Rev. Jerry Falwell is Dead (No, I'm not kidding)

[diamond_tether]

He was found dead in his office this morning and that's about all I know thus far (NPR.org). He was 73 years old.

So, any thoughts? I believe the the Muslim community did have a fatwa on him concerning the fact that he needed to pass on. Hopefully the Muslim community will see the US as more approachable now and hopefully not vulnerable in the eyes of radicals.

For those who don't know him he was a very major player on the US stage in terms of being part of a the most conservative religious right. After 9/11 he made comments that it was due to gays and lesbians in the country, he once said that anyone who isn't a born again Christian is a failure as a human being and made repeated comments on various shows about how feminist women really just needed a man to take them home and set them straight.

[biwords]

Falwell's death is something of a blow to the American left.....he was such an easy target!

[anne27]

I usually think it's a loss when anyone passes away, but god, I have a hard time working up any sympathy at all for that man.

[birron]

Here is my :2cents: ,

The Religious Right and its various forms of rigorous religion sects create many fronts to promulgate their propaganda and do the very thing that their sacred text, The Bible, tells them not to do. They judge others. "Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself" is the most repeated verse, yet most of these so~called religious leaders fail on that commandment all of the time. Jerry Fallwell was yet another example of this, probably the most notable and famous one.
We do not know what he did behind closed doors. Perhaps God caught him committing the very sin that he condemns others for doing, perhaps he was caught masturbating to a bisexual or gay porn DVD...
Irony and heresy go hand in hand in the religious right. There are the leaders who openly tell their followers that "God is going to take me if you don't send me money...!"

I am not rejoicing here that an opponent to those who seek equality and freedom to practice the lifestyle they choose, as is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. I am merely pointing out the possibility that Jerry Fallwell finally pushed his own agenda beyond the limit that is deemed acceptable in the eyes of the Lord.
May he rest in the peace that he denied to many when he freely roamed here on Earth... :cool:

[arana]

All I can say is if there is a judgement day his time has come.

[DeafF2M]

If I had stayed in Lynchburg, Virginia -- I grew up there... poor me -- I would have eventually strangled the man. I have disliked him and his so-called agenda from the time I was a child. I kid you not. I did NOT like him when I was a child -- I somehow knew he was a hypocrite even before I really understood what that word meant.

Heck, even some conservatives didn't like him... like my mother. LOL

[DiamondDog]

I feel bad that Tammy Faye Bakker is dying of cancer.

I don't wish death, sickness, or misfortune upon anyone but Jerry Falwell reminded me of Fred Phelps lite.

[BiPixie]

I'm usually very kind but I won't lie when I say that this news is a huge relief to me. However, I'm sure his followers are more than ready to take up the conservative hate mongering flag.

[darkeyes]

From lil me knows bout the arsehole...cudn happen 2 a nicer guy....

[biwords]

I feel bad that Tammy Faye Bakker is dying of cancer.

I don't wish death, sickness, or misfortune upon anyone but Jerry Falwell reminded me of Fred Phelps lite.

Yes, the only way to actually like Falwell would be to compare him to Phelps, a truly evil man. Falwell was just an asshole, but Phelps is another order entirely...

[nyabn_webmaster]

I usually think it's a loss when anyone passes away, but god, I have a hard time working up any sympathy at all for that man.

Us too. Think of the good he could have done in the world and yet he chose a path of evil. How sad.


:flag3: :angel: :flag3:

[BreeIsMe]

The fact that all men (and women) are created equal is signified by the fact that all men (and women) die just like Jerry Falwell. For Falwell, unfortunately, he never really "got it"

Bree

[mindfinding]

Wow, close to home this one hits.

It is true that he had many views that were a little different then our own, but judging him makes you no better then him

It is true - Don't judge, or you'll get judged

Its also true - Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Some people in Christianity (I'm one of them) understand things peacefully, and some violently. But I know if your passing outright judgment on someone, your not doing anybody any favors (something we all daily struggle with).

I'm saddened to hear about people die'n.

[hudson9]

Perhaps this was just God's way of telling Jerry to shut up.

None-the-less, I'm sure his family is sad, and I'm sorry for their loss. (Their loss, not ours...)

