represented and stood for everything I don't, I can't be excited about an innocent person's death, even if it isn't untimely or an accident. I agree with you Lowell, Falwell was like Reagan: agree with him or not, he's one of the most influential Americans of the last 30 years.

Sorry, but you cannot call a man like Falwell innocent.
His mission was intolerance and fear. 
He built an empire on the hard earned donations of gullible people all over the United States.

I'm sure R Nixon and R Reagan have save a spot for him down there.

Are you next Pat?

as opposed to being a convicted criminal.

I think his greatest legacy is just reminding us the value of free speech and how protecting unpopular speech will always be a paramount cornerstone of American democracy. But believe me, as an atheist and progressive, I won't miss him one bit. The country is better off without him.

For all the hateful things he has done to and said about people in the "name of God"? 

I hope he finds out what all that fire and brimstone is all about!

Burn baby, burn!

Just to avoid the verbal attack that may occur in our time of political correctness...

Go to www.google.com and enter:
Jerry Falwell Gays

Of the 83 pages pick the link of your choice.  None are kind.

Then bash me.

No apology here!

He also supported segregation and apartheid, so I mean, basically a lot of his life's worth is indefensible.

I guess John McCain doesn't have to worry about kissing Falwell's ass anymore

I'm sure the Republicans are looking for us to besmirch (sp?) his reputation on this site and go into a tirade of our long-standing differences with him.  To be honest, there is a lot that this man said that infuriated me, and incensed others I'm sure.  But upon death, its tradition to take the good with the bad, so I'll just say, I hope that his family is taking it well during this hard time.

n/t

I think the man was a representative of most I stand against, but to applaud his death by saying "burn baby burn" is a bit sick in my eyes.

"I think hell's a real place where real people spend a real eternity."

**Jerry Falwell

Yeah well, neither you nor I are the judge of who spends their time in such a place.

When Reagan died, there was that whole lying in state at the Capitol. I went because I wanted to say I say a president lying in state at the Capitol. The wait was six hours. It was around midnight when I was told this. I thought to hell with the idea of seeing Reagan, I never agreed with him as he tried to dismantle JFK /LBJ programs and those two were the ones I looked up to. Then there was the fact that he was against Massachusetts and a rival of O'Neills. My family is from Massachusetts as well as New York, and my family knew Tip O'Neill.  Moral here is its really hard to feel for a person in death when you didn't feel for him in life.  Yes its tragic he died and at a such youthful age of 73, but Peter Boyle and Allen Ginsburg also died tragically young in their 70s, I feel for their loss so much more.

I am not denying Falwell's impact. It'll take this country a long time to recover from it.

Well said Presidentalman!!!!

Two days after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Jerry Falwell had this to say:

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." Jerry Falwell on the 911 attacks

Falwell, a man of faith. A Baptist minister.  One who would preach the words of the Lord.  Today he goes home to face his creator.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity

But why?

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, the Gospel of Matthew

Falwell certainly stirred the creative juices among those of us working on the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia.  We had a button machine and on our way to Lynchburg for a Sunday morning demostration in 1979 at Thomas Road to protest Falwell's antiquated & hateful political views, we coined the all-time great button "Nuke a Gay Whale for Christ."  Thomas Road parishioners served us donuts and were shocked but amused by the buttons which I thought was very civil of them in contrast to their pastor.  My other encounters with Falwell over the years were less amusing.

That he's wondering why Heaven is so hot and full of flames...

For we of little faith...on the meaning if you might...

It is a description of the essential nature of what it means to be a Christian, as described by Jesus of Nazareth himself, transcribed by the disciple Matthew. Read this if you never read anything else in the Bible, or have no interest in religion.

Being a "Lynchburger", lunch-burger, resident of Lynchburg... I will be glad to report on the city's "take" on all this in the days to come.As for now:

His sons will take over the day to day operations of Thomas Rd. and LU so nothing there will change for sure. They are getting ready to start a school of engineering at LU soon and their law school is presently up and running.

There are so many letters to the editor either praising Jerry and his works and words or criticizing them that most likely the letters will slow down a bit.

He is much disliked amongst many native born, old money Lynchburg people and most of the folks who LOVE him are transplants from elsewhere. Steve Newman, Ben Cline and Kathy Byron won't have their big supporter around anymore.

Newt Gingrich will address the LU graduates this weekend and I am sure will eulogize him from that stage.Bleh!!!

Things here in the "Burg" will change very little. We still will have that horrible 100 foot LU monogram on Candler's mountain to stare at and the students will still be here working the polls every election for anyone and everyone w/ an (R) by their name.The only real change will be the loss of Jerry. The restaurants will miss him the most I suppose...he ate out ALL the time...the source of, I imagine, most of his weight gain and health issues.

Somedays it really is worth getting up!! Ding, Dong, the witch is dead!

Seriously, Jerry Falwell paved the way for Pat Robertson, Jim and Tammy, Swaggert, Focus on the Family, and all the rest of the crazies. He took a two-bit Jesus school and made it into a successful University. He brought the Jesus freaks out of the church closet and into public office. He took over a national political party and made all its leaders fall to their knees and kiss his fat pinky ring. His threats destroyed the character of men like Bob Dole, George HW Bush, John McCain, etc. No one could tell a lie with a smile like he could. From a pure political view, man was a talented foe.

