Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Jerry Falwell Dies

and with his passing, perhaps the passing of an era in American Christianity. See the story here.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, what can I say? The man who loved to sow seeds of division and intolerance has died.

I express sympathy to his family during this difficult time for them. I also believe his church will quickly fold seeing that its idol has perished.

Let us hope that Jerry Falwell finds that his Eternal Judge is far more gracious, merciful and tolerant than he was in life.

This is not a time to cast stones but a time to reflect soberly.

1) I celebrate the silence of a man who hurt countless people with words that he knew caused division and pain.

2) I welcome the opportunity to replace such noise with the truth of Jesus, words of grace, acceptance, tolerance and community.

3) I stand humbly realizing that everyone will stand before God. Including myself.

4) I will with renewed fire seek to mirror ONLY the person of Jesus/Joshua to the world and not the corruption of a political/religious organization that has been shown to fail to regulate its leaders nor hold them to accountability.

5) I express the relief that I have shunned opportunities to use the corruption of power to enforce my agenda upon people.

6) I express sympathy to his family because we all cherish our loved ones.

7) I express concern that many will cry tears for their fallen idol instead of contemplating the weight and accuracy of his legacy in the light of the teachings of Jesus/Joshua.

8) I encourage all leaders of grace and tolerance to take over the area with the love and light of Jesus/Joshua now that an Asheroth pole of intolerant religion has fallen in mortality.

9) I urge all such religious leaders to judge within their heart their motives and to rid themselves of political corruption, abusive religion, power-mongering, hypocrisy, homophobia and all the other cancers that came to dominate his ministry and poison the pipeline.

10) I will consider everything a loss but to mirror the character of Jesus and as such will reflect that none of the political postering, name dropping, side drawing rhetoric will be of any use now. Jerry has gone as we will all go. Naked, alone and standing before a God who according to the teachings of Jesus/Joshua will judge us the same as we judged others. I wouldn't want to be in his place right now.

Pastor Phil said...

Steven,

Thanks for stopping in. Jerry Falwell was indeed a controversial figure. I could never find myself getting too upset with him if not for the simple, and perhaps silly reason that his mannerisms, and gentle style of speech (I mean the meter, and tone of his voice specifically) always remionded me of my own dad, who is a very gentle man.

So although I found great disagreements with some of his specific activities, I found myself strangely endeared to him - weird huh?

RCM- Steve said...

News of his death rather stunned me. It was so abrupt, and from what I've read, pretty unexpected. Passing into eternity he no more remains a controversial figure to me. He stands before the Gracious Almighty One, who holds all of our fates in His hand. May the Lord richly have mercy on us all.

Phil, I miss all you guys. You made us feel so at home. I think I left a little bit of my heart there...

Hugs & hello's to all.

Steve

Pastor Phil said...

Steve,

Miss you too. You'll always have a place to hang your hat with us here in Salem