Perhaps that's a little disrespectful of me, but I can't help but say "good riddance" to Jerry Falwell.
I'm sure there are people in the world who respect his contributions to Evangelical faith, but there have got to be less fundamentalist Christian ways to promote a healthy, happy life in America.
As this Associated Press article reports, Jerry Falwell, considered the father of the modern Evangelical movement in America, has died after being discovered in his office unconscious earlier this morning.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/J/JERRY_FALWELL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-05-15-17-02-57
I don't feel too badly likening Falwell to the Wicked Witch, because frankly, he did the same thing to other individuals and groups of people. He argued that God helped 9/11 happen because Americans let homosexuality and civil rights activists run rampant; he denounced the Teletubbies because he thought one of them was gay... the man has a lot of hate against some of the rights that make America different from other countries.
And yeah, saying I can call him whatever name I want because he did it to others is kind of a cop-out, but too bad. The guy had to go sometime; it was just a matter of time.
I'm wondering what will happen to the weight of the Evangelical movement, which derives its power mainly from the bold fundamentalism of its leaders. This is not to say that all evangelicals are crazy, just that they are led by crazy people like Jerry Falwell.
Let the rage begin; I'm going to go finish a final.
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Eh, someone equally abhorrent will step up to lead them.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
"No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong." Francois De La Rochefoucauld
I think the Wicked Witch was just misunderstood, Dorothy was the trouble maker...she killed 2 people by the end of the story.
But I wont lose any sleep over his death thats for sure. If there is a heaven I'm sure he's not there, if he is then hell must be frickin paradise.
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See my blog and I'll love you forever! Or at least temporarily: http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
"...if he is then hell must be frickin paradise."
LMAO!
I'm trying to behave myself and not say anything bad about the man since he isn't alive to defend himself (not that he would were he alive, mind you)... it makes me feel guilty otherwise. But yeah, you definitely aren't alone with that one.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
"No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong." Francois De La Rochefoucauld
Read the books Wicked and Son Of A Witch, by Gregory Maguire. You'll get a different picture of who the wicked witch is, and perhaps choose someone else to liken Falwell to.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
I have that book! And I liked it :)
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See my blog and I'll love you forever! Or at least temporarily: http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
Anyone who tries to blame 9/11 on homosexuality is pretty darn nuts in my book.
What kind of person would just assume that? You'd have to be some kind of moron. That's like saying Virginia Tech was because some kids cheated on a test in North Dakota, and God will punish them for their lies!!!! Oh no...I gave Jerry's replacement some ideas!
Who claims that their God caused AIDS, etc.
Check out my blog on why 9/11 happened.
http://www.progressiveu.org/064536-9-11-happened-because-god-apparently-had-good-reason
"A prime part of the history of our Constitution...is the story of the extension of constitutional rights and protections to people once ignored or excluded." ~US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
way to buy into stereotypes.
Kfed made a point to say that not all evangelicals were that way. Who are you directing your comment at? I find it amazing that you can be snide about someone else buying into stereotypes when I seem to recall the same buying into stereotypes coming from your fingertips in regards to Wiccans.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
"No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong." Francois De La Rochefoucauld
I think it's an understatement to characterize someone who blames the death of thousands of people in New York City on the acceptance of homosexuality in American society as a crazy fundamentalist.
I think his son and his right-hand man, a blond guy who works at the church with him, will take over. Religious leaders always have someone (or multiple people) to take their place, you know. We who live near Lynchburg are mostly bummed he won't be building a new mall next year. But one good thing Jerry did was build a dollar theater for the area college students. One dollar movies, and 3 dollar nachos. Beat that!
As long as no one representing the church buys meth "to keep it out of the wrong hands" and has gay sex (while preaching against homosexuality), I have no problem with whoever will take over.
For dollar movies, I'd tolerate a religious fanatic around Berkeley. Of course, we already have a few, but they don't have the clout or money to build us cheap entertainment-- they just provide it for free by "preaching" from their soap boxes on the sidewalk.
Scissor Sisters caused 9/11!
"it's silly, no? when a rocketship explodes and man still wants to fly. some say man ain't happy truly, until man truly dies. o why?"
