LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who founded the Moral Majority and built the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University, a school executive said. He was 73.
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Ron Godwin, the university's executive vice president, said Falwell, 73, was found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. "CPR efforts were unsuccessful," he said.
Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but he said Falwell "has a history of heart challenges."
"I had breakfast with him, and he was fine at breakfast," Godwin said. "He went to his office, I went to mine, and they found him unresponsive."
Falwell had survived two serious health scares in early 2005. He was hospitalized for two weeks with what was described as a viral infection, then was hospitalized again a few weeks later after going into respiratory arrest. Later that year, doctors found a 70 percent blockage in an artery, which they opened with stents.
Falwell credited his Moral Majority with getting millions of conservative voters registered, electing Ronald Reagan and giving Republicans Senate control in 1980.
"I shudder to think where the country would be right now if the religious right had not evolved," Falwell said when he stepped down as Moral Majority president in 1987.
The fundamentalist church that Falwell started in an abandoned bottling plant in 1956 grew into a religious empire that includes the 22,000-member Thomas Road Baptist Church, the "Old Time Gospel Hour" carried on television stations around the country and 7,700-student Liberty University. He built Christian elementary schools, homes for unwed mothers and a home for alcoholics.
He also founded Liberty University in Lynchburg, which began as Lynchburg Baptist College in 1971.
Liberty University's commencement is scheduled for Saturday, with former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the featured speaker.
In 2006, Falwell marked the 50th anniversary of his church and spoke out on stem cell research, saying he sympathized with people with medical problems, but that any medical research must pass a three-part test: "Is it ethically correct? Is it biblically correct? Is it morally correct?"
Falwell had once opposed mixing preaching with politics, but he changed his view and in 1979, founded the Moral Majority. The political lobbying organization grew to 6.5 million members and raised $69 million as it supported conservative politicians and campaigned against abortion, homosexuality, pornography and bans on school prayer.
Falwell became the face of the religious right, appearing on national magazine covers and on television talk shows. In 1983, U.S. News & World Report named him one of 25 most influential people in America.
In 1984, he sued Hustler magazine for $45 million, charging that he was libeled by an ad parody depicting him as an incestuous drunkard. A federal jury found the fake ad did not libel him, but awarded him $200,000 for emotional distress. That verdict was overturned, however, in a landmark 1988 U.S. Supreme Court decision that held that even pornographic spoofs about a public figure enjoy First Amendment protection.
The case was depicted in the 1996 movie "The People v. Larry Flynt."
With Falwell's high profile came frequent criticism, even from fellow ministers. The Rev. Billy Graham once rebuked him for political sermonizing on "non-moral issues."
Falwell quit the Moral Majority in 1987, saying he was tired of being "a lightning rod" and wanted to devote his time to his ministry and Liberty University. But he remained outspoken and continued to draw criticism for his remarks.
Days after Sept. 11, 2001, Falwell essentially blamed feminists, gays, lesbians and liberal groups for bringing on the terrorist attacks. He later apologized.
In 1999, he told a evangelical conference that the Antichrist was a male Jew who was probably already alive. Falwell later apologized for the remark but not for holding the belief. A month later, his National Liberty Journal warned parents that Tinky Winky, a purple, purse-toting character on television's "Teletubbies" show, was a gay role model and morally damaging to children.
Falwell was re-energized after moral values issues proved important in the 2004 presidential election. He formed the Faith and Values Coalition as the "21st Century resurrection of the Moral Majority," to seek anti-abortion judges, a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and more conservative elected officials.
The big, blue-eyed preacher with a booming voice started his independent Baptist church with 35 members. From his living room, he began broadcasting his message of salvation and raising the donations that helped his ministry grow.
"He was one of the first to come up with ways to use television to expand his ministry," said Robert Alley, a retired University of Richmond religion professor who studied and criticized Falwell's career.
