Jerry Falwell Jr.'s fatal miscalculation (1 Viewer)

[Somerville]

In the present-day America it can be difficult to separate religion from politics, so I've created this thread in our Religion forum "Beliefs and Skepticism". As with many other public figures in the evangelical world, Mr Falwell seems to have been more engaged with the financial benefits than those promised by his religion.

Jerry Falwell Jr.'s fatal miscalculation

Last fall, as scrutiny of his leadership of Liberty University began to intensify, Jerry Falwell Jr. revealed to a CNN reporter one of the secrets of his school's success.

It didn't start, he said, with his famous father, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who built the religious right, starred in the "Old Time Gospel Hour" on TV and founded the evangelical college in Lynchburg, Virginia. Instead Falwell Jr. praised the pluck and moral flexibility of his grandfather, a bootlegger who delivered moonshine to Virginia hill-dwellers during Prohibition. Dismissive of organized religion, Carey Falwell died at age 55, with a hip flask in his pocket and an unsaved soul, his grandson said.

"My father became a Christian," said Falwell Jr., "but he took that same entrepreneurial spirit into the religious world. And that's why Liberty is where it is today."

Ah yes, that "same entrepreneurial spirit" that has made some preachers multi-millionaires while many in their congregations are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and to feed their families. What were the words of that Jesus guy, these multi-grubbers love to quote?

“If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

I like the opinion author's conclusion, others may hold different opinions

As Falwell benefited from Liberty's growing reputation as a center of Christian conservatism, he appeared to be flouting the very beliefs that accounted for its moral power.

When a conservative Christian gets snared in a sex scandal, critics immediately cry "hypocrisy!", as if one sinner's fall discredits an entire faith. But Jerry Falwell Jr. wasn't a hypocrite. He never pretended to be holier than thou. Like many successful capitalists, he believed that money made him invulnerable.

His fatal sin wasn't hypocrisy, it was hubris.

 

[CaughtInThe]

They wouldn't let the students go to dances as they raked in the cash.

 

[Daisy]

In other words, he was a great con man, selling his ministry for money...

 

[CaughtInThe]

In other words, he was a great con man, selling his ministry for money...

There is a ton of money in religion.

Go find the New York Times opinion piece by an ex Liberty student, who is at seminary now, and read it. It's worse than I thought.

 

[Crosscheck]

There will others to come out and share their stories.
Very doubtful the pool boy was not their first time they roped a pony from the herd.

 

[TypicalRussian]

There is a ton of money in religion.

Go find the New York Times opinion piece by an ex Liberty student, who is at seminary now, and read it. It's worse than I thought.

yes because they donate money to the church

whats the matter with that?

 

[Somerville]

There will others to come out and share their stories.
Very doubtful the pool boy was not their first time they roped a pony from the herd.

Like this guy? It does seem that Mrs Falwell liked sex with others

‘She was the aggressor’: Former Liberty student alleges sexual encounter with Becki Falwell

former Liberty University student says Becki Falwell, the wife of the university’s then-President Jerry Falwell Jr., jumped into bed with him and performed oral sex on him while he stayed over at the Falwell home after a band practice with her eldest son in 2008.

The student was 22 at the time of the encounter, near the start of Liberty’s fall semester. He said she initiated the act, and he went along with it. But despite his rejection of further advances, he said, Falwell continued pursuing him, offering him gifts and engaging in banter through Facebook messages.

“She was the aggressor,” he said.

The messages, screenshots of which were provided by the former student to POLITICO, suggest a flirtatious relationship that went beyond what might be expected of a mother communicating with her son’s bandmate.

 

[Daisy]

yes because they donate money to the church

whats the matter with that?

Donations are one thing...begging, pleading, insisting, tithing is quite another...have you seen some of these idiots on TV...their whole program is about money...

 

[TypicalRussian]

Donations are one thing...begging, pleading, insisting, tithing is quite another...have you seen some of these idiots on TV...their whole program is about money...

ay yes i know protestant institutions exist.

 

[Daisy]

There is a ton of money in religion.

Go find the New York Times opinion piece by an ex Liberty student, who is at seminary now, and read it. It's worse than I thought.

I live not far from Lynchburg...believe me, the Falwells have been a running joke around these parts for years...

 

[Crosscheck]

I live not far from Lynchburg...believe me, the Falwells have been a running joke around these parts for years...

Money and power gives people this false belief they are bulletproof.

Same thing with Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. Both being public figures thought they could go out and have sex with either an intern or porn star and nobody would know.
And the biggest idiot has to be South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford who thought he could fly down to Argentina for a week and spend it with his girlfriend without anyone questioning his absence.

Have always felt if I won a large lottery it would absolutely ruin me.

 

[CaughtInThe]

Donations are one thing...begging, pleading, insisting, tithing is quite another...have you seen some of these idiots on TV...their whole program is about money...

they don't care how corrupt some religious people have become.

heck, they cheer it in many cases.

 

[CaughtInThe]

I live not far from Lynchburg...believe me, the Falwells have been a running joke around these parts for years...

i always wondered if the Falwells/Liberty run that town or if they're held at arms length.

 

[RAMOSS]

There will others to come out and share their stories.
Very doubtful the pool boy was not their first time they roped a pony from the herd.

There was the guy that was in their son's band too. ‘She was the aggressor’: Former Liberty student alleges sexual encounter with Becki Falwell - POLITICO

 

[Rumpel]

Mr Falwell is a model Bible Christian! eace:mrgreen::lamo