Have to agree with you there, Sam.

I'm normally a fairly sympathetic sort of chap, but all I could think when I clicked that link was, "Meh". Does that make me a cold, unfeeling zombie?

As far as I'm concerned, I'll listen to anyone's point of view and at least *try* to understand where they're coming from, but one thing I just have a hard time dealing with is pushy evangelism of any kind. If I want to believe something, I'll believe it on my own terms, thank you very much, the only thing pushing it forcefully in my ear is going to do is annoy me.

Somewhere in the "Tubbytronic Superdome",Tinky Winky has smile in his face.

This is a monumental disaster for humanity.

I wanted him to grow red horns or get hit by 50 lightning bolts (not necessarily fatal) or get caught with a prostitute or something discrediting.

Actually, to be serious, despite his demonification to his opponents, the stupidities in the article are just him being a jerk in the media.

*Reads Wikipedia* Ah, never mind, no backpedaling necessary.

I'll be serious for a moment...

*ahem*

Lets have a moment of silence.

K.

Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.
Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. He's gone where the goblins go, below - below - below.
Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know the Wicked Witch is dead!

~Tobe

Sorry. I'm not usually this cold but I'm with Sam all the way. Good riddance to a man who used his religion as a means of peddling hate

It took him this long to die of heart problems?

Before there are more schadenfreude tinted comments, think about this: Even Larry Flynt and the director of National Gay and Lesbian Task Force had, at the very least, courteous things to say about Jerry Falwell today.

I disliked the man on principle and I thought he gave a lot of good-hearted Christians a bad name, but let's face it, the day a man dies is not a good day to be openly antagonistic. Both from a practical standpoint, as it generates sympathy for the mans political position, and from the standpoint that it's a really low and mean thing to do.

Think about it.

Of course someone would say that. Just like if this were to come up in school, most people would stand up and say, "Of course it's wrong to be joyful, someone died," and pretend to be good kids. That answer is politically correct. In the public eye people need to maintain that kind of facade. But the truth is here. Many people would be to afraid to speak out against someone as loathsome and hate-filled as Falwell publicly. But this is the internet, where writers are anonymous. And people actually speak their minds, not some superficial fallacy they're told is the polite thing to say.

~Kira Tobe

My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. ... I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling. Hustler magazine founder Larry Flynt.

The quote I was reffering to. I don't think there's anything PC about that, and I don't think Larry Flynt is a very PC person. It's just appropriate to show some civility at times like this.

I'm surprised Larry Flynt would say something like that. o_o

I refer to my former comment.

~Tobe

I refer to mine, creating an infinite feedback loop that will eventually destroy all existence as we know it, so I guess the end result won't matter anyway since we all have only moments to live anyway.

Promise to mock me once I'm gone.

Stop that, for a proper debate we need to say the same thing to each other over and over.

And I mock you while you're here so thats no problem.

ANYWAY!

The morale is that Karma will get you, sooner or later. Even if it takes 73 years.

~Tobe

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The morale is that Karma will get you, sooner or later. Even if it takes 73 years.

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Karma?!?!

ON topic, I had no clue who this dude even was. From what you guys are saying, sounds like I'm better off that way =)

Ignorance is not always bliss.

This dude was EVIL. Even so, the jubilance in this thread is in incredibly poor taste. And that's coming from me. Seriously, going WAHOO SOMEBODY IS DEAD isn't cool ever.

...Okay, maybe if the person is Hitler, but Hitler's already dead, so there's no reason to celebrate a person's death ever.

Cancel Easter! Wonderbat has spoken!

Jerry Falwell %^$# in hell. I hope the awakening God gave him and every other prejudiced holier-than-thou prick bigot like him was as rude as rude can be.

In short: one religious crazy down, far too many to go. Let's hope Bin Laden, Pat Robertson or Fred Phelps is next on the Reaper's list.

Insensitive? Maybe. A bit too blunt? Perhaps. But there is no doubt in my mind that Jerry Falwell was a poison breeding inhumanity towards man for profit, and for that he should burn for eternity while being beaten by a dozen Tinky-Winkys.

I wasn't celebrating (although I know people who've literally gone out drinking to mark the occasion) - but normally, I feel when someone dies that something has been taken away from humanity, and that's a pity. I just can't feel any sense of that in this case, because I can't think of anything to miss about him.

