Falwell and the Anger
I knew Falwell was unpopular, but I did not realize how entirely unpopular he was until he passed away yesterday. I did not give the man a serious thought of my time. I looked at him as a mild nuisance. He did not speak for me even though we shared a similar faith (Key word... similar, in name only).
It is much like Fred Phelps speaking for Christians all over the world...in other words 70 people vs 2.1 billion Christians. He speaks for himself.
So I considered Falwell, well... a little man. Someone of little significance. Whenever I heard him rail about homosexuals or God's wrath... I rolled my eyes. Burning in Hell was always a neat phrase people like him tend to use when you do not agree with them.
Yesterday, I noticed the sheer anger and joy over this man's death and truth to tell it shocked me just a small bit. Mainly coming from individuals that normally are peaceful or anti war. An interesting observation. I further noticed that they would use phrases such as "Rot in hell" or "Burn in hell". Basically taking his words and spinning them right back at him. Especially from people that do not believe in a hell. So I am assuming that it is a personal pleasure of rolling the words off of one's tongue instead of actual belief in the location.
But why do I bring this up? Because there will be another to come along and replace him.
While Christianity itself is a religion that teaches about love and self sacrifice, man has really screwed it up. We are greedy and selfish and very ambitious, so is it our nature?. People wonder what good can come from religion. I think that Christianity for instance can help teach one to be humble, to think about other people's points of views, to love and serve others. To become something good in the lives of others.
I hope and pray that whomever succeeds Falwell in the arena of politics and religion... it is a man (Or woman) that can be humble and know how to love others... even if they do not see eye to eye. That phrases such as "Burn in hell" do nothing to help. That they can show that Christianity is a path meant to be walked with an open hand and not a closed fist. You can still love a person and not agree with them. You can still respect someone's point of view without compromising your own.
I leave you all with this image, this screenshot I grabbed from Wikipedia as the news broke and people began editing the entries. It made me laugh at how fast people worked to post this.
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Comments
Great post, the first time i paid attention to what Falwell had to say it only made me sad thinking about how many people would hear what he had to say and believe that man spoke for all christians, i wondered how many he would turn away from faith and the good things that includes. He and others like him now days amuse me, but maybe thats because im so confident in my own beliefs and like you also believe christianity is a path to be walked with a open hand.
As for his passing, my only thoughts are saddness because i feel he missed out on some of the best part of christianity, love,forgiveness and inner peace.
May he rest in peace
So can Atheism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Baha'i, Wicca, Shintoism, etc.
They are all effective tools but that is all they are is tools.
I can only speak from my point of view and the teachings of things that I personally hold dear.
Zealots of all kinds is what I truly cannot stand. But Falwell was a Christian man whom did not practice in full what he preached... so staying on that topic is all I can say.
I have no teaching or authority of any kind to talk about Buddhists or Satanists.
Well thought out post. If you don't like what someone is saying, don't listen to them. Apparently in his Sunday service this week he stated that he was at peace with death. interesting.
Religion is History and Economics, Politics and Society, Art and Debate... every bit of our essence and lives now and in generations past has been touched by religion in some regard.
And I am NOT talking one specific religion... I am talking about the whole of human history from the cave fires of paleolithic man staring up at a scary sky to the bench warmers in a Baptist Church.
I also think that religion is balanced in the good and the bad it has offered to humanity and is often only credited for one or the other. However, it does seem that we have more Falwells and bin Ladens than we do Martin Luther Kings and Ghandis these days.
Well, one less Falwell now.
@Dark Knightingale - Thank you very much.
@Robin - Thanks to you as well. It is heartening to know that there are more like minded folks out there.
@Budd - And thank you as well sir as always.