Posted by kat on September 19, 2001 at 22:27:39:
I wrote a letter to The 700 club expressing disapproval about the comments made by Rev Falwell and recieved this back .
so I thought I would share it, it's rather long so skip over it or forget it. does it really matter?
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PRESS RELEASE
Pat Robertson Addresses Comments Made By Jerry Falwell
September 17, 2001
PatRobertson.com -
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., September 17, 2001 -- On Thursday of last week, as The
700 Club continued its coverage of the tragic attack on the World Trade
Center by radical extremists, Pat Robertson not only was reporting the news,
but was also asking his audience to pray for the survivors and their
families, as he had been doing for the previous two days.
In addition, he personally issued a statement that indicated that the church
and all of America should come in repentance before God so that He would not
lift the protective covering that has graced our land since its founding.
Toward the end of the program, The 700 Club producers had booked Jerry
Falwell for a satellite interview. Rev. Falwell's initial remarks were
completely in accord with what had been said in preceding parts of the
program, and then, unexpectedly, he uttered a political statement of blame
directed at certain segments of the population that was severe and harsh in
tone, and, frankly, not fully understood by the three hosts of The 700 Club
who were watching Rev. Falwell on a monitor.
It was this brief interchange with Rev. Falwell that was picked up by People
For The American Way, who for approximately the past fifteen years have
taped every single telecast of The 700 Club and unfortunately take
statements out of context and spin them to the press for their own political
ends. Rev. Falwell has issued a pointed clarification of his statement, and
Dr. Robertson said on Fox News' The Edge that he considered the remarks
"totally inappropriate." He does not wish to comment further on something
that is not personally in keeping with the spirit of prayer and sorrow that
has been evidenced by the staff of the Christian Broadcasting Network over
the past several days.
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Jerry Falwell Apologizes
By Jerry Falwell
September 18, 2001
Jerry Falwell Ministries - Last Thursday during an appearance on the 700
Club, in the midst of the shock and mourning of a dark week for America, I
made a statement that I should not have made and which I sincerely regret. I
apologize that, during a week when everyone appropriately dropped all labels
and no one was seen as liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican,
religious or secular, I singled out for blame certain groups of Americans.
This was insensitive, uncalled for at the time, and unnecessary as part of
the commentary on this destruction. The only label any of us needs in such a
terrible time of crisis is that of 'American.'
I obviously did not state my theological convictions very well and I stated
them at a bad time. During the difficult weeks ahead there will be much
discussion about the judgment of God. It is a worthy discussion for all of
us at a time when we are reminded of the fleeting nature of life itself, but
it is a complicated discussion.
I do not know if the horrific events of September 11 are the judgment of
God, but if they are, that judgment is on all of America--including me and
all fellow sinners--and not on any particular group.
My statements were understandably called divisive by some, including those
whom I mentioned by name in the interview. This grieves me, as I had no
intention of being divisive.
In conclusion, I blame no one but the hijackers and terrorists for the
barbaric happenings of September 11.
We know, as Abraham Lincoln anguished in his second inaugural address, that
"The Almighty has his own purposes," but as he said, "The judgments of the
Lord are true and righteous altogether."
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Pat Robertson's Statement Regarding Terrorist Attack
September 14, 2001
We must ask God to send a mighty, powerful revival in the midst of His
people.
PatRobertson.com - America has enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity
throughout its history. Though we have been involved in wars on our own soil
-- the last was the Civil War -- the United States of America has not
experienced the anguish of invasion by a foreign power since the War of
1812.
We have imagined ourselves invulnerable and have been consumed by the
pursuit of financial gain. The focus of many in America has been on the
pursuit of health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality. Sadly, those in
the churches have been as self-indulgent as those in the world.
We have allowed rampant pornography on the Internet, and rampant secularism
and the occult, etc. to be broadcast on television. We have permitted
somewhere in the neighborhood of 35-40 million unborn babies to be
slaughtered by our society.
We have a court that has essentially stuck its finger in God's eye and said,
"We are going to legislate You out of the schools and take Your commandments
from the courthouses in various states. We are not going to let little
children read the commandments of God. We are not going to allow the Bible
or prayer in our schools."
