Baptist minister and broadcaster Pat Robertson (1930–2023) had outspoken opinions on religion, politics, and other subjects. Many of his statements have stirred controversy and several have been headline news in the United States and elsewhere. Robertson made many of these comments on his daily talk show, The 700 Club.
Religiocentrism
Calling non-Christians "termites" In an August 1986 New York magazine article Robertson was quoted as saying: "It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians have the desire to build something. He is motivated by love of man and God, so he builds. The people who have come into [our] institutions [today] are primarily termites. They are into destroying institutions that have been built by Christians, whether it is universities, governments, our own traditions, that we have [...] The termites are in charge now, and that is not the way it ought to be, and the time has arrived for a godly fumigation."
Comments about other Christian denominations On January 14, 1991, on The 700 Club, Pat Robertson attacked a number of Protestant denominations when he declared: "You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist."
Comments about Islam Robertson frequently denounced the religion of Islam and Muslim people. During a 1995 taping of The 700 Club, he called the religion a "Christian heresy". During a September 19, 2002, episode of Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes, Robertson claimed that the Muslim prophet Muhammad was "an absolute wild-eyed fanatic [...] a robber and a brigand." On the July 14, 2005, broadcast of The 700 Club, he claimed that "Islam, at its core, teaches violence." On the March 13, 2006, broadcast of The 700 Club Robertson stated that Muslims want global domination and that the outpouring of rage elicited by cartoon drawings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad "just shows the kind of people we're dealing with. These people are crazed fanatics, and I want to say it now: I believe it's motivated by demonic power. It is Satanic and it's time we recognize what we're dealing with." He finished by stating "by the way, Islam is not a religion of peace." The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, slammed Robertson's comments as "grossly irresponsible". Lynn went on to say, "At a time when inter-religious tensions around the world are at an all-time high, Robertson seems determined to throw gasoline on the fire." On the September 25, 2006, broadcast of The 700 Club Robertson stated "It's amazing how the Muslims deal with history and the truth with violence. They don't understand what reasoned dialogue is." On the November 9, 2009, edition of The 700 Club Robertson stated "Islam is a violent – I was going to say, 'religion', but it's not a religion; it's a political system. It's a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world, and world domination. That is the ultimate aim. And they talk about infidels and all this, but the truth is that's what the game is. So, you're dealing with a – not a religion – you're dealing with a political system. And I think we should treat it as such, and treat its adherents as such, as we would members of the Communist Party, or members of some fascist group." In 2015, Robertson called Islam a "political system intent on world domination" and stated that it is not a religion.
Comments about Hinduism On March 23, 1995, Pat Robertson led a television program in which he attacked Hinduism, calling it "demonic". He said that they worship "idols" and "hundreds of millions of deities", which "has put a nation in bondage to spiritual forces that have deceived many for thousands of years". He spoke against the doctrines of karma and reincarnation. These and other remarks have been repudiated by some Hindus. Dr. Kusumita Pedersen, Director for the Project on Human Rights and Religion, commented that Robertson had employed "almost every negative image and cliché that has been used about Hinduism since the 18th century". In his book The New World Order, Robertson wrote: "When I said during my presidential bid that I would bring only Christians and Jews into the government, I hit a firestorm. 'What do you mean?' the media challenged me. 'You're not going to bring atheists into the government? How dare you maintain that those who believe in Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims?' My simple answer is, 'Yes, they are.'" David Cantor, Senior Research Analyst of the Anti-Defamation League, points out that such "religious tests for office are unconstitutional. It's not just a purely a religious statement. It's a political statement."
Comments about Buddhism In 2015, a woman called into Pat Robertson's televangelist channel complaining that her workplace is predominantly Buddhist, and she was agitated about it. She asked Robertson for advice on how to handle the situation. He responded by drawing an analogy of Buddhism to medical disease, asserting that mild exposure to the disease would not result in infection, but that more extensive exposure will result in infection. He then concluded that she ought to remove herself from the job to prevent more exposure to Buddhism.
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