What is now known as 'The Clash of Civilizations' is now underway and the ramifications will grow in significance and are potentially catastrophic. Christian Fundamentalism and a pecular modern-day form of Jewish Zionist Fundamentalism underlie what has already happened and are primarily responsible for bringing it about through policies that have continually affronted, embarrassed, insulted, and enraged many in Arab and Muslims countries
Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson calls radical Muslims 'satanic'
Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson said Monday on his live "700 Club" television program that Islam wants to take over the world and is not a religion of peace, and that radical Muslims are "satanic."
After watching a news segment about radical Islam in Europe, Robertson remarked that the outpouring of rage elicited by cartoon drawings of the Prophet Mohammed "just shows the kind of people we're dealing with. These people are crazed fanatics, and I want to say it now: I believe it's motivated by demonic power. It is satanic and it's time we recognize what we're dealing with."
Robertson also said that "the goal of Islam, ladies and gentlemen whether you like it or not, is world domination."
Robertson's Virginia-based Christian Broadcasting Network expunged the comments from the version of the program posted on its Web site out of concerns they could be misinterpreted if viewed out of context, said Angell Watts, a Robertson spokeswoman.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which monitors "The 700 Club" daily, released a written transcript of Robertson's remarks. CBN confirmed the remarks with its own transcript.
Robertson said in a statement later Monday that he was referring specifically to terrorists as being motivated by Satan when he made his comments in an editorial following a CBN News story on the widening Muslim protests in Europe over the cartoons. In the story, he noted, radical Muslims were shown screaming "May Allah bomb you! May Osama Bin Laden bomb you!"
"My statement in the commentary, 'These people are crazed fanatics,' refers specifically to the radicals and terrorists who want to bomb innocent people," Robertson said. "I believe that they are motivated by demonic power and are satanic."
Robertson has come under intense criticism in recent months for comments suggesting that American agents should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for pulling Israel out of the Gaza Strip.
Robertson recently told ABC's "Good Morning America" that he makes his comments off the cuff after watching news segments. He later told the Christian magazine World that he's being more careful and reviewing news stories before going on the air.
On Monday, Robertson also said of Islam: "These people are saying it over there in Europe - world domination. 'We're going to take over Europe, we're going to take over England, we're going to take over Denmark, we're going to take over France.' That's their goal. And why don't we wake up to the fact of who we're dealing with? And by the way, Islam is not a religion of peace."
Asked why Robertson said Islam is not a peaceful religion, Watts said, "At its core, he does not believe it is (peaceful). He's talking about fundamentalists, not moderates."
The comments were similar to remarks he made on his program in 2002, when he said Islam "is not a peaceful religion that wants to coexist. They want to coexist until they can control, dominate and then, if need be, destroy."
The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, called Robertson's new comments "grossly irresponsible."
"At a time when inter-religious tensions around the world are at an all-time high, Robertson seems determined to throw gasoline on the fire," Lynn said in a statement.