Televangelist Pat Robertson, Known For Homophobic Conspiracy Theories, Dies During Pride Month

by
Link
URL copied to clipboard.
TV evangelist/presidential candidate Pat Robertson.
Cynthia Johnson/Getty Images

Summary:

  • Televangelist Pat Robertson dies at 93 with cause undisclosed, sparking reflections on his controversial views.

  • Robertson, a pioneer of televangelism, spread harmful conspiracy theories about LGBTQ+ community and faced backlash for homophobic remarks.

  • His death during Pride Month prompts discussion on his impact, with media outlets distancing themselves from his messaging.

Televangelist Pat Robertson died at 93. His death was first announced via his broadcasting network, and no cause was provided. Today, the internet reflects on the strange timing of the notoriously homophobic pastor passing away during Pride Month.

Robertson rose to national fame in the 1980s, when he founded the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Christian Coalition. The ultra conservative pastor pioneered televangelism, and long espoused harmful conspiracy theories about the LGBTQ+ community. The former Southern Baptist minister ran for president in 1988, saying that “god told him” to do so. He finished near the top at the Iowa caucuses, though the Republican nomination ultimately went to then Vice President George H.W. Bush.

Robertson’s Homophobia

Before his attempted political career, the pastor became popular in Christian circles as the host of “The 700 Club” in the 1970s. The show reportedly reached 30 million homes. By the 1990s and 2000s, Robertson began spreading hateful rhetoric surrounding several groups. He notably denounced feminism, claiming that it caused women to “leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.”

In a 2013 episode of “The 700 Club”, the pastor additionally falsely claimed that gay men in San Fransisco, California, would deliberately infect people with AIDS. The LGBTQ+ community is reminding the internet of the lasting impact of hate speech in wake of his death.

The irony of Robertson dying during Pride Month is sparking all kinds of responses.

ADVERTISEMENT

Activist Matt Bernstein shared a clip of one of Robertson’s conspiracy theories about women and LGBTQ+ people.

Outside of his homophobia, Robertson additionally frequently spread xenophobic and racist views against several different groups. He infamously blamed Haitian citizens for a detrimental earthquake that struck the country.

ADVERTISEMENT

Several major news outlets and media platforms announcing Robertson’s death are making it clear that they do not support his messaging.

The pastor is survived by his four children, including Gordon P. Robertson.

More headlines

Latest

Futuristic white and black humanoid robot kneeling on rocky terrain near water under a blue sky

Frankie LaPenna Takes on a ‘Terminator’ Robot in The First Human vs. Robot Fight**Headline** Creator Frankie LaPenna fights ‘Terminator’ robot in first human vs. robot bout **Alt** First human vs. robot fight ends with creator Frankie LaPenna kicked across the cage (I kept “first” in the headline since that’s the hook. The article attributes it to the organizers, which covers you.) — **Creator Frankie LaPenna fights ‘Terminator’ robot in first human vs. robot bout** SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A man stepped into a fighting cage with a 6-foot humanoid robot, and the robot came out on top. Robotics startup REK staged the human-versus-humanoid kickboxing demonstration in San Francisco on Friday, Sept. 18, putting creator Frankie LaPenna inside a cage with the machine. The opponent was the 80-kilogram (176-pound) EngineAI T800, a humanoid built to look like the Terminator. LaPenna, wearing a helmet and chest protector, landed a few punches before the robot kicked him in the head, according to the official video description. Footage shows the robot kicking him across the cage as spectators outside the ring looked on. “We just made history with the first Human VS Terminator robot fight,” REK posted on X on Sept. 20, adding that more fight footage is coming. The “first” label comes from REK and LaPenna and has not been independently verified. The robot was not fighting on its own. REK’s robots are not autonomous fighters, and the event showcased remote control and mechanical stability rather than independent combat strategy. The bout was part of REK’s work on a virtual reality combat game in which people remotely control humanoid robots to compete against each other. REK founder Cix Liv came to robotics from virtual reality and is building a sport that links virtual competition to physical machines. The LaPenna match pushed his format beyond the company’s usual robot-versus-robot fights. Online, viewers debated whether a trained fighter would fare better, with some predicting human-versus-robot bouts could reach the UFC within five years. — Note: AP datelines use a dash after the city. I kept it since it’s standard AP, but swap to a comma if you want zero dashes.

Facebook-f Youtube Tiktok Twitter