Jerry Falwell, Rest In Peace: Part 2
My friend Heidi (VirusHead) wrote a very thought-provoking response in the comments section to my post about Jerry Falwell. She started her comments with this:
“You are a more loving and forgiving person than I could ever hope to be. You’re an inspiration.”
I don’t know about that. Truth is, I’m not very loving or forgiving toward Jerry Falwell. I think he did immeasurable damage during his lifetime, and I still have a lot of resentment about that. I’m trying to rise above my lack of forgiveness – and the disappointing level of hatefulness I’ve seen from others who are rejoicing in his death – by recognizing Falwell’s humanity. When I wrote that post I was preaching to myself as well as to anyone else.
My comments about Jerry Falwell being made in the image of God are based not on his Christianity but on his simple humanity. To be honest, I don’t think of Jerry Falwell as a Christian. He claimed to be a man of God, but he consistently rejected the teachings of Jesus Christ, by his actions as well as by overt statements like this one:
“His [Jimmy Carter’s] message of peace and reconciliation under almost all circumstances is simply incompatible with Christian teachings as I interpret them. This ‘turn the other cheek’ business is all well and good but it’s not what Jesus fought and died for. What we need to do is take the battle to the Muslim heathens and do unto them before they do unto us.”
– Jerry Falwell, talking about Jimmy Carter in a radio interview on March 4, 2002
So many things are wrong about this statement, it’s hard to know where to begin. First of all, the “turn the other cheek business” did not originate with Jimmy Carter – it originated, of course, with Jesus Christ. As for Jesus “fighting,” the only people Jesus fought against were the hypocritical religious leaders of his day, as well as the moneychangers in the temple who were trying to commercialize religion. In other words, the Falwells of his day. And the way Falwell subverted the golden rule to justify violence against Muslims is appallingly anti-Christian.
And this, of course, is just one quote among many that could be used as an example of how Jerry Falwell twisted the teachings of Jesus and sometimes blatantly contradicted them. Many of them, including the one cited above, are collected online at Wikiquote. Don’t click on that link if you have a weak stomach.
My point, I guess, is that I don’t have a pollyanna view of Jerry Falwell. I recognize the damage that he did and the blatant evil (there’s no other word for it) that he spread in his lifetime. But I still stand by my statement that he, like all of us, was made in the image of God, and therefore interrelated, interconnected to all of us. I think we can breathe a sigh of relief that Jerry Falwell will no longer be able to spread his twisted gospel of jingoism, hate, and fear. But we simply cannot rejoice in his death. If we do so (as I said before) we only sink down to the level of hatred and intolerance that Falwell himself displayed during his lifetime.
“You are a more loving and forgiving person than I could ever hope to be. You’re an inspiration.”
I don’t know about that. Truth is, I’m not very loving or forgiving toward Jerry Falwell. I think he did immeasurable damage during his lifetime, and I still have a lot of resentment about that. I’m trying to rise above my lack of forgiveness – and the disappointing level of hatefulness I’ve seen from others who are rejoicing in his death – by recognizing Falwell’s humanity. When I wrote that post I was preaching to myself as well as to anyone else.
My comments about Jerry Falwell being made in the image of God are based not on his Christianity but on his simple humanity. To be honest, I don’t think of Jerry Falwell as a Christian. He claimed to be a man of God, but he consistently rejected the teachings of Jesus Christ, by his actions as well as by overt statements like this one:
“His [Jimmy Carter’s] message of peace and reconciliation under almost all circumstances is simply incompatible with Christian teachings as I interpret them. This ‘turn the other cheek’ business is all well and good but it’s not what Jesus fought and died for. What we need to do is take the battle to the Muslim heathens and do unto them before they do unto us.”
– Jerry Falwell, talking about Jimmy Carter in a radio interview on March 4, 2002
So many things are wrong about this statement, it’s hard to know where to begin. First of all, the “turn the other cheek business” did not originate with Jimmy Carter – it originated, of course, with Jesus Christ. As for Jesus “fighting,” the only people Jesus fought against were the hypocritical religious leaders of his day, as well as the moneychangers in the temple who were trying to commercialize religion. In other words, the Falwells of his day. And the way Falwell subverted the golden rule to justify violence against Muslims is appallingly anti-Christian.
And this, of course, is just one quote among many that could be used as an example of how Jerry Falwell twisted the teachings of Jesus and sometimes blatantly contradicted them. Many of them, including the one cited above, are collected online at Wikiquote. Don’t click on that link if you have a weak stomach.
My point, I guess, is that I don’t have a pollyanna view of Jerry Falwell. I recognize the damage that he did and the blatant evil (there’s no other word for it) that he spread in his lifetime. But I still stand by my statement that he, like all of us, was made in the image of God, and therefore interrelated, interconnected to all of us. I think we can breathe a sigh of relief that Jerry Falwell will no longer be able to spread his twisted gospel of jingoism, hate, and fear. But we simply cannot rejoice in his death. If we do so (as I said before) we only sink down to the level of hatred and intolerance that Falwell himself displayed during his lifetime.
posted by Darrell Grizzle | 2:27 PM
3 Comments:
I hope you never for a moment interpreted my comments to imply that you were in any way a polly-anna! (laughter) I've been a fan for a long time, and meeting you in person only reinforced my admiration.
I know what you are saying, and I understand why, and I honor you for reminding yourself and others that rejoicing at the death of another, even a destructive other, human being is being less than we should be.
I simply accept it. I'm being less than I should be. I feel relief that he has died, and I will probably also rejoice if I manage to outlive a few others. What can I say?
It reminds me of a line from "Fiddler on the Roof." A villager asks the Rabbi: "Is there a proper blessing for the Tsar?" The Rabbi thinks for a moment, then says, "The Lord bless and keep the Tzar....far away from us."
I cried for Jean Baudrillard, Molly Ivins, Audrey Hepburn. I don't cry - yes, I even rejoice a bit - over ones like Falwell. A little less suffering in the world, a little less hypocrisy, perhaps.
I don't desire anyone's death, but it would be very pleasant to see a certain disemplowerment happening. Given an actual death - probably even a peaceful death - I just can't find it in my heart to feel sorry. I admire those who can, because I know that it is - ultimately, theologically, and in terms of ethics and character - a better thing.
I'm just not there.
For me I have no problem feeling some relief and even happiness that someone such as Falwell is now gone. Thankfully, he never gained the totality of power that he always dreamed of. If he had, then things would have been even worse for many people, including myself. The best thing about Falwell is that he taught many people like myself not to take our freedoms and liberties for granted, and to do exactly the opposite of what he did.
I have to admit that your first post about this did give me the impression of you taking a somewhat polly-anna take on things.
I recall how Jesus loved everyone but was more than willing to call those in power and who oppressed others snakes and hypocrites. Jerry Falwell was certainly in that camp.
The word on the street is that Tinky Winky is carrying a black magic bag these days.
If TW can forgive Mr. F., then maybe the rest of us can also.
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