-Prince
Oh, scissor me timbers!
lol well I guess crappy music can cause a bit of uh, disgruntledness (<--is that a word?) and anger.
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The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with "Hail Satan"
Poking a dead raccoon is not research
Spitwads are not free speech
Hillbillies are people too
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
don't go Pat Robertson on me, you
"it's silly, no? when a rocketship explodes and man still wants to fly. some say man ain't happy truly, until man truly dies. o why?"
-Prince
I'll do my best.
Forgive me for my ignorance, but who exactly was this guy? Was he like Billy Graham, but bad?
Jerry Falwell was a religious leader (Christian fundamentalist pastor) in America for a number of years. In more recent years he has been known for blaming 9/11 on homosexuals and civil rights activists who "ruin America", and for arguing that AIDS is God's punishment to homosexuals, but he also founded Liberty University and loved Pat Robertson.
His most notable accomplishment was establishing the Moral Majority, a politically-motivated group of evangelical Christians whose establishment also marked the creation of the New Christian Right.
He is considered the father of the Christian fundamentalist right, and has been a big deal since the 70s.
I'm too tired to use anything more than Wikipedia for this one...hope that helps, though.
If I believe in God my whole life and there really isn't a heaven then I have lost nothing, If you have not believed in God and there is a heaven.... YOU have lost everything. I also don't like hearing from people about these subject who clearly have no understanding of the Bible. And don't try and explain how you have read it because if you really have you would not speak like this. Why do you put down this man, for he spent his entire life loving people just like you and me, but he loved them enough to tell them the truth. The truth shall set you free. This man was correct when he said that the sinful things we are doing in our country is causing our own distruction.
If you read the Bible God does say Homosexuality will curse your cities and the shedding of innocent blood will curse your entire land. Our land has been very protected because our founding fathers based this country on our living God and since we have begun to eliminate God from our country, schools, and lives, our nation has set itself up in opposition of God. For those who need further clarification: It's like taking a test, you don't show up for class, you don't study....expect to fail.
And fail you shall
...that despite his death, Falwell's legacy of ignorant biblicism is alive and well in the modern fundamentalist.
Oh, and if you have ever put even a PENNY into a collection plate, or ever denied yourself a single pleasure in your life on the basis that "god" would judge you for it, then you have in fact lost somehting if your religious beliefs turn out to be wrong. Frankly, your belief seems to be based primarily on fear, and in my opinion that's not a very good basis for deciding what to believe. But hey, knock yourself out if that's how your mind works.
And remember, kids...don't be bad or the boogey-man will get you!
percivale
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"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions." ~ Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp July 30, 1816
Yes you should fear God.... and one day you will as well. But this is not why I believe. I love him for what he has done for me and He created me. I am not fearful... I am greatful, without him I would have nothing and with him I have everything. You will have nothing in the end... your toys, your relationships, your whatever else material or worldly you have will mean nothing when you are burning in the pitt of hell. These blogs will come back to your mind and you will be the one saying ohh how ignorant I have been and you will no longer get a second chance. I say this not out of anger but out of love. I wish hell upon no one and I strongly encourage people to examine their lives and you will find that something is missing and you will never be satisfied without it.
I don't think people understand what real pleasure is. Pleasure is being kind, giving, loving, and true to God. All worldly pleasures will be nothing to you after you have gone. God is the only way to true success.
Funny how you say not out of anger but out of love. Then tell him he's going to hell even though you "wish it upon no one".
Why do you think people have to believe what you do? I bet if I started telling or preaching to you about Buddha or I start talking about the Quran, you'd probably look confused or throw a fit.
You don't have the right to say: "You will have nothing in the end... your toys, your relationships, your whatever else material or worldly you have will mean nothing when you are burning in the pitt of hell. These blogs will come back to your mind and you will be the one saying ohh how ignorant I have been and you will no longer get a second chance".
So as you Chirstians always say, no one can judge me except for god. So let him worry about it, because its frankly none of your business if he choose to accept god or not.
There are many Christians one this site who are nice people and respect others beliefs and dont say they're going to hell. Take a note from them.
You cannot prove to non-belivers that god exist by just giving us empty rhetoric, and some book, it's not going to work.
