Remembering Rev. Falwell, In His Own Words

(AP)  The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and used it to mold the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday. Below are some of his more memorable quotations.

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"I want the members of Congress to understand ... that the solution to America's serious moral and spiritual problem is not political. We're in need of a religious awakening." — At a large Christian rally outside the Capitol in Washington in 1996.

"I shudder to think where the country would be right now if the religious right had not evolved." — After announcing in 1987 that he was stepping down from the Moral Majority.

"All of them who have tried to secularize America, I point the finger in their face and say, 'You helped this happen.'" — In a television appearance just after the Sept. 11 attacks, blaming them on pagans, abortionists, feminists, homosexuals, the American Civil Liberties Union and People for the American Way.

"When I talked about God lifting the curtain of protection on our nation, I should have made it very clear that no one on this earth knows whether or not that occurred or did not occur." — In his apology for the remark about Sept. 11.

"As a Christian I feel that role modeling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children." — After a 1999 article in Falwell's National Liberty Journal characterizing a "Teletubbies" character as gay.

"If he's going to be the counterfeit of Christ, he has to be Jewish. The only thing we know is he must be male and Jewish." — Describing his view in 1999 that the Antichrist "must be alive somewhere today."

"I apologize not for what I believe, but for my lack of tact and judgment in making a statement that served no purpose whatsoever." — apologizing for the Antichrist remark.

"The NCAA has enough problems with drugs and crime and violence, sex and rape to bother itself with prohibiting prayer." — Criticizing a rule that barred football players from kneeling in prayer on the field after a touchdown.

"No sleaze merchant like Larry Flynt should be able to use the First Amendment as an excuse for maliciously and dishonestly attacking public figures." — After the U.S. Supreme Court in 1988 overturned a $200,000 damage award he had won against Hustler magazine.

[victoriatbc]

I work for a social polling site called BuzzDash, and they%u2019re taking a vote right now to see how Jerry Falwell will be remembered.

It%u2019s real time, so you can watch the numbers change as the day goes by. It%u2019s in the News and Politics section; here%u2019s the URL: www.buzzdash.com

[pro-america]

RandaIDS:

What is your ultimate opinion.

[randalds]

Posted by pro-america at 09:52 PM : May 16, 2007

I see the more intellectual side of the religious right is expressing it's opinion.

[pro-america]

Rushman71:

I agree with you hundred percent.

[pro-america]

You are all scumbags do you see what he tried to do scumbags he cared and you treat him like ***!
I think you should show him some respect! Tell me how is he a jerk you morons.


This not to the people who likes him.

[pro-america]

You are all scumbags do you see what he tried to do scumbags he cared and you treat him like ***!
I think you should show him some respect! Tell me how is he a jerk you morons.


This not to the people who likes him.

[evans58-2009]

Thank God tHIS lOSER iS DEAD,

[mxjordan77]

I am sorry that so many people feel so ugly towards a man that told the truth. So much of what he said was taken out of context by the media that refuses to give him any credit today. When he talked of 9/11 he actually remarked (after so many people that heretofore did not believe in God wandered why He would allow such a horrible thing to happen) that God was not going to be where He was not wanted. All the groups he brought up demanded that God and His principles leave - so He did. And I had a son in the middle of the mess in NY on 9/11! I still don't blame God for that. I would leave if I was not wanted as well.

He stood up for what was right and in God's Word and was passionate about that. I knew the man personally. I hope that Macel (his wife) and children have not read the comments of such ugly human beings.

[toshi43]

I'm never happy when someone dies. Well, not usually..

[randalds]

I guess some people have a right to still worship this "thing" that called himself a man of God. It's their right to believe in the fairy tales he preached about a giant bearded man sitting up in the clouds somewhere who is always watching you (sort of like an adult Santa Claus) so you'd better be good. This is America and you have a right to believe any dam*ned thing you want. Hell worship trees, your pet dog or red linoleum floors for all I care. But what he didn't have a right to do (and neither does any member of any religion, Christians included) was to try to force his fairy tales into the government, public schools or anyone else's private lives.

I don't believe in heaven or hell, but if either one does exist I know which one he's in and he wasn't issued a harp or wings where he' at.