Protestantism

» Migisi - Hitchen's ulogy on Falwell

In response to Hitchen's ulogy on Falwell posted by Brother_Jones:
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and at least two of us are still remembering Jerry Falwell as person and friend who counted for the good.
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And two aren't remembering him that way. So what. I didn't start this thread as a 'tribute' to Falwell, but just as an FYI.

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Hitchen's ulogy on Falwell

In response to Hitchen's ulogy on Falwell posted by Migisi:
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Can we work up a little sectarian violence here, Brother Jones?
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-- posted by pink101

» Brian Tubbs - Hitchens

I watched the interview on FOXNews. Christopher Hitchens acted the part of a mean-spirited, nasty, cold-hearted brute. I am disappointed, but not surprised that some of the liberal critics of Christianity here would be quick to jump on the Hitchens bandwagon.

I'm also frankly sick and tired of it being thrown in my face and others here that it's somewhow mean-spirited, evil, and wrong to believe in the Bible, dispensationalism, heaven, hell, Satan, God, etc. Christians have a right to believe in the Bible and to proclaim the Bible. They are not being cold, calculating "religionists" (or whatever other "-ist" you want to throw out there).

Jerry Falwell's body is not even in the grave yet, and there are those who like Hitchens - and apparently some folks here - who are tripping over themselves to denounce him in the strongest possible terms. It's very disappointing. But, hey, gotta love that liberal tolerance. Right?

» pink101 - Hitchens

In response to Hitchens posted by BrianTubbs:
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But, hey, gotta love that liberal tolerance. Right?
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What are you smoking, Brian?
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:~)
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It does appear as though you're showing a little of that affected paranoia some religious folk are so fond of.
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Enjoy...
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Hitchens

In response to Hitchens posted by BrianTubbs:
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Hitchens aside...
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I ~never~ liked Falwell's consistently hateful and condemning rhetoric - even when I was a Fundy Christian. So I don't feel ANY compulsion now that he's dead to praise him as a great holy man. In my view, he wasn't.

-- posted by Migisi

» Brother_Jones - Hitchens

In response to Hitchens posted by Migisi:

I don't think anyone is asking you to be a fan, just to be fair. Hutchins makes the claim that Falwell was a complete insincere charlatan, and con man. And there is no evidence of that. Is there? Obviously, it is dificult to prove or not prove what is in a persons' heart, but Hutchins does to Jerry Falwell what no Christian would ever want to be accused of doing to their opponets. He demonizes the man beyond any shred of evidence. From all accounts, like Falwell or hate what Falwell believed, Falwell appeared to believe it.

i am just an oldtimer for the Lord.

-- posted by Brother_Jones

» Brian Tubbs - Falwell

In response to Hitchens posted by Migisi:

No one's asking you to praise Jerry Falwell as a "great, holy man." If you don't feel that he was, then it would be hypocritical for you to do so.

But, I think the period surrounding a person's death is the time to adopt that old addage: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

» Migisi - Not a fan at all.

In response to Hitchens posted by Brother_Jones:
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He demonizes the man beyond any shred of evidence.
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I don't like Hitchens' manners either. And I said so. But you know, Falwell demonized a great many people without a shred of evidence too. How fair was that? Yet you think him a great man. Whatever.
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From all accounts, like Falwell or hate what Falwell believed, Falwell appeared to believe it.
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Fred Phelps appears to believe what he preaches too - using the Bible to justify his hate. Would you eulogize Phelps as a great holy man - just because he died?

-- posted by Migisi

» Migisi - Falwell

In response to Falwell posted by BrianTubbs:

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But, I think the period surrounding a person's death is the time to adopt that old addage: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

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Why?

-- posted by Migisi

» Brian Tubbs - If you have to ask...

In response to Falwell posted by Migisi:

You ask "why?" If you have to ask, I don't think I'll have any chance at all persuading you as to why. But here goes nothing anyway...

You mentioned Fred Phelps. Perfect example. I preached against Mr. Phelps in my pulpit about three weeks ago. I showed our folks how Phelps takes verses out of the Bible out of context to justify his religion of hate. (I explained, for instance, that the bluntness of the Psalms are there for us to show how blunt we can be about our own feelings toward God - NOT so that we can adopt those hateful sentiments and make them our own).

But anyway, Phelps and his followers (scary that he actually has some) have picketed the funerals of our fallen veterans coming back from Iraq. They were going to (don't know if they did) picket one of the VA Tech victims' funerals.

Not only is Phelp's theology completely out of whack, but his methods are heartless and cruel. Why intrude on a family's grief to make your political or religious point?

Likewise, with Falwell, there's NO chance that the United States of America is all of a sudden going to adopt all of Jerry Falwell's views. If there was a resolution being considered in Congress that would do this, then I could see your speaking up. But that ain't happening.

So, why not back off and let Falwell's family, friends, admirers, and supporters have a week of mourning? It's the classy thing to do.