I woke up this morning and read that Jerry Falwell died yesterday at the age of 73 after being found unconscious in his office. I grew up loving Jerry Falwell, but grew to dislike him when I matured because I feel strongly that he was a horrible person and only in it for money, power, and fame, and not to make the world a better place. My family used to watch his sermons every week, and my father received a mailing from Moral Majority in the late 70s that contained a quiz. Being a good Christian, I took the quiz. I distinctly remember the first question being something like, "Do you want a strong military to protect you and your children from nuclear attack by the Soviet Union?" Since I didn't want to die, I told my father he had to join. I also remember supporting Falwell's lawsuit against Larry Flynt and Hustler Magazine after he printed an ad that featured Falwell and inferred that he his "first time" was with his mother is an outhouse.
I also remember him taking over the PTL club when Jim and Tammy Bakker left in disgrace after his affair with Jessica Hahn was made public. I remember Falwell telling donors that if they hit a certain fundraising dollar target, that he would go down the water slide. They did and he did. Tammy Faye Bakker now charges that Falwell lied to Jim and Tammy on numerous occasions during that time and she now feels that he took control of PTL to shut it down.
The reason that I hate Jerry Falwell, however, is because of his feelings, attitudes, and statements of hatred toward gays and lesbians. From outing Tinky Winky, the purple Teletubby because he carries a purse and has a triangle protruding from his head to saying the Bible referred to "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." My last straw with Falwell came after he made the following statement just 2 days after 9/11 putting the blame on me for the terrorist attacks.
"The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. 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.'"
All I can say is that I hope they have a nice spot in hell for you, Jerry. And it looks like I am not alone in feeling this way.
