Be afraid

Andrew Sullivan has been commenting about the latest Pat Robertson debacle, and he's got in interesting point. That point is, Robertson, when claiming that God struck down Sharone, is just saying what most people believe.

The scary thing is.. Sullivan has a point. He quoted a poll thus:

Fully 44% of Americans believe that God gave the land that is now Israel to the Jewish people while a substantial minority (36%) thinks that "the state of Israel is a fulfillment of the biblical prophecy about the second coming of Jesus." White evangelical Protestants and, to a lesser degree, African-Americans accept both of these propositions. Significantly fewer white Catholics and mainline Protestants believe Israel was granted to the Jews by God or think that Israel represents a fulfillment of the Bible's prophecy of a second coming.

then Sully goes on to comment:

When a poll of all adults finds over a third holding the view that the state of Israel is fulfilling the prophecy of the imminent Second Coming, you can see that pre-millenarianism is not some fringe idea, touted by Robertson. It's fundamentalist orthodoxy. Robertson is cruel and tactless, and many evangelicals would agree. Their compassion forbids them from making personal attacks as Robertson does. But he didn't make up his theology. And it's mainstream.

Sullivan stays rather dry in his interpretation, and doesn't follow it through to it's logical conclusion. Essentially, Andy is saying that a "mainstream" portion of the American public is insane. Most are too nice to say it out loud. Funny.. I've been saying that for a while eh?

Sully also doesn't make mention of what to do about it. I did.... Utah.. surrounded by 300 foot high walls and barbed wire.. and buses... lots and lots of buses.

Or, do you really believe that Jesus is about to make an appearance? If he does, that aught to scare the bejezus out of the religious right.