Rev. Jerry Falwell dies at 73

[JER Soaps Fan]

Um, tragedy it IS. Because it's a death.

Sorry, but I won't subscribe to such a casual attitude about anyone's death -- except, perhaps, for bin Laden.

[JER Soaps Fan]

He made mistakes. We all do. He didn't take a gun out and kill dissenters and critics, though. He wasn't an "awful" person, and I don't believe anyone is truly "awful."

Of course, liberal rhetoric about accepting others and being open-minded (even if that means allowing people their right to be what one feels is closeminded) just works the ONE way, doesn't it?

Isn't that funny?

Or more, strange.

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

Well according to you, Bin Laden dying will be a tradegy too, because it IS a death, right? This was a horrible man. I will not say I am glad he is dead, but I will say that I wasn't considerably happy when he was alive and talking his [!@#$%^&*].

[King]

Oh, well then...f*ck him.

*Irish Jigs on his grave.*

[Shawn]

I truly hope this man is rotting in Hell.

The hate that he spewed forth from him is mouth is against everything that he claimed to stand for.

The world is better now that its rid of him.

[Adam]

I won't sit here and say I wished this guy dead.... but I don't think it should be considered tragic in the grand scheme of things that this bigot is dead. My sympathies go out to the people who did care about him such as his family but I don't think there will be one person in the gay community shedding a tear over his death, certainly not me. To say feminists. gays, abortion rights people brought on something such as 9/11, well there is no going back from that. He is a major reason behind the mixing of the religious right and mainstream american politics.... and look where the state of conservative politics is right now in the USA. Its a mess. I can only hope they chose a candidate that can take that party back to its roots, where it belongs.

[JER Soaps Fan]

Bin Laden would be a justifiable death, even in the religious sense, because he is evil personified. And more important, violent and has caused the ruin of countless lives.

Falwell, on the ohter hand, could only be regarded, by his detractors, as "misguided," if they disagree with his views. He was not violent; he just expressed views. He was fodder for late night skeetch comedy shows and talk shows, but that doesn't mean he was someone to be feared or hated. He was controversial, but often his words were turned against him. His words were, clearly, unintentionally hate speech, at times, but also, he clearly never chose or wished to start a riot.

The two situations are different. THis man certainly doesn't deserve King's "Irish jig" comment. That was just in poor taste. (To King), how would you like it if someone said as much of your grave? It's just a heartless thing to say. And because of fate, karma, etc, someone probably will say it about you. And trust me, that's not a good thing!

[JER Soaps Fan]

Unbelievable. Oh, how tempt the fates with that statement.

Karma, I've found, is all too unkind. What goes around comes around. And I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just true. You would have been better to live well enough alone.

[JER Soaps Fan]

No, the world is just without one other person who stands in front of the liberal agenda.

And since he's not a terrorist, that's another example of liberals not being truly liberal and letting the free marketplace of ideas flow. Exchanging different ideas, hearing and tolerating different perspectives.

It really isn't a two-way street, is it?

He didn't spew "hate;" he said what he believed. Just like you say what you believe, I say what I believe. We put it on the table and strip ourselves, prepared for criticism. Unfortunately, he invited some to exhibit true hatred through their intolerance of opposing, nonviolent views.

[JER Soaps Fan]

Now that, I'll agree with.

Okay, it's not "tragedy" in the grand scheme of things, as you said, but a death, for the family, for someone, is ALWAYS "tragic." I just disagreed with the other person's choice of words.

[rxcats]

Good riddance! The guy was pure evil. Some televangelists believe in what they say and preach, but not this guy. He was a hippocrate. He pulled a big one on Jim & Tammy Bakker during their fall. He mislead and lied to them in order to get his dirty hands on PTL. Despite Jim Bakker's tryst with Jessica Hahn and his lavish lifestyle, I think he believed in the things he said (even if he didn't always follow it himself). I don't believe the same thing can be said of Jerry Falwell. I can't really think of anything nice to say about him and I believe he has caused great harm to this country. He may not have blown anyone up, but he was certainly a terroist with his words and deeds.

[Q Steph]

With all due respect, death is death. You can't place a barometer on how others should react when you've openly admitted that you will disregard the death of Bin Laden. It's either a time for mourning and withholding one's peace or being able to express an outright joy. It can't be both because of your sole discretion.

For many of us, such as myself, Falwell was just as negligent and grossly malignant in his rhetoric. He was a zealot that cultivated hate. And yes, I am a member of that dreaded "liberal", tree hugging demographic. By all means, say your peace, but Falwell actively purused an agenda of discrimiantion and oppression simply because of his views. He saw the world a certain way and took it upon himself to damn those who stood in ocnstrast, looking the other way as his minions did exert violence to bring about his righteous vision. A leader chastises not only those who stray from the flock, but more importantly those in his covenant that supercede the natural law of free will. You can't initmidate, browbeat and kill as a means of conversion, but Falwell never minded. He lusted for power, orchestrating a takeover of Jim Baker's coalition in the aftermath of his scandal. This man wanted ownership of minds, thoughts and souls; those who refused were immediately cast out.

And last time I checked, the Bible said that a wise men was to discern but not cast upon judgment which is what he did for all the days of his lives. The God he served was about inclusion and not the exclusionary division he invested his minstry in. This man appointed himself as God, venomously preached his manifesto and shunned everyone else for his name's sake on the altar of Falwell said so.The Bible said to beware of false prophets and I would categorize him as such. I don't deny people of faith their beliefs, but he deliberately sanctioned the silence and practice of others.

As I stated before and would like to reiterate now, I'm not celebrating his passing, but I'm not going to cannonize the man simply because he claimed to be a man of God when he lived his life with extreme fallacy of the teachings he venerated. It's just not going to happen. My only consellation is that there is one true God that will judge me when the span of my days comes to an end and zealots like Falwell who have pronounced me damned because I don't blindly follow their credo.

It's sad that he died, but I won't bow to his memory. You can call me a liberal or whatever, but I won't be eulogizing him. He was bigot yesterday and he's a bigot, idelogical and social terorist still.

[JER Soaps Fan]

I was HEARTBROKEN when I saw Tammy Faye's phone interview with Larry King tonight. She never got to make peace with him over their fallout, and she really had been meaning to!!! Poor thing!!!!

[Marilyn_M]

Big friggin WORD to your post. You said it all and then some.

[Ryan]

Well said Stephanie.

I also want to comment on the engaging and thoughtful discussion going on in this thread. It's nice to be able to speak your mind without being jumped on. The better discussions like these happen, the more they'll be able to be discussed