Why is Falwell still talking?

IminWonderland · 09-25-2006, 02:00 AM

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- The Rev. Jerry Falwell acknowledged on Sunday saying that if Hillary Rodham Clinton were the Democrats' presidential nominee in 2008, it would motivate conservative evangelical Christians to oppose her more than if the devil himself were running.

Falwell said in a telephone interview that his comments to several hundred pastors and religious activists at the "Value Voter Summit" conference were "totally tongue-in-cheek."

"I certainly hope that Hillary is the candidate," Falwell said at a breakfast session Friday in Washington. "I hope she's the candidate, because nothing will energize my (constituency) like Hillary Clinton," he said. "If Lucifer ran, he wouldn't."

Clinton press secretary Philippe Reines said Sunday, "Working for someone who believes in the Golden Rule, we're not going to engage in such vitriolic discourse -- but it seems that a new low has been reached in demonizing political opponents."

Falwell told the AP that he did not intend to demonize the former first lady. "That was totally tongue-in-cheek and everyone in the building knew that and everyone laughed," Falwell said.

Falwell said religious conservatives do not favor Clinton for several reasons, but mostly because she is pro-choice on abortion, "the cutting-edge issue for social conservatives."

"I just think that she has enough of a record before our people now to bring most of them to the polls," Falwell said.

The Rev. Barry Lynn, director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said, "I don't know why Jerry Falwell always has to drag politics into the gutter."

Lynn, whose advocacy group scrutinizes the religious right and was monitoring last week's conference, added, "Maybe the devil made him do it."

Attendees also were assured during the prayer breakfast that God would preserve a Republican majority in Congress.

Falwell would not say what he thought would happen in 2008 if Clinton were not the nominee.

"In '08, I think that's too far ahead to know what's going to happen in the domestic and foreign policy issues," Falwell said in the interview.

"In my opinion, the big issue then will be what the big issue is today, and that is national security and the war on terrorism at home and abroad. I don't think anybody doubts that the Republicans have a better record and a better commitment to national security than the Democrats do," Falwell said.

His remarks were first reported in Sunday's Los Angeles Times.

CNN.com - Falwell: Hillary Clinton beats devil in drawing*No votes - Sep 24, 2006

I wonder, with as polarized as this country is at this point between the Extreme Fundamentalist Christians, and well, the rest of us, are we going to hear more and more politicians being compared to Lucifier now? Like, instead of saying LIBERAL, the key work to hear will be SATAN?

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 07:32 AM

You'll hear the same stuff from them that you've heard since the dawn of Christianity.

And he still talks because that's the kind of country we live in; one that allows him to.

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 08:29 AM

The whole thing sounds tongue-in-cheek though, considering he was talking to a bunch of preachers. I wouldn't take it too seriously; knowing the media though, I can't expect them to leave it be.

Ardentfrost · 09-25-2006, 11:45 AM

It amazes me that people actually take him seriously. My fiance's parents are VERY conservative baptists, and when Falwell spoke at their church last year, they made her and I go. I sat next to her dad, who sat there and avidly took notes about what Falwell was saying, whereas I sat there and took notes on the stuff he was saying that was very much opposite from the teachings of Christ.

I wish I still had that paper I wrote everything down on. I even looked up some coutering scripture to point out his bigotry using his own weapon.

He really is one of the biggest douches in America.

motivez · 09-25-2006, 03:05 PM

I wonder if there will be a chorus of people who normally criticize her condemning his comparison of being worse than Lucifer like there was when Chavez did the same thing to Bush?

Somehow, I doubt it.

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I wonder if there will be a chorus of people who normally criticize her condemning his comparison of being worse than Lucifer like there was when Chavez did the same thing to Bush?

Somehow, I doubt it.

1) It was the democrats that started the condemnation of Chavez

2) The reason Chavez was condemned was because he was not a citizen of the US, but actually allowed to come on our land

3) The democrats condemn Falwell at every chance they can (probably why this story arose) so I'm sure you'll have your 'chorus'

and PS...he wasn't saying she is Lucifer.

motivez · 09-25-2006, 03:27 PM

Way to defend him with a 3, oops, no, 4-point post.

Like I said, I doubt it happens. A shame though, since extreme remarks such as these should be lambasted regardless of who makes them.

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

Way to defend him with a 3, oops, no, 4-point post.

Like I said, I doubt it happens. A shame though, since extreme remarks such as these should be lambasted regardless of who makes them.

The more I read it, the more ridiculous the whole thing is. How is this extreme? It's completely tongue-in-cheek. He doesn't say 'she's the devil'; he doesn't say 'she's more evil than the devil'; he doesn't say anything like that.

He says 'nothing will move the evangelical base to become actively involved in politics more than Hillary running, not even the devil himself'

What's wrong with a statement like that? People, including yourself, are way to quick to judge someone or jump on someone for petty remarks such as this.

This has nothing to do with me defending Falwell. I could care less about the fat man. I care more about pathetic attempts to discredit them by attacking them for these things. You made a terrible comparison with the Chavez remark. All I did was point it out. Stop pointing fingers at me saying I'm 'defending him'; there's no point to it at all.

IminWonderland · 09-25-2006, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I wonder if there will be a chorus of people who normally criticize her condemning his comparison of being worse than Lucifer like there was when Chavez did the same thing to Bush?

