Pat Robertson Claims God Smote Sago Miners

By Raabia Wazir
Senior Sympathy and Condolence Correspondent

PORTSMOUTH, Va - Speaking on his long-running television show "The 700 Club," televangelist Pat Robertson astonished viewers when he claimed that the Sago mine disaster was a divine expression of God's wrath. Robertson was referring to the January 2, 2006, coalmine explosion in Tallmansville, W.Va., that resulted in the suffocation of twelve miners.

In his sweet, soft crooning voice, Robertson explained to his viewers, "God loves the weak, yes. He loves the merciful and humble and you can't get much more humble than people who go deep into the earth and dig up coal. But God also loves people who work hard. And those coal miners, even these scabs, just weren't working hard enough."

Robertson also cited reports that stated the explosion resulted from lightning igniting pools of methane gas in the mine shaft. He chuckled, "Our Lord sent lightning from the sky to say, 'Hey, I've got all electricity I need. I'm God Almighty. But you got to work for yours, work to Keep the Lights On, like they say. Keep on digging, keep on working. Know your place.'"

Some, however, claim it wasn't the miners' fault. "Experts" say the accident was a culmination of over 200 mining safety violations and inadequate funding, leadership and standards by the Mine Safety and Health Administration – many of which direct resulted from decisions and appointments by the Bush Administration.

Robertson responded to such comments thoughtfully, "President Bush tried to help our Lord and Savior out, help the little guy stay focused on his job, be the bullhorn for the man upstairs, but rules just kept getting in the way. But that couldn't stop Him." He paused. "Yes, indeed, God works in mysterious ways."

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