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Falwell Dies at 73Posted on May 15, 2007
The Rev. Jerry Falwell—televangelist, Moral Majority founder and head of Liberty University—was found unresponsive in his office on campus Tuesday morning and pronounced dead shortly thereafter of heart failure.
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By Skruff, May 19, 2007 at 6:11 am # #70567 by Mike Mid-City on 5/17 at 8:20 am “Jerry and Pat and Frank have made a lot of money in the name of Jesus. And taught that making money is what Jesus wants for us. There are lies and are leading people astray.” “Jesus said you can’t serve money and God too....” When I was a child, I studied under a teacher (athiest) who maintained “Christianity is wonderful on the drawing board” but like Ford automobiles, something happens to it between concept and reality. Why limit the money-grubbers to the obvious TV preachers. The Catholic Church owns more slums in New York City than any but the City itself. In Lawrence Massachusetts where the average income is $16,000 a year, the Diocese maintains 10 churches which on easter were never even a third full. In Worcester the local Baptist church charges so much for day care that the residents which live near the Main Street church can’t afford it. Churches are businesses and should be taxed accordingly.
By GBX, May 17, 2007 at 4:12 am # Falwell has by now discovered the reality of any spiritual afterlife. Because non of us (unless we are the dead walking around, and there are a few folks that seem to fit this category) have any first-hand info to bring to the table on this, no one can or cannot say that Falwell is or is not circling about regretting or celebrating the venom he spewed whilst on this small blue planet. It is pretty much a faith statement to say there is or is not another stage on which to learn, suffer, celebrate. Anybody out there who has been there and back?
By rage, May 16, 2007 at 4:52 pm # He leaves a legacy of division, suspicion, repression, psychotic sociopathy, and, from reading the posts that precede mine, NO ONE who mourns his passage. That is, indeed, shameful. May GOD really have mercy on his wretched soul.
By sharon ash, May 16, 2007 at 3:24 pm # It appears the job Mr. Falwell signed up for, when he made the journey to the Earth school, was to create division and bring forth hate and judgment in others. Job well done Mr. Falwell! Now, those of us who find him so offensive, need to examine what parts of us are still so broken that we can get pulled into hate and judgment of him. It is never about what’s wrong with them, but rather, why do I let what is wrong with them bother me so much. Our job is not about changing the Jerry’s in the world, rather it is about working on ourselves. So, if Jerry Falwell really makes you angry, your assignment for today in Earth’s school is to look inside yourself, and find out why. Because when you let yourself move into hate and judgment of the Jerrys in the world, you have moved out of peace and love and become one of them.
By leo, May 16, 2007 at 1:05 pm # what a great day for America the hateful bigoted
By Chris, May 16, 2007 at 1:02 pm # As revolting as I found the guy, I had to realize that he would have been unable to see anything at all beyond his own very narrowly defined beliefs. No fanatic is ever able to do so. Could you have ever have told anything to Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini? Of course not. How is the fundamentalist fanaticism of Khomenini any different than Jerry Falwell believing that gays, lesbians, crossdressere, People For The American Way, etc., are why God makes people fly planes into buildings, killing thousands? It’s all very fanatical, magical thinking. However, his death has great symbolism at our present time. The neocon agenda (including the far-right Christians among them), is largely in tatters at this point. His death symbolizes their dying, as well. But none of us who ever want to see the return of a Presidency such as George W. Bush can take this as a given. You see what a nightmare a purely ideologically-driven administration can wreak on the U.S., as well as in countries such as Iraq. We can’t take for granted that an administration such as Bush II will never happen again. It’s not only not impossible, another, similar one could conceivably even be worse…
By Justinw, May 16, 2007 at 12:31 pm # Jerry Falwell did many great things--founded a university and a church which ministers to alcoholics and a variety of others with problems. He wasn’t perfect. No one is. He accepted Christ as his savior. In the end, that is what will get him or anyone else into heaven. Rev. Falwell accomplished many things in his life. Maybe the questions for his detractors is what have they accomplished? It is easy to criticize. It is difficult to do. From reading the earlier posts on this site it appears that several of you have some issues you need to talk with God about. Don’t worry about Jerry. God will judge him. Worry about yourselves. God will one day judge each of us.
