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Jerry Falwell - A divisive figure?

Its rare for me to ask a question on this site, even though I’m a part owner. I generally answer a few, and keep my head down in the bowels of the servers that power it.

However, I was reading about the death of Jerry Falwell, in an excellent even-handed piece in the New York Times today: http://tinyurl.com/38uoz9

He was a really divisive figure. On the one hand, he was for the south african system of Aparthied, was against civil rights. On the other hand, he was against Abortion and homosexuality.

Can we really consider him a Christian? Aren’t christians supposed to be tolerant and forgiving? Also, can we forgive him for railing against the civil rights movement, or for travelling to south africa to explicitly support then president Botha literally at his side? Reasonable people can differ on the issues of abortion.

Hasn’t his entire career been really devoted to spreading the gospel of hate rather than love?

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Answer #1

Here’s Falwell preaching in 1958, quoted in a Washington Post profile in 1988 by Walt Harrington:

“‘In this message,’ Falwell intoned pompously, ‘I want to use the Bible alone as our guide. It is never worthwhile to give man’s opinion…The answer to the whole subject can be found in Genesis 9:18-27.’ Falwell went on to explain that Ham, the son of Noah, had seen Noah naked one day. When Noah discovered this, he cursed Ham’s son, Canaan: ‘A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.’ Falwell explained that Ham later became the progenitor of the African race.

“He rambled on, still using ‘the Bible alone’ as his guide: ‘The true Negro does not want integration…He realizes his potential is far better among his own race…We see the hand of Moscow in the background…We see the Devil himself behind it…It will destroy our race eventually…In one northern city, a pastor friend of mine tells me that a couple of opposite race live next door to his church as man and wife …It boils down to whether we are going to take God’s Word as final.’

“Oblivious to the hatefulness of his sermon, Falwell concluded: ‘…If we live in constant fellowship with the Lord, He can enable us to live Christ-like before others.’”

– nuff said

Answer #2

If he was a sinner saved by the grace of God….He was a Christian without a doubt….as you know even Christians aren’t perfect, but they are forgiven….only he and God know for sure….Reverend Jackson ? Reverend Sharpton ? Reverend Swaggart ? etc….only God knows.

Answer #3

Falwell was certainly a unifying figure to religious conservatives. He formed a coalition of conservative Catholics, Protestants, and Jews to push their shared political agenda.

At a national level he could be seen as divisive. Calling abortion murder, Muhammad a terrorist, and blaming 9/11 on gays, feminists and atheists is not exactly the way to unify. At this level he drew his battle line and declared war on anyone he disagreed with. Instead of just preaching against things he disagrees with he wanted to make his morality the law of the land and make everyone live by his interpretation of Biblical law.

Answer #4

It is true that his concept of “Christianity” is so much different from mine and I agree in principle with what you say but now is not the time for judging him, in my opinion. There will be those who, for their own twisted reasons, will defend him in his death as they did in his life but even more so because it will be a way for them to continue the message of hate that has been so prevalent from many in his camp. Let’s take the highroad and just sympathize with the family who has lost their dad and husband.

Answer #5

Instead of pretending that grace is some magic band-aid that can cover up a lifetime of wickedness, I prefer to listen to that sage who once said that “by their fruits ye shall know them.”

I never saw any good fruit grow on Falwell’s branches.

Nevertheless, I sympathize with his family and friends at this time. He was still someone’s father/husband/son/brother/etc.

Answer #6

God will love him no matter what. We can’t possibly know how close this man was to God. That’s something that one has to find in himself. I can tell you that the man was definatly diverse in his thinking and may have had some thinking that was more clear. As far as saying if hi’s a christian or not, I cannot say….but I can tell you if he devoted his life as much as he says he does, then we will all see him in heaven…

Hope I helped…

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