Whatever took Jerry Falwell's life was swift; he ended breakfast with a friend at 9:50 this morning, and was found dead in his office at 11:30. Worldwide reaction has been almost as swift and vehement as whatever killed him.
From Andrew Sullivan: "Since I can think of nothing good to say about him, I'll say nothing. And pray for the repose of his soul."
Said Albert Mohler, "The death of Dr. Jerry Falwell today brings an end to one of the largest lives of our times."
My own view of Falwell is more complicated than either of these.
In Falwell's hands the Good News, and the United States Constitution, were something crude and childish, and I couldn't listen to him without squirming with embarrassment. I would marvel that anybody listened to anything he had to say. And as a founding father of the so-called Religious Right he created a movement that today is disruptive and unwholesome and, with its power to veto — but not select, or elect — a Republican presidential candidate, his heirs may very well force upon the party a certain loser that gives the presidency to some damn fool Democrat resolved upon retreat from the global terrorism now facing us. One hopes otherwise, but Falwell's legacy could be ruinously costly to all of us.
Moreover, Falwell had a sort of blustery, Boss Hogg presence, and could play the poor-pitiful-beleaguered-by-Satan-me routine better than almost anybody. When Bill Keller goes into his theatrical, Churchillian-defiance against Satanic cults bit ... well, he got it from Falwell — the Master.
And yet, unlike all the others among the leadership of the evangelical right — and I've been watching them for some five years now — Falwell is the only one I've never been able to actually dislike. I'm convinced that, as loopy as he was, as clumsily as he so often spoke, as cynically manipulative as his poor-me routine could be, Jerry Falwell was a man who sincerely endeavored to do right as he understood it and, unlike virtually all of his peers in the Religious Right's leadership, he did it without malice.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Josh
An interesting observation of a polarizing figure.
2 - Jet in Columbus
I will not mourn this man passing. While I would never wish death on any man, this one I will not miss.
He has spread more hatred, bigotry, and misinformation than anyone on the planet.
He was the thief that stole the Republican Party and turned it into a church deacons seminar.
He started, and then had to disband the failed "Moral Majority" wich was neither.
He tried to blame 911 as God's punishment on America for not persecuting gays, and pro choicers, and wound up having to apologize for it after the outrage he caused just by opening his mouth.
In death, this is definately one man that does not deserve to be turned into a saint, though tragically he will be.
Jerry Falwell was a con man who lined his pockets with millions of dollars stolen from people that could ill-afford to contribute it, all on a lie that they were buying a ticket to heaven and salvation.
I hope he rests in peace, and mercifully disappears from the world's consciousness quickly...
But that's only my opinion
Jet
3 - Glen Boyd
As a Christian who does not subscribe to the same neo-conservative views that many of my brethren do (and yes, we are out there), I have mixed feelings about Jerry Falwell's passing today.
However, I don't think there is really any denying the impact -- for better or for worse -- that he has had on American politics, society, and culture over the past quarter century. For that reason alone, I think BC covering his passing was absolutely necessary and I'm glad somebody here had the cajones to step up and do so. Because I know I sure as hell didn't.
The thing that strikes me about Falwell is that unlike many of his contemporaries on the religious right -- Robertson, Dobson, and the like -- I always got the impression that his only motive was that he truly believed he was doing the Lord's work. Again, rightly or wrongly so--
Falwell's Moral Majority and the "assist" they gave Reagan and the Republicans in the eighties were pretty much the blueprint for the marriage of convenience between Republicans and conservative evangelicals that continues to exist to this day.
That said, I've just never been to reconcile that whole concept of the Republicans as "Gods Own Party" while it can be reasonably be said of their current standard bearer that he has among other things: sent many people off to die under what increasingly looks to be false pretenses; and meanwhile was slow at best to react to the plight of thousands here at home during the natural catastrophe that was Katrina.
I also can't quite get past the way these people so often seem to put poltics, power, and profits over "people" and the public interest, while exploiting such buzzwords as "faith" and values." Color me naive, but to me, there is just very little about the Bush record I would equate with actions I would consider to be either "Christian" or otherwise "moral".
That said, I do think that Falwell sincerely believed he was doing the Lord's work. Even his sworn enemies like Larry Flynt today had to admit today that he was a "decent man." I just don't find any reason to suspect otherwise in his particular case, whether I personally shared his views or not (and outside of his belief in Jesus, I mostly did not).
I think he honestly believed he was doing what was right. For whatever that is worth.
