Failure to separate Church from State

Conservative evangelist Pat Robertson accused of damaging movement he helped create

NORFOLK, Virginia - Fellow conservative religious leaders have expressed concern and even open criticism over evangelist Pat Robertson's habit of shooting from the hip on his daily religious news-and-talk television program, "The 700 Club."

"He is in a very visible leadership position and comments such as recent ones related to Mr. Sharon and so many others are misinformed and presumptuous and border on arrogance," said David Dockery, president of Union University, a private college affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

"It puts the evangelical movement in a bad light when that happens because people make broad generalizations, rightly or wrongly, all the time," said Dockery, who also is chairman of the board for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

Robertson, through a spokesman, declined to be interviewed by The Associated Press.

Shocking.