I figure if these are the respects you pay to a person passing away that you didn't agree with, then we should probably spit on your grave for the way you have lived your life and the things you have said. I don't see how you are any different the he was if you claim he and other evangelicals are full of hate and pass judgment. Who do you think you are?
I think it is slightly more than a disagreement of principals. Many people see Jerry Faldwell as one of the prime forces driving a movement which seeks to couple Christianity with hatred and intolerance, sort of an American Taliban. As such he is viewed by many as having been an active force of evil. I am not overjoyed at any death, but I understand the desire to rejoice. Sort of like when a different sort of people celebrate when terrorists in Iraq are killed. One can indicate, of course, the differences in actual action between Faldwell and al Qaeda, but that doesn't diminish the emotion.
Just as there are many people who love The Taliban or al Qaeda. To me, it goes without saying that his message resonates if he has had any real influence.
I think some of his views were extremely distasteful so it's hard for me to really defend him. However, the wrath poured on him doesn't seem to be justified consdiering that for all his machinations, any negative memories of him will most likely be limited to the stupid things that came out of his mouth. Then again, the Bible does say that the tongue is the deadliest weapon. Still hard for me to equate him on the level of Al-Qaeda or the Taliban which not only talked the talk but also walked the walk.
A realist. And I just "didn't agree with him". My take is that Jerry Falwell wasn't a man of God. He was someone who spewed hate and wrapped it in "religion". Hate for non-Christians. Hate for women. Hate for gay people. Nothing but hate came from that man's mouth, as evidenced by the quotes listed earlier in this thread. In my opinion, the hate that spewed from his mouth tarnished the image of every clergyman and believer on earth. Quite frankly, the world is a better place without him. And if you'd like to "spit on my grave for the way I've lived my life and the things I've said", well you just hock up a big ol' loogy and go right ahead, rookie!
Talk about instantaneously hypocritial. If you want to spit on my grave because I 'disagree' with Falwell so be it. Spit away if it makes you feel better. It's not just simply a disagreement with a moron. It's disagreement w/ the actions of someone who wanted to convince and lead a group of people into hating others, even going so far as to use political means to do it. Blaming homosexuals for 9/11? To segregate America into a war on gays, among other things, is not a person who deserves any respect. Just because he dies doesn't mean I'll start giving him any.
I think probably much of the attention focused on Faldwell is because he is 'ours' (America's). I absolutely agree that there is a quantitative difference between the two, with members of the groups mentioned being much worse, and I am not trying to equate his life with 'Mullah Omar' and friends.
Jerry Falwell wrapped himself in hate. I would rather not. I hope that if there is a life after this one he is free of hate in it and my sympathies to his family.
Sorry Sishir. I can't and I won't. If that makes me less of a person, so be it - I admit my failings in full. But I won't give someone a free pass just because he/she died. And if I really despise what you have done or what you represent than I'll rejoice in it. I never feel unjustified in despising those who advocate hate, or cursing those who promote intolerance. Fundamentally, that type of ideology is at the root of almost every destructive, brutal, and vicous character mankind posesses.
I bet, when his bowels relaxed at the moment of death, that he let loose the biggest, smelliest turd ever to come out of a human being, complete with the bugle call of a massive heave of gas, his last blast of hot air.
