Preacher warns anti-creationists of God's wrath

Conservative Christian television evangelist Pat Robertson has warned citizens of a Pennsylvania town of God's wrath after they voted a school board out of office for supporting "intelligent design".

Robertson, a former Republican presidential candidate and founder of the influential conservative Christian Broadcasting Network and Christian Coalition, has a long record of similar apocalyptic warnings and provocative statements.

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected him from your city," Robertson said on his TV show broadcast from Virginia, The 700 Club.

"And don't wonder why he hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city.

"If that's the case, don't ask for his help because he might not be there."

The 700 Club claims a daily audience of around one million. It is also broadcast around the world, translated into more than 70 languages.

In voting on Wednesday, all eight Dover, school board members up for re-election lost their seats after trying to introduce "intelligent design" - a form of creationism - to school science students.

The Dover case sparked a trial in federal court after the school board was sued by parents backed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The board ordered schools to read students a statement in biology informing them that Darwin's scientific theory of evolution is not established fact and that gaps exist in it.

The statement mentioned intelligent design as an alternative "theory" and recommended students read a book about it.

A decision on the case is expected before the end of the year.

In 1998, Robertson warned the city of Orlando it risked hurricanes, earthquakes and terrorist bombs after it allowed homosexual organisations to put up rainbow flags in support of sexual diversity.

Last summer, he hit the headlines by calling for the assassination of democratically elected Venezuelan Present Hugo Chavez, a strident critic of George W. Bush.

- REUTERS