"The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and used it to mold the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University. He was 73."

Yahoo.com

He was one of the most racist, bigoted opinionated preachers I have seen.

quote:

JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. 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."

No rest in peace post from me. That guy was a jerk.

Falwell

Quotes

De mortuis nil nisi bonum.
but it's very hard to do in his case!

I hope he is resting in peace. He seemed to have little of it on this earth.

From Wikipedia -

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Falwell said on the 700 Club, "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.'" (a sentiment with which Pat Robertson concurred).

As for homosexuality, Falwell remarked, "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals."

During the Civil Rights Movement Falwell was a supporter of racial segregation. He said this about Martin Luther King: "I do question the sincerity of people like the Reverend Martin Luther King..."
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From ThinkExist.com -

“Grown men should not be having sex with prostitutes unless they are married to them”

“AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals”

“The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country”

“If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being”

“Textbooks are Soviet propaganda”

“The whole (global warming) thing is created to destroy America's free enterprise system and our economic stability”

"...throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools, the abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked and when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad...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 try to secularize America...I point the thing in their face and say you helped this happen."”
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From QuotatuinsPage.com -


The argument that making contraceptives available to young people would prevent teen pregnancies is ridiculous. That's like offering a cookbook as a cure to people who are trying to lose weight.

I listen to feminists and all these radical gals - most of them are failures. They've blown it. Some of them have been married, but they married some Casper Milquetoast who asked permission to go to the bathroom. These women just need a man in the house. That's all they need. Most of the feminists need a man to tell them what time of day it is and to lead them home. And they blew it and they're mad at all men. Feminists hate men. They're sexist. They hate men - that's their problem.
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I have to wonder if Falwell was counting on a very forgiving God.

It'll be kinda fun watching the various repuglican candidates heaping praise on the dear departed, cynically trying to curry favor with his dim-witted followers.

I think we'll all be better off when that whole generation of religious charlatans is called home. Dobson, Kennedy, and Robertson - they can't be far behind.

quote:

De mortuis nil nisi bonum.

Perhaps this is the best advice to follow.

Had to happen some time.

I'm just glad I lived long enough to see the day.

the man had some serious behavioral problems, his report card would best read "Does not get along well with others".

God have mercy upon him, I doubt many people will or do.

He'll likely advance his cause better dead than alive. His departure from the scene may conceivably kindle some unification of the religious right.

At the very least, Liberty University and Falwell's other organizations will reap millions in memorial donations & a lot of lobbying power.

Couldn't he have waited until after the 2008 election?

Christopher Hitchens "eulogizes" Falwell on CNN

Mr. Hitchens, author of "God is not Great", has a lot to say about Jerry Falwell - he calls him a 'little toad', evil, fraud, bully, and on and on. The fact he was allowed to go on at length with an anti-religion tirade without being interrupted - that says something. Not sure what though.

Pharyngula

This news absolutly made my day yesterday. Always looking for a reason to break out the primo tequila and do a shot to celebrate.

Falwell is a reason moderate Christian people say things to me like, "But I'm not one of those Christians" whenever there is a discussion about the right wing and its bigoted, overbearing cheering section that's headed up by Falwell and his buddies. He sanctioned a lot of horrible behavior and attitudes because he claimed to be Christian.

I'm one of those pagan people he blamed the 9/11 attacks on. (He did later apologize in a fashion for including gays/lesbians in his statement. See DG's post above for the original statement.) Not believing in a glorious or tormented afterlife, I can't wish the fat, old man luck in dealing with gods or demons today, but I am happy there's one less loudmouth, ignorant, hateful bigot in the world.

From my favourite site -

'To take some “moral high ground” and praise Falwell even though he was a rabidly racist, sexist and homophobic ******* would be disingenuous at best. Yes, where we most depart from Falwell is in believing that we’re all in it together, equal and interconnected, children of God — which, presumably, includes him. But holding hands with Falwell’s corpse and singing “Kumbaya” would suggest that his vision of hate and our vision of love can co-exist, that we can all just get along. Instead, perhaps the appropriate response to Falwell’s vengeful moralizing is some moralizing of our own, calling a spade and spade and saying that Falwell was destructive and wrong. Period.'

Two great links -- the Hitchens video clip (on CNN w/ Anderson Cooper) and the piece at CommonDreams.com with the teletubby waving bye-bye.

My favorite Falwell quote (needs its own topic!): "If you’re not a born-again Christian, you’re a failure as a human being.” Second-place: “The ACLU is to Christians what the Nazi party is to Jews.”

It's easy to make fun of whacked-out head case. That he's had so many followers, however, should give pause. Having just relocated after living 13 years in the Bible Belt (closest big city: Chattanooga, TN), I am much more cynical, pessimistic, and paranoid about the Christian fundamentalist, anti-intellectual mindset that pervades the rural masses and drives our present-day government. "We're stupid, and proud of it!" is their implied motto. And they cast a lot of votes...

I suppose if he'd not been around to pick up the cudgel, someone else would have. Still, he is significantly responsible for harnessing the most destructive and despicable frailties of humans and turning them into political power. When the US finally implodes in a whirlwind of ignorance and theocratic destruction of the Constitution, The Wrong Reverend Mr Falwell will be a link in the chain of culpability. That conseratives (a lot of them) consider him a hero says a lot about that movement and its endgame. Endtime.

My response will be different. I may be chastised here for what I have to say...so be it.

Jerry Falwell was a great man. He was most certainly a man of God. And yes he most certainly is resting in peace. He is with God above being rewarded for a job well done.

Jerry Falwell loved America and for what it originally stood for. He was not afraid to stand for what was right. While his stands were not always popular among the unbelievers in our society, I had to admire him for the positions he did take. It is not easy to take unpopular positions. And he did well organizing the Christian Coalition, pointing out to Christians they have a stake in the direction of this country too and they need to make their voices heard. There is nothing wrong in standing up for the moral fabric this country so desperately needs.

Jerry Falwell was a great man, a great preacher and he will be missed by many.

quote:

Jerry Falwell loved America and for what it originally stood for.

'...Near the end of the debate, I restated a point I'd opened with that Falwell had not answered: "Reverend Falwell, if we are a nation under God, it's interesting that the founders of our Constitution, our framers, didn't even put the word [God] in the Constitution. That was by design."

"You haven't read it very clearly," Falwell responded. "Let me correct you on that. The Constitution is dated 1787 in the year - of - our - Lord."

He slowed down to enunciate each precious word, considering it a "gotcha" moment...' Falwell and me


Where, in all these Falwell quotes, is there something that we could recognise as "Christian", and not just 'my gang versus those other gangs'? I suppose he must have said something sometime about compassion, peace, kindness, forgiveness, tolerance or some form of spiritual understanding and connectedness. Did he? Or was it really all bigotry and ignorace?

quote:

I suppose if he'd not been around to pick up the cudgel, someone else would have.

That is how I always thought of him.

Just to get out my own mean side... if AIDS was God's will for a sinful lifestyle then I guess heart attacks are for gluttons. At least medical evidence backs that gluttony produces heart disease.

It's nice to pick and choose deadly sins though.

I found one! A nice, sensible quote from Falwell:

"If I were president of the United States, I would include Moslems in my presidency." www.quotes-museum.com

Oh, no - wait. Here's the whole story; www.beliefnet.com

Don't hold back Rakuchild. Tell us how you really feel.

Great post. LOL

quote:

"Jerry Falwell dies at 73"

Good riddence! Now if we can only get Sharpton and JJ to kick the bucket, we'll be rid of 2 more "loudmouth, ignorant, [and] hateful bigots."