Jerry Falwell found unconscious. {Edit - Has Died}
Posted on: May 15, 2007 - 12:57pm
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Jerry Falwell found unconscious. {Edit - Has Died}
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/ap_on_re_us/jerry_falwell
Falwell found unconscious, hospitalized
13 minutes ago
LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Rev. Jerry Falwell was found unconscious in his office Tuesday and taken to the hospital, a Liberty University executive told a newspaper.
Ron Godwin, the executive vice president of the school, told The News & Advance of Lynchburg that Falwell was found unconscious after missing an appointment Tuesday morning. Falwell arrived at Lynchburg General Hospital around noon, the newspaper reported on its Web site.When contacted by The Associated Press, Godwin said he couldn't talk at that time.
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Maybe he's dead and about to face the wrath of the Flying Spaghetti Monster for believing in his false god.
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awwww
how sad
NOT
Lets party!
As much as I do not like Falwell, I do not wish him dead. Though I am sure he wishes atheists be eradicated, I do not feel the same toward him or other rude christians.
I have trouble knowing how to feel when bad things happen to bad people. I don't believe in not speaking ill of the dead. If someone was an asshole in life, I see no reason to sugar-coat that fact after they are dead.
At the same time, I think it's in bad taste to celebrate. The only times I celebrate is when someone like that gets led away in handcuffs. I may be relieved some people are gone, but I just can't piss on their grave or party or whatever.
And I must say that Falwell is one of the people I despise most in this world. He helped to lead my family astray during the resurgence of fundamentalism. I was just a kid, but he led me astray as well. He's a loathesome person. But I still can't "celebrate" that tragedy has befallen him.
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I dont wish death upon him at all. All I want from that double chin hypocrite is to stop acting like a dictator to the city and to the nation.
Its strange, but right now I was expecting a more emotional response to news like this. But death is death is death (but lets not guess at this point as to what happened to him)
I have had family members and friends fall ill. I've even talked to a person who was on death row the night before his scedualed exicution, which later got commuted to life.
My point is, when you see illness or death up close sometimes you tune out weither or not you like the person because you focus on mortality.
Falwell is a jerk to non-Christian non-Baptists. But I wouldnt go as far as wishing him any illness or even death. Prision would satisfy me the most in his case for his snake oil tactics.
I am not sure how to feel about it. If this unconciousness leads to his death, I wouldnt be happy, but I would feel releived.
It would be like when a woman finds out her abusive husband got hit by a car. She might even mourn the loss, but she wouldnt have to worry about being smacked around.
Falwell's problem is that he is a power monger. He uses his religion to threaten people. He uses it to scare people into sending him money. He uses it to scare people into voting for certain polititions. If that stopped, it would be a relief for all those he aims his threats at.
This is pure speculation considering he was just sent to the hospital. It could be minor, or it could be serious. Either way I'd rather wish prision on him than death.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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If you think every media channel was saturated with constant talk for weeks after the recent death of a certain female porn star, just imagine the utter Christian nonsense that will flood each and every media outlet during every minute for weeks to come if he dies. I will go absolutely MAD!!!
I'm gonna start praying to the FSM for his recovery so as to preserve my sanity.
"How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." ~ Abraham Lincoln
I have no idea who he is.
If you're talking about Anna Nicole Smith, she technically wasn't a porn star.
It would have been funnier if he'd been found unconcious with his trousers down and a copy of 'Stud Puppy' on his desk.
Freedom of religious belief is an inalienable right. Stuffing that belief down other people's throats is not.
A TV preacher with a loud mouth and a consumate salesmen.
His school and church refused to take sides in the 1960s on the issue of church integration. Over the years he screwed contractors building his college empire which the cost was dumped on his followers. He consistiantly bullied Lynchburg City council, and was even arrogent enough to once try to rename a mountain "public land" Chandeler's mountian to "Liberty" mountain after his college.
Not to mention using Jesus to threaten people into believing.
He blamed 9/11 on gays and abortion doctors and secularists.
