Pat Robertson, “Defender of Israel”, Passes Away at 93

https://www.israelunwired.com/pat-robertson-the-problematic-but-essential-friend-of-the-jews/?utm_source=jeeng&utm_medium=email&trigger=click
PAT ROBERTSON: THE PROBLEMATIC BUT ESSENTIAL FRIEND OF THE JEWS
written by Jonathan Tobin June 11, 2023 591 views
The televangelist spread absurd antisemitic libels. But he also loved the Jewish people and did more than anyone to secure U.S. support for Israel than many politicians.

(JNS) Rev. Pat Robertson was the kind of person who inspired not only love and rage, but a great deal of intellectual confusion. One need only read the exchange between then Commentary magazine editor Norman Podhoretz and his critics over a 1995 essay that the former wrote about what Jews should think about the televangelist who died this week at the age of 93 to see how complicated the debate about him could be.

Robertson, the Yale University-educated son of a U.S. senator, founded the vastly influential Christian Broadcasting Network in 1960 and hosted its anchor show “The 700 Club” for 55 years. CBN brought his brand of Protestantism from the revival tent into the homes of Americans. It heralded the emergence of the evangelical movement from the margins of popular culture to the mainstream and did the same for a brand of Christian conservatism that revolutionized American politics. While his effort to parlay that platform into political power failed when his 1988 bid for the Republican presidential nomination fizzled, he still occupies an important place in the history of American religion and politics.

Along the way, he also helped spearhead the transformation of the Republican Party from an attitude towards Israel of indifference mixed with disdain to one of enthusiastic and devoted support.

But the majority of American Jews who were political liberals regarded his stands on issues like church-state separation, support for public-school prayer, as well as his opposition to abortion and sex education with fear and loathing. Jewish Democrats, even those who were supporters of Israel, put that issue far down on their priority list.

That antipathy was reinforced once Jewish audiences began to read about some of the hair-brained conspiracy theories that Robertson spread in his sermons and books. As Podhoretz noted, Robertson blamed “cosmopolitan, liberal, secular Jews” who want “unrestricted freedom for smut and pornography and the murder of the unborn,” and he has attacked them for their participation in the “ongoing attempt to undermine the public strength of Christianity.” Even worse, he often threatened “Jewish intellectuals and media activists” with “a Christian backlash of major proportions” in retaliation for the role they “played in the assault on Christianity” despite Christian support for Zionism.

There’s no way to characterize some of what Robertson said but as antisemitic. That was compounded by Robertson’s 1991 book The New World Order in which he accused Jewish bankers like the Rothschilds, Paul Warburg and Jacob Schiff (who were referred to as “Germans” rather than as “Jews”) of taking part in the conspiracy of the Illuminati and Freemasons to take over the world.

Robertson said he never intended any of this to be seen as antisemitic or as justifying hate against the Jews, writing: “I condemn and repudiate in the strongest terms those who would use such code words as a cover for anti-Semitism.”

The sort of language used by Robertson was highly reminiscent of the lunatic theories spread by hatemongers like Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The denial of antisemitism was also consistent with the insincere claims of Jew-haters like Gore Vidal on the left, and Pat Buchanan and Joseph Sobran on the right that they weren’t antisemites.

Yet Podhoretz believed that Robertson deserved to be judged differently than those other figures.

As the famed writer put it, “In my view, Robertson’s support for Israel trumps the anti-Semitic pedigree of his ideas about the secret history of the dream of a new world order.”

No less a figure than former Anti-Defamation League national director Abe Foxman wrote in response to Podhoretz that “we do not believe Robertson to be anti-Semitic and did not argue that he is.” He went on to say that “one can air concerns about troubling statements and views without accusing their source of being an anti-Semite. With regard to Pat Robertson, that is precisely what the ADL’s religious Right report did—no more, no less.”

That was a bit of nuanced reasoning that confused a lot of Jewish liberals both then and now.

