Pat Robertson the Christian evangelist who is George Bush’s very own mad mullah
Crazy Cleric strikes again — this time at Chavez.

A “preacher of hate” has struck again. His Medieval views on women are well known, stating that feminism “encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” He hates gays. Now he has turned his venom to advocating assassination, urging the murder of a head of state whose policies he disagrees.

Is this some “mad mullah” abusing Islam? No, it is Pat Robertson, one of the most influential Christian evangelists in the US and has close links the Bush Junta. After the 2004 election, Robertson proclaimed that “George Bush has the favor of heaven.”

Robinson has called for the assassination of the democratically elected left-wing leader of Venezuela. Robertson is obviously as unfamiliar with the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” as he is with the parable of the rich man, heaven, the camel and the eye of the needle. The big question is, will the pundit and political classes now call upon all “moderate” Christians to denounce this extremist? Will high-profile religious conservatives like Bush go on record and denounce Robertson for twisting Christianity by urging the murder of Chavez? Will they call for his organisation to be banned? Will Blair refuse him, and his followers, entry into the UK? Will Blair take time to denounce the extremist Christians who use or urge the use of violence?

It is doubtful, as Bush and Blair seems to be under the impression Christ said “Blessed are the war makers.” But by not doing so, they expose their own hypocrisy (yet again). Thus Blair’s urging the UK Islamic community to expose and shun the extremists sits ill-at-ease with his silence over the opinions of the American Taliban who number amongst Bush’s allies strongest support.

And Robertson’s case against Chavez? This is significant, as it shows the use of organised religion to support the interests of the ruling elite. Chavez, according to Robertson, “is a terrific danger.” He “has destroyed the Venezuelan economy” and will the country a “launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent.” How atheists and religious bigots aiming for an Islamic state would get along is left to the imagination. However, this is not his real crime. His real crime is that he is following an independent path. For Venezuela is “in our sphere of influence ... this is a dangerous enemy to our south, controlling a huge pool of oil, that could hurt us very badly.” All in all, murdering Chavez would be “a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.”

Thus oil and imperial domination is more important than the commandments of their god. Nice to see someone in the Bush camp being so honest!