I don't know that I'd call him that influential. Every time he opens his mouth the folks at Red State go into fits of apoplexy and desperately want him to go away because he makes everyone on the right look crazy.

People forget that 'crazy' and 'stupid' really are different. Robertson is smart and nuts.

widespread poverty will give Christian evangelism a boost

Evangelism has a great profit margin. And Robertson is a marginal prophet.

God told me that TARP was not a good name for the massive bailout.

Turns out my name for it, Wealthcare was much more accurate.

Wealthcare: Taking care of the wealth of the few at the expense of the many.

Turns out, the financial folks aren't using TARP funds the way Congress intended.

Thanks, God for giving me this gift of prophecy!

Actually, I used my rational mind to predict that TARP was fishy from the start.

Remember the dire warnings we were fed? That fire-and-brimstone would fall on us all if TARP wasn't passed?

2008, the year Wealthcare was created.

Untold millions may try to communicate with God through prayer, but Robertson believes God communicates with him through "words of knowledge."

It's not just Robertson. Many charismatic Evangelicals believe that they literally see angels and demons. The believe they see "grace" as a golden glow surrounding people and things. And they believe that being submissive to god means that they need to consult him on important decisions like what job to take or what house to buy. They "know" when he is talking back to them.

But hey, a lot of people believe in literal transubstantiation too. (shrug)

The problem with Pat Robertson is that whenever he thinks he hears god, he filters it through his own conservative Republican beliefs.

And, I predict graduates of Regent U will have a very tough time trying to enter federal employment, especially, at the DOJ.

Yuck

This is off topic, but Obama just shouted out to Paul Krugman (during his live conference on the economy and in response to a question re: critics).

He said "If Paul Krugman (or anyone) has a good idea that will help the deficit and create more sustainable jobs, than I'll do it!". (paraphrased)

So go to it, Krugman--you now officially have the President Elects' ear.

Where's Amy Sullivan to chastize us for insufficient godliness? Of course, it's easy for us to mock servants of God because we've lost the common touch. Maybe we could win an election if we only we stopped rolling our eyes.

Ah, preachers are full of a bunch of hot air. Like this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU0QNQ9am2w

Hey, they don't call it the Stupid Party for nothing.

I think this guy is closer to God that Pat is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16YGYVEuWRs&feature=related

People may write him checks, but most of his money comes from people who would never write him a check. There is something seriously wrong with my having to send money to Pat Robertson every month in order to watch Monday Night Football on my teevee.

Yes, millions of Americans simply lack the slightest understanding of the concept of arbitrariness. It's the only reason clowns of all kinds stay in business.

RedState thinks Robertson makes the Right look crazy? Operation Leper RedState? Crazier than anyone but Little Green Footballs RedState?

And that “golden glow of grace� must have what Bush saw around Putin when he looked into his eyes.

If the prediction proves to be right, it's proof of Robertson's connection with God; if the prediction proves false, it means Robertson simply misinterpreted God's message.

Um, if Robertson misinterpreted God'd message and then conveyed that to his audience, wouldn't God (who is, after all, omniscient) hear about this and contact Robertson again so Robertson could issue a correction? Why does God put up with people garbling his messages if, presumably, the whole point is to get his message out accurately?

Funny, I don't remember God obsessing over the dollar's worth in the bible. I think Pat must be mistaking God's private financial adviser for the Lord Himself.

Stefan:

You're trying to apply actual reason to any of this?

Why does God put up with people garbling his messages

A better question is: If God is so omnipotent, why does He have to have a messenger? It would be a snap for Him to talk to us all at the same time with the same message. Then no doubt would remain.

Instead, we get exactly what one would expect if there is no god: Rogues like Pat Robertson who claim to have divine knowledge.

You're trying to apply actual reason to any of this?

It amuses me.

Half of Americans are below average in intelligence.

