Pat Robertson's unique talent for making a bad situation worse

Even in his prime, during the heyday of oldline evangelicalism, Pat Robertson was a bit of a loon. Now in the autumn of his career, however, his nationally televised faux pas are becoming something of a daily occurrence. Earlier this week, he appeared to give his blessing to sex change operations.



As if that wasn't bad enough, two days later, he endorsed contraception while managing to insult Appalachians and Catholics.



Of course, Robertson is not the only aging spiritual leader to have lately opened his mouth to insert his foot. Desmond Tutu, however, only comes out of retirement from time to time these days. Robertson, who should have retired years ago, can't seem to resist the temptation--daily, on national television--to exhibit his unique talent for making a bad situation worse.

Bob Beckel's Bible boondoggle

For many years, I have been willing to give Bob Beckel, a former Democrat party operative turned television political commentator, the benefit of the doubt. Notwithstanding his political views, with which I strongly disagree, Beckel has a compelling testimony about overcoming alcohol and substance abuse. So compelling, in fact, that I theorized his over-the-top liberal persona was merely an act played out on television for the entertainment of cable news audiences. Today, however, on Fox's new panel program The Five, he made a statement so monumentally ignorant that my (admittedly charitable) theory was blown to smithereens.

Speaking in his usual snarky tone, Beckel criticized Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas) for citing Jesus as his inspiration for calling for a day of prayer and fasting for the nation on August 6. "I'd like to know, Governor Perry, where Jesus fasted in the New Testament," Beckel demanded. "I think I might have missed that."

Well, Bob, you don't have to look very far in the New Testament to find what you "missed."

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. (Matthew 4.1-2)

Hmmm. Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights during his wilderness temptation experience, which preceded the inauguration of his earthly ministry. That should strike even the most cursory reader of Scripture as pretty significant. If Beckel "might have missed that," then he "might have missed" quite a bit.