Reactions on Falwell death

As most people are probably aware, the US right-winged Christian Jerry Falwell died yesterday. He was mostly known for founding Moral Majority and being a major cause of the prominence of right-winged Christianity in US politics these days. After leaving Moral Majority he ran Liberty University until his death.

Though, not as prominent in later years, as he was during the Reagan adminstration, he still had some influence on US politics, as the pandering by the current GOP candidates shows.

He left behind a wife, three grown children and some grandchildren, who are undoubtfully saddened by his passing. They have my condolences.

Now, for some of the reactions to his death.

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue issued this statement (with my comments in between).

“Mary and I join the American people in mourning the passing of Reverend Jerry Falwell. Reverend Falwell founded Thomas Road Baptist Church, the Moral Majority and Liberty University. He built Christian elementary schools, homes for unwed mothers and a home for the treatment of alcoholism.

Let's just say that it's not exactly all the American people who mourn his passing, as demonstrated by Anti-Memorial.

"It was apparent to me in meeting with Reverend Falwell last October that the three most important things in his life were Christ, his family and his students.

And power. Mustn't forget the power.

He never shied away from speaking his mind or fighting for what he thought was right, and he firmly believed that people of faith had a role to play in politics.

That role obviously being pushing their religious views on all others, first amendment be damned. As for speaking his mind, well, let's say that he quite frequently displayed how small-minded he was.

Newsweek had a somewhat balanced profile, though it doesn't in any way do justice to the bigotry of the man.

Clinton Fein has a more honest blogpost about the man.

PZ Myers has a video-clip of Hitchen speaking the truth about Falwell.

Slate repeats some of the worst remarks made by Falwell.

As the above probably show, I am not a fan of Falwell. He was the worst kind of religious bigot, and together with other religious bigots he managed to change the political discurse in the US. While it's generally said one shouldn't speak evil about the dead, I believe that one should speak truthfully, and I truthfully believes that teh world is a better place without him.