Last week on the 700 Club, Pat Robertson explained to his viewers that the earthquake struck Haiti, not because of geological reasons, but for spiritual reasons (or, perhaps, anti-spiritual). Robertson said:
...they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, "We will serve you if you will get us free from the French." True story. And so, the devil said, "OK, it's a deal."
Really? You have the paperwork, I presume, Mr. Robertson? Soon after the remark, Satan rebuked Robertson, attesting to no deal having been made.
Making deals with the Devil, or the idea of it, is something that pervades our culture. We find it in literature:
The Devil and Daniel Webster, by Steven Vincent Benét
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde
Rosemary's Baby, by Ira Levin
In movies and television
Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke and Robert DeNiro
O Brother, Where Art Thou? With George Clooney
The Simpsons episode, Treehouse of Horror IV, where Homer makes a pact with the devil for a donut.
And in music:
Devil Went Down to Georgia, by The Charlie Daniels Band
Tribute and Beelzeboss, by Tenacious D
Murder Was the Case, by Snoop Dogg
So it's no wonder that ol' Pat came to this conclusion. But please, Mr. Robertson, this is fiction. Or is it? How the heck did old man Robertson reportedly leg press 2,000 pounds at the gym? And how did Dr. Warne press 2,700 lbs?? Did they make some kind of a deal with You-Know-Who?
Hmmm. Well, I guess if you're going to make a deal with the Devil, please heed this advice from the Web site ehow.com: how to make a deal with the devil.
Photo: AP Photo/Clem Britt
Tags: Television
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