And lastly have a nice day. :)
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The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with "Hail Satan"
Poking a dead raccoon is not research
Spitwads are not free speech
Hillbillies are people too
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
Well this was the topic of discussion and I believe I have as much right as you do to say my views....and that is exactly what I was doing. I did not judge him.... I did not say he was stupid, I did not say he can never go to heaven or anything of such sort.... I strictly said exaclty what God said in the Bible. and as a christian it is my job to tell people the truth. If you are not interested than stop giving me things to respond to that aren't correct. Hello this IS a Blog site.
I do not recall God saying in the Bible to hate your neighbors or to judge others. That's what Falwell did and that's what the entire argument is about. Falwell.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
This is rediculous you are putting words in my mouth... I never once said I hated you or any other person.... I simply said the truth just as Falwell I'm sorry you don't like hearing the truth. God does not aprove of certain behavor... not saying I'm perfect obviously far from it. He was a good man and he spoke God word as if it were his life..... nothing could be better than that.
She didnt say hate and nor (as you said previously) did I mention the word stupid, you're putting words in our mouths.
And you think it's your job as a "Christian" to tell people the "truth" but your religion isn't the only one ok? If you want to do something tell us how you found god in the first place, I'm sure that will help more than what you're doing now.
Falwell was also a hateful man, no matter how you put it thats what he was. He did good for HIS people not all people.
Also...
"You will have nothing in the end... your toys, your relationships, your whatever else material or worldly you have will mean nothing when you are burning in the pitt of hell. These blogs will come back to your mind and you will be the one saying ohh how ignorant I have been and you will no longer get a second chance".
Those are YOUR words, if you got that from the ible I'd sure like to see it. Try preaching that love and compasion all that other stuff that people always say Jesus was talking about.
The Bible was written by people, like you and me. There's no way YOU know what god wants.
The Pledge of Allegiance ends with "Hail Satan"
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http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
"The Pledge of Allegiance ends with "Hail Satan""
*G* I think you lost part of your quote dear. :)
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
This my sig haha maybe I should put dashes above it like this...
And by the way it does, you just dont hear it ;)
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The Pledge of Allegiance ends with "Hail Satan"
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http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
I know it's your signaturem, but it did say "The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with "Hail Satan".... didn't it?! I swore I saw that on several of your posts lol. When did you change it or am I just imaging things?
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
Oh I changed it I though this one would be more interesting. Sorry for the confusion. :)
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The Pledge of Allegiance ends with "Hail Satan"
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http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
:) So long as I've not lost my mind, I'm good!
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
But that what everyone wants to hear..... all the good stuff. but if you can't even say you believe in God, the GOOD stuff will not come. I am just speaking as though you would....when you die you can not bring anything with you... can you not.... and eternity is far longer than your time on earth. I'm not saying you can't have nice things... heck yeah have nice things many of them if God wills you.... but in the end they won't be going with you and you will have no need for them. I'm not trying to change you... that would be wonderful if people would understand..... I myslef am not very open minded so I know it's not easy to except others views all the time. Yes this stuff is in the Bible ....Read all of Revelations... you will find what I said... of course if you do not believe in God.... you will not believe in the Bible .... and you will not believe what is writen.
I am very open minded, but when you dont know how to have a proper discussion about it that when I get impatient.
The things you have written here and in other posts, I'm sorry but some of it is just pure ignorance (I'd be more than happy to pull up the quotes if you'd like).
I dont care that you're Christian, but you seem to have a problem that a lot of us here ae not. You say it's in the bible, ok fine. Give us a quote or something or you lose a lot of credibility.
You dont know how to have a discussion. Even some of the "highly religious" people on here, whom I might not agree with but at least they try to quote scrtipures or something. It sounds like you're talking out of your butt. I bet you're still in high school aren't you?
"I myslef am not very open minded..."
I feel sorry for you then, I really do.
No use to saying things when you can't back it up or you change the subject when youre proven worng or asked to provide other things such as scriptures.
YOU dont know what god wants, you are probably just some kid who thinks they know all about god and the bible when they dont have a clue. Get over yourself...
You're still young, hopefully you'll find you're way. But since you are sooo close minded why am I talking to you since you wont listen anyway if youre not open minded. SO why should we listen to you if you wont hear us out?
The only thing youve been doing is going on the offensive. No one condoned you for being Christian, but you did it to us who aren't. You can say all the crao about well thats what god said, you dont know what god said. You dont know if god exists you're belief is based almost entirely on faith.
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The Pledge of Allegiance ends with "Hail Satan"
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
I just find it hard to put religious faith in a text that has been translated into human language (in fact, into many human languages). And yeah, eternity is a long time, but the time you're aware of life is now. Why not remember good things, good times, good people, good hearts?
Let's forget for a second that many believe eternity doesn't exist, or if it does, that no one consciously experiences it. If eternity is, uh, eternal, couldn't you occupy your timelessness with memories of such good times?
Please pay attention! This conversation wasn't about you hating. This conversation was about you defending the practices of Falwell who was a very hateful man.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
And I said people didn't like him for telling the truth... that's not hateful. That's what I started off talking about and you talk about him without talking about the things he believed in. He did not address these issues to just UNBELIEVERS he addressed them to all people.
And the conversation turned into me hating thank you people. I can tell you what God wants because it was written many times over. If you don't believe it that sucks. I also never said you couldn't have a good time on earth...but what people consider a good time is in question.
I also did not judge any of you... for I do not know you, I judge your actions as I would my own and other.
When you said before to get out and get to know other people not like myself..... well I do and I've been there... don't want it. As God said, "Do not be yoked with the unbelievers"
Of course like I have said many times you will disagree, find everything you can to say I am wrong, whatever. If you don't believe you will be blind. I constantly see the word "ignorant" used toward me..... well we'll see who is ignorant. When someone doesn't like what they are hearing they will find many ways to get around it.
And when you told me I must just be some child because I do not know how to have a discussion... I did not qupte the scripture..... why should I when I did you just told me that it ment something else, that I didn't know what I was talking about, or yeah so what I don't believe it..... well that really helps then huh. I also think it's really nice how you belittle me.... that's real mature isn't it. I'm done here.... I will no longer be writing on this site after today.
"I will no longer be writing on this site after today.
Well bye then.
There have been times when a lot of us, including my self got fed up to the point where we wanted to leave. But guesss what we stayed. You want to leave and live in your own idyllic world then fine. You will run across more of us in your future as we will run into people like you.
And compared to some of the ages of ome of the people on this site you are a child, some people are old enough to be both our parents. But you know what you want to run then go ahead no one is trying to stop you. Or her's another idea write about something else...forget it you wont listen anyway we're all non believers according to you.
But we do have every right to pick apart what you say, just like you have to right to do the same thing, but you didnt. You couldnt really rebuttle a lot of the things thrown at you so you say forget it. What did you realy expect?
Everyime you say "god wants..." and not address our questions it looks like you are changing the subject, why can you refute those arguments? If we find something else, do that too. Thats what a lot of us did. If your religion is so true then you should be able to do that. But religion is based on faih more than anything else, you ask your preist. Heck I'm sure the pope said that faith is a important part of you faith. Faith is something that cannot be proved, so when you try to prove it and say god exist, a lot of people end up getting mad, say we're idiot, or saying I give upand I'm not posting here anymore.
Also ignorant is not a bad term. Ignorant means not knowing, and not will to learn and juding from your mentioned upbringing and some of the questions you asked/ blogs you commented on its pretty obvious youre pretty ignorant to the outside world considering, since you're online, you have google and whatnot. Ignorance and stupidity are two totally differnt things. Not one of us called you the latter.
But whatever I tried helping you, you want to be a quitter then quit. If everyone on this site though the same way it wouldnt be that interesting. I suggest instead of doing what you did on your previous blog, write a well though out one, do it on MS Word first and read it over and say "if I were someone else reading this would it make sense?". But youre quitting so you probably dont care anymore.
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The Pledge of Allegiance ends with "Hail Satan"
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
"I will no longer be writing on this site after today."
Why is it that whenever you confront a fundamentalist with simple things like historical facts, logic and reason, they so often pull a Cartman? I suppose that running in terror from the truth is what is required to maintain this kind of unreasoned point of view.
I say, "good riddance to bad rubbish."
percivale
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"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions." ~ Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp July 30, 1816
"Whatever. I do what I want. It's my hot body!"
1) I never told you you were just some child and have never once, to my knowledge, questioned your age. You have me confused with someone else.
2) I did not call you hateful. I said it is hypocrisy to defend Falwell for his hateful commentary on others (be it another religion, another lifestyle, or whatever) and call yourself a devout Christian when Christian goes against much of what Falwell had to say in regards to those of other religious, other lifestyles, etc.
3) So far as I recall, I never called you ignorant. I might have said an opinion of yours was ignorant, and I will not apologize for that. Why? Because you can be an intelligent person and still have an uninformed opinion thus making it an ignorant opinion.
The point of ProU is discussion and debate. It's not always light and fluffy debate. We can and do get heated. As I said to another user recently, taking your marbles to another playground because the discussion and debate get too hot for you will solve nothing. Running away in anger or frustration rarely solves anything.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
you're leaving? HALLELUJAH.
I'm glad i will no longer have to read your lengthy argumentative comments with no punctuation except ellipses. I'm glad there will be one less bible-thumping christianity-forcing hypocrite.
Don't pretend or presume you know what God wants. That's like a little kid trying to figure out their parents ulterior motives--all it does is piss off the parents, and i'm sure you will answer for it in whatever afterlife you do or do not end up in.
GOOD RIDDANCE.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
...to be able to prove that the madness you describe is actually true, I will remain quite willing to take my chances. I am sorry that it troubles you to see your "reasons" hacked apart by the axe of reason, but your threats and holier-than-thou judgements deserve no less than to be strewn about like so much kindling.
In case you haven't noticed, I really don't have much patience with fanatics.
percivale
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"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions." ~ Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp July 30, 1816
...took place HERE. Any please that you plan to have in some future magical faerie-land in the clouds is nothing more than speculation on your part.
I think the saddest part of people who believe as you do is the sheer desperation which seems to pervade your point of view.
percivale
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"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions." ~ Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp July 30, 1816
There is a difference between telling the truth because you care and spewing hate because you can. Falwell falls into the latter category.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
This is not hate.... you say you understand the christian religion then you would understand why I say these things. I know I understand that people just don't believe that someone cares about them when they don't even know them. So everything just feels like hate when it convicts you. This may not be true for you or others but I believe many people don't want to believe in God because that means they would have to give up theie fun stuff like drinking, premarital sex, cursing, and actually try to follow someones rules other than your own. I think if God said ohh if you guys say you believe in me and you still want to have your sex and parties go ahead you can still live forever in my Kingdom....... then people would think an unbeliever is pretty stupid.
Those things are not me. And those things have nothing to do with Falwell.
This is the man that decided we should bomb others. This is the man who blamed 9/11 on the ACLU and others. This is the man who decided that AIDS was a just punishment for homosexuality. This is the man who thought that equal rights for women was abhorrent. This is the man that always had something hateful to say about someone, whether it be Pagans, homosexuals, woman, Jews, Muslims.
He was not a loving Christian. To say otherwise, to me, is idiocy. To defend a man who stood for the things that one's religion is supposedly against while condemning others for violating other parts of that same religion is hypocrisy.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
I do not know him as well as many others do but I know he recited his words from the Bible ... the word of God.... and yes what do you expect from doing something wrong.. a cookie. Homosexuality is a sin(being a follower) and I also believe AIDS is a punishment not only for homosexuals but for those who are sexually active before marriage... for if you did not have sex before you are married.... no one BUT the homosexuals and beastiologist would have AIDS... 100% truth
"I do not know him as well as many others do but I know he recited his words from the Bible"
So blind you are.Thats true but Jefferson Davis also quoted the Bible when talking about slavery and how god wants them to own slaves...get my point?
Of course you dont, wha Farewell did is the same as what Davis did, you can deny it but its so obvious. Denying rights to a group of people because of who they are when they aren't hurting you or anyone else.
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The Pledge of Allegiance ends with "Hail Satan"
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I have had as much as I can take already,
First the stories in your bible are so similar to the stories of cultures way before Christianity, such as "Gilgamesh" etc, all of which were oral traditions passed down and when you compare and contrast those stories you can see how the writers of your bible plagiarized these stories for their own use--creation, flood, etc.
