NORFOLK, Va. - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson drew criticism Friday from Arab-Americans and others after describing Islam as a violent religion that wants to "dominate and then, if need be, destroy."
Robertson made the comment Thursday on his "700 Club" television program after watching a segment about Muslims' views on terrorism.
Spokeswoman Angell Watts said "Robertson was only responding to what some American Muslims are saying themselves."
Co-host Lee Webb asked Robertson why he thought Muslim immigrants would want to live in the United States "if they have such contempt for our foreign policy."
Robertson replied: "Well, as missionaries possibly to spread the doctrine of Islam." He went on to say that Islam "is not a peaceful religion that wants to coexist. They want to coexist until they can control, dominate and then, if need be, destroy."
"The rhetoric is exactly the same as traditional anti-Semitism. All you can do is change the word `Jew' to `Arab' or `Muslim,' " said Hussein Ibish, spokesman for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, a Washington-based civil rights group.
He said remarks like Robertson's and the Rev. Franklin Graham's comment to NBC last fall that Islam "is a very evil and wicked religion" are a "slightly warmed-over version of the hatred that led to the Holocaust."
The Rev. Barry Lynn, a frequent Robertson critic and executive director of the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the episode "is just one in a long history of Robertson's bigotry toward non-Christians."
Watts said Robertson's comments were related to a news report in which Muslims interviewed by his Virginia Beach-based Christian Broadcasting Network staff were quoted as saying "America has a lot of enemies, anyone will wish this blow to this country, because it is not fair in its foreign policy."
"Robertson is bringing to the American people the truth that we must all be aware of - that militant Islam is dedicated to the destruction of America and the killing of the Jews and Christians around the world," Watts said Friday. "To deny that the Koran promotes violence to many followers would be to deny the truth."
After Sept. 11, Robertson was criticized for agreeing with the Rev. Jerry Falwell during a "700 Club" broadcast when Falwell said the attacks happened because Americans had insulted God by allowing abortion, feminism and pornography.
Falwell later apologized and Robertson issued a statement calling Falwell's remarks "severe and harsh in tone" and saying he had not fully understood them.