http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/05/15/jerry.falwell.ap/index.html
For those who don't know, Falwell is one of the three (and debatably the most) most influential fundamentalist evangelicals in the United States. The rise of Christian conservatism as a political movement can be directly laid at his feet. As someone more eloquent on somethingawful said: "You know how a lot of people outside the US view Americans as reactionary, Bible-thumping, hateful, dumbass rednecks? Jerry's one of the big reasons why. He pretty much founded the now-thriving cottage industry of using Christianity as a smokescreen for perpetuating racism, demagoguery, ignorance, homophobia, and imperialism."
Now, no one is better suited to say things about Falwell then Falwell himself, so I will leave you with some of his quotes: (brackets mine)
Finally, I'd like to throw on a disclaimer: This thread is not intended to be a Christian-bashing one. It is instead intended to celebrate the death of a highly influential hatemongerer who supported racism, sexism, ignorance, and rampant homophobia. The fact that he used religion as the vehicle for his spite and bile is merely incidental.
For those who don't know, Falwell is one of the three (and debatably the most) most influential fundamentalist evangelicals in the United States. The rise of Christian conservatism as a political movement can be directly laid at his feet. As someone more eloquent on somethingawful said: "You know how a lot of people outside the US view Americans as reactionary, Bible-thumping, hateful, dumbass rednecks? Jerry's one of the big reasons why. He pretty much founded the now-thriving cottage industry of using Christianity as a smokescreen for perpetuating racism, demagoguery, ignorance, homophobia, and imperialism."
Now, no one is better suited to say things about Falwell then Falwell himself, so I will leave you with some of his quotes: (brackets mine)
Also, in a deliciously ironic twist, Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church are picketing Falwell's funeral. (Their website can be found at godhatesamerica.com. A look at why they dislike Falwell should give you an idea of why they're even crazier than he was)If Chief Justice Warren and his associates had known God’s word and had desired to do the Lord’s will, I am quite confident that the 1954 decision [Brown v. Board of Education] would never have been made…. The facilities should be separate. When God has drawn a line of distinction, we should not attempt to cross that line.”
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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 [9-11] happen.
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"AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals. To oppose it would be like an Israelite jumping in the Red Sea to save one of Pharaoh's charioteers . . . AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.
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I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vtBn36livY [He's the fat one, the other is the equally idiotic Robertson]
Finally, I'd like to throw on a disclaimer: This thread is not intended to be a Christian-bashing one. It is instead intended to celebrate the death of a highly influential hatemongerer who supported racism, sexism, ignorance, and rampant homophobia. The fact that he used religion as the vehicle for his spite and bile is merely incidental.