Not a nice guy if you ask me.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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HE'S DEAD!!!! AAAARRRGGHHH!!!!!!
Jerry Falwell has died. Just saw it on CNN
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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Geez, they announce he's dead and immediately begin with "The Life & Times of Jerry Fallwell". PUKE!! Guess I'll have to turn off the news channels for a week.
"How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." ~ Abraham Lincoln
Yup. Exactly how I feel, Brian. I don't know if he ever did anything illegal. Considering the track record of televangelists, I imagine he probably did. We may never know.
You can't throw a person into prison for being a dick. It's just as well because a lot of people think the RRS are a bunch of dicks for lacking a belief in god. Still, it's fun to fantasize about Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Dobson, Haggard, etc. being led away in handcuffs. Maybe it's because we're more interested in "justice" than in payback?
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This man was pure evil. I love Karma when it gets the bad guys. bet there will be a twist on his death soon... porn, meth, somtehing like that. next up Fred Phelps and Kirk Cameron's buddy!
"That is not dead which can eternal lie / And with strange aeons even death may die."
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
("In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.")
Yes, there's that to consider.
My family went boo-hoo-hoo when Reagan died. A lot of people did. Me? I couldn't stand the guy after I did a bit of reading and found out what a blackguard he was. Of course, he may have simply been a gibbering tool with early Alzheimer's for G.H.W. Bush.
Still, I wasn't amused as they dragged him all over the country, singing his praises. I thought they might dig him up and parade him around some more just for shits and giggles. It got nauseating.
If that bigoted old fart, Falwell, dies, I'd have to listen to my mother's crap for awhile. That, my friends, would suck the fat one.
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AWWWW, FUCK!!!!!!!!
Faux News will be unbearable. Luckily, I ain't got no fucking TV.
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Ah yes. The zombie Reagan. I fully expected some ding bat to clone him. He was a charismatic politician. A dangerous thing indeed. Did you hear that Yahweh Bin Yahweh also died this month? Now that was a scary guy! Two evil people removed from the earth this month! Whoot!
"That is not dead which can eternal lie / And with strange aeons even death may die."
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
("In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.")
The Flying Spaghetti Monster is going to send him to Antarctica for being a fundie.
Think the FSM is gonna send him to Antarctica? I don't think he'd like the stripper factory and beer volcano anyway.
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Jerry Falwell was found dead today....
Joy to the world, falwell's dead
Source.
Word.
I can't tell you guys how to feel. In fact, emotions sometimes do their own things.
Me? I feel a little relieved, but I am not planning a trip to piss on Falwell's grave.
I can tell you that Falwell was the driving force behind my family's descent into fundamentalism. Fundamentalist Christianity (plus other factors, I'm sure) turned my father into an abusive tyrant. When my father died I felt relief (and guilt that I felt relief). Weird things, emotions.
Like I said, I can't tell you how to feel about Falwell's death, but celebrating it seems barbaric. Yeah, he was a bigoted asshole. His death doesn't change that, but I can't understand why it's a cause for celebration when the main enemy is dogma itself.
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I would never rejoice in the death of anyone, Falwell included, though I am glad he's gone. At the same time his death will leave a void that others will try hard to fill, and that worries me. Instead of one Jerry Falwell, we'll have loads of Jerry Falwell wanna be's.
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i guess i cant say that i really "give a damn" that he's dead.
i mean, he was an ass, would have probably wished i were dead and yelled at my face that i'm going to hell if i'd ever met him, so i really dont feel any sympathy. just one less asshole for me to get red-faced over, really.
Leading US conservative evangelist Rev Jerry Falwell has died in hospital in Virginia after being found unconscious in his office, his assistants said.
Doctors gave Rev Falwell emergency treatment at Lynchburg General Hospital but could not revive him.
Rev Falwell, 73, survived two serious health scares in 2005 but had a history of heart problems.
He became a figurehead of the religious right in the 1980s, founded the Moral Majority and later Liberty University.
Rev Falwell was regarded as the father of the political evangelical movement.
As one of the first television preachers, he reached millions on his programme The Old Time Gospel Hour.