And again, his impact over the past quarter century is undeniable.
Regardless of my own admittedly mixed feelings about Falwell himself, I thought this article was fair and even handed--a good job on a difficult subject.
-Glen
4 - Phillip Winn
I've said a lot of negative things about Falwell in recent years, but tonight, speaking with friends at church, I said this: This very evening, Jerry is talking with Jesus, and I bet Jesus is giving him a hard time. He's in, of course, but Jesus is probably a but upset that Jerry didn't keep his mouth shut more.
5 - T. Michael Testi
It has been said that when you speak of a one on their passing, you honor them.
enough said.
T.
6 - J.J. Hunsecker
"I think he honestly believed he was doing what was right."
What is that supposed to mean? Osama, Hitler, and Charles Manson believed what they were doing was right.
Save the whitewash for the community theater production of Tom Sawyer.
btw, really brilliant move on Jesus' part to wait until Falwell gets to heaven before giving him a hard time.
7 - Glen Boyd
J.J.,
I didn't expect that to be a popular comment with some people, and of course I know all about what they say the road to hell is paved with.
I'm not a defender of the man either. Far from it actually if you knew me at all. But comparing anything he said or even did to the actions of Hitler, Manson, or Osama Bin Laden is just patently ludicrous.
-Glen
8 - daryl d
Gosh, I'm really tempted to say a lot of nasty things about this article as well as Falwell, but I'll refrain. All I can say is that I hope Falwell's soul is judged the same way he passed judgement to people while using the term "Reverend." I hope for redemption of his soul once he sees and feels the damage he has done. Wait a minute, I'm starting to sound like one of those religious freaks that I so often put down in my articles. You all get the point though.
9 - Glen Boyd
I have no idea why something I wrote but for whatever reason wouldn't post here when I did just now showed up here, but it did.
Anyway, that is why there are two comments here from me saying esentially the same thing (comments #3, and #4). The first one originally wouldn't post, and now hours later has.
Go figure.
-Glen
10 - Jet in Columbus
Genesis: Jesus he Knows Me
You see the face on the tv screen
Coming at you every sunday
See that face on the billboard
That man is me
On the cover of the magazine
There's no question why Im smiling
You buy a piece of paradise
You buy a piece of me
I'll get you everything you wanted
I'll get you everything you need
Don't need to believe in hereafter
Just believe in me
Cos Jesus he knows me
And he knows Im right
Ive been talking to Jesus all my life
Oh yes he knows me
And he knows Im right
And hes been telling me
Everything is alright
I believe in the family
With my ever loving wife beside me
But she don't know about my girlfriend
Or the man I met last night
Do you believe in god
Cos thats what I'm selling
And if you wanna get to heaven
Ill see you right
You won't even have to leave your house
Or get outta your chair
You don't even have to touch that dial
Cos I'm everywhere
And Jesus he knows me
And he knows Im right
Ive been talking to Jesus all my life
Oh yes he knows me
And he knows Im right
Well hes been telling me
Everything's gonna be alright
Won't find me practising what Im preaching
Won't find me making no sacrifice
But I can get you a pocketful of miracles
If you promise to be good, try to be nice
God will take good care of you
Just do as I say, don't do as I do
Im counting my blessings,
Ive found true happiness
Cos I'm getting richer, day by day
You can find me in the phone book,
Just call my toll free number
You can do it anyway you want
Just do it right away
There'll be no doubt in your mind
You'll believe everything I'm saying
If you wanna get closer to him
Get on your knees and start paying
Cos Jesus he knows me
And he knows Im right
I've been talking to Jesus all my life
Oh yes he knows me
And he knows Im right
Well hes been telling me
Everythings gonna be alright, alright
Jesus he knows me
Jesus he knows me, you know...
11 - Jet in Columbus
I'm experiencing the same thing Glen. You almost don't want to comment because you don't know if there's a delay or something.
12 - gette
"what other university president has done that?"
you tell us. otherwise, this is a pointless comment.
13 - Christopher Rose
Glen, Jet, or try thinking - "Now what could hold up my comment? I know, it's that darn spam filter acting up again. Thank goodness the Comments Editor will come along and release it shortly..."
14 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks, Chris...
