Rev. Pat Robertson says ancient Haitians' 'pact with the devil' caused earthquake
BY Rich Schapiro
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
nydailynews.com
Originally Published:Wednesday, January 13th 2010, 5:09 PM
Updated: Wednesday, January 13th 2010, 5:29 PM
The Rev. Pat Robertson is offering his own absurd explanation for why a quake hit Haiti: Many years ago, the island's people "swore a pact to the devil."
"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it," the controversial televangelist said during an interview Wednesday on the Christian Broadcasting Network.
"They were under the heel of the French...and they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, 'We will serve you if you'll get us free from the French.'"
Robertson continued: "True story. And so the devil said, 'OK, it's a deal.' They kicked the French out. The Haitians revolted and got themselves free. Ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other."
Robertson went on to note that though Haiti shares the same island with the Dominican Republic, it remains desperately poor while its neighbor is "prosperous, healthy and full of resorts."
"[Haitians] need to have a great turning to God, and out of this tragedy, I'm optimistic something good may come," Robertson said.
The comments drew a swift and stern attack from left-leaning groups and other clergy.
"Go to hell Pat Robertson - and the sooner the better," Rev. Paul Raushenbush, a Baptist minister and a religion editor at the Huffington Post, wrote. "Your 'theological' nonsense is revolting. Don't speak for Haiti - and don't speak for God. Haiti is suffering a catastrophe and you offer silliness at best and racism at the worst."
"Pat Robertson's bizarre and offensive comments come at a time of horrific human suffering," said Ari Rabin-Havt, vice president of communications and research at Media Matters. "...They represent right-wing media figures' willingness to use any tragedy to forward its own agenda."
Robertson has a habit of igniting controversy in the wake of calamities.
After the 9/11 attacks, Robertson said liberal civil liberties groups and homosexuals were at least partly reponsible for the terror strikes that leveled New York's twin towers.
rschapiro@nydailynews.com
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