Secondly, what facts do you have that the bible is really the word of a god that you have no actual proof exists?
Third, Falwell was a bigot, a mean, nasty, and intolerant and cruel person. Homosexuality is biological, and since your god created all in his image, how can being a homosexual be a sin? How can you say that AIDS is a punishment for homosexuals and people who have sex outside of marriage when it can also be passed through blood transfusions, etc?
Homosexuality and beastuality have nothing to do with each other or with AIDS. As a matter of fact, there are a tremendous amount of straight people who have AIDS.
If there is no god, therefore no heaven, and you just die then you won't know anything so there won't be any regret. If I were to die tomorrow and there is no god then I've died and that is it. If I die tomorrow and there is a god then I do not think he'll care one way or the other that I am a homosexual, or that I used my own mind instead just believing in fictional stories that were plagiarized by mere men, because I do not believe if there is a god that he/she is the "Christian" god anyway.
Personally, I wonder if those who are so finatical would think twice about their views if the god they so worship turns out to be say the Hindu god and there is reincarnation and they are reincarnated to maybe a fly or a toad--something that really can't think for themselves...since that seems to be the propensity for many christian fundamentalist. Now that is a thought...
"A prime part of the history of our Constitution...is the story of the extension of constitutional rights and protections to people once ignored or excluded." ~US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
It's easier for them to keep them closed and follow than to pull their heads out of the sand and take responsibility themselves. When you follow blindly, you don't have to do much thinking... thinking is a scary prospect for some, which is why fanaticism is all the rage.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
Not true. AIDS is not just sexually transmitted. A bad blood infusion (doesn't happen often), a dirty needle, getting blood from an infected person in a cut, etc can all result in HIV/AIDs. So no, not JUST "the homosexuals and beastiologists" would have AiDs... again I say do a little research and know of what you speak.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
On another note, not all of his words were from the Bible. The Bible did not condone blowing up those with which you disagree. The Bible did not condone casting the first stone. The Bible did not condone judging others, being a hateful bastard, OR ignoring the parts of the Bible that don't suit your purposes. THAT is what both you and Falwell have in common. You ignore one part in order the give voice to another and to judge others. It doesn't work that way. The sins of others are not your business any more than they are Falwell's. Who says so? Apparently your God did. To ignore that and keep up with the current diatribe is hypocrisy and is disgusting.
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Elliot
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle
Much was afoot whilst I was working today...
Glad to see I sparked some controversy, but, like others who have commented in my defense, I really fail to see how our special guest reconciles the hate and discrimination that his/her faith preaches in efforts to attain the good graces of God.
Not only that, but how can anyone deny that Falwell was a fanatically bad egg in the religious community?
There is no objective truth. Anyone who argues that it's only realized through faith is believing in what's probably an empty truth.
And yeah, I like alcohol and sex (not usually together, though). I don't think there's anything wrong with having fun in moderation. Masochism in the name of liking it is one thing, masochism in the name of God is another.
Falwell's way of life and his teachings weren't realistic to societal welfare, because most of his faith was predicated on exemplifying people who were different as bound for Hell. If everyone followed him, there would be no example to hate, no example to exonerate one's own hate, and no example but themselves as what God is judging.
I don't even know if God exists (frankly, the question never comes up, so I guess I lean toward No), and I think those who are more sure than I should respect my agnosticism as an honesty that accepts other beliefs and that, if there is a god(s), that God would respect the diversity He created and expect it to coexist peacefully.
(Notice that the following is quoted from a christian news source.)
In a televised debate on CNN, Falwell said President Bush should "blow them (the terrorists) all away in the name of the Lord."
"Let's stop the killing and choose peace," Jackson responded. "Let's choose negotiation over confrontation."
"Well, I'm for that too," Falwell added. "But you've got to kill the terrorists before the killing stops. And I'm for the president to chase them all over the world. If it takes 10 years, blow them all away in the name of the Lord."
David Currie, executive director of Texas Baptists Committed, said he was "dumbfounded" by Falwell's comments.
http://www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=2518
I think this exchange sums up Falwell's legacy perfectly.
percivale
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"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions." ~ Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp July 30, 1816