PAL FALWELL DIES
Much maligned in the liberal press (and even in the libertarian blogs) Jerry led an eventful life. I was listening to NPR today concerning the passing of Rev. Falwell. They couldn't wait to unload on the fellow and go on and on about how he "twisted the Bible" and should have just "quietly preached Jesus' teachings" instead of stubbornly standing up for his beliefs.
Now I am the first to stand up for my own Christian beliefs as well as deride others (because I grew up with it every minute) who attempt to force it down my throat. But Jerry and the Christian Conservative movement did a lot for the overall conservative political movement as well as Republications in general. When I was a lad, if it wasn't local elections, we didn't hear nor care much about politics. Who was elected Sheriff seemed to matter much more than who was elected Congressman or President. Jerry opened our eyes and made us see different.
Yes, he enraged me with his holier than thou attitude at times. Yes, he made me shake my head at his crazy statements (especially to my other pal Larry Flint). But Jerry drew a moral line in the sand and said, "This is where we stand. Cross no further." He certainly said less inflammatory things than I often heard from Pentecostal pastors growing up. And no more shocking than from leftist preachers like Jessie and Sharpton. It is just the left weren't used to hearing those things without the sugar coating of relativism. Moral absolutes were regarded as "uncool" and certainly "unintellectual." But there is indeed a comfort in the "old time religion" and certainty of a God who has it all in hand leading us on in a grand master plan.
Sail on Jerry....Sail on....
2 comments:
Jesus makes people very angry. Ann Coulter has posted a fitting tribute at anncoulter.com.
I wonder if we were hearing the same NPR broadcast. They had a guy that ran Bush's faith based initiative on and it was clear that he hated Falwell. He also has a book to sell about how he didn't like running the faith based initiative.
Now when Jesse Jackson dies do you think that NPR will have an opponent come on and talk about how devisive he was among the white middle class? Maybe I will write that question to Robert Siegel.
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