It appears that Jerry Falwell died and went to neither Hell nor Heaven. He went to Poland, where he is now once again outing Tinky Winky from the closet. More intolerance of this sort can also be found in Moscow, too. Thank God we live in Colorado Springs, where people and dogs of all types tolerate and respect each other!
My dog sez Moo to Y’all. And she says that we all need each other, so don’t make life hard for others. It’s pretty damn simple., isn’t it?
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Of all the televangelists the world has known Jerry Falwell was my favorite. I even used to contribute, from my very paltry post-college salary, to some of his causes. Why? Not because I necessarily agreed with his positions on many issues, but because he was one of the first religious leaders to say—here is what I believe and I’ll not be stopped from entering the public discourse because people think my voice should be confined to the pulpit.
In a free society, “tolerance” is not limited to liberal voices pushing questionable behavior. Tolerance means that each and every one of us…no matter what our religious/social/political beliefs may be….has an equal voice in the system. We can rally the troops, engage the lobbyists, encourage the vote.
Jerry Falwell understood that Christians need not stand in the wings and wring their hands and pray over the goings-on of the country. They have as much latitude to promote their philosophies, engage sophisticated supporters, impact the political system as anyone else. He spawned a new generation of politically savvy religious leaders. Their impact is being felt mightily at every turn.
How great would it be if the liberals in this country could find as strong and visionary a leader as Jerry Falwell was?
Just like there are Anarchists who claim I can’t be a good Anarchist and a good Christian, and Christians who say the same, there are certain Christian pastors who say the same thing about Democrats, or progressive Christians, or Christians who vote anything but a straight Republican ticket.
They consign me to the Eternal Fires of Hell for not agreeing with them on every point of their doctrines. They speak the words “You’re not a REAL Christian” the same way the BushCo cheerleaders say me and he and she and thee and we aren’t “REAL Americans” if we don’t support the president.
Pastors like Jerry Falwell. When he put the Christian Coalition together to deliver the 1980 election to Reagan, he didn’t support anything James Earl Carter said or did as president.
Nor whatever Clinton said or did as president.
I guess the “loyalty to the President” only counts when it’s a Republican President.
As for charismatic, visionary and strong leaders, like who?
The Kennedys would be right out of it as far as Falwell was concerned.
So would Roosevelt.
Maybe what’s needed isn’t strong leadership but stronger individuals.
Educate the people that we don’t have to wait for Our Leader (s) to Decide something for us.
Jesus Himself was a very strong and visionary leader, but He outright rejected political leadership right up to the end.
Strong and Visionary leadership isn’t usually a good thing. Most of the Strong, Visionary leaders I can think of from the past century were people like Franco, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao, , General Chiang, Pol Pot, Nixon, Stalin.
Not good men, not good for their countries nor for the world.
But how many Strong Visionary leaders can you think of who have shaped America or the world for the better?
‘Falwell and Savage Christians: A Legacy of Hate and Violence’ makes for a good read. It was carried from Black Agenda Report to Alternet and published there, too.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/52666/