Controversial
Ron Godwin, executive vice president for Liberty University, said Rev Falwell was found unresponsive in his office at about 1045 local time (1535 GMT) after missing an appointment.
Mr Godwin said: "Dr Falwell is a huge, huge leader here in this area and in the nation at large."
Rev Al Sharpton said he was deeply saddened and was praying for the Falwell family. He said although he often disagreed with the reverend, they had a cordial relationship.
The BBC's Vanessa Heaney in Washington says Rev Falwell was a controversial figure who offended many.
But his alliance with Republicans in the 1980s was a key help in the elections of Ronald Reagan as president and many political leaders have since continued to seek his support.
Rev Falwell was a strong opponent of abortion, homosexuality and many other issues that conflicted with his fundamentalist Christian beliefs.
His statements on feminism and race issues often outraged liberals.
In 2002, he sparked anger across the Muslim world by calling the Prophet Muhammad a "terrorist". He later apologised.
Shortly after the 11 September 2001 attacks, he said that gays, atheists, civil-rights activists and legal abortions in the US had angered God and "helped this happen".
In 1999, he denounced the BBC TV children's show The Teletubbies, because he believed one character, Tinky Winky, was homosexual.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6659457.stm
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Its about time this piece of shit died.
"In the high school halls, in the shopping malls, conform or be cast out" ~ Rush, from Subdivisions
Unfortunately, the dogma will not die with him. I agree - while I am not exactly saddened by the loss, I have a hard time celebrating because he is dead. Then again, I was never infected with fundamentalism so it is a little less personal for me.
... Does this mean he won’t ever do the RRS show now?
The man doesn’t even exist anymore, good way to think about it if you do not have any emotional attachment to him, and all that matters now is the fact that probably a bunch of people are sad over that fact, pain is pain is pain, so I can't be happy about the fact that those out there mourn. I can have a little bit of comfort thinking that one of the religious rights prime offenders is out of the picture, the comfort is short lived as no doubt there are countless out there who will fill his shoes. But I also try and think of it as one of our figureheads passing and then imagine the other side taking so much glee in that event.-----------------------
I'll get back to you when I think of something worthwhile to say.
Hold on! There are reports that he has RISEN FROM DEAD, and started flying around the hospital hallways. His fat gut has gotten him now lodged stuck in an elevator shaft. Liberty University officials are requesting people send in huge amounts of cash so that the Holy Ghost can work a miracle and shove his lard ass out through the roof.
"How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." ~ Abraham Lincoln
It's important to remember that we're fighting an ideology here and not individuals. It's also worth noting that as naturalists, we don't believe that death is a punishment or revenge - it's something we're all going to face, one day or another. Celebrating someone's death (especially when it comes at the end of a long life) is pretty stupid. It's no more special than the fact that they were born.
Neither, though, do I think that we should mute our criticism of fundamentalist religion out of respect for his mourners. I would advise everyone to avoid ad hominem attacks and don't inflate Falwell's significance (which is what his followers are going to do now). One more dead fundy, even an influential one, is but a raindrop in the deluge of irrational fanatacism we're struggling against.
Still, I can't help but hear the "Ding, dong, the witch is dead!" song from The Wizard of Oz film playing in my head a little bit...
I think Elmer Fudd said it best:
"Good widdance to bad wubbish!"
I'd never heard of this guy until today. I was quite happy when Reagan and Pope JP died. I didn't celebrate but again, less twats in the world. I actually don't think there is an equivalent here, we don't tend to have televangelists in this country. We have Nick Griffin, not a fundy but leader of the BNP (British National Party - basically the Nazi party equivalent), I'd be quite happy if he died.
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I for one can't help but smile, i know, i know, i don't really wish death on anyone, but I'm happy that he's gone. I wonder what my college town will be like now that he's not there to keep trying to buy it all up. I know it said he died of a heart attack (no wonder, he was so out of shape) but i wish it would have been something like a drug overdose, that would give us more ammunition. Ok, i'm being mean, i'll stop.