By Peacefull1, May 16, 2007 at 11:44 am # Ding dong the dick is dead! The fat pile of miserable crap also know as Jerry Falwell just died 73 years too late. GOOD RIDDENS! He was a threat to everything good in the world. He has lived his life spreading hatred and bigotry. Attacking medical freedoms, science, education and reality. The world is certainly better off without him. While there are large numbers of Christian bigots out there ready and willing to fill his shoes, at least there is now one less agent of intolerance.
By Pete, May 16, 2007 at 11:18 am # Good to know that the left still has all this love for their fellow man that they showed in the 60’s so well when they blew up minimum wage janitors and security guards in the name of peace and brotherhood.I remember one whose mummy and daddy gave the little peacenik a very nice roast beef and champagne supper before going off to serve his abbreviated sentence. Too bad nobody gave the janitor’s widow and kids a party. And you people really wonder why republicans get elected?
By jadepaulo@comcast.net, May 16, 2007 at 11:14 am # Jerry is in a better place - somewhere away from the rest of us.
By Charley, May 16, 2007 at 9:33 am # PRAISE THE LARD (that clogged his arteries)
By Skruff, May 16, 2007 at 9:01 am # Each human being should be remembered for one decent act; Out of all the anti-abortion groups Falwell’s was the only one I ever heard advocate that those who oppose abortion are morally bound to adopt.
By Druthers, May 16, 2007 at 8:41 am # For once I’ll quote Rumsfeld, “Stuff happens”.
By Terrence Sullivan, May 16, 2007 at 8:16 am # Sorry! Not one ounce of sympathy for the racist, bigot and hypocrite. The Only thing I’m sorry about is that it didn’t come sooner. If only Pat Roberson can go next .... like today wouldn’t be soon enough to suit me. I respect a few of the leaders of Christian ideaology for their tolerance of other religions and other hot button issues. If judgement day does come to all of us it won’t be determined by me, Falwell (though he liked to think it would, Pat Robertson or the likes of Jimmy Swaggert or the countless other huffing and puffing blowhards that are good at filling their pockets at the expense of instilling fear,doubt and feelings of low self worth on their parishoners. I only hope Tinky Winky of the Teletubbies had crawled up his ass before he died or maybe caused his demise. Good Bye ... Good Riddance the world is a better place without Jerry Falwell.
By G Andersen, May 16, 2007 at 8:15 am # One less religious nut using Jesus to advance just about every agenda possible. Unfortunately, there will be some other nut ready and willing to blame all the ills of our world on Satan and give all the credit for the success to Jesus. The problem with people like this and their mindless followers is that they take no personal responsibility. It is either Satan’s fault, gods will or the pagans fault. Never the “Christian’s” fault when things do not go as they want. I think the only ones who will shed a tear are the ones who have made big bucks as a result of knowing this bloated charlatan posing as a man of God. He would have been more believable as a KKK leader. Sincerely, Amused by the human condition
By Sophia Teresa, May 16, 2007 at 8:10 am #
By Skruff, May 16, 2007 at 6:31 am # 70182 by Sandy on 5/15 at 5:01 pm says: “If there is a God, He will say to Jerry, “You didn’t follow Christ’s teachings so I’m sending you back to earth. This time you will be a young gay man in Palestine or maybe a young 20 year old woman in Iraq. Either way, you need to learn compassion, acceptance and and put into practice The Golden Rule.” We don’t need to burden some other poor-backwater country with Falwell’s reconoitered hate… have him come back as an unwanted child who’s mother couldn’t choose abortion, in America’s seething slums I’d pick East St. Louis, but won’t be picky.
By James Yell, May 16, 2007 at 6:11 am # Well let us list a few of Falwell’s sins, besides promoting mean behavior amongst the faithful. He shaved, he wore perfume, he coveted money, he was a glutton, he was arrogant, he wore sumptous clothing, he was self-righteous, I can’t speak for the things he did in private as I didn’t know him nor would I have wanted to. As the above are all listed amongst the no, no’s in the old testament he loved to use to damn other people, he surely was a hypocrit and cherry picker.
