Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, the young democratic nation that broke from the U.S.S.R. in 1991. The move completely upended Russia's relationship with Europe and the United States, resulting in hundreds of casualties and provoking devastating sanctions against virtually every facet of the Russian economy.
The reemergence of war in Europe has led to some truly bizarre takes, with some conservatives leaping to defend Putin's authoritarian regime and others floating the possibility of nuclear war.
But few takes were more unhinged than Pat Robertson's.
Watch below.
Pat Robertson came out of retirement to claim that Putin "is being compelled by God" to invade Ukraine in preparation for a massive End Times invasion of Israel. pic.twitter.com/Pmwybf57Ay
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) February 28, 2022
The 91 year old televangelist is known for spewing ultra-religious conspiracy theories, but his take on Putin's invasion was unhinged even for him.
Robertson said:
"[Putin] is being compelled by God. He went into the Ukraine, but that wasn't his goal. His goal was to move against Israel ultimately. ... God says, 'I am going to put hooks in your jaws and I'm gonna draw you into this battle, whether you like it or not.' And he's being compelled. ... Watch what's going to happen next. You read your bible, because it's going to pass."
The bizarre rant caught the attention of social media users, who immediately mocked him.
Once a nutter…Remember, for years GOP candidates bowed before his Christian Coalition and empowered this homophobic conspiracy theorist. https://t.co/Ueo6ccB0mX
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) March 1, 2022
God doesn’t use dead children to prepare for more dead children. https://t.co/qcXIj7mq0t
— Fierce Love Can Heal Us (@RevJacquiLewis) March 1, 2022
i dunno, the puppeteering is a little off for this reboot of tales from the crypt https://t.co/0d1T39Glrc
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) February 28, 2022
If your Christianity excuses Putin's invasion of Ukraine because it fits your end-times theology, you're doing it wrong. https://t.co/PWVXLh9l4F
— Skye Jethani (@SkyeJethani) March 1, 2022
truly career best work from Jessica Chastain https://t.co/8TCGPaIUy5
— Seth (@SethAbramovitch) March 1, 2022
Evangelical leader At Robertson claims Putin is doing God’s work to start a war. Y’all done lost your damn minds. https://t.co/Sth6AYYexC
— Serena (@TheLiberalVol) March 1, 2022
They also hadn't forgotten that Robertson has repeatedly—and falsely—predicted the end of the world.
Paw Paw Pat, in my lifetime, is at least 0 for like 150 on end times predictions. He luvs the idea of it thou... https://t.co/vtXTqXjtFM
— Kathleen Madigan (@kathleenmadigan) February 28, 2022
In Oct. 2020, not only did Pat Robertson predict that Trump would win the election, he said that there would be multiple assassination attempts on Trump and then an asteroid would destroy the world. https://t.co/4EnhrNU8Ee
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) February 28, 2022
He’s said this about something or other every year for about forty years. https://t.co/tPTrWESLND
— Matt Duss (@mattduss) March 1, 2022
Talk about a false prophet.
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