Holy Smoke

Commentary By CBSNews.com’s Dick Meyer

(CBS)  There wasn't much not to be proud of in America this week. But Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson found a way to offend us all, in the name of religion. In his latest Against the Grain commentary, CBSNews.com's Dick Meyer examines their take on our tragedy.

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The Rev. Jerry Falwell said the terrorist attacks on the U.S. were "probably what we deserve."

You heard right.

Falwell made his remarks on "The 700 Club," the popular religious show on the Christian Broadcasting Network hosted by Pat Robertson. Robertson immediately said, "Jerry, that's my feeling. I think we've just seen the antechamber to terror."

These aren't quotes taken out of context. Falwell and Robertson did not misspeak. These are their considered beliefs. You can see the video for yourself at CBN.com, and click on "Thursday Morning 700 Club" in the video section.

Falwell said, "I fear...that this is only the beginning." He said what happened Tuesday would turn out to be "minuscule...if in fact God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve."

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Specifically, Falwell pointed to "the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians...the ACLU, the People for the American Way" and other "Christ-haters."

"The ACLU's got to take a lot of the blame for this," said Falwell

"All of them who have tried to secularize America, I point the finger in their face and say, "You helped this happen,'" Falwell said.

Robertson's instant response was, "I totally concur. The problem is that we've adopted that agenda at the highest levels of government."

Falwell stuck to his guns well after the show. He told The New York Times, "I sincerely believe that the collective efforts of many secularists during the past generation, resulting in the expulsion from our schools and from the public square, has left us vulnerable."

Robertson put his thinking down in writing in an essay distributed by his cable network.

He wrote, "We have insulted God at the highest level of our government. Then, we say, "Whdoes this happen?" It is happening because God Almighty is lifting His protection from us."

"But I want to say as surely as I am sitting here today, this is only a foretaste, a little warning, of what is going to happen," Robertson continued.

It almost seems in poor taste even to respond to these offensive pronouncements. They are profoundly disrespectful of tragic losses and they are insulting.

Falwell and Robertson tell us that God "lifted the curtain of protection" from America. I'm sure Osama bin Laden would agree.