Jerry Falwell, one of the most despicable abusers of the teachings of Jesus and the earnest faith of religious Christians, a foul, mean-spirited power hungry neanderthal who sought to set back civilization has been called to meet his maker. I have no doubt, he will join the other racists, bigots, homophobes, war mongers, greedy money-grubbing corporatists and holy rolling religious hypocrites he supported, encouraged and empowered.
Falwell made his infamous, and perhaps signature statement after 9/11 on the 700 club, saying, "the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians," as well as liberal advocacy groups were to blame for the attacks, according to Fox news. He later made a weak, non-specific apology. This statement could well be the quote that he is (and should be remembered by.
We can expect to see the toadying right wing candidates for president quickly pay homage to this creep who blamed the 9/11 attack on homosexuality. John McCain, a fellow hypocrite, appears to be the first to pay homage to this man who, just a few years ago, lumping Falwell with other right wing zealots, described them as, “agents of intolerance.” Since running for presidential office, McCain realized that one does not win the Republican primary without kissing up to fundamentalist nutjobs.
CNN says he'll be remembered as one of the most outspoken and polarizing figures.
This crepulant walking pile of self righteousness and hateful intolerance lived his last few years being seen by many as a bombastic fool, even though so many right wing power seekers sought his blessing.
Falwell's organization, Moral Majority was credited with pushing the republican party further to the right and with helping Ronald Reagan to win his office.
There are those who say one should not speak ill of the dead. I disagree. Now is the time when others will try to honor and glorify an evil, small, ugly, meanspirited fool who did immense damage to so many spheres of modern life-- modern Christianity, American Politics, television, education and through all of those, the rest of the world. His support of right wing extremists enabled corporations and war hawks to exploit their opportunities to wreak war, havoc, violence, hate, irrevocable environmental damage, poverty and suffering upon millions.
If any soul is a candidate for hell, this man fits the profile.
The responses to this obitchuary are coming in. Some approve, some say they are disappointed in my mean-spirited diatribe, that I broke a rule.
Let me be clear, my goal was not to be mean, but to villify, to make it clear that this was a bad man who does not deserve the honor or glorification that will surely ensue in the coming days. I wouldn't put it past George Bush to give him the same treatment that Coretta King was given.
The way I see it, already, Rev. Al sharpton is saying nice things about this monster. How do we stop people from doing despicable, horrible things while alive? One way is to be sure they know they will be treated harshly when they die. And if other neanderthals see that their mentors and inspirations, and people of similar ilk are treated so badly, maybe they will think twice and even mend their ways. And no-one has mentioned the family. Well, when an evil person does things that are evil, they DO affect their family. It happens every day. I wrote this knowing that some will judge me harshly. But history is just beginning to judge Jerry Falwell, and he deserves to be treated badly, not kindly.
I started OpEdNews with the vision of it being a tough liberal voice. I watched Ronald Reagan glorified for over a week by the media, with nary a negative word-- this for the "Genius" of the "trickle down" lie, the man who pushed conservatives to a level of extremism that has been incredibly destructive to America. I wasn't going to let this evil man get a pass, and I encourage others to speak out too.
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
To learn more about me and OpEdNews.com, check out this article.
and there are Rob's quotes, here.
To Watch me on youtube, having a lively conversation with John Conyers, Chair of the House Judiciary committee, click here Now, wouldn't you like to see me on the political news shows, representing progressives. If so, tell your favorite shows to bring me on and refer them to this youtube video
My radio show, The Rob Kall Show, runs 9-10 PM EST Wednesday evenings, on AM 1360, WNJC and is archived on www.whiterosesociety.org Or listen to it streaming, live at either www.wnjc1360.com or here.
A few declarations.
-While I'm registered as a Democrat, I consider myself to be a dynamic critic of the Democratic party, just as, well, not quite as much, but almost as much as I am a critic of republicans.
-My articles express my personal opinion, not the opinion of this website.