We have insulted God at the highest level of our government. Then, we say,
"Why does this happen?" It is happening because God Almighty is lifting His
protection from us. Once that protection is gone, we are vulnerable because
we are a free society.
We lie naked before these terrorists who have infiltrated our country. There
are probably tens of thousands of them in America right now. They have been
raising money and preaching their hate. Overseas, they have been spewing out
venom against the United States for years.
All over the Arab world there is venom against America being poured into
peoples' minds, and the only thing that is going to sustain us is the
umbrella power of Almighty God. That is the only thing that we have going
for us.
Yes, we can put up a nuclear shield, but they are not coming in with
missiles. We can beef up marshals on airplanes, but then they will come in
with car bombs. There is always some way they can get at us. The means of
these rogue states are awesome.
Yes, we will mobilize now and our country is moving together. But I want to
say as firmly as I can, the Scripture for this time is -- "If My people who
are called by My name will humble themselves, pray, seek My face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and
heal their land."
Now, I am filled with compassion. It just tears my heart when I think of the
families of these suffering. But I want to say as surely as I am sitting
here today, this is only a foretaste, a little warning, of what is going to
happen.
We have not seen the massive destruction of life in our urban centers that
can take place with sarin gas and with the biological and chemical warfare
that is available to these rogue people, not to mention, suitcase nuclear
bombs that they probably have available as well. We must come back to God as
a people.
So what we say to you today is, if you are not right with God then get your
life right with God. Think of the things in your life that are wrong. Think
of the careless indifference. Think of the poor who you could have helped.
Think of the Scripture you have ignored. Think of the time you should have
been spending in prayer, when you were watching television or focusing on
pornography or tuned into the Internet. Think of the things you have done in
your own life and think of the indifference to the sin of this nation that
you have just passed by and said, "Well, that is just the way it is. We have
to have freedom." Think of it!
Don't ask why did it happen. It happened because people are evil. It also
happened because God is lifting His protection from this nation and we must
pray and ask Him for revival so that once again we will be His people, the
planting of His righteousness, so that He will come to our defense and
protect us as a nation. That is what I want to see and why we say we must
have revival.
We must have a spiritual revival. The churches need to be full. We must pray
for our pastors. We must pray for the churches. We must ask God to send a
mighty, powerful revival in the midst of His people. That is what is needed
for this land.
I want us to pray right now for America. I want us to pray for you and your
families. I want us to pray particularly for those mothers, those fathers,
those husbands and wives, those brothers and sisters who have lost loved
ones. Their hearts are breaking right now. As they see this thing happen and
they say "Why, Why?" And their hearts are broken.
We may find that as many as 20,000 innocent civilians have been killed in
this tragedy. We don't know what the full number is yet. It may not be that
high, but that is one estimate.
Please join with me as we all pray right now.
Father, we come before You, and we share the pain and the grief of those who
are suffering. We saw those people with their little posters held up before
TV cameras with the pictures of their loved ones. Surely, you have seen this
man. He is 5'10" and he weighs so and so and he's got a cute smile. Oh, God
in heaven, we pray that You would comfort them -- that You will comfort
those who suffer and grieve in this manner.
And Lord, we pray for our nation. We have sinned against Almighty God. At
the highest level of government we have stuck our finger in Your eye. The
Supreme Court has insulted You over and over again, Lord. They have taken
Your Bible away from the schools. They have forbidden little children to
pray. Organizations have gone to court to take the knowledge of God out of
the public squares of America. Then people say, "Why isn't God looking after
us."
We have sinned against You, Lord. We ask that You might forgive us. And that
You might bring us to the place where we are truly sorry for our sins, and
as a Nation we repent before You. And Almighty God, we ask for a spiritual
revival, a cleansing of our Nation, a cleansing of the hearts of Your
people.
We pray for pastors, anoint them, Lord. We pray, oh God, for the churches.
Give them the fire of God. And Lord, may millions come to the knowledge of
Jesus Christ. Do a miracle in this land, we pray, that Your name might be
honored. And Lord, we ask that you would bind up our wounds and heal our
land. We receive this, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen.