Give Pat Robertson a break

The above photo is of a U.S. Marine Corps Platoon Leader's graduating class of 1951. My father was in that class, as was Pat Robertson. (Front row, far left)

My father's recollection of Pat was that he was an average guy who did manage to use his senator father's influence to attempt to avoid going to Korea. This incident has been well documented, but Pat did eventually pull a somewhat cushy tour in Korea. (Jack Daniels anyone?)

I can remember the early years of Pat's UHF TV station WYAH. Back in those days we had the three main networks plus a UHF PBS station so getting another channel, whatever the content, was pretty exciting.

As to Pat's comments about Hati, he may be right on the money. The wrath of God is no joke. His comments have their genesis in the Bois Caiman ceremony of August 1791, which began the Hatian slave revolt against the French. (And really, who wouldn't want to get out from the French yoke?) It has been established that this ceremony actually took place and for those of us with a religious persuasion, we know deals can be made with the devil. (Seems idiotic that folks would want to trade a few years of prosperity for an eternity roasting in the fires of hell, which is located at the center of the Earth. Unimaginable pain and suffering forever....no thanks, I'll pass)

One thing I did not realize about Hati was that it had a population of over 9 million, 2 million of which lived in Port-au-Prince. Hati is only about 10,700 square miles or roughly one fourth the size of the state of Virginia. Tragically, there were only about 2 doctors per ten thousand population before the disaster.

Back to Pat. Deride him as you will, but he has managed to build an empire that provides charitable help to thousands of people each year. CBN's Operation Blessing "has provided hunger relief, disaster relief, medical aid and community development to more than 192.8 million people in 96 countries and all 50 states, providing goods and services valued at more than $1.2 billion. Operation Blessing is governed by a national board of directors that includes founder M. G. "Pat" Robertson, his wife, and son Gordon."

The "Flying Hospital", a converted L-1011, that CBN had was sold in 2000 to another non-profit due to the high expense of operating it. Many people were helped by this aircraft's facilities.

From the CBN website:

"Today CBN is a multifaceted nonprofit organization that provides programming by cable, broadcast and satellite to approximately 200 countries, with a 24-hour telephone prayer line. Chief among CBN's broadcasting components is The 700 Club, a daily television program featuring Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuswen, Gordon Robertson, Kristi Watts and news anchor Lee Webb. On the air continuously since 1966, The 700 Club is one of the longest-running programs in broadcast history. Seen in 97 percent of the television markets across the United States, the show's news/magazine format presents a lively mix of information, interviews, and inspiration to an average daily audience of one million viewers.

CBN programs have aired in approximately 71 languages from Mandarin to Spanish and from Turkish to Welsh. In 1990 CBN International launched special projects in the Commonwealth of Independent States (formerly the Soviet Union) that included primetime specials and later The 700 Club and Superbook, an animated series of Bible stories. The broadcasts were followed by 190 rallies throughout the region that resulted in the establishment of 190 churches. Similar special projects were implemented in the Philippines and Romania in 1994. CBN International also distributes videos and literature and provides follow-up through international ministries around the world. In 1995, CBN launched CBN WorldReach with a mission of converting 500 million people to Christianity using Gospel programming to targeted international audiences.

Middle East Television (METV), a television station in Southern Lebanon, broadcasts news, sports, family entertainment, and religious programming by satellite to a potential audience of 200 million people in 15 nations including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Cyprus. METV also distributes free videotapes and religious literature and provides food and clothing -- through CBN’s humanitarian affiliate, Operation Blessing International -- throughout the Middle East. METV was sold to a like-minded ministry, LeSEA Broadcasting, in July 2001.

Here in America, The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Centers in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Nashville, Tennessee provide prayer, scriptural counsel, and literature to people who call CBN's toll free telephone prayer line. The center's phones are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year by a staff of paid, volunteer, and “on call” workers who are trained in offering comfort and encouragement from a biblical perspective.

In 1977, CBN started the nation's first basic TV cable network with satellite transmissions of religious and syndicated family TV shows. By 1981, CBN Cable reached nearly 10 million homes. Renamed the CBN Family Channel in 1988, the commercial cable operation continued to prosper and was sold in 1990 to International Family Entertainment Inc. (IFE), a publicly held company that trades on the New York Stock Exchange. IFE was sold in 1997 to Fox Kids Worldwide, Inc.. Disney acquired the Fox Family Channel and it was named ABC Family on November 10, 2001."

We all have our issues, but Pat Robertson has done more good than most of us ever will hope to.