Reverend Jerry Falwell Has Died at 73
The Reverend Jerry Falwell has died after being found "unresponsive" in his office at Liberty University this morning. He was rushed to the hospital according to MSNBC:
"Ron Godwin, Liberty's executive vice president, said Falwell, 73, had been found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but noted that Falwell 'has a history of heart challenges.'...'I had breakfast with him, and he was fine at breakfast,' Godwin said. 'He went to his office, I went to mine and they found him unresponsive.' Falwell, a television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority in 1979, became the face of the religious right in the 1980s. He later founded the conservative Liberty University and served as its chancellor."
The televangelist had a long history of spewing hate toward the gay community. During the AIDS crisis he declared, "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals." And following 9/11 he appeared on Pat Robertson's 700 Club and said "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.'"
Falwell was pronounced dead just after noon after CPR and other efforts to revive him failed.
Posted May. 15,2007 at 1:39 PM EST by Andy Towle in Jerry Falwell, News, Religion | Permalink
you know its kind of hypocritical to be all "he was such a hater" and "he showed no compassion" and then to be at the same time saying "i'm glad he's dead..." say what you will about what he said, but the fact is, that today he died, and at least have the decency to respect the people close to him, like his family, who will be grieving...i know its a cliche, but him being wrong doesn't give you the right be self-righteously cruel...show some dignity people.
Posted by: dan | May 15, 2007 2:06:58 PM
In America, it's traditional to speak only good of the dead. However, in this case, I think we're entitled to an exception.
Falwell, and his buddy Robertson, has said some pretty horrible things over the years. It's hard to feel much sympathy for someone who blamed America for 9-11 (in affect, saying NYC deserved it because of the 'sins').
Posted by: John | May 15, 2007 2:07:05 PM
Jerry who?????
I vaguely recall something about this guy at some point, but he wasn't worthy my attention.
Posted by: W=WIMP | May 15, 2007 2:07:30 PM
According to Wikipedia, Falwell died "from complications arising from a severe bowel obstruction" (although the article doesn't cite a source). I hope it's true though because it will mean that--as we all long suspected--he was, in fact and literally, full of shit.
Posted by: Hermesdc | May 15, 2007 2:10:57 PM
well, shoot. slap a bow on his corpse and Andy's got himself a nice birthday present.
sorry, that was rude (but funny?). hard to be happy about anyone dying, really. don't fight hate with hate.
Posted by: Nathan | May 15, 2007 2:11:04 PM
weird to think that at this moment as I sit here, he has learned all the answers to the big questions of life (afterlife, vengeful God or not, etc). I'm just wondering if he's now learning that he spent his life's work in vain.
Posted by: bmac | May 15, 2007 2:13:13 PM
Yaaaaaaay! This piglet, Jerry Falwell, claimed to have followed in the footsteps of jesus but by the looks of his belly methinks he followed the gluttonous god of food. Hypocrite. His offensive and ridiculously false prophecies slapped him on his way out to the grave...and I have yet to hear christians correct his false teaching against gays. Bastard. All with the face of a goody-two-shoe-ah-gee kind of guy. Good riddance indeed.
Posted by: Nikko | May 15, 2007 2:16:18 PM
Give me a fucking break, Dan. That's "all things are equal" and blame the victim crap. There's not a gay person outside of Retard, excuse me, Lynchburg, Virginia, who had ever heard of this guy until he rode into the headlines demonizing gays which he turned into a CAREER that made him fatter and sassier. The only reason he didn't shit money is because he was so incompetent at managing the millions and MILLIONS he took in with the kind of letter I quoted above in which he claimed gays with AIDS were TRYING TO KILL PEOPLE receiving blood donations, etc, ad infinitum.
There are good people who sincerely believe that we must forgive our most vicious enemies, turn the other cheek, etc. Well, as much as I respect them, I am proudly NOT one of them and I won't be bitch slapped by pea brains like you for it. Despite American Taliban propaganada to the contrary, while our enemies have become gazillionaires over our dead rights and sometimes dead bodies, the gay movement has mostly been extremely meek—and, for that, it is not the earth we have inherited but the dirt.
Posted by: Leland | May 15, 2007 2:17:17 PM
Thank G-ZUS! He's dead!
http://www.cafepress.com/stenar/2973398
Posted by: Stenar | May 15, 2007 2:18:16 PM
YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: philbert | May 15, 2007 2:19:23 PM
My memories will be of a fat bloated bigot who spewed hate or ignorance every time he opened his ample pie hole.
Posted by: Michael W. | May 15, 2007 2:20:04 PM
wow leland -- you're like the fred phelps of faggotry -- planning to protest his funeral are you?
Posted by: dan | May 15, 2007 2:20:16 PM
He went way too old.
Posted by: chris | May 15, 2007 2:20:20 PM
I can say with no regret that I'm very happy that he is dead (high-5s were exchanged). He was an enemy of the state and true-terrorist. Part of me wants to protest his funeral but I'm better than he is (was)... so I won't.
Posted by: Steve | May 15, 2007 2:22:44 PM
on another note, love the people on here going right to the "fat" place. tell me, you gonna say the same thing about rosie o'donnell when she kicks it? cuz she's just as "bloated", just as "piggy" and her pie hole is just as "ample..."
Posted by: dan | May 15, 2007 2:22:53 PM
See? God doesn't hat fags.
Posted by: monkey | May 15, 2007 2:24:25 PM
IF he ends up going to the keeper of the pearly gates. I wonder what he's going to say when he is asked, "What have you done to humanity to make the world a better place to live in?". I wonder, I really wonder?...
Posted by: Chad | May 15, 2007 2:24:56 PM
Give me an A. Give me an AMEN.
This world is now a better place.
Posted by: Dave | May 15, 2007 2:27:10 PM
The real question is, will Tinky Winky attend the funeral?
Posted by: CHUX | May 15, 2007 2:28:36 PM
Is it too early to gloat? Fuck it, I'm gloating. Times like this make me wish I believed in god. Lies! It's just as sweet as ever, woohoo! Rot in the ground, you fuck!
Posted by: mutterhals | May 15, 2007 2:28:47 PM
this just made my day....or year, or maybe decade:)
Posted by: Dangerboy | May 15, 2007 2:28:53 PM
What a miserable person.
Posted by: homer | May 15, 2007 2:28:59 PM
Ding Dong, the bitch is dead.
Posted by: josh | May 15, 2007 2:29:37 PM
It's been said before, Dan, but: Being tolerant of intolerance is a suicide pact. These are real enemies, out to destroy us.
I buried too many people while he was dancing on *their* graves to ever forgive him. I'm grateful he's gone.
Posted by: adamblast | May 15, 2007 2:31:16 PM
Thank god...hes gone! He was a total AHOLE! Those comments after sept 11th were the worst...gays lesbians, and feminists...blah blah.. Now i really wish i knew whether there is a heaven or hell. Cause i hope hes far below in HELL.. cause of the SHIT he has said. GOod riddance!
Posted by: Ross | May 15, 2007 2:35:34 PM