People want to believe this stuff. See, if the world truly is run by divine guidance, it absolves humans of all responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Maybe God will give Pat a list of all those false prophets he warned about in Revelations. But Pat might be embarrassed to find he's on the list.

when you talk to god, it's called praying.
when god talks to you, it's called schizophrenia.
--llily tomlin

Actually, the posted "prophecy's" aren't that far off base. 1) Socialism: Depends on your meaning of the word. If people embracing a healthcare plan that includes the millions of us without insurance (something every other developed nation on the earth has) then he's right about that one. 2) I'm shocked that he thinks Obama will help with the economy...I'm hopeful this will be true. 3) Value of the dollar falling...well, lots of people are predicting this, I think it's going to happen. 4) Islam being weaker: Again, semantics, depends on what you mean...I'm sure there will be SOME indications somewhere (the mosque in Podunk, AK has 5 members instead of last years 6). 6) Poverty boosting xtianity: Very probable, actually. People turn to god when they feel they have no other options.

Having said that, the guy is a nut, but frankly, all of these have the power to "come true"

If the prediction proves to be right, it's proof of Robertson's connection with God; if the prediction proves false, it means Robertson simply misinterpreted God's message.

1. If the prediction proves correct, it shows that Robertson has a direct-dial line to God.
2. If the prediction proves incorrect, it "proves" that Robertson single-handedly prevented disaster by speaking about it, thereby rallying the faithful and convincing God to relent.

A claim of infallibility is not actually logically the same as an admission of defeat. But it generally can stand in for one.

The war in the middle east and the collapse of the world economy are the end timers wet dream.

Robertson's track record on divine predictions is a little shaky

That's because Robertson has yet to transition to digital and God stopped using analog for his divine airways long ago.

he makes everyone on the right look crazy.

They don't need Robertson for that.

SteveT, transubstantiation is not the same sort of harmful idea as words of knowledge. The former is a mystical notion about ultimate essence with no "practical consequences", the latter can influence national policy (like when it tells evangelicals they should support modern Israel, even though their same teachings say Jews are damned for not accepting Jesus Christ as savior.)

Perhaps the conservative movement's slogan should be "Money Talks" - as in, no matter how utterly ridiculous a man is, if he has or can raise enough money, he must be worth listening to.

Half of Americans are below average in intelligence.

That sounds low.

"Americans will embrace socialism in large numbers in response to the economic crisis, Obama will help fix the economy, the value of the dollar will fall, Islam will "weaken," and widespread poverty will give Christian evangelism a boost."

He may not be so wrong as you may think.

1. Just define socialism as whatever it is that the government has to do to get us out of the mess we are in.

2. That the dollar will fall is a foregone conclusion given the present size of our national debt and the amount of dollars that is being held by China, Japan and the Saudis.

3. Obama will fix the economy. The economy has to get better sometime in the next eight years because there isn't too much other direction to go so that may be the same as fixing it.

4. Islam as understood by the rightwing may weaken if Obama gets us out of the mess in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gaza.

5. And widespread poverty in the near future is a given, and history shows that when the going gets rough, people look to religion for comfort and an explanation.

palinoscopy: I think Pat must be mistaking God's private financial adviser for the Lord Himself.

Could it happen to have anything to do with Roberts' west African gold mine holdings?

Sorry, Ivorywhyne, I inadvertently repeated what you had already said because I hadn't bothered to read the rest of the posts when I wrote mine.

Question: Do fools think alike or do great minds run in the same channel?

Bottom line: Robertson's god is fixated on Mammon. Not exactly breaking news.

Texas Aggie: Speaking for myself and myself only, I think it's fools who think alike :-).

First I Would like to point some things out.
If you have 4 or 300 million people half will be below average,that is what on average is a center point.
Next great minds dont think alike that is what makes them recognised as great,the problem is that 997 out of 1000 people belong to the herd and are lead but by whom, most of the time it is not by the great minds{ ralph Borsodi wrote on this in "This ugly civilization}

Lastly if he is recieving words from God then he is a prophet and the test of a prophet is that what he said comes to pass, if not he is to be taken outside of the camp and burned to death with all his writtings. Let him try to come up to Gods standard