Pat Robertson says ‘God is not a Republican,' discusses the 'trouble' with 'partisan politics'
Notable televangelist Pat Robertson, who is known for mobilizing conservative Christians to vote, said during a Fox News interview Sunday that "God is not a Republican."
On the Oct. 17 episode of "Fox News Sunday," host Chris Wallace featured Robertson on the "Power Player of the Week" segment, which included an overview of the 91-year-old's public career mixed with recent interview comments.
The feature comes just weeks after Robertson announced that he is retiring from hosting the Christian Broadcasting Network daily talk show "The 700 Club," a program he started in 1966.
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Regarding Robertson's history of rallying conservative Christians to vote for Republican candidates, Wallace asked if there were any downsides to tying evangelical Christianity to the GOP.
Roberston, who ran for the Republican nomination for president in 1988, also founded the Christian Coalition, a lobbying organization that sought to mobilize the Christian vote and distributed voting guides to churches.
"Well, I became to realize without question that God is not a Republican, that God loves everybody," Robertson said.
"The trouble with, you know, getting involved in partisan politics is that half the electorate you're going to make mad at you. And I should be dealing with eternal matters and not secular politics."
Robertson admitted that one of his biggest accomplishments in life was mobilizing Christians "into the political arena."
"It was thought before those politics was something dirty," he said. "We had enormous amount of influence and I think it was important."
Robertson founded the Christian Broadcasting Network in 1960, funded by small donations. In 1966, "The 700 Club" daily news magazine program was launched. The show has become one of the longest-running shows on television in the U.S.
Wallace asked Robertson why he decided to change programming from more formal sermons and revival meetings to a talk-show format.
"People would call in and the things that were going on in their life, people would call in prayer and they would call in answers," Roberston said. "And the interactive format is what we've been using ever since."
Wallace also asked Robertson about some of his past controversial remarks, specifically the televangelist's history of blaming natural disasters on immorality.
"I did say that we had the power to speak to those storms and tell them to go away, like Jesus commanded the waves to cease," he said. "And we commanded them in His name and — and they went away."
Earlier this month, Robertson announced that he is stepping down from hosting the program after decades of serving in that role.
He plans to continue making periodic appearances on the "The 700 Club" and teach at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a school he helped to found.
"His legacy and the example of his prayer life will continue to lead The 700 Club in the years to come," stated his son, Gordon Robertson, who is tapped to be the show's new host.
"And the best part is, he is just going across the street to Regent University and will be on The 700 Club regularly in the future."
Robertson's long tenure as host was often marked by controversy surrounding comments either he or guests of the program made on various hot-button political and religious issues.
Shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, for example, Robertson interviewed the Rev. Jerry Falwell on the program. Falwell placed some blame for the tragedy on the U.S.' acceptance of homosexuality and liberal activists. Robertson simply replied: "I totally concur."
Right after the broadcast, Robertson released a statement clarifying that he held "no one other than the terrorists and the people and nations who have enabled and harbored them responsible for [the] attacks on this nation."
