I don’t normally call people out in public forums since I don’t believe we know all that has happened in any given particular situation where someone has acted badly (nor do I want to be plucking out splinters from eyes when I have “plank” issues of my own). And I usually don’t seek people like atheist Christopher Hitchens to give me inspiration on what to do or say. He is an “angry elf” who hates religion (particularly Christianity) with a breathtaking vehemence and thinks people like me are the worst kind of blithering idiot.
Nevertheless, Hitchens made a convicting statement in his book God Is Not Great that has been hard to shake for me. He noted how Christians have too often stood on the sidelines when they should have denounced something…especially if it comes from within their ranks. Well, I have stood silent for too long after Pat Robertson gave televised advice to a viewer who asked about a friend whose wife has Alzheimer’s disease. He is bitter at God for allowing this condition and is seeing another woman and believes he should be allowed to divorce his wife. Robertson’s advice? Here is what he said, “I hate Alzheimer’s… That person is gone, they are gone. What he says is basically correct. I know this sounds cruel, but he should divorce her and start all over again. But, he should make sure she has custodial care and someone looking after her.” Robertson’s co-host started to prod, “But, isn’t that what we vow…for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health?” Robertson responded, “Yeah, if you respect that vow…But this is a kind of death.” If you respect that vow?! Here is a link if you want to see it with your own two eyes.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=pat+robertson%2c+alzheimers&mid=1BA2B2BC99A1DF3E93E21BA2B2BC99A1DF3E93E2&view=detail&FORM=VIRE5
Compare that with the statements of another “Robertson”, Robertson McQuilkin, who was the president of Columbia International University until the time when his wife of 40 years, Muriel, regressed so badly with Alzheimer’s that he chose to resign his post. The board had arranged for a companion to stay in the home so he could go daily to the office. But, during those two years, it became increasingly difficult to keep Muriel home. As soon as he left, she would take out after him. The walk to school was a mile round trip. She would make that trip as many as ten times a day. Sometimes at night, when he helped her undress, he found bloody feet. When he told his family doctor, the doctor choked up. "Such love," he said simply.
Here is a close paraphrase of what McQuilkin said in his resignation address,
“Lately Muriel cannot speak in sentences, only in phrases and words, and often words that made little sense: ‘no’ when she means ‘yes,’ for example. But she can say one sentence, and she says it often: I love you."
“I have had many difficult decisions to make over the years, but this one is simple and clear. Muriel is almost always happy when with me and almost never happy when not with me. She becomes fearful…sometimes almost terror. And when she cannot get to me, there is anger and distress. So I must be with her at all times. You see, it is not just that I promised ‘in sickness and in health, til death do us part’ (and I am a man of my word). But, as I have said, ‘She sacrificed for me for the last 40 years. So, if I cared for her the next 40 years, I would still be in debt.’ But, it is much more than that. It is not that I have to, it’s that I get to. I love her very dearly. She is such a delight. It is such an honor to care for such a wonderful person. One blessing is the way she is teaching me so much - about love, for example - God's love”.
Here is some of the recorded speech from Robertson McQuilkin’s resignation so you can hear with your own ears and compare the voice of a faithful servant to one who is not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6pX1phIqug
And so, given what Christ calls us to - the call to pastors and teachers to identify false teachers when you see them (Acts 20:28-32); the fact that the Christian community said almost nothing when Pat Robertson’s ties to Liberia and dictator Charles Taylor (so he could mine for gold) were surfaced; and in the clearest of comparison and contrast to “a man of his word”, another “Robertson”, Robertson McQuilkin, giving us clarity in the confusion - whether it is in my rights to do so or not, I publicly renounce Pat Robertson as a faithful teacher of the Christian faith. Shame on you, Pat Robertson!
