Posted on 09/14/2001 6:10:41 PM PDT by Media2Powerful
STATEMENT BY JERRY FALWELL ON 700 CLUB COMMENTS
Senior Pastor, Thomas Road Baptist Church and Chancellor, Liberty University Lynchburg, Virginia
September 14, 2001
Despite the impression some may have from news reports today, I hold no one other than the terrorists and the people and nations who have enabled and harbored them responsible for Tuesday's attacks on this nation.
I sincerely regret that comments I made during a long theological discussion on a Christian television program yesterday were taken out of their context and reported, and that my thoughts--reduced to sound bites--have detracted from the spirit of this day of mourning.
Today, I join millions of people throughout this nation and around the world in remembering all those who died, and praying for our nation, the victims of this travesty, and their loved ones.
No he didn't. He called for a spiritual renewal. This applies to everyone, obedient Christians and new pilgrims. Everyone. Not just some sinners. Not just "them". And nowhere did he even hint that the conduct of Americans was to blame for this, or that God was punishing us. He said he doesn't know why God permits suffering. There are a lot of people here at FR who claim to know. And like Mr. Falwell, they not only know that God has intervened to punish us for the conduct of some of us, they actually know WHICH specific sins and sinners the Lord has singled out. It's really quite extraordinary.
I would never question your right to believe that if you want, but I personally don't consider porn or abortion to be necessarily sinful. Besides, herbal abortificants were not (as far as I know) considered murder by any religious figures in Biblical times. Jewish tradition teaches that a infant acquires a soul in his or her first breath... but I'm straying from the point.
No one is 'speaking for God' -- it's already in there and He speaks well enough for Himself.
If you accept whatever version of The Bible Farwell uses as the literal and infallible Message From The Divine. I don't. I don't mind that you and Jerry do, but I do find it rather arrogant and inflammatory that he would blame me for revoking "God's protection". I'm not saying he hasn't the right to say it, but you better believe I'm voting against any politician who shares his sentiment.
And another thing... isn't it kinda, well, medieval to go around saying every event or tragety is the Judgement Of God? You'd think Roberson would have learned after predicting "tornadoes, hurricanes, and possibly a meteor" to strike Disneyworld in 98, only to get his own state smacked by hurricane Bonnie...
I don't know if you feel that the Bible supports such a view, and I don't kow that you believe the Bible is relevant, but if you believe in "A God" you might want to read His word some. In this instance I would recommend Job. Perhaps one of the oldest books in His word. Job and his friends were trying to figure out why such terrible things had happened to the "world's most righteous man". Job asked this question of God. Read God's answer very carefully. "Job, where were you when I laid the foundation for the world..." If you believe in God this sentence should make you shudder.
In fact if you sort of skip around to random places in your Bible you can find manyplaces where this "idea" of His Sovereignty is supported. Let us turn our attention to one of the newest books in the Bible, Matthew 15. Our Saviour points out that in verse 13 "every plant my Father has not planted will be uprooted". This veiw of the redeemed of the Lord seems rather harsh, doesn't it? In fact, from our perspective, it seems downright unreasonable, doesn't it? Before we begin to chastise Him we had best remember His answer to Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the world..."
So we can clearly find that He is Sovereign. We can also find that He knows not all of His creation will worship Him. We know He uses people for His will. It doesn't take much to extend these facts logically to see that He will use those who hate Him just as readily as those who love Him. There you have it. His hand is in everything, we, of course have the freedom to choose, but he knows our choice before we do, and in fact, He counts on it. His book supports this view. Frankly it doesn't support the view you seem to have, that He only "gets involved occaisionally".
Exactly. Glad he apologized. I forgive him. Now if some of the freepers around here who have been defending his stance just get the message. . .
Pat Robertson is saying that God punished babies in Northridge for the sins of people they didn't know. I am frankly sick of that nonsense. I think when God gives divine retribution, he is powerful enough to be a bit more discriminating. Apartment dwellers who looked through the rubble for their husbands and children do not to need to hear Falwell and Robertson tell them that God is punishing the entire region, and Oh well.
It was not God that created this tragedy. God mourns for his lost children. It was false Gods, lack of human decency in the followers of these barbarians such as Bin Laden that created this tragedy.
Then you are living in denial. Haven't you ever heard of the divine, cosmic law of cause-and-effect? Also known as "karma"?? What do you think the effects of porn and abortion are? They delude people into thinking they will find sexual happiness and freedom from responsibility through them. Meanwhile, they live in spiritual death.
There is a cosmic law that is very exact and has no sense of humor. What we sow, we reap. Man brings suffering upon himself from wrong thoughts and action. When he cleans his act up and makes a spiritual effort, turning his limited human consciousness to God-consciousness, through prayer and right action, his future will improve. All of us can make that choice at any time.
This is a world of delusion, of light and shadow, evil and good. You don't seem to want to acknowledge that evil exists even though we had a fine demonstration of it on Tuesday.
If the Reverend Graham doesn't know, maybe he ought to read his Bible again.
Perhaps God permits suffering as a last resort to bring his children back to Him? That we won't