“There will always be people during a crisis who say really stupid things.” This comment was made by Robert Gibbs, spokesmen for the Obama administration in reply to Rush Limbaugh. President Obama had announced 100 million dollars of U.S. aid to Haiti and urged all Americans to pitch in. Limbaugh suggested to his listeners that “We’ve already donated…It’s called the U.S. income tax”.
Limbaugh supporters contend that he didn’t really advise listeners to withhold help; only that additional monetary assistance wasn’t the answer due to bureaucracy in the U.S. and corruption in the Haitian government.
On the religious front, Pat Robertson created quite a stir by saying that the earthquake and many other difficulties in Haiti over the years are the result of a pact that was made with the devil to free Haiti from French domination more than 2 centuries ago. He was referring to August 1791 when Boukman Dutty (Bookman Dirty) co-presided with a priestess in a pagan ceremony that sparked the Haitian revolution. It’s been referred to since as “the pact with the devil.”
Hoping that I will not say any “really stupid things”, I would first encourage as many as are able to give as liberally as possible to help Haiti. In North America we have a myriad of good organizations to choose from. The fact that the Canadian government will match every gift, dollar for dollar, simply enhances the motivation to give.
Second, I have watched Robertson’s comments online. His words are not void of compassion and care, but to arbitrarily conclude that God has judged Haiti shows insensitivity to a hurting nation and portrays a rather harsh view of God.
Closer to home, as a church we’ve been very concerned, for just last fall we sent one of our families to serve as missionaries in north Haiti. Though the experience was traumatic for them, we were relieved to discover that they were physically unharmed.
The apostle James wrote, “My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything…If you know someone who doesn’t have any clothes or food, you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you.
I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? Faith that doesn’t lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead” (James 2:14-17).
The situation in Haiti is a great tragedy, but it is also an excellent opportunity to give!
— Pastor Ross Helgeton is senior pastor at Erskine Evangelical Free Church