But while Robertson deserved to be criticized for what he said about Jews, as well as for spreading conspiracy theories, this still has to be balanced by behavior that set him apart from crude haters like Farrakhan, or more sophisticated antisemites like Vidal and Buchanan.

Robertson followed up his statements on Israel with actions that were redolent not just of affection for Zionism but for the rights of Jews. He was a loud and active supporter of the cause of freedom for Soviet Jewry. He donated millions of dollars to Jewish charities and causes, and inspired his followers to do the same. No one else accused of antisemitism has ever behaved in a similar manner. His devotion to Israel was heartfelt and expressed in a timely manner, demonstrating solidarity even at moments when standing with Israel was not politically popular, as during the Arab oil boycott in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War.

Counter-arguments made by cynical liberals don’t merit much consideration. Robertson had no ulterior motives, whether political or theological. Even if he and other evangelicals really did expect Jews to become Christians after the return of Jesus to Earth in messianic times (something that neither religious nor non-religious Jews believe is going to happen), the idea that this should scare or deter Jews from welcoming his support for Israel and Jewish causes is risible.

Yet the real sticking point with Robertson and his followers was something else: their stands on social issues on which they were polar opposites from liberal Jewry. And, if anything, those differences are even more stark now than they were in the 1990s when Foxman and the ADL seemed intent on going to war with the Christian right.

In part, that is because of events since then such as last year’s Supreme Court decision that overturned the Roe v. Wade precedent legalizing abortion, the fulfillment of a half-century of conservative activism. But while liberals still fear the power of conservative Christians, the truth is that the left’s capture of popular culture and much else has created a culture war in which it is the right and people of faith who are the ones who are on the defensive.

The dominance of the left in education, its embrace of sexual and transgender ideology and indoctrination, and efforts to treat those who don’t accept these ideas as outside the law has changed the political landscape. The willingness to treat the right to worship as less important than the right to take part in Black Lives Matter protests during the height of the coronavirus pandemic was a turning point for many. That and the rest of the leftist dogma of critical race theory and its woke catechism of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) that is a recipe for a permanent race war has launched a culture war in which the right is only belatedly fighting back.

In this context, Robertson’s opposition to the liberal campaign to sweep the public square clean of religion must be seen as not so much an attack on Jews but as an effort to defend the rights of all people of faith.

Robertson’s troubling statements about Jews should never be rationalized, any more than we should tolerate instances when those who have done great things for Israel—like former President Donald Trump—then embrace antisemites. But at a time when left-wing antisemitism is on the rise, Robertson’s peculiar blend of odd theories about Jews and ardent love for Israel needs to be understood as not presenting any sort of threat to Jewish life.

As anti-Israel and anti-Zionist invective and activism in the form of the BDS movement and incitement, such as last month’s graduation speech at CUNY law school, increases, the Christian conservative movement that Pat Robertson helped found is the Jews most dependable ally. It ill behooves those on the left who look to a Biden administration that has embraced a toxic DEI agenda that grants a permission slip for antisemitism to defend Jews to at the same time regard friends like Robertson’s followers with suspicion and disdain.

Those who might bash Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or AIPAC for mourning his passing because of the awful stuff Robertson said are missing the point. Robertson was a flawed and problematic friend, yet his activism for Israel—and that of others he helped inspire on the Christian right—altered the political correlation of forces in this country in a way that did more good for the Jews than that of virtually any other person. In a world in which the Jews still have many powerful enemies, that ought to be enough for us to characterize the television preacher as someone who deserves to be remembered with far more gratitude than criticism.

https://www.israelunwired.com/pat-robertson-the-problematic-but-essential-friend-of-the-jews/?
PAT ROBERTSON: THE PROBLEMATIC BUT ESSENTIAL FRIEND OF THE JEWS
written by Jonathan Tobin June 11, 2023 481 view
The televangelist spread absurd antisemitic libels. But he also loved the Jewish people and did more than anyone to secure U.S. support for Israel than many politicians.