From a human view, he should burn in Hell. Slowly on a big stick.

n/t

They said they found him unconscious, but we have found him unconscious for years.

Wonder what made him unconscious ??  Choked on a donut?? A stroke caused by choking on a donut or something harder?  A drug overdose? A sex scandal perhaps?? Was there DNA under the desk?? Any freshman lurking in the office closet?? Any burn marks from a thunderbolt strike? Hmmm, given recent revelations on the Right, anything is possible I guess..

PS: What's with Kaine's statement?? Has he no memory anymore? Please.

...or at Daily Kos. 

Founder and leader of Soulforce and former friend of Falwell had some nice things to say about Jerry even though they disagreed on almost everything.
He added..." Jerry died before I was able to change his mind."
Soulforce advocates for gay and lesbians and does so through Christian ministry.

White lives in Lynchburg.

Read this story from the Navy Times (and Des Moines Register) about how the chaplains at a VA hospital in Iowa kept trying to convert a very sick Jewish veteran. This is the type of atmosphere create by the rise of evangelism and its unholy alliance with the Republican Party, thanks in great part to the likes of the Falwells and Robertsons.

http://www.navytimes...

Navy veteran David Miller said that when he checked into the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City, he didn't realize he would get a hard sell for Christian fundamentalism along with treatment for his kidney stones.

Miller, 46, an Orthodox Jew, said he was repeatedly proselytized by hospital chaplains and staff in attempts to convert him to Christianity during three hospitalizations over the past two years.

He said he went hungry each time because the hospital wouldn't serve him kosher food, and the staff refused to contact his rabbi, who could have brought him something to eat.***

Michael Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and an attorney who worked in the White House under President Reagan, said Thursday that he is preparing to sue the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in federal court over Miller's treatment. He said he suspects other veterans have been treated similarly and that Miller's case could become a class-action lawsuit.

"He has been in the situation where clearly his faith - which happens to be the Jewish faith - is the wrong faith for the Veterans Administration," said Weinstein, an Air Force Academy graduate.***

How would a devout Christian feel if a Muslim or atheist kept harping on religion during treatment?  Listen to this:

Over the past two years, Miller said, he has been asked over and over by the Iowa City VA medical center's staff within its offices, clinics and wards, "You mean you don't believe that Jesus is the Messiah?" and "Is it just Orthodox Jews who deny Jesus?" He said one staffer told him, "I don't understand; how can you not believe in Jesus; he's the Messiah of the Jews, too, you know."

And it's not just the American evangelicals.  The Pope has offended Brazilian Indians --

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Indian rights groups are criticizing Pope Benedict XVI for insisting that Latin American Indians wanted to become Christian before European conquerors arrived centuries ago.

The pope said Sunday that pre-Columbian people of Latin America and the Caribbean were seeking Christ without realizing it. ``Christ is the savior for whom they were silently longing,'' Benedict told a regional conference of bishops in Brazil.

But Paulo Suess, an adviser to Brazil's Indian Missionary Council, said Monday that the comments fail to account for the fact that Indians were enslaved and killed by the Portuguese and Spanish settlers who forced them to become Catholic.

***

http://www.guardian....

This is the Pope's comment that got to me:

He added that any return by those indigenous populations to their original religions ``would be a step back.''

The reaction in Brazil has been pretty intense:

"It's arrogant and disrespectful to consider our cultural heritage secondary to theirs," said Jecinaldo Satere Mawe, chief coordinator of the Amazon Indian group Coiab. Mawe said the Pope's remarks made no mention of the violent history that followed or the documented decimation of native cultures in favor of the Christian model Conquistadors and other Europeans colonizers.

Benedict not only upset many Indians but also Catholic priests who have joined their struggle, said Sandro Tuxa, who heads the movement of northeastern tribes.

"We repudiate the Pope's comments," Tuxa said. "To say the cultural decimation of our people represents a purification is offensive, and frankly, frightening.

http://www.infoshop....

Back when I was an undergrad at Bridgewater College, my debate team went to Liberty University.  There was a session where Falwell spoke to all the college debate teams that had come for the tournament.  I recall him being very clever and forceful and quite good at verbal gymnastics when it suited him.

I also recall him saying that he was a registered Democrat, but that he voted Republican because there were no good Democrats left.  Naturally, I disagreed with him there!

This is a sad day for his family, and I wish them well.

Matusleo

Ut Prosim

I never agreed with Jerry Falwell.  Yes, he said some pretty horrible things.  And some foolish things, like going after Teletubbies.  And certainly his comments blaming the victims for 9/11 were over the top.

But there was more than one side to the man.  He remained friends with Mel White. And there were other people to whom he showed kindness.

Bigotry and intolerance should always be denounced.  But people should be forgiven.  And in case you can't guess, I am a universalist, which simply means that I don't believe in eternal damnation.  My religious belief is that all will be saved, a minority view but one held by Julian of Norwich, Madeleine L'Engle, Origen, and several other famous Christians.  The Jewish faith also does not believe in eternal damnation, though they believe in limited and temporal punishment.  But it ends and then there is forgiveness.

And my sympathies still go to the man's family. Let's not let anger rob us of our humanity.