Somehow, I doubt it.

I think this is a good point. Because look at that hub-bub not just from Democrats who spoke out, but from people, some on this board, who say that was out of line.

Let's consider what he was saying, Hillary running will motivate his base, as if she were Satan. And he put Hillary and Satan in the same sentence because he's trying to associate her with evil. There are alot of other entities he could have used, but he wanted to bring up the most evil one he could think of.

So, it's Ok to equate Hillary but not Bush?

Him saying this, to me....is GROSSLY Un-christian.

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by IminWonderland

Let's consider what he was saying, Hillary running will motivate his base, as if she were Satan.

but that's not what he was saying at all

And he put Hillary and Satan in the same sentence because he's trying to associate her with evil.

Or, it's as simple as saying the evangelicals would be more motivated, moreso than if the devil was running. Nowhere is he saying she is the devil, or she is evil. Do they still teach reading comprehension in school?

So, it's Ok to equate Hillary but not Bush?

Chavez actually said Bush was the devil. How can you compare the two?

Him saying this, to me....is GROSSLY Un-christian.

Of course it is. Your mom having Bible studies is un-Christian too, according to you.

Ardentfrost · 09-25-2006, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Or, it's as simple as saying the evangelicals would be more motivated, moreso than if the devil was running. Nowhere is he saying she is the devil, or she is evil. Do they still teach reading comprehension in school?

It really does seem to me, in this sense, that he's saying she's WORSE than the devil. As you said, he's saying that Clinton will get super christians more motivated than the devil... I see him trying to make a correlation there. He doesn't have to say ver batim "Hilary Clinton is worse than Satan" to say it.

I mean, I'm just giving my opinion, but to tell you the truth, what I quoted from you allowed me to see it even more than just seeing Falwell's words.

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

It really does seem to me, in this sense, that he's saying she's WORSE than the devil. As you said, he's saying that Clinton will get super christians more motivated than the devil... I see him trying to make a correlation there. He doesn't have to say ver batim "Hilary Clinton is worse than Satan" to say it.

I mean, I'm just giving my opinion, but to tell you the truth, what I quoted from you allowed me to see it even more than just seeing Falwell's words.

And it was completely tongue-in-cheek; a sort of metaphor if you will to show they will be very motivated

Ardentfrost · 09-25-2006, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

And it was completely tongue-in-cheek; a sort of metaphor if you will to show they will be very motivated

I guess

Falwell isn't a very jovial dude though. He's pretty serious, and even when he spouting the most ludacris shit you've ever heard, he's saying it with conviction: like you should be able to come to the same conclusion yourself if you only thought about it for 2 seconds.

That's what really got me about him. He really seemed to believe his own bullshit.

motivez · 09-25-2006, 07:36 PM

I disagree about tongue in cheek, and I'm also dissapointed that conservatives, especially Christian's, are perfectly okay with the comparison being made.. especially after so many leading Democrats and liberals came out against Chavez and his ridiculous rhetoric.

IminWonderland · 09-25-2006, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I disagree about tongue in cheek, and I'm also dissapointed that conservatives, especially Christian's, are perfectly okay with the comparison being made.. especially after so many leading Democrats and liberals came out against Chavez and his ridiculous rhetoric.

Well, I guess the next time the "left" doesn't like someone from the "right", we can just call them Satan. Or Beezlebum. Or Lucifer. And compare them to ultimate evil...

And then they'll totally disect our sentence and it would be considered "tongue in cheek".....

Right...

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I disagree about tongue in cheek, and I'm also dissapointed that conservatives, especially Christian's, are perfectly okay with the comparison being made.. especially after so many leading Democrats and liberals came out against Chavez and his ridiculous rhetoric.

Falwell said in a telephone interview that his comments to several hundred pastors and religious activists at the "Value Voter Summit" conference were "totally tongue-in-cheek."

I still don't know why you keep bringing up Chavez. He said Bush IS the devil. A HUGE difference from what Falwell said.

IminWonderland · 09-25-2006, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

I still don't know why you keep bringing up Chavez. He said Bush IS the devil. A HUGE difference from what Falwell said.

Semantically there is a difference.

But the intent and message are essentially the same.

Bush = Devil

Clinton = Devil

Geez, with so much evil around here it is sure getting hard to figure out which is which...

ballz2wallz · 09-25-2006, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by IminWonderland

Clinton = Devil

No, Clinton is disliked more than the devil. That's the difference. The devil is less of a threat.

So if you put the two together, you have Clinton is disliked more than Bush.

IminWonderland · 09-26-2006, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

No, Clinton is disliked more than the devil. That's the difference. The devil is less of a threat.

So if you put the two together, you have Clinton is disliked more than Bush.

One has to wonder what has happened to the human condition, when our ultimate foe and ultimate evil that we have relied on for binary human conditioning for centuries, has been downgraded because of.....Hilary Clinton. And like he says, she is disliked because she's pro-choice. So being pro-choice opens one up to being on the same level, or in this case, lower than that, than Satan?

It makes me think that Christians have forgotten about the true evils of the mortal world. And now their concerns are conversion, politics, and money.

ballz2wallz · 09-26-2006, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by IminWonderland

It makes me think that Christians have forgotten about the true evils of the mortal world.

To Christians, murder is true evil