WASHINGTON - May 11 - TV preacher Pat Robertson’s bizarre attack on Americans United for Separation of Church and State is part of a troubling pattern of extremism, the Washington-based church-state watchdog group says.

On his Christian Broadcasting Network today, Robertson launched into a tirade against Americans United and its executive director, the Rev. Barry W. Lynn. After a “700 Club” segment on AU’s opposition to federal funding for prison ministries, the TV preacher said the American Civil Liberties Union and the Communist Internationale “pulled a secret takeover” of Americans United.

Added Robertson, “Barry Lynn is so extreme, he has said that if a church is burning down, the city shouldn’t bring the fire department and trucks to spray water on the church because that violates separation of church and state.”

AU’s Lynn said Robertson is not just factually wrong, but increasingly shrill and paranoid. Americans United, he said, has not been taken over by the ACLU, the Communist Internationale or any other organization, and AU remains committed to broad-based religious liberty for everyone.

“Americans United does not want to remove religion from the public square,” said Lynn, who is a United Church of Christ minister. “All we want is for the government to stay out of religion and let Americans make their own decisions about matters of faith. We defend the religious liberty rights of all people, including Robertson.

“Robertson has to conjure up imaginary villains in order to keep his followers and donors worked into a frenzy of fear and anger,” Lynn continued. “That may be good for Robertson’s bank account, but it’s bad for American democracy. For a Christian leader to behave this way is pathetic.

“And don’t worry, Pat, if your studio catches on fire, I’ll expect the Virginia Beach fire department to come and put it out,” Lynn concluded. “If they don’t, give me a call and we’ll sue them.”

The Robertson attack on Americans United is just the latest in an escalating string of shrill episodes. In recent months, Robertson has called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s stroke was punishment from God for giving land to the Palestinians and threatened the town of Dover, Pa., with divine wrath for voting out a pro-creationism school board.

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