Letters to the editor

Judas priest

A kiss before betraying Christ's teachings

Editor, The Times:

I love the teachings of Jesus. It hurts me to see my religion hijacked by Pat Robertson and the gospel of guns ["Call for assassination fuels outrage," Times page one, Aug. 24]. Those who follow such a gospel may be pro-war, but they are anti-Christ.

Jesus gave us a bold plan to end the cycle of violence. "Turn the other cheek." This is not cowardice, but wisdom to avoid the quagmire of retaliation. "Love your enemy." The Greek word for love [agape] does not mean sentimental mush, but creative insight into a troubled psyche. "Put away your weapon." Jesus said this to save us from ourselves. Each bomb we drop deepens antagonism against us. When we kill one Iraqi insurgent, we recruit all his cousins for al-Qaida. Violence cannot make peace.

We ask Muslims to reclaim Islam from the terrorists. It is also time to reclaim Christianity from the crusaders.

— Alfred LaMotte, Steilacoom

Stigma should attach

Pat Robertson's recent call for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has shown as clearly as ever how the radical-Christian-right media have become a disgrace to our country. Robertson is not the first to make a comment like this.

Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said that the Los Angeles Times editorial board wouldn't understand his objection to legal representation for detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, until terrorists kill L.A. Times editorial page editor Michael Kinsley. Clear Channel radio host Glenn Beck said he was "thinking about killing [filmmaker] Michael Moore" and pondered whether "I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it." Syndicated columnist Ann Coulter argued that the national debate during the Monica Lewinsky controversy should not have focused on whether President Bill Clinton "did it," but rather "whether to impeach or assassinate" him.

These commentators should be denied the use of our public and private airwaves. In promoting terrorism, the radical right is the same as Islamic fundamentalism, and these comments hurt our democracy, threaten our security and disgrace our country.

CBN, Fox and Clear Channel should be clear they don't promote these actions and take these commentators off the air.

— Andrew Peters, Bainbridge Island

Via dolorosa

Now that Ayatollah Pat Robertson has issued his fatwah against Hugo Chavez, it only remains for some of Pat's crazed, extremist, religious devotees to carry out his directive. We get more and more like Iran with every passing day.

Ayatollah Pat is not an ordinary American citizen: He is a wealthy, influential leader of the American Taliban movement with access to Dubya's ear. And he is a perfect example of why we don't want the Christian religious right turning our country into a theocracy.

— David Chaffin, Seattle

This is not my blood

Rev. Pat Robertson is at it again. Since various writers to these pages seem to think local Muslims should apologize for every terrible act a crazed lunatic who claims to share their faith does (and that they're not sincere enough when they do), as a Christian, I thought it only fair that I apologize for Robertson's remarks.

I don't think Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez should be assassinated, as Robertson called for in a televised "700 Club" statement. I also don't think the U.S. State Department should be nuked (Robertson, again televised, in Oct. 2003).

Robertson does not speak for me. As a Christian, I think his self-righteous, self-serving, far-right rhetoric is both reprehensible, unchristian and un-American.

The far right wants to put the Ten Commandments in courtrooms, public parks, etc. Shouldn't they be willing to follow them first? Maybe there's a footnote that says "It's OK, if you're a Republican."

— Chad Lewis, West Seattle

Wash their hands of it

Pat Robertson should absolutely be roasted, and immediately taken off the air because of his recent comments that the U.S. should assassinate Hugo Chavez of Venezuela because it's easier than going to war.

And why does he advocate the killing of Venezuela's president? Because Chavez disagreed with President Bush's Iraq war, and is spreading Communism. Yeah, great reasons to advocate the killing of a world leader. What a great way to improve our image and standing in the world, Robertson. And what a wonderful way to treat the fifth-largest oil producer at a time when gasoline prices are rising higher and higher.

Robertson's comments just go to show how dangerous the Christian right is in this country. So I say, send him a message that he's nothing more than a hateful, disgusting and stupid man, who should be shunned in every way. Tell him that he most certainly doesn't reflect the attitudes of decent and wholesome Americans. And let him know that comments like that only serve to further isolate the U.S. from the rest of the world.

— Ron Auerbach, Kent

The prodigal sum

Smooth move, Rev. You just unwittingly gave Hugo Chavez a windfall popularity booster he never could have achieved on his own ... before elections, no less.

Whatever you do, please leave your foot in your mouth so you can't say anything about Iran or North Korea. We have enough trouble there without you helping them out, too.

Funny how some people are able to conveniently separate their religion from politics when money gets involved.

— Todd Young, Duvall

The Lord hates a coward

Again, a Republican who never served in the military, especially under combat conditions, would precipitate a conflict with another country and, of course, send others to do the fighting. How typical.

— Bink Owen, Walla Walla

WWJA?

Pat Robertson's recent opinion in regards to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez brings up an interesting question: Who would Jesus assassinate?

— Bruce Johnson, Seattle

WWWD?

Pat Robertson calls for an act of international terrorism, the killing of an elected head of state.

George Bush displays his values by claiming that Robertson is a private citizen and entitled to express his views.

If a Palestinian who had his land stolen, house bulldozed and rights denied called for the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, would Bush call him a terrorist, or a private citizen entitled to express his views?

— David Smith, Seattle

The absurd made flesh

The Rev. Pat Robertson is living proof that the theory of intelligent design is a crock.

— Jim Innes, Mercer Island