Pat Robertson: Be Careful About Adopting Children...

[Glass Cowcatcher]

Because the birth parents might make them gay, apparently. :roll:

It amazes [the webmasters at RWW] that viewers continue to write in to "The 700 Club" seeking Pat Robertson's advice on how to deal with their problems, especially since he's lately been staking out some rather questionable positions, like telling a man to divorce his wife who is suffering from Alzheimer's.

Today a woman wrote in wanting to know why the men she dated always broke up with her when they found out that she had three children that had been adopted from foreign countries, which prompted Pat to declare that it was "because a man doesn't want to take on the United Nations" and that, in general, people should be careful about adopting children because "you just never know what's been done to a child before you get that child; what kind of sexual abuse there has been, what kind of cruelty, what kind of food deprivation" that might cause them to grow up "weird."

Robertson went on to explain that people should be willing to help orphans, as he does, "but that doesn't necessarily mean that I want to take all the orphans around the world into my home" before finally seeming to realize that he was just digging a deeper hole for himself and attempting to change the subject, declaring "I'm in trouble":

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/m ... g-children

I find this insulting on multiple levels.

1. Double standard much? You can't go around telling women pregnant out of wedlock to just put the baby up for adoption, then tell prospective adoptive parents not to do it.

2. The lady is (hopefully, I'm assuming she isn't a Jodi) heroic for adopting the children, and his response is basically "How dare you adopt three foreign cockblocks?"

3.There is nothing wrong with a kid being gay, whether he is adopted of not.

4. I hate that he seems to imply that every adopted kid with issues is damaged goods, like a jar with the lid popped, and if the kid has some emotional needs the parents have been shrifted somehow.

[snarkbillie]

I'm no fan of Pat but perhaps it would behoove these fundies to at least think about the fact that adopting a child might mean that the child needs help with some issues at some point.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

I'm no fan of Pat but perhaps it would behoove these fundies to at least think about the fact that adopting a child might mean that the child needs help with some issues at some point.

I used to think that they did but the more I read blogs like the ones here, I think many people who adopt for religious reasons don't give a kid a damn about the kids' emotions, they are basically accessories to prove how "Godly" the parents are and they feel that the kids should worship the ground they walk on because they "rescued" them.

[Pleasant-Nightmare]

Three children is not 100% of the world's orphan population. This man is an idiot.

[Angri-la]

I used to think that they did but the more I read blogs like the ones here, I think many people who adopt for religious reasons don't give a kid a damn about the kids' emotions, they are basically accessories to prove how "Godly" the parents are and they feel that the kids should worship the ground they walk on because they "rescued" them.

See why I think you are alluring? QFT.

Fuck you Pat; you have ceased to have any kind of relevance. I wonder what your parents did to make you such an angry, hateful, "weird" man!

(I know my adoption thread sponsors are shaking their heads. It was PAT, and I am helpless against replying to his stupidity and ignorance.)

[Glass Cowcatcher]

See why I think you are alluring? QFT.

Fuck you Pat; you have ceased to have any kind of relevance. I wonder what your parents did to make you such an angry, hateful, "weird" man!

(I know my adoption thread sponsors are shaking their heads. It was PAT, and I am helpless against replying to his stupidity and ignorance.)

I posted it because of that thread, my dear Angri-La beneath the summer moon. I'm not particularly surprised by anything that comes out of Pat's mouth, but the more I think about it, I think a lot of fundies must be thinking this way.

[Dark Matters]

I really think it's time for ole Pat to retire.

[Rachel333]

I hear that a lot about adopting, but it's not like having biological children is any guarantee that your kid won't have issues either. When I was little my parents and my friends' parents would assume that if a kid had problems it was because they weren't raised in a stable Christian homeschooling family. But now we're older and despite being "raised right" we've had plenty of issues, bad relationships, involvement in drugs/alcohol/secular music, etc. (Some of us even turned out gay!)

This sounds a lot like what Gothard believes, that you shouldn't adopt because children inherit the sins of their (birth) parents. They don't want adopted children contaminating their perfect white biological children, but plenty of those biological children are going to turn out "weird" anyway.

[slp]

He is losing it. Back when I used to watch, one of his co hosts Terri something or other adopted some children from foreign countries and he thought it was wonderful. Between this and his comments on it being biblically ok to divorce a spouse who is sick with dementia or Alzheimer's(guess that 'in sickness and in health' part of the vows is irrelevant) he is definitely getting senile.

[Pleasant-Nightmare]

I hear that a lot about adopting, but it's not like having biological children is any guarantee that your kid won't have issues either. When I was little my parents and my friends' parents would assume that if a kid had problems it was because they weren't raised in a stable Christian homeschooling family. But now we're older and despite being "raised right" we've had plenty of issues, bad relationships, involvement in drugs/alcohol/secular music, etc. (Some of us even turned out gay!)

This sounds a lot like what Gothard believes, that you shouldn't adopt because children inherit the sins of their (birth) parents. They don't want adopted children contaminating their perfect white biological children, but plenty of those biological children are going to turn out "weird" anyway.

Sadly, this is probably the root of that whole mindset :(

[treemom]

Bravo glass watcher. In addition, kids adopted or not who have been abused don't nessecarily grow up weird. Lots of us have our struggles because of it, but lots of us and there are lots of us here on FJ, grow up to being loving, successful adults.

Being damaged from abuse isn't a death sentence for people. And part of healing can include being adopted by loving, wo derful people.

[Austin]

Every time he opens his yap, something comes out loonier than it ever did before. Which is saying something.