Posted by cottonjim on :
Anyone else remember the comic strip "Bloom County?" member how it used to go on about the moral majority, lol, that was some funny schmidt. Oh, my condolences to the Falwell's.
Posted by bdgee on :
It's dominating the news.
Posted by glassman on :
the moral majority is neither..
my condolences to the family as well...
i've never been a fan of any of the Televangelists.... but? as Jesse Jackson said today we can still disagree and not let that cloud our apreciation for others...
Posted by bdgee on :
Yes, "as Jesse Jackson said today we can still disagree and not let that cloud our apreciation for others..."
and I add, "like Falwell did to the extreme".
I hope the reports are true and he died peacefully without fear and pain.
Posted by ruthie on :
You may not like everything he stood for but he knew the scriptures well...My condolences to his family and faculty and students at Liberty University.
Posted by glassman on :
i have a friend that had one choice offered to her for college by her family.. Liberty...
she had alot of interstingthings to say...
one that made me most curious is that they offer classes on how to create a "spiritual atmosphere" in meetings and meeting halls... lighting, sound amplification etc... in other words? theatre class...
Posted by bdgee on :
Albert Speer handled that sort of thing for Hitler.
Posted by ruthie on :
Good grief!!
Posted by rimasco on :
I was gonna say guys....stop biting your lips...youre gonna gnaw it off!
Posted by rimasco on :
quote:Originally posted by bdgee: Albert Speer handled that sort of thing for Hitler.
Im sorry, But I over-looked this before
LMFFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by dinner42 on :
quote:Originally posted by rimasco:
quote:Originally posted by bdgee: Albert Speer handled that sort of thing for Hitler.
Im sorry, But I over-looked this before
LMFFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm on the floor !
....he was a nice man when he wasn't a biggot! Many pastors did not agree with him..ie: Rev Schuller spoke of it today on Larry King..They did become friends somewhat. I like Robert and son and have most of my life. The Crystal Cathedral I am sure send its respects to the family. God Bless.the FF :-D
Posted by glassman on :
dinner, that's quite the qualification eh?
he was a nice man when he wasn't a biggot
that's kinda how read him too.. which makes him NOT a nice man...
Posted by dinner42 on :
I was being nice, since he just past away..
you know..
Posted by bdgee on :
I don't think he would have been nice to you.
Posted by dinner42 on :
Thats him.. I am me..and you are you.
Profound huh?
Posted by dinner42 on :
Perhaps I'll say a prayer..and ponder for the rest of the week wondering, hoping, wishing.
naa, he was a bully!
Posted by bond006 on :
The worlds a better place without him in it.
Not going to dig up dirt but he sure was a mentaly ill person
Posted by ruthie on :
These are some pretty awful and sad commentaries...
Posted by bdgee on :
Ruthie, he was a "pretty awful and sad" excuse for a decent or a responsible person.
Posted by jordanreed on :
those commentatries are the result of the way falwell was perceived...he took on alot of people,seeing himself as a crusader.He was an ass....he was old, lived his life well, and now he is dead..I couldnt care less. am i sorry?..no. But it is a sad time for his family.....
Posted by Munchkin Man on :
Greetings To All:
The Munchkin Man is mourning the death of Reverand Jerry Falwell.
For those of you who are not, the Munchkin Man wishes you could have heard Sean Hannity's eulogy of Reverand Jerry Falwell on his radio show the other day.
It was absolutely beautiful. It brought tears to the Munchkin Man's eyes.
He was a warm and compassionate human being. Many students from Liberty University called in to give their personal testimonies as to how he had profoundly touched their lives.
You don't have to believe in everything he said.
But one thing is certain.
He was the real deal.
Very Sincerely,
Munchkin Man
Posted by jordanreed on :
pure b.s.
Posted by The Bigfoot on :
He made the same mistake so many others do. He forgot that judgment is for God and God alone. His was to spread the word, not shape it.
He was a charismatic leader who created some very good things and helped many people. But his theology was heavy handed and exclusionary.