Ah, the two issues neo-conservatives harp on: homosexuality and abortion. What about the Iraqi civilians and our troops who are dying because our president lied to the Congress and the American people?
by
Gina-Marie Cheeseman (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 23 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4:29:58 PM
"I pray that either this pope becomes enlightened and apologizes to the Iraqi's and their nation, or retires. He along with those evil ones who supported the Bushites with hypocritical and blasphemous commentary about God and their speaking back and forth with him either are liars or need psychiatric assistance. God does not support killing. Thes must be speaking to Satan, he favors, abortion, torture, preemptive war, stealing a nation's natural resources, slander, lying, mass-murder, capital punishment, framing the innocent and blaspheming. Hmm. One out of ten, that is a batting average of .100, not so hot for those about to have eternal residency in a place that is very hot, unless the refute their evils and repent. Repent, Jerry Fallwell, on your knees on public TV, or face Divine Punishment! Repent, Pat Robertson, on your knees on public TV, or face Divine Corrective Measures!! Repent, Pope Benedict, on your knees on public TV, or face Divine Corrective Measures!! Your penance? Give enormous alms to the people of Iraq and to the people in the USA who lost loved ones or whose loved ones were wounded or injured in connection with the "war" in Iraq, or face Divine Corrective Measures!!"
by PetetheProf (43 articles, 255 comments) on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 6:33:36 PM
Yes, his death. The pope and Roibertson need to come to terms with their errors rapidly. I do not mention the others because for them there is no hope right now-they are lost. Nonetheless, I pray for Fallwell today and the others to make peace with their demons, quickly.
by
Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1311 comments)
on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 10:54:11 AM
the moment i heard the news i forced myself to keep my nose to the grindstone (shhh..I'm at work) and not immediately blog on it. i reassured myself that as soon as i decided to check, the blogs would already be flying and i could sit back and enjoy. but, did want to stop by and share my first thought which was, "Oh, that lightning bolt finally came out of the sky."
by
Cheryl Biren-Wright (19 articles, 23 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 351 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 3:21:20 PM
funny thing, Jesus didn't address either homosexuality or abortion.
he did address a lot of things and modeled a life-style and content/spirit
that Jerry Falwell NEVER represented.
Falwell's description of a "true Christian" during this past, his final, year
was "pro-War", "anti-abortion", "anti-gay". As I said, Jesus didn't address the last two "issues" created by male dominators who want to claim God's backing, but, most importantly,
Falwell gave himself away when he backed the illegal and hideous War in Iraq.
I'm pro-life personally and against government or court legislation regarding abortion which I believe is a family/personal matter.
But, you cannot be pro-life and pro-war. This was the dead giveaway of this gluttonous hot-button hustler. That's right--all Falwell was was a hustler. I feel sorry for those under his "control".
Further, I feel sorry for anyone who feels that he needs to miss the point that Rob was making: this guy did not have the qualities or love of Christ in his life. It's obvious.
I did agree with him on one thing: when he tried to intercede for Carla Faye Tucker on death row in Texas....and failed, because his buddy, George Bush, loves killing people. No mercy.
Most recently, Falwell spoke out against half the Christian Right who care about the Earth and Life on the Earth; he called the evangelicals doctrine of
"Creation Care" in service to the Devil!
This man was everything Rob says....and worse. Misled many.
Fortunately for him, he's just going to the grave, hustle over. Send him some love and forgiveness, for your own health. :-)
PIPSAV
by
pipsav (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 3:25:38 PM
I too am pro-life, but believe abortion is a personal choice that the courts and legislation should not decide for a woman. I agree with you that being pro-life means being anti-war.
by
Gina-Marie Cheeseman (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 23 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4:48:04 PM
Not only is Falwell fit for hell, but can his fellow miscreant Pat Robertson be far behind?
I won't have a half-second's worth of guilt for saying or thinking ill of this dead man. He doesn't deserve kind words now that he's dead any more than he did when he was alive.
by
Sandy Sand (143 articles, 0 quicklinks, 196 diaries, 1381 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 3:30:54 PM
You're "sure" of what Jesus would or would not have "taken kindly to?" Wow! Amazing. I guess I somehow missed out on that direct line to The Son of God. I'm happy, though, that he has given you permission to speak for him in his absence.
It's that kind of arrogant presumption that has turned so many believers away from the church, the faith. What a shame.
What happened to "all God's children"-- "Love thy neighbor" ? -- the very basics learned in Sunday school? As Falwell's sheep seem to think, this is fine and dandy as long as it doesn't include women, gays, lesbians, Muslims, Jews, and a list of other sinners who don't fit into the "good ole boy's club," -- their small-minded mold.