(JNS) Rev. Pat Robertson was the kind of person who inspired not only love and rage, but a great deal of intellectual confusion. One need only read the exchange between then Commentary magazine editor Norman Podhoretz and his critics over a 1995 essay that the former wrote about what Jews should think about the televangelist who died this week at the age of 93 to see how complicated the debate about him could be.

Robertson, the Yale University-educated son of a U.S. senator, founded the vastly influential Christian Broadcasting Network in 1960 and hosted its anchor show “The 700 Club” for 55 years. CBN brought his brand of Protestantism from the revival tent into the homes of Americans. It heralded the emergence of the evangelical movement from the margins of popular culture to the mainstream and did the same for a brand of Christian conservatism that revolutionized American politics. While his effort to parlay that platform into political power failed when his 1988 bid for the Republican presidential nomination fizzled, he still occupies an important place in the history of American religion and politics.

Along the way, he also helped spearhead the transformation of the Republican Party from an attitude towards Israel of indifference mixed with disdain to one of enthusiastic and devoted support.

But the majority of American Jews who were political liberals regarded his stands on issues like church-state separation, support for public-school prayer, as well as his opposition to abortion and sex education with fear and loathing. Jewish Democrats, even those who were supporters of Israel, put that issue far down on their priority list.

That antipathy was reinforced once Jewish audiences began to read about some of the hair-brained conspiracy theories that Robertson spread in his sermons and books. As Podhoretz noted, Robertson blamed “cosmopolitan, liberal, secular Jews” who want “unrestricted freedom for smut and pornography and the murder of the unborn,” and he has attacked them for their participation in the “ongoing attempt to undermine the public strength of Christianity.” Even worse, he often threatened “Jewish intellectuals and media activists” with “a Christian backlash of major proportions” in retaliation for the role they “played in the assault on Christianity” despite Christian support for Zionism.

There’s no way to characterize some of what Robertson said but as antisemitic. That was compounded by Robertson’s 1991 book The New World Order in which he accused Jewish bankers like the Rothschilds, Paul Warburg and Jacob Schiff (who were referred to as “Germans” rather than as “Jews”) of taking part in the conspiracy of the Illuminati and Freemasons to take over the world.

Robertson said he never intended any of this to be seen as antisemitic or as justifying hate against the Jews, writing: “I condemn and repudiate in the strongest terms those who would use such code words as a cover for anti-Semitism.”

The sort of language used by Robertson was highly reminiscent of the lunatic theories spread by hatemongers like Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The denial of antisemitism was also consistent with the insincere claims of Jew-haters like Gore Vidal on the left, and Pat Buchanan and Joseph Sobran on the right that they weren’t antisemites.

Yet Podhoretz believed that Robertson deserved to be judged differently than those other figures.

As the famed writer put it, “In my view, Robertson’s support for Israel trumps the anti-Semitic pedigree of his ideas about the secret history of the dream of a new world order.”

No less a figure than former Anti-Defamation League national director Abe Foxman wrote in response to Podhoretz that “we do not believe Robertson to be anti-Semitic and did not argue that he is.” He went on to say that “one can air concerns about troubling statements and views without accusing their source of being an anti-Semite. With regard to Pat Robertson, that is precisely what the ADL’s religious Right report did—no more, no less.”

That was a bit of nuanced reasoning that confused a lot of Jewish liberals both then and now.

But while Robertson deserved to be criticized for what he said about Jews, as well as for spreading conspiracy theories, this still has to be balanced by behavior that set him apart from crude haters like Farrakhan, or more sophisticated antisemites like Vidal and Buchanan.

Robertson followed up his statements on Israel with actions that were redolent not just of affection for Zionism but for the rights of Jews. He was a loud and active supporter of the cause of freedom for Soviet Jewry. He donated millions of dollars to Jewish charities and causes, and inspired his followers to do the same. No one else accused of antisemitism has ever behaved in a similar manner. His devotion to Israel was heartfelt and expressed in a timely manner, demonstrating solidarity even at moments when standing with Israel was not politically popular, as during the Arab oil boycott in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War.