[anne27]

One does wonder how long it will be before someone leaves a Teletubby at his gravesite.

[tydwater51]

There have only been a few people in my lifetime that I have truly hated but Jerry Falwell was one of them. Smug, self-important, narrow-minded, mean-spirited, self-righteous. One of the major assholes of our time. I'm embarrassed he came from Virginia.

[jamiehue]

One does wonder how long it will be before someone leaves a Teletubby at his gravesite.
L.o.l

[FalconAngel]

Finally, the bane of so many non-Christians, as well as anyone who isn't straight "whitebread" born-again America, is gone from this world.

Here's the scene;

Jerry Falwell's spirit: This isn't anything at all like I pictured Heaven.

Mysterious voice: Who said that YOUR just desserts were in Heaven?

[Hopeful Romantic]

http://www.bilerico.com/2007/05/003107.php

I personally like this claim. Sometimes, the goddess just smiles on you..

[izzfan]

Just reading about this bloke and I have to admit that, from what I've read, I am not saddened at all by his death. Nevertheless, I'm sure that there are people grieving for him (eg: family members) and although he sounds like a bit of a fundamentalist asshole, he hasn't really done anything seriously evil (eg: he wasn't a tyranical dictator etc...) so it would be sort of out of place to dance on his grave [metaphorically at least].

Izzfan :flag3:

[mindfinding]

Ouch, you guys.

[12voltman59]

On the one hand--I do feel sorry for the lose of Jerry Falwell for his family, friends and those who did like him--I am not a vindictive person--even thought in terms of his politics, world views, etc,--the Rev Fallwell and I could not disagree more.

In terms of his being gone from the stage and his bully pupit-I could not be the more happier for he was one more cog in a big spin machine that villified the left and comforted and explained away the failngs and shortcomings of those on the political and religious right--and for the fact he is gone-I say hurrah!!

I am sorry that the man passed on just for the fact he is a human and I am a human---as far as I am concerned--I would have been just as happy if he had retired and gone fishing in or whatever he liked to do in the mountains of Virginia or whatever---

Now--if God would only "call home" Pat Robertson, James Dobson and a few more of the pillars of the "religious right" and fairly quickly---maybe we can claim that God finally had enough of their BS they do in his name and decided to take his wrath out on them!!!!!! :eek: :eek:

[jedinudist]

As a man of peace, I find it sad when any human being passes away.

Does anyone have proof that he was actually a human being?

For someone representing a religion of "Love and Forgiveness" that man spewed more hate than the klan.

I know I'm not supposed to feel better when a person dies, but I tell you it was hard not to dance naked in the street when I saw the news online.

I guess he didn't meet his fund raising goal this time.

[jedinudist]

http://www.bilerico.com/2007/05/003107.php

I personally like this claim. Sometimes, the goddess just smiles on you..


ROTFLMAO

[12voltman59]

This relates to the post that was put up about the Rev Phelps group--they are going to go protest at Fallwell's funeral because he --well go to the other thread and read the post they have on that site about why they are protesting at that event-it'll curdle your blood---

And yes--I know that the Phelps group is one way out there on some far fringe of the right wing religious nut galaxy--they are akin to the most radical, extremist Islamists--certainly in their extreme and irrational beliefs-the only difference to date, so far as can be determined--they have not yet turned to violent action-but they are just a mere breath away from it---

They do not represent mainstream Christianity in anyway--in fact to their God told beliefs---they are the only ones who are right and the rest of Christianity is no better than non-Christians---worse in fact.

There maybe another Ruby Ridge or Waco coming with this crowd!!!!

Now Bush-if he really wants to protect Americans from forms of terrorism--I hope is allowing the FBI to monitor this group--I need to see if Morris Dees' group is monitoring them---The Southern Poverty Law Center

http://www.splcenter.org/center/history/dees.jsp
http://www.splcenter.org/center/about.jsp

[Herbwoman39]

Yes, it *is* sad when someone dies. I was taught this from the time I was little. That's why I feel so guilty.

All I keep thinking is "Thank God he's dead". And I feel guilty about this enormous sense of relief in knowing that there's one less road block for LGBT rights now.

And that's my 2am confession. :(