[ElphabaGalinda]

Sadly, this is probably the root of that whole mindset :(

And yet they stop blaming the "sins" of the birth parents when their biological children turn out in a way they don't like. Instead they blame teh child for "sinning" and end up damaging both any adopted and biological children they have. Pat Robertson seems to be getting crazier (didn't know that was possible!) but sadly this seems like a belief that other people have.

Everyone is equally likely to turn out gay IMO. The family you were born into or how you were raised has nothing to do with it. Sometimes it makes me sad when I think a fundie family has just as much chance as having a gay child as anyone else. It's probably a good thing families who believe like this are discouraged to adopt...the less children raised in families with these kinds of beliefs teh better.

[Lainey]

Pat Robertson is a complete idiot, and I have no idea why anyone ever listens to him. However, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually IS getting senile. It sounds like it.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

This sounds a lot like what Gothard believes, that you shouldn't adopt because children inherit the sins of their (birth) parents. They don't want adopted children contaminating their perfect white biological children, but plenty of those biological children are going to turn out "weird" anyway.

That's exactly what this reminded me of also.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

Bravo glass watcher.

:hand:

'Cowcatcher' not 'Cow watcher.' Who wants to sit around all day watching cows?

In addition, kids adopted or not who have been abused don't nessecarily grow up weird. Lots of us have our struggles because of it, but lots of us and there are lots of us here on FJ, grow up to being loving, successful adults.Being damaged from abuse isn't a death sentence for people. And part of healing can include being adopted by loving, wonderful people.

By "weird" I assumed he meant "gay--" he seemed to be implying that a lot of adopted children will grow up to be gay, because they have been sexually abused.

It seems that he, and the particular subset of adoptive parents he's talking to, seem getting the kind of therapy you're talking about as too much of a burden.

[PennySycamore]

Pat Robertson can kiss this adoptive grandmother's ass!

[Lillybee]

Pat Robertson can kiss this adoptive grandmother's ass!

I blame thinking like this along with Michael Pearl's views responsible for the death of Lydia Schatz and Hana Williams who were adopted.

[Imora]

So I am a ‘problem’ because I am adopted? Fuck you PAT.

[emmiedahl]

The good news is that maybe the Jodis of the world will read this and stop adopting.

[YPestis]

I hope he really meant that adopted children from third world countries may have suffered past abuses/deprivations which can result in unexpected behavioral and/or bonding issues. It is true that some adoptive parents don't realize this and have real trouble with their children later on. It's a sad testament to the state of orphanages worldwide that children do became traumatized by such abuse.

Otherwise, it's rather appalling to describe international orphans as damaged goods. I applaud anyone who adopts, international or domestic. I honestly believe that many fundie families who adopt internationally mean well and provide a better home for that child than if he/she grew up in an orphanage. I think it's one of the few social changes that have even found acceptance within the fundie community (even as they refuse the ideas of sexual equality or children's rights....).

[chaotic life]

Yes, the man is a douchebag. However, I'm glad he's acting like this. The sect of fundie that would listen to his drivel is the same sect that sets out to "rescue" orphans and then rather than being the parents these kids need to heal, confuse their children for TRASH. Now that I'm actively working to help just such a child heal not only from what he survived in his home country but what he survived in their home, I say the less of these jerks going into adopting, the better off all of the children are!

Only an IDIOT would believe the man's drivel about adoptees. But the idiots shouldn't be adopting either, and far too many fundie leaders have pushed those idiots to do exactly that.

[2xx1xy1JD]

I watched the clip.

The lady had a normal reaction to the question, saying "these men are DOGS!" Pat Robertson comes across as this old man blabbering away, and I'm sure the internal monologue of the co-host went something like this:

"What on earth is this old fool saying? Seriously? He's actually defending this attitude? Wait, did he just say that he loves orphans enough to have programs to feed them, but that he doesn't think we should want to love them enough to welcome them into our homes and our lives? Again, seriously? And what's with that United Nations comment? So kids around the world are fine to visit and we can feel good about our selves by handing out some food, but we don't want any little foreigners in our homes? Whatever happened to thinking "What Would Jesus Do"? How did I not realize until now that my co-host was such a racist? I have to bite my tongue because he's still the big name on the show, but I'm praying he retires REALLY soon...."

[Loveday]

I watched the clip.

The lady had a normal reaction to the question, saying "these men are DOGS!" Pat Robertson comes across as this old man blabbering away, and I'm sure the internal monologue of the co-host went something like this:

"What on earth is this old fool saying? Seriously? He's actually defending this attitude? Wait, did he just say that he loves orphans enough to have programs to feed them, but that he doesn't think we should want to love them enough to welcome them into our homes and our lives? Again, seriously? And what's with that United Nations comment? So kids around the world are fine to visit and we can feel good about our selves by handing out some food, but we don't want any little foreigners in our homes? Whatever happened to thinking "What Would Jesus Do"? How did I not realize until now that my co-host was such a racist? I have to bite my tongue because he's still the big name on the show, but I'm praying he retires REALLY soon...."

I don't know who that woman was, sitting next to him, but you're probably right. Now, had it been one of Pat's sons sitting there, there would have been no internal monologue. They would have wholeheartedly agreed with him. :roll:

[B5SnowDog]

I don't know who that woman was, sitting next to him, but you're probably right. Now, had it been one of Pat's sons sitting there, there would have been no internal monologue. They would have wholeheartedly agreed with him. :roll:

Back in my "watching it for the lulz" days, I happened to catch an episode in which one of his sons was talking about forced sterilization in China. He said, with no sense of irony whatsoever, "I don't want the government to take away my reproductive choices."