Pat Robertson favors separation of Church and State...

[Theophylact]

For Iraq.

"TV preacher Pat Robertson has called on President George W. Bush to ensure that the post-war government of Iraq is secular and maintains the constitutional separation of church and state."

"Speaking on his '700 Club' program March 17, Robertson said, 'The thing that the president of the United States has got to keep in mind is, under the Baath party, Iraq was a so-called secular state. That's why many of the Islamic nations don't like [Saddam Hussein]. If the United States tries nation building, it's got to [have] at the very top of its agenda a separation of church and state. There has to be a secular state in there and not an Islamic state. If they let an open vote, and let the Shiites for example take a vote, they will probably have the majority, and [under] one-man one-vote will say, we'll go in for shariah, and the next thing you know, you've got a mini-Iran in there.'

"Continued Robertson, 'So it's going to be absolutely imperative to set up a constitution and safeguards that say we will maintain a secular state much like what Indonesia has, but to respect the faith of all the people in there, including the Sunni and the Shiites and the Christians and the Assyrian Christians, whatever, and the Kurds. Very important.'"

(I found this via an article by Barry Lynn (Americans United for Separation of Church and State), whose people monitor the "700 Club" show; but several other sources have the same quote. Unfortunately, the show doesn't seem to post transcripts, just streaming audio of the last two weeks' shows, so I can't post a link for you to check it out directly. Too bad...)

[Ed_S]

Does anyone else see something wrong with that picture?

A famous preacher urging a government official regarding separation of Church and State???

Seems that any renowned religious person that really felt separation is important would practice what he preaches and keep his nose out of government business....

[Omardeth]

if it is true i think it is because it is muslim that is the religion of the area .

[osprey4]

Originally posted by Ed_S
Does anyone else see something wrong with that picture?

Seems that any renowned religious person that really felt separation is important would practice what he preaches and keep his nose out of government business....

Since when are "religious leaders" not allowed to offer opinions on subjects related to government?

[Theophylact]

He has a perfect right to speak out on political matters. I don't think he should do it from a tax-exempt and tax-deductible pulpit (my contributions to the ACLU aren't deductible), but that's another matter.

No, the odd thing is that Robertson not only believes that the idea of a Constitutionally mandated separation of Church and State is a "myth", he also believes that it's a bad idea.

I could post a hundred of his quotes on the subject here, but you might find them suspect since the sources are not at all friendly to Robertson. Problem is, either you buy his books, or you get the quotes from secondary sources; he doesn't seem to like being pinned down in print, perhaps because he says so many truly off-the-wall things.

[osprey4]

I don't know much about Pat Robertson and his views on the first amendment, but I can pretty much guarantee if Barry Lynn is making a big fuss about something, it's nothing to worry about. That guy really needs to get a life.

[Theophylact]

I agree he needs to get a life; but he's not wrong.