Hmm if hate breeds more hate then, does the death of hate irradicate hate? If that's the case, then THIS death is a VERY good thing.
The more you know about the world around you, the less you have to make up.
I don't wish suffering or death upon anybody.
But I will not lie and say I don't think the world is a better place without small-minded people such as he.
The saddest part of all this is that IMO there is no christian god, so he won't be judged, even by the own tenets he preached, which would have made for some great entertainment.
I don't just hear it in my head... I'm walking around the office singing it (although I'm replacing "witch" with "dick" - cuz I'm obnoxious like that)!
I won't be celebrating or anything, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit feeling a bit glad that one of the first fundy-thorns in my side won't be on TV telling us how the next natural disasters, school shootings or terrorist attacks are our punishment from God for being a secular nation. I'm old enough to remember exactly how Jerry Falwell helped deliver the US into the hands of religious fanatics, and just because he's dead doesn't make him any less culpable or repulsive to me. His family deserves condolences, but those of us who've been fighting to reverse the trend toward religious fundamentalism in government that he helped put in place have no obligation to remember him with anything but disdain.
Invisible friends are for children and psychopaths.
Word of the Day: Schadenfreude
Sharpton and Falwell never got along. Sharpton and Falwell are like the Bush's and Clintons. They may be cordial to each others face in certain situations, but when the cameras and mics are off Sharpton probibly cusses people like falwell out. Sharpton and Falwell are not spiritual people, they are oportunistic power mongers who use their base to gain power.
Sharpton is an oportunistic leach just like Jerry Falwell. They are both parasites preying on the superstitious fears of the masses.
"If you give me money, I will lead the charge in the name of God"
"Evangelicals are the victims of bigotry"
"Blacks are the victims of Bigotry"
What these twits dont want to tell you is that EVERYONE gets picked on. There are poor conservitives and poor liberals. There are poor whites and poor blacks. There are demonized Muslims and demonized Christians. There are demonized atheists too.
These people are not interested in bringing humanity together. They are interested in becoming the alpha male.
A politician who masks themselves as the voice of God are the best at leading lemmings off the cliff.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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News story containing comments regarding the death of Jerry Falwell.
Note that the most generic comment was from White House spokesman Tony Snow.
Original article here.
Comments on the death of Jerry Falwell
By The Associated Press 13 minutes ago
"Jerry has been a tower of strength on many of the moral issues which have confronted our nation." — evangelist Pat Robertson.
___
"Dr. Falwell's shadow falls across the face of the rebirth of conservative values in our nation, in the Southern Baptist Convention, and in the entire evangelical world. Only once in a generation will a man of his stature arise. We all owe him a debt of eternal gratitude." — Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
___
"Unfortunately, we will always remember him as a founder and leader of America's anti-gay industry, someone who exacerbated the nation's appalling response to the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic, someone who demonized and vilified us for political gain and someone who used religion to divide rather than unite our nation." — Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
___
"I think the proper attitude at this juncture is to pass on our condolences and prayers. And we'll try to do the fixing in place in history a little later." — White House spokesman Tony Snow.
___
"An American who built and led a movement based on strong principles and strong faith has left us. He will be greatly missed, but the legacy of his important work will continue through his many ministries where he put his faith into action." — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
___
"Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Falwell's family at this difficult time." — Republican presidential candidate and Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record).
___
"His life is a testament not only to the power of faith to move hearts, but to the strength of the American ethos that stresses the importance of citizenship ... He was a great leader, a person totally sustained by his faith but able to work with many people from many different backgrounds without imposing rigidity on anyone else." — Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
___
"He was a man who set a direction. He was someone who was not afraid to speak his mind. We all have great respect for him ... he is a person who told you what he thought, and you knew where he stood." — Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.
___
"Over the years we became friends; sometimes we had polar opposite points of view. ... I have many fond memories of him. He leaves a great legacy of service and a great university behind. He's left his footprints in the sands of time." — The Rev. Jesse Jackson.
