problem with our faith, I have a problem with the way we represent our faith.