Logically, I know that he has a wife and children and they'll miss him. But I also look at articles on how those children've turned out and wonder what sort of legacy the blinkered old fool's leaving us - I'm not sure whether I'm pitying them or whoever they carry his messages of hate on to...

I find it ironic how someone who spent his life bawling so hard about imposing his definition of "good" should produce such atypically unpleasant thoughts from people who would normally consider themselves fair, moral and compassionate.

This is the guy that blamed guys and lesbians for the AIDS epidemic? The same guy who used morality as a way to become influence in American politics since the 1980's?

...

Good riddance Mr. Falwell. I'm glad I never had a chance to meet you.

I'm indifferent only because I really didn't know all that much about him. Though he never did cause me to hate him, only think he was a bit on the silly side.

Yup, thats him Dreamer.

~Tobe

Don't expect me to give him any more sympathy than I gave with Hitler (and it's so minuscule atoms look several times bigger).

The quote I was reffering to. I don't think there's anything PC about that, and I don't think Larry Flynt is a very PC person.

It's not about being PC, it's about PR. Remember, Seor Flynt, even though he sells the smut, is still someone selling product. Any sort of bad publicity can result in less sales, or worse yet get even MORE FLAK than he does on a day-to-day basis.

I'm pretty sure this little bastard was doing wheelies when he heard the noise. I can almost guarantee it.

As was I. I was all "raise the roof" and s@%!.

Am I the only one here that's astounded that several people here (I won't name names) are more excited (for lack of a better word) and joyous (at least if your posts are any indication) about the death of Jerry Falwell than they were over the death of Saddam Hussein?

Seriously. I don't get it.

The guy was an ass, and created a lot of unjustified hate, only justifying it by screening it through the religion of Christianity. The worst part about that is that most of his crap was placed publicly in the media.

He's another one of those types, Ultra, those people that make Christianity "look bad". You know that it's true, and it's out there. He had a lot of listeners, and a lot who followed his example, and slowed down the process of tolerance with just straight up hate mongering.

I'm not talking about "Oh, Christians don't agree with homosexuality, but we hate the sin, not the sinner, and thus we will pray for them," because that's at least thoughtful and peaceful. No, he was into damning a whole population and also overjoyed and thanked god that a good part of a country got wiped out by the tsunami. Why? Because that country was more liberal and openly accepted gays and lesbians, and hoped it took a lot of those gays with it. Also blamed THEM for the tsunami because of their blasphemy.

That's big hate. So he can screw off. He'll dance for hundreds of innocent deaths? Well that's fine, we'll all dance on his grave for his.

Edit - and just to clarify, it wasn't JUST about the gays. That's one of the biggest and most recent crazy outbursts of his that I could cite as an example. Though I can't remember if he said anything about Katrina. Wouldn't doubt it.

Robertson's time is ticking, now, too.

i celebrate no man's death

stooping to falwell's level by dancing on that bastard's grave is kind of silly, guys

Thanks, Deck.

I do not think that all of the expressions of joy and/or disappointment here are honest just because it's the Internet. After all, yes you can't get caught if you express your honest opinion, but the principle goes both ways if you decide to lie or otherwise be dishonest instead. I only wonder if things would be different if more people had told him these things to his face. Some people are PC, some people mean it when they are sad that he's gone, some people are being brutally honest about their opinions, and some people are just being danged rude.

Yes, Rev. Falwell said many terrible things and encouraged behavior not becoming of a Christian. And he and his ilk, I do not like because they are the sort who will jump to conclusions as to deciding who's going to Hell and who isn't - which is clearly up to God. However, Jerry Falwell is as much a child of God as anyone else who has or hasn't posted in this thread, and if I cannot find anything else good to say about him, I find that cause enough to mourn. And since he left this world without having the chance to make up for his hateful statements, we will never know how much better the world could have been had he chosen to use his influence for good rather than bad.

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Am I the only one here that's astounded that several people here (I won't name names) are more excited (for lack of a better word) and joyous (at least if your posts are any indication) about the death of Jerry Falwell than they were over the death of Saddam Hussein?

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Because Falwell's death was completely unexpected and he died naturally; whereas Saddam's was anticipated for years and years and kind of took a backseat to the politics and implications of his death.

Also, I feel no qualms in feeling pleased that a man who brought so much hate into the world, especially a hate that was directed at myself and others like me, is now no longer a problem. In this situation the onus is not on me to be the better person.

