Earthquake-rocked Haiti 'cursed' by a pact with devil: Pat Robertson

Commenting on the devastating quake in Haiti, evangelist Pat Robertson on his Christian Broadcasting Network asked whether the destruction were a "blessing in disguise" that may lead to rebuilding.

He also seemed to blame the nation's pervasive poverty -- it's the poorest in the western hemisphere -- on a deal with the devil they made to get out of French rule, saying Haitians have been "cursed" since then, while the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola, hosts resorts.

Robertson was relying on an old folk legend, according to Politico which first posted the video. And he was also relying on his considerable talent for provoking attention, says Rice University sociologist Michael Lindsay.

Lindsay interviewed Robertson for his book, Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite. He says:

Robertson is savvy and vastly underestimated by most observers. He knows exactly what galvanizes attention among his constituents and the larger American public. It's a mix of earnest belief and showmanship. He says these things intentionally. He's not a careless speaker.

Why bad things happen when God is good is the great question people ask at times of tragedy and disaster. To Robertson, it has to mean that evil -- personified by the devil -- is at work.

Robertson's conclusion was that Haitians "need to have -- and we need to pray for them -- a great turning to God."

If you want to offer some earthly assistance, too, my colleague, Anne Godlasky, notes that our Kindness blog offers links to ways you can help.

Do you believe -- as Robertson has suggested after other tragic events -- that God punishes entire nations? How do you square belief in a good God with the tragedy of natural disasters?