Posted by CashCowMoo on :
has anyone seen the movie the people vs larry flint? thats where i first heard about jerry
Posted by bdgee on :
It was an excellent movis, ccm.
Strangely, Flint seems, on the surface, to be little more than scum on the pond of life, but down in the trenches of what really underlies America, he fights the good fight for all of us when we are afraid and take easy way, giving in to the dogma that attacks the Constitution and seeks to turn us to fascism.
(Of course, I recognize that he can take on those battles, because of his unique public image and vast fortune. Most of us would be steam-rollered in a short time by the overwhelming forces. We are in his debt.)
Posted by bond006 on :
Mr.Falwell finaly fell and imho the world is a better place.
Mr.Falwell Said he bleieved in Christ show me where Christ ever supported a war Like Falwell.
Show me where Christ ever supported any Kingdom but the Kingdom of God.
And Show me where Christ ever said to kill people for there own good and for the good of Christians.
Good-by Falwell you never had to answer these questions to man but now you are ansering them to God lol Falwell
Posted by bdgee on :
Yes, bond, a lot less hate and disrespect will be there now. The man was a cess pool of hatred and nastiness. We should now prevail nicely without that stench.
Posted by cottonjim on :
Yes, amazing how he spoke so negatively about the things that he didn't beleve in. He spoke with an angrily filled rhetoric to cheapen anyone that didn't follow his point of views. that's funny, dont yo.................. never mind
Posted by andrew on :
You guys make me sick!! The man has not even been barried yet and you all are calling him names. If you did not like him....you should keep your mean spirited comments to your self. He has a family that has been devistated. If your father died how would you feel if everyone said he was a sorry piece of s---. You people have no shame. Show some respect.
Posted by glassman on :
LOL. Anderew, he made his living by jumping in front of a TV camera... that's the price of fame... deal with it...
i'm gonna go find something to sacrifice in his memory tonight... is it a full moon yet?
Billy Graham's shadow was brighter than him...
Posted by andrew on :
Sicko.
Posted by bdgee on :
That crap goes both ways, andy.
If he did not like me....he should have kept his mean spirited comments to himself.
It was was perhaps two weeks after my mother died of cancer when that scum-bucket went on on some talk show and blurted out proudly that cancer was punishment from God for those that didn't do some idiotic thing Falwell wanted us to (political, if I recall), that I lost any thought of him being even worth consieration. I didn't believe his s-it, but it sickened me.
Ya know what, I have heard his family members embrace the nasty crap that evil old monster belched out. So, to hell with their feelings, just like he and his family said to mine.
What shame or respect did Falwell ever show to anyone?
Posted by NaturalResources on :
Bdgee....Why were you not yelling and caring on when he was alive. Everyone waits until he is dead and complains about him. Complain when he could respond to your concerns. I am sorry about your mom, but be the bigger man and let things go. Why bother getting you blood pressure up.....For what? HE IS DEAD.
Posted by bdgee on :
Hahahaha
Andy, I'm not yelling and I'm not saying anything now I didn't before.
Just because it doesn't comply with your (and Falwell's) radical religious bent doesn't make what I (or anyone else) say "yelling" or "not caring' or "complaining".
I say quite calmly (with my normally low blood pressure):
Jerry Falwell was a despicable mean evil lying incarnation of the devil. Posted by andrew on :
Just because it doesn't comply with your (and Falwell's) radical religious bent doesn't make what I (or anyone else) say "yelling" or "not caring' or "complaining".
MY radical religious beliefs?...LMAO.
Posted by NaturalResources on :
quote:Jerry Falwell was a despicable mean evil lying incarnation of the devil. - Bdgee
quote:Billy Graham is the chief servant of Satan in America. - Jerry Falwell
Does that mean Falwell signed Graham's paycheck...? And where does Robertson fit in the picture?
Posted by Munchkin Man on :
quote:Originally posted by bdgee: Jerry Falwell was a despicable mean evil lying incarnation of the devil.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)