Comments on: Haiti, Pat Robertson, and the Thin Places

By: Susanne

Susanne — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:04:56 +0000

Whew, powerful story about your grandfather. I have good friends who are missionaries in Port Au Prince and they have said, time and time again, we just wouldn’t believe some of the things that go on there in the name of voodoo. We simply don’t have the contextual background to really grasp what it is like to be so steeped in a culture that isn’t satisfied with denying God but seeks to defiantly defy Him. Thank God for people like your grandfather and my friends who are willing to risk so much for the sake of sharing His love with people who so desperately Him. The recent earthquake is surely an opportunity to reach even more Haitians, on a bigger scale than ever before possible.
I really enjoy your writing and I’m looking forward to reading more.

By: Roxane B. Salonen

Roxane B. Salonen — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:02:16 +0000

Billy, read it over there, thought I’d comment over here. Really good stuff, especially about the evil inside ourselves. Darn it, it’s true too. Because we are both. Good and evil is inside each one of us. And we get to choose which will win out. Some have it easier than others in this choice. To those of us who have resources and light in our lives, it is easier at times, but we are still tempted away. There are so many opposing forces. The only way to defend ourselves is to stay near to God. Sometimes, suffering keeps us there. In that way, though suffering is difficult, it is sometimes more of a blessing than curse. Deep, deep stuff, but really important to ponder, in the light of where we’re heading and why we’re journeying in the first place. Blessings in your journey and for sharing a piece of the soul of your grandfather. Sounds like an amazing man.

By: Lori Lundquist

Lori Lundquist — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:57:57 +0000

So much about this post touches me. Thanks for sharing! Write on!

By: Joyce

Joyce — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:46:44 +0000

I would love to see us get to a place in this world where we focus on all the good and generous and helpful things Christians everywhere are doing, not just in Haiti but in neighborhoods and communities and cities and countries all around the world.

I don’t know the context of what Pat Robertson said so I can’t comment on that but I do wonder if we will ever get to a place where an entire population of people are not judged based on the words or actions of one. Unless of course that one is Jesus.

I loved the story of your grandfather…how lucky you are to have known him and felt the influence of him in your life.

By: David@RedLetterBelievers

David@RedLetterBelievers — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:34:29 +0000

Billy
Pat Robertsons comments were twisted the media (surprise!). He spoke about the long ‘curse’ of Haiti and gave the full history of the island with it’s poverty, despots and despair. This earthquake is just one more tragedy that Robertson traced back to a famous ‘deal with the devil’ made in the 1700’s.

That being said, we need to respond with love and that’s it. We cannot blame politics or poverty or leaders in situations like this. We just need to roll up our sleeves and work.

I blogged about Haiti here:
http://redletterbelievers.blogspot.com/2010/01/responding-to-disaster.html

David@RedLetterBelievers.

By: Sharkbait

Sharkbait — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:54:19 +0000

Sometimes I think if you didn’t have the family you have, you would have had to make them up.

By: Bonnie Gray | FaithBarista

Bonnie Gray | FaithBarista — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:52:58 +0000

“lives stripped bare to the point where the essentials had become excess.’

You have a way with words that lead us to have a glimpse of poverty. This is an incredible story you told.

You have an amazing grandfather – another piece of the Coffey faith lineage that speaks to you– and to us today. I wish I could have met him.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:12:15 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by billycoffey: RT @katdish: New post by @billycoffey: Haiti, Pat Robertson and the Thin Places http://bit.ly/7zGEd6…

By: Lynn Rush

Lynn Rush — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:03:58 +0000

Wow. Thanks for sharing this, Billy. He sounds like an amazing guy. My heart cracks for Haiti.

By: Fr. Peter

Fr. Peter — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:05:10 +0000

At the end of this post you say, “Yes, Pat Robertson’s words weren’t the very best that could have been said. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he was completely wrong.” Does that mean you believe that God does cause things like this as pay back? I do not think of God a vengful and a God that causes pain, my God is a God of love who sent His Son to die for my sins.