Pat Robertson links 9/11 attacks to ban on prayer and Bible reading in public schools

Televangelist Pat Robertson marked the 12th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that happened on Sept. 11, 2001 by slamming former President George W. Bush for calling Islam a "religion of peace," and said that countries that welcomed Muslims were "committing suicide."

"I remember when George Bush came on after 9/11 and said, 'Don't blame Islam, Islam is a religion of peace,'" Robertson told his 700 Club viewers on Wednesday. "And I said, he was not appointed as chief theologian, he was appointed as chief executive and he doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Islam does not mean peace, it means submission. And it means submission to Mohammed, it means submission to Sharia, it means submission to the Koran and all the teachings and tenets of that faith... and they believe that anybody that doesn't submit is at war with them, and they're prime targets," he continued. "And for the Western nations to welcome this fifth column into their midst is just committing suicide."

The TV preacher argued that countries were allowing Muslims to practice freely because "they have lost their faith in God, they have lost their faith in Jesus Christ."

"We've done it here in America," he opined. "We've abolished prayer in the schools and we've taken out Bible reading in the schools. And little by little by little, we've eroded the rights."

Only two days after the attacks in 2001, Robertson told Rev. Jerry Falwell that he "totally" concurred that "the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle" were to blame for the tragedy.

Watch this video from CBN's 700 Club, broadcast Sept. 11, 2013.

(h/t: Right Wing Watch)