___
"Jerry Falwell was a close personal friend for many years. We did not always agree on everything, but I knew him to be a man of God. His accomplishments went beyond most clergy of his generation. Some of my grandchildren have attended and currently attend Liberty University. He leaves a gigantic vacuum in the evangelical world." — Evangelist Billy Graham.
___
"My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. ... I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling." — Hustler magazine founder Larry Flynt.
___
"Jerry Falwell politicized religion and failed to understand the genius of our Constitution, but there is no denying his impact on American political life. He will long be remembered as the face and voice of the religious right." — The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
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I was steeped in fundamentalism and a lot of the reasons had to do with Jerry Falwell and his "Moral Majority." Anger is a normal emotion to feel toward assholes like Falwell, but I would like to get to a place where I understand there's a difference between the players and the game.
I know that sounds a lot like "hate the sin; love the sinner." I'm not even sure there's a difference. But if I hate bigoted fundies, I'll have to hate a large percentage of my family. They drive me bugshit sometimes, but hard feelings are tough on the psyche.
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McCain is such a tool. He tries to present himself as moderate, but he was always right in there kissing the religious right's ass.
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Meh... I'm a bit of a misanthropist. This is the sort of person whom I can look at and go, "Oh GOOD, he's finally dead." It's the same reaction I had when my abusive father finally kicked it. Sure, it hurt my mom, and I felt bad for the fact that her crazy ass had to feel some pain, but not bad enough to not feel personal joy. I am of course decent enough of a person not to go around to her, or others who are in pain, and go, "LOLLERCAUST, you lost someone you cared for!"
The emotion I felt when my abusive father died was relief, not joy. (And I felt guilty for feeling even that much of a positive emotion.) The way I feel about Falwell is about the same: relief. I didn't dance on my father's grave and I'm not going to dance on Falwell's. The odd thing is, Falwell had a lot to do with turning my father into a monster. My family were already fundies, but when the Christian right movement reared its ugly head, they got right on board.
I have personal feelings of umbrage when it comes to Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh. These were the top three assholes that helped turn my family onto a path I couldn't follow.
Ironically, Limbaugh is the guy I hate the most...probably because my father listened to him every day, very loudly, for ALL THREE HOURS of his stupid show. Once someone quotes Limbaugh or gives me Limbaugh's opinion, I consider that person automatically discredited. That's a logical fallacy, but--dude!--Rush Limbaugh SUCKS. I have a feeling when he dies I'll feel very relieved.
The deaths of these men aren't going to change anything. The best we can do is try to remember that in our fight we should strive toward curing the ill (theists) without hurting them too badly or killing them. We have to rely entirely on discourse. We have the truth on our side, but they have an afterlife and a sense of being a part of something "magical." It's going to take awhile to get people to take a second look at their misguided faith.
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There will be another scammer to replace him soon enough.
That being said I do not like to hear about people dying and I send my condolences to his family.
The Westboro Baptist Church, of godhatesfacts.com "fame," will be picketing Falwell's funeral...
It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen - Oliver Wendell Holmes
I have to confess that for once, the only appropriate response seems to be: "Jesus Christ"
"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'
My response to Falwell's death....IT'S ABOUT FUCKING TIME! Actually he turned off many Christians with his arrogant attitude. When I was a Christian, this was back in the 80's. He came to the church I attended at the time. He has this front man come up to the microphone and tout all the so called "accomplishments" of him and then he preached. I later found out that he told the leadership of that church that he would require a speaking fee of no less than $12,000 before he would set foot in a church other than his own. Right then and there the leadership of that church voted to never invite him again. It is pretty bad when you piss off your own people......anyway, glad he is gone.
When I first came on earlier he was already dead and I must say that I don't feel bad he's dead, kinda don't care he is and usually I'm a really nice person but I don't feel bad in saing that either.....apathetic about it.
---George Carlin---
He is up orbiting jupiter along with the teapot.
On a side note about your signature, make sure you atribute that to Thomas Jefferson. Most atheists here know that quote, but new visitors who have never heard it might think it is yours. Just good posting (qoute the source).
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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