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Because Falwell's death was completely unexpected and he died naturally; whereas Saddam's was anticipated for years and years and kind of took a backseat to the politics and implications of his death.

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Yeah, Saddam's death sucked because it was an anticlimax. "Oh hey whatever happened to Saddam oh wait they just stretched him." It was a foregone conclusion when it happened, well after he'd been taken away from doing the things he deserved to die for.

Jerry Falwell's death was like an unexpected extra ray of sunshine on a sunny day. You hate the man and he keeps saying things that make you despise him more and then lo and behold he dies, thus ending the torment his bigotry has caused. That day was already on the up-and-up with me; Falwell croaking was like finding a dime on the ground.

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Falwell croaking was like finding a dime on the ground.

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F that, dude, a friggin' QUARTER!

I come late to this topic, but...

I sort of wish the guy'd had the taste to die 30 years earlier.

It's a shame that there's no hell for this guy to go to.

I never even heard of him before this.
I never think it's good when someone dies, but like Sam, I really don't care if the old fart died. I can't stand people who use religon to gain influence in politics.
If that makes me cold hearted, then so be it.

Still waiting for Swaggart to follow suit.

~Tobe

I am a resident of Lynchburg, Virginia, the home and resting place of Falwell. My family and their friends knew him. Behind the controversy was a kind man who was funny and brought a real influence to my community. Sure I don't like what he said about homosexuals, but that doesn't mean he was a heartless being. He was just a person who was not afraid to speak about what was on his mind.(even though he did not sometimes think it through.)

Of course, people that say horrible things about other people for no reason must be model humans. Makes perfect sense.

~Tobe

Come on Rico, don't be that guy...

I think I said before that I know nothing of this guy.

That said, just because somebody does a bad thing (or things) doesn't mean they don't have some redeeming values. If stories I've heard are true, Bill Gates is a tightwad. Supposedly he doesn't tip his barber (ohnoes). Does that make him kind of an ass? Yes. Does that make him an absolutly horrible human being? No. He gives a lot of money towards charities. Could he give more? Yeah, definitely. But hell, I could and really should give more. Hell, we probably all could be doing a lot more than just sitting in front of our computers, typing stupid messages to people we've never even meet before.

Your response to EHH123's comment is something I'd expect for Bat or Geo... Not a mod. You know what he's trying to say. No where did he say the man is a model human being. He even admitted what the man said about homosexuals wasn't right.

I thought this thread died.

How ironic that it lives on.

True evil never really dies. At least if the trope holds true.

~Tobe

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Supposedly he doesn't tip his barber (ohnoes).

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There is more than a bit of difference between being tight with money, and being responsible for the oppression and misery of millions of people.

Of course no one is completely evil. I'm sure Falwell was seen as a wonderful man by those who knew him. But even Hitler was nice to his dogs.

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But even Hitler was nice to his dogs.

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[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwi n's_Law]OH, WHOOPS.[/url]

Thread's over. You lose.

I don't subscribe to that =p

You're only saying that because you committed a logical fallacy of epic scale.

That's not a logical fallacy. It's the dumbest internet meme ever, when used in that way: Instead, it applies to inappropriate, inordinate, or hyperbolic comparisons of other situations (or one's opponent) with Hitler or Nazis. However, Godwin's Law can itself also be abused, as a distraction or diversion, that fallaciously miscasts an opponent's argument as hyperbole, especially if the comparisons made by the argument are actually appropriate. The point was not to compare him, by being nice to some people, to Hitler. He was saying that most people have redeeming qualities.

Basically, I'm not surprised he would be considered a good person personally or in his community, especially if his public enemy Larry Flynt said the same, and if I'd met him I don't expect he'd be particularly unpleasant. Most people are like that, because the idea of a "straight villain" is pretty much fantasy for strong fictional storytelling.

I consider being tight with money and killing other people one and the same... Don't you guys?

Of course I wasn't saying they are similar dude.

Bill Gates is the LAST person I'd call "tight with money." The money he's donated to charities exceeds the GDP of small nations.

I didn't give Dad any sort of gift for Father's Day. Call ME tight with money. 😛

There's something I learned in Economics class that I could use to disuade you SX. But... but I forget #><#

Yeah, besides that what you hear about Bill Gates being rich is actually mostly due to the stock he holds. So to spend it he has to sell stock, which is financially disadvantageous if he's good at investing, if not risky for his control.