By Louise, May 16, 2007 at 6:06 am # “Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country,” said Sen. John McCain.” Perfect response from a presidential wannabee. Targets both sides. The way I see it, since Farwell’s faith was based on his self-appointment as the voice of God ... he clearly devoted his life to serving himself. That millions have been harmed or misled along the way is unimportant. Falwell’s success in making himself the representative of God is unquestionable. Just look at the money and power he was able to accumulate. I wonder ... will he be recognized on the other side? Guess that all depends on God’s values. What do you suppose He/She cares the most about, money and power or peace and love? Meanwhile, while Falwell’s choice for “voice of the Lord” wanders through the corridors of Heaven ... or that other place ... looking for his reward, his self appointed replacements will no doubt be wandering through the corridors of Capital Hill. Lobbying for recognition as the official “voice of the Lord” replacement. What an opportunity for money and power! OK, irreverent I know. But so is fighting war in the name of God. “Matt Foreman, executive director of National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, extended condolences to those close to Falwell, but added: Amen.
By tomofcda, May 16, 2007 at 4:25 am # I just think it’s ironic that this man devoted his life to the Bible, yet seemed to ignore all the passages describing the Pharisees. My condolences to his family.
By THOMAS BILLIS, May 16, 2007 at 3:34 am # Let me join the chorus of mournful eulogies I have read so far.
By B, May 16, 2007 at 3:23 am # Couldn’t have happened to a better person. excerpt from http://b-political.blogspot.com/ -- HELL- Today, one of our most esteemed visionaries is coming home to us. This following a 73 year assignment among the living. His was a task of utmost importance to the work set forward to us by the Flaming Master himself. Don’t take my word for it. Let his own words show you the incredible work he had to do. HATE “I really believe 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, the ACLU, People for the American Way—all of them who have tried to secularize America—I point the finger in their face and say, “You helped this happen."” -- Rev Jerry Falwell, blaming civil libertarians, feminists, homosexuals, and abortion rights supporters for the terrorist attacks of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, quoted from John F Harris, “God Gave US ‘What We Deserve,’ Falwell Says,” The Washington Post (September 14, 2001) --continues on the blog Now it really is time to take this op. to shut down Bush/Liberty and fire his little army of appointees. B
By Bos Van Trist, May 16, 2007 at 1:43 am # The drinks are on me.
By Radical Atheist Cleric, May 15, 2007 at 10:53 pm # Well my vote is that there is no hell so he won’t be going there. But good riddance anyway to a total scumbag.
By kevin99999, May 15, 2007 at 10:17 pm # I wish I could say that I was saddened by the news of his death..but the truth is that this man had no redeeming qualities as a human being.
By WykydRed, May 15, 2007 at 9:47 pm # It wasn’t soon enough. And… The Moral Majority “evolved”? Oh yeah. Straight to his worst vision of hell.... Be wary. Like they say, “Better the devil that you know than the devil you don’t.” I think there are far more egregious evilmongers waiting to step up in his stead.
By c.perry, May 15, 2007 at 8:19 pm # Gungha Din has a new customer. “ E’ll be squatin on the coals giving drinks to poor damned souls”.
By John Lowell, May 15, 2007 at 7:01 pm # More than anything else, Jerry Falwell’s legacy will have been to having been present at the birth of what today can only be described as a kind of latter day ReichsChurch, a seamless weaving of biblicist Evangelicalism with Republican Party politics and neo-con warmongering. One finds it hard to locate the purely theological in someone like Falwell so completely had his political loyalties come to determine aspects of his faith. A case in point, his unqualified support - together with the likeminded James Dobson, Richard Land and Charles Colson - for the Bush stem-cell compromise in 2001, it having earned the decided condemnation of the Vatican, the USCCB, and the rest of committed Christianity. Christianity for a man of Falwell’s outlook began with an “R” as it does today for much of self-described “religious social conservatism”. But because it has reduced so much of faith to an ideology, to a kind of moralism devoid of Christological imperatives, it will die along with Falwell and the present generation of its leadership. While one assuredly wishes Falwell the peace of eternal life, one wonders precisely what loss to the faith his passing presents. John Lowell Add Your Comment |
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