The National Council of Churches USA, a group of mainline and orthodox Christians, was quick today in condemning Pat Robertson’s bizarre comments that the United States should assassinate Hugo Chavez, the democratically elected president of Venezuela. The Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, general-secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, said:
It defies logic that a clergyman could so casually dismiss thousands of years of Judaeo-Christian law, including the commandment that we are not to kill. It defies logic that this self-proclaimed Christian leader could so blithely abandon the teachings of Jesus to love our enemies and turn our cheeks against violence. It defies logic that a former candidate for the presidency could skirt the brink of international law to call for the assassination of a foreign leader on the grounds that he might some day be a danger to us. It defies logic that this so-called evangelist is using his media power not to win people to faith but to encourage them to support the murder of a foreign leader. I have no doubt that most of Pat Robertson's viewers have already rejected this idea, and that the 45-million people represented by the member communions of the National Council of Churches resolutely condemn it.
Evangelical Christians groups were divided in their response. The National Clergy Council and the National Association of Evangelicals both condemned Robertson through statements.
“But other conservative Christian organizations remained silent, with leaders at the Traditional Values Coalition, the Family Research Council and the Christian Coalition saying through spokesmen that they were too busy to comment,” reports The New York Times.
The United States has never been happy with President Chavez. When an illegal coup briefly toppled him from power the Bush Administration applauded. Chavez, however, quickly regained power. He has been critical of the war in Iraq and US economic policy in his region. Chavez has broad popular support. However, Human Rights Watch has issued several reports critical of the Chavez Administration’s human rights record. Then again, Human Rights Watch has also issued several reports concerning the human rights record of the Bush Administration.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked President Bush to repudiate Robertson’s remarks, according to the Times article. Robertson has been a strong political supporter of the president’s. Media Matters for America has asked ABC Family Network to stop carrying Robertson’s “700 Club” program. ABC says they are “contractually obligated” to air the program.
It should really come as no surprise that Traditional Values Coalition, the Family Research Council and the Christian Coalition have been silent on this issue. These are extremist organizations (Robertson started the Christian Coalition himself) that often show a profound lack of respect for democratic values and an even more troubling misuse of the Christian faith for their own partisan political ends.
Check out Andrew Lang’s blog entry on Robertson. Good stuff.
