Yep, the greatest mind of the 11th century has died.
Now, of course I am sad for his family and friends but I must admit that there is a part of me that is relieved that he has moved on from this world. I hope that he becomes a more tolerant being then the one he was here in this time and place (if there is some kind of life after death).
Falwell has said before that "God" has abandoned America so why did he still care about a "godless" state? Why didn't he just leave us pagans to our own devices and form his "Heaven on Earth" out in the Amazon jungles somewhere.
I now hope that true Christians who believe in the tolerant, loving message of Jesus can fill in the place that this hateful man left behind.
The news is mentioning how much influence he has had upon the political scene which reminds me why I believe that religions who speak out politically should lose their tax exempt status.
He took a lot of money from people in exchange for a ticket to "heaven." Hey Jerry!! Wasn't there something in the New Testament about Jesus running out the money changers from a sacred temple? I know so. What think you Falwell followers of THAT???
May he be judged by the same standards that he judged so many other people.
In remembrance:
I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!
-- Rev Jerry Falwell, America Can Be Saved, 1979 pp. 52-53, from Albert J Menendez and Edd Doerr, The Great Quotations on Religious Freedom
The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country.-- Rev Jerry Falwell, Sermon, July 4, 1976
The Jews are returning to their land of unbelief. They are spiritually blind and desperately in need of their Messiah and Savior.-- Jerry Falwell, Listen, America!
"Every good Christian ought to kick [Jerry] Falwell
right in the ass." ---Barry Goldwater
GOI: And my favorite:
"If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being."
GOI: And what's with the obsession with homosexuality Jerry? Could it be that you had secret thoughts about it and hated yourself for it??
---End of Transmission---
14 comments:
Someone over at Americablog asked, "Why didn't Pat Robertson let us know Falwell was going to die?"
I do believe in some kind of next realm and feel it is a NO BULLSHIT zone. I'm thinkin' it sucks to be Jerry right about now.
Lynne:
I love the Americablog comment. Very funny and spot on. I find it pretty telling too that the peaceful and usually accepting Jimmy Carter told Falwell to go to hell.
You have to be a real prick and intolerant asshole to get the Noble Peace Prize winning Jimmy Carter to tell you to go to hell!!!
No matter what you thought of Falwell, he will always be remembered for trying to pry religion into politics with the Religious Right movement. That alone should cause some sort of damnation for the man.
I hope that the Christian Right will not find a replacement for Rev. Falwell and that this shoehorning of the Christian religion into American government will stop and we can get back into debating issues not whether or not your beliefs on faith allows you to be President.
Falwell has said before that "God" has abandoned America so why did he still care about a "godless" state?
More to the point, if God has truly abandoned America, then where is Jerry going now? The land 'down under'? Purgagory? Inquiring frogs want to know.
I now hope that true Christians who believe in the tolerant, loving message of Jesus can fill in the place that this hateful man left behind.
Well said, James.
I'm afraid I wasn't as kind to him in my post.
I heard Franklin Graham's (Billy's son) say today that no one can fill Falwell's shoes--and I hope so. I hope we never see the likes of Falwell again.
If the letters "Rev." were not before his name, he would have been in jail for what he did. He took money from people under false pretenses. He made them promises he knew he could not keep. Anyone else doing that would be charged with a crime. He should have been and all those like him should be as well.
PoP:
EXACTLY!!!
I see these programs on Dateline and other "news shows" about the online Nigeria money scams and I think, "How is the televangelist and different??"
They aren't. They are ripping people off as you said and usually they are the poor and uneducated desperate for help. Shame on him and all others of his ilk.
Does this mean there's an opening for Pastor Ted?
Brent:
HEAR HEAR!!!
Kvatch:
Perhaps he's going to Disneyland!! Or maybe Dollywood is more his style.
PT:
Well the man didn't exactly show a lot of kindness to all people as Jesus taught so have at him I say!!!
Fashion Girl:
You mean at the cemetery? Probably. Oh wait that was pretty bad.
The Barry Goldwater quote is precious. Indeed.
Liberal:
Yeah I really dig some of the quotes of Goldwater. Now a days he'd probably be a Democrat given the shift in the conservative party of the last two decades.
Another bloated, self-righteous, intolerant, pig of a man who spent his life superiorly spewing epithets in the name of God. The man was just the sort of fat, hateful zeolot that Christ would have never welcomed into his inner circle, and no doubt hasn't since his death. A truly contemptable purple wolf in a fat shepard's clothing. A damned disgrace to true Christians.
Anon:
Well said. It's very sad to me that the tolerant, compassionate and accepting disciples of Jesus don't have the same voice as these loud mouth charlatans.
I understand why they don't want to get out the megaphone though. They are humble people who do not feel the need to wear their religion on their sleeve.
It's men like Falwell who have made American Christianity a four letter word.
I don't care what religion someone wants to be as long as they are accepting of other faiths.
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