The sinful changing of what Jesus spoke of - love, peace, compassion - to fit the political leanings and hate-mongering beliefs of those who wish to manipulate, distort, and separate human from human, is nothing short of a lynching of those who truly practice what it means to be good and loving, to make this world a better place.
There is nothing more despicable than humans who, for their own benefit, change the meaning of the most basic tenets that Jesus stood for, the "re-wording" of the Bible, and the spewing of hatred under the guise of being good Christians.
I know good Christians - and Falwell wasn't one of them.
by
Jan Baumgartner (52 articles, 136 quicklinks, 10 diaries, 249 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 3:40:29 PM
This is one of the best eulogies I have read about Falwell. It's truth. But, as Rob says, there will be pandering to the extreme right wing by a gaggle of Republicans who believe their future is in the hands of extremists.
I do think it was interesting that Falwell died on election day (in Pa. anyhow.)
walt brasch
by
Brasch (63 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 48 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 3:50:46 PM
Just heard the breaking news on CNN that the fundamentalist, phony Christian, SOB, Falwell is dead. I feel absolutely no sympathy for that lying, cheating, weasling bastard.
Days like this make me wish there was a hell because surely his rotten soul would be frying at this moment. He will be as useless in death as he was in life for surely they will plop him down in a concrete vault. When it disintergrates in a few hundred yrs. there won't even be anything left to fertilize a plant.
Isn't it a damn shame that so many people were & still are being suckered by that low-life scumbag? To listen to the cable news you would have thought that the Queen of England had died instead of a useless crook.
by
magginkat (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 18 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4:13:37 PM
If this sorry excuse for a human being doesn't roast in hell something is drastically wrong. I really hope that all of the right wing, bible beating morons who believe that laws should be passed on moral issues follow him there. Religious beliefs should never be part of the laws of this nation and to those who believe the do I have one thing to say.
GO TO HELL ALONG WITH FALWELL!
by
walley (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 108 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4:14:42 PM
While I am quite accepting that Jesus walked the earth the same as the rest of us, those who follow the belief system invented by a convention 300years AD are following a synthetic man-made fantacy. (likely that convention was something like a Baptist Convention, only will perhaps not quite so many hookers) Anyone reading the Bible will note some wisdom there, though most is obviously written by inferior minds. Hey, if that book was written by God, why did God make Shakespere the better author?
I think we are well rid of a very useless man, perhaps next time around he will have learned some compassion and utilize his life in a more positive way.
by
Roger (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 359 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4:16:56 PM
There's nothing wrong with religion, it's how one deals with their own death. However, psychopaths (anti-social disorder) seem to want to lie, steal and murder in the name of their "own" religion, whatever flavor. Psychopaths have seem to be able to drum up "religious" organizations whenever they're well financed, for one reason or another. Just don't know why others follow. Without empathy for others, Falwell was already "dead" for a long time. It's simply that the body finally went, too.
by
Edward Ulysses Cate (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 217 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4:17:52 PM
Your comments indicate that, like most self-professed Christians, you completely misunderstand the nature of sin. As we learn in the Old Testament, acts of omission must be atoned for, just as much as acts of commission. Hence, the things we fail to do that we should do are sins also. In the New Testament, Jesus takes us even a step further. It is not enough merely to obey the law, we may not even think of disobeying the law. To lust is to commit adultery. To hate is to kill. To want is to serve another God. To fail to forsake our earthly treasure and follow Him, even if we obey all of the law, will not bring us salvation. So if you have a computer, you let children die in Africa to gain it. You could have saved them. You made a choice. In God's eyes you are a murderer. This is why we need a saviour.
If God sees all of us as murderers, do you think he cares if someone is homosexual or gets an abortion? Have they done something worse than buying a BMW instead of sending that $40,000 to the starving? When you understand this; when you understand that we live in a sea of sin like fishes in water breathing it in and out from birth to death, forced to sin because there if nothing but sin all around us, then you can begin to understand Jesus and His true gift to us. Then you can understand what a Saviour is and being to grow in Christ. Then you will see that the Saviour loves a homosexual as much as a leper, as much as you, as much as the abortion doctor, and as much as the aborted fetus.
by
W.M.L. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 323 comments)
on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4:27:58 PM
