Merry Meet again...
Rev. Falwell's passing is, of course, headline news. I'm sure everyone in the blogosphere is weighing in. So I wanted to share my own thoughts. Feel free to share your own.
Rev. Falwell had such an opportunity to truly reach an entire generation or two. He started with just a few folks and the ministry grew into tens of thousands, including a church and college. The shame of it all is that, because of his hatred and bigotry as shown in his words and actions over the years, turned him into nothing more than a cartoon.
Remember when Jim Bakker was ousted at PTL? Who was it who jumped right into the fray and took the entire ministry lock, stock and barrel? Jerry. I often wonder if he and other ministers conspired to do this thing. It all seemed too neat and convenient. It's sad when you look at ministers and have to even consider that they weren't above board.
What about 9/11? Falwell jumped right on everyone's pain by blaming gays, pagans, witches and others for what happened that awful day. Why? Falwell used any open opportunity to spew his hatred. It didn't matter to him that an entire country was hurting. He wanted to take jabs at those he considered less holy than himself.
Then there was TinkyWinky, the Teletubby with the purse. He ranted and raved that Tinky Winky was gay! A little kids fluffy program character! This one was predicated on Tinky having a triangle on his/her head, being lavender in color and carrying a purse. Good heavens. The man needed a life.
Jerry spent his time on this earth berating people and fighting against every civil right for people not like himself. Call me crazy, but the Jesus I see in the Bible was patient, tolerant and accepting of all people. The ones Jesus busted were the religious leaders who hung albatrosses around the necks of the people. Jerry was an albatross hanger. Anyone different was the recipient of his ire.
When one must take stock of a life, especially one that was supposed to be an exemplary Christian one, one looks for the hallmarks of Yeshua: gentleness, kindness, patience, compassion, tolerance, self-control. Am I the only one who did not see these in Rev. Falwell?
Well, his time to persecute the world is over. If one believes in the afterworld, Falwell is now realizing how wrong he truly was. Goddess-willing, he will re-enter the world a wiser soul.
Blessed be...
4 comments:
Won't it be weird when he finds out the people he hated were not evil after all!
Yeah, one of my friends was joking that Falwell was horrified when he found out Goddess was a lesbian! Cracked me up.
I have two comments:
1.) In reply to what "anonymous" said, there is a comedian called Jim Gaffigan who has a bit about getting to heaven and people being shocked that he's here. "I always do that joke and someone out in the audience has the look on their face, 'you're going to hell!' I can't wait to see them in heaven... 'YOU'RE here?!' Yeah, Peter loves my stuff." It's pretty humorous but it gets to the core of the issue: All those "Holier-Than-Thous" are going to have the shock of their lives!
2.) I also recently read a really good book about how some Christians (not all, but some) have perverted the idea of who Jesus really was and twisted his message to suit their own needs. The real Jesus wasn't at all like what many people today think he was. His message was one of compassion, not conemnation! If only his followers would realize that.
Yes, I've heard Gaffigan and he's hilarious. I saw a quote on another site that read, "I love your Christ. I don't like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." I believe it was credited to Ghandi. I think he had the right idea. As Christians we have failed miserably by holing ourselves in our churches trying not to be touched by what's outside, judging and feeling holy. It's a shame really, since the true message of Yeshua is to love without condition. The idea of "love the sinner, hate the sin" has been the worst heresy foisted by the church on outsiders in this century.
Thanks for your comments.
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