15 - Jet in Columbus
Dire Straits
Ticket to Heaven:
I can see what you're looking to find
in the smile on my face
in my peace of mind
in my state of grace
I send what I can
to the man from the ministry
he's a part of heaven's plan
and he talks to me
now I send what I can to the man
with the diamond ring
he's a part of heaven's plan
and he sure can sing
now it's all I can afford
but the lord has sent me eternity
it's to save the little children
in a poor country
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
all the way to paradise
now there's nothing left for luxuries
nothing left to pay my heating bill
but the good lord will provide
I know he will
so send what you can
to the man with the diamond ring
they're tuning in across the land
to hear him sing
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
all the way to paradise
16 - Nancy
Well, even if I am a woman, I have the cojones to speak ill of the dead: good riddance to bad rubbish! Today Jerry Falwell is hopefully in hell where he belongs; God knows he spent most of his life following his TRUE Master - & it wasn't Christ.
17 - Jet in Columbus
Nancy, if Jerry actually made it to heaven, he's probably really pissed that he didn't get the throne chair directly to the right of Christ that he felt he deserved.
They'll probably put him in charge of the kitchen...
18 - Glen Boyd
Chris (Comment #14),
That being the case, could you delete my comment #3 then, as it says basically the exact same thing as my comment #4?
I've never seen the spam filter delay a comment of mine for several hours only to have it pop up on screen quite suddenly before.
I just don't want to sound redundant ya know?
Many thanx!
-Glen
19 - Christopher Rose
Glen, I've deleted the redundant comment as per your request. The spam filter can be a bit frustratingly random sometimes, but it's basically doing a great job of protecting the site from literally hundreds of spam comments every day.
20 - Baronius
Falwell had the ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, in the worst possible way. I suspect he just gave up trying to say the right thing sometimes, knowing that it'd be mischaracterized anyway.
My memory might not be perfect, but I don't remember a single scandal involving Falwell or his organizations. Glen mentions Falwell's contemporaries as Dobson and Robertson, but I'm inclined to think of Bakker and Swaggart, both of whom fell catastrophically. Maybe that's that what some of us are trying to convey: the sense that he stayed loyal to his beliefs.
21 - J.J. Hunsecker
Glen, what's ludicrous is your reading comprehension. I made no comparisons to his words and actions. Instead, I pointed out your defense of the man is no defense at all.
"I don't remember a single scandal involving Falwell or his organizations."
Wasn't he supposed to take over Bakker's PTL rather than liquidate it?
Christopher Hitchens rightfully tore into Falwell on CNN last night:
HITCHENS: The empty life of this ugly little charlatan proves only one thing: that you can get away with the most extraordinary offenses to morality and to truth in this country if you will just get yourself called Reverend.
Who would, even at your network, have invited on such a little toad to tell us that the attacks of September the 11th were the result of our sinfulness and were God's punishment if they hadn't got some kind of clerical qualification?
People like that should be out in the street, shouting and hollering with a cardboard sign and selling pencils from a cup.
Video and Transcript can be found at Crooks and Liars
22 - Leslie Bohn
Mr. B,
Surely you must be kidding. Mr. Falwell has been involved in controversy throughout his embarrassing career.
In the 50s to the mid-60's, he opposed what he called the "civil wrongs movement," saying "When God has drawn a line of distinction, we should not attempt to cross that line."
In the early 70s, the SEC filed fraud charges against Falwell's church. Falwell won the case, but his church was ruined financially.
In the 80's, he took over failing PTL ministries from his fellow televangelist, convicted defrauder Jim Bakker, and the organization went bankrupt a few months later.
In the late '90s, Tinky Winky.
Of course, in September 2001, he said: "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."
There's plenty more, of course.
Today's Slate.com has a nice litany of some of the hateful, ignorant things this fool has said over the years, and one can agree or disagree with any of them, but to claim he's never been involved in "a single scandal" is bizarre.
23 - Matthew T. Sussman
What I want to know is, will they serve Campari at the wake?
24 - zingzing
ahh, campari... italy's greatest single addition to my bellyhatch. 1 part campari, 1 part gin over cubed ice in a nice tumbler... oh my... i'm thirsty.
25 - Baronius
JJ and Leslie, there's a difference between controversy and scandal. (At least I assumed that there were.) Offensive statements are controversies. Dead hookers are scandals.
The PTL example makes my point. The Bakkers had ruined their church. They needed to bring in an evangelical preacher with an unassailable reputation. That was Falwell.
The first thing I wrote about was his controversial statements. He said a lot of things that were stupid and/or wrong. And in one sense, it's more important that a preacher communicates the right message than lives a good life... but not exactly, you know? He was a net plus to the evangelical movement, and I can't say that about the Bakkers.