Counter-arguments made by cynical liberals don’t merit much consideration. Robertson had no ulterior motives, whether political or theological. Even if he and other evangelicals really did expect Jews to become Christians after the return of Jesus to Earth in messianic times (something that neither religious nor non-religious Jews believe is going to happen), the idea that this should scare or deter Jews from welcoming his support for Israel and Jewish causes is risible.

Yet the real sticking point with Robertson and his followers was something else: their stands on social issues on which they were polar opposites from liberal Jewry. And, if anything, those differences are even more stark now than they were in the 1990s when Foxman and the ADL seemed intent on going to war with the Christian right.

In part, that is because of events since then such as last year’s Supreme Court decision that overturned the Roe v. Wade precedent legalizing abortion, the fulfillment of a half-century of conservative activism. But while liberals still fear the power of conservative Christians, the truth is that the left’s capture of popular culture and much else has created a culture war in which it is the right and people of faith who are the ones who are on the defensive.

The dominance of the left in education, its embrace of sexual and transgender ideology and indoctrination, and efforts to treat those who don’t accept these ideas as outside the law has changed the political landscape. The willingness to treat the right to worship as less important than the right to take part in Black Lives Matter protests during the height of the coronavirus pandemic was a turning point for many. That and the rest of the leftist dogma of critical race theory and its woke catechism of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) that is a recipe for a permanent race war has launched a culture war in which the right is only belatedly fighting back.

In this context, Robertson’s opposition to the liberal campaign to sweep the public square clean of religion must be seen as not so much an attack on Jews but as an effort to defend the rights of all people of faith.

Robertson’s troubling statements about Jews should never be rationalized, any more than we should tolerate instances when those who have done great things for Israel—like former President Donald Trump—then embrace antisemites. But at a time when left-wing antisemitism is on the rise, Robertson’s peculiar blend of odd theories about Jews and ardent love for Israel needs to be understood as not presenting any sort of threat to Jewish life.

As anti-Israel and anti-Zionist invective and activism in the form of the BDS movement and incitement, such as last month’s graduation speech at CUNY law school, increases, the Christian conservative movement that Pat Robertson helped found is the Jews most dependable ally. It ill behooves those on the left who look to a Biden administration that has embraced a toxic DEI agenda that grants a permission slip for antisemitism to defend Jews to at the same time regard friends like Robertson’s followers with suspicion and disdain.

Those who might bash Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or AIPAC for mourning his passing because of the awful stuff Robertson said are missing the point. Robertson was a flawed and problematic friend, yet his activism for Israel—and that of others he helped inspire on the Christian right—altered the political correlation of forces in this country in a way that did more good for the Jews than that of virtually any other person. In a world in which the Jews still have many powerful enemies, that ought to be enough for us to characterize the television preacher as someone who deserves to be remembered with far more gratitude than criticism.

CHRISTIANSPAT ROBERTSONSUPPORT FOR ISRAEL

https://www.israel365news.com/372240/pat-robertson-defender-of-israel-passes-away-at-93/?
Pat Robertson, “Defender of Israel”, Passes Away at 93
The death of His faithful ones is grievous in Hashem's sight
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JUNE 9, 2023
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Home » Pat Robertson, “Defender of Israel”, Passes Away at 93


Prominent televangelist and the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson, passed away on Thursday at the age of 93.


His obituary posted on CBN said, “His life was lived to the glory of God.”

In 1986, Mr. Robertson announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for president of the United States on a conservative platform. While he enjoyed some success in the early primaries, he eventually placed third. At the 1988 Republican Convention, Mr. Robertson endorsed Vice President George H. W. Bush, who won the nomination and the presidency.

In honor of his support for Israel, Mr. Robertson received the Defender of Israel Award in 1994 from the Christians’ Israel Public Action Campaign; the State of Israel Friendship Award in 2002 by the Chicago chapter of the Zionist Organization of America; and a Lifetime Achievement Award for Support of Israel in 2008 by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

Robertson vehemently opposed any negotiations that would require Israel to give up territory. In January 2009, on a broadcast of The 700 Club, Robertson stated that he was “adamantly opposed” to the division of Jerusalem between Israel and the Palestinians. He also stated that Armageddon was “not going to be fought at Megiddo” but would be the “battle of Jerusalem,” when “the forces of all nations come together and try to take Jerusalem away from the Jews. Jews are not going to give up Jerusalem—they shouldn’t—and the rest of the world is going to insist they give it up.” Robertson added that Jerusalem is a “spiritual symbol that must not be given away” because “Jesus will come down to the part of Jerusalem that the Arabs want,” and this would be “not good.”

Rabb Tuly Weisz, the head of Israel365, mourned the passing of a “friend of Israel.”

“Israel lost one of its greatest advocates and leading supporters with the passing of Pat Robertson,” Rabi Weisz said. “For decades, he was at the forefront of Christian Zionism. He helped transform America to become Israel’s great ally, by educating a generation of Christians about the importance of Israel and the US-Israel special relationship. Amongst Roberstson’s many accomplishments and impressive achievements for Israel and the Jewish People, one of his most significant initiatives was establishing a CBN news bureau in Jerusalem. Pat Robertson put his money where his mouth was and by investing in a news studio in the heart of Jewish Jerusalem, he ensured that Christians all over the world were well-informed about the great miracles occurring here and the fierce struggle our enemies wage against us. Our hearts go out to Gordon and the entire Robertson family and we mourn this great leader whose legacy will live eternally through the many blessings he bestowed upon the Land of Israel in his lifetime.”

Rabbi Weisz noted that in a beautiful speech posted on his website, Robertson explained his support of the Jewish state succinctly:

“The survival of the Jewish people is a miracle of God. The return of the Jewish people to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a miracle of God. The remarkable victories of Jewish armies against overwhelming odds in successive battles in 1948, and 1967, and 1973 are clearly miracles of God. The technological marvels of Israeli industry, the military prowess, the bounty of Israeli agriculture, the fruits and flowers and abundance of the land are a testimony to God’s watchful care over this new nation and the genius of this people.”

“Ladies and Gentleman, evangelical Christians support Israel because we believe that the words of Moses and the ancient prophets of Israel were inspired by God. We believe that the emergence of a Jewish state in the land promised by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was ordained by God.”

“We believe that God has a plan for this nation which He intends to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth…We evangelical Christians merely say to our Israeli friends, ‘Let us serve our God together by opposing the virulent poison of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism that is rapidly engulfing the world.”

His love of Israel was acknowledged by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who praised him on his 93rd birthday last March by saying, “You’ve been a tremendous friend and I have to say, you have many friends and many admirers around the world for the life of purpose that you have led. But I want to say categorically that Israel has had no better friend than you. You have led many Christian believers around the world to understand the miracle of the Jewish return to the ancient Jewish homeland, the resurrection of Israel and the reuniting of Jerusalem. I know all that stirs your heart as much as it does mine. And I want to also say that you’ve been a great personal friend. So, for all of that and much more, thank you, Pat. Happy Birthday.”



The pro-Israel lobbying group, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), mourned his passing, calling him

The pro-Israel lobbying group, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), mourned his passing, calling him

The pro-Israel lobbying group, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), mourned his passing, calling him “a great friend of Israel and a pioneer in the modern Christian Zionist movement”.

In 1954, he married Adelia “Dede” Elmer Robertson. They were married 67 years before she predeceased him on April 19, 2022, at the age of 94. Together they had four children: Timothy Brian Robertson of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Elizabeth Robertson Robinson of Dallas, Texas; Gordon Perry Robertson of Chesapeake, Virginia; Ann Robertson LeBlanc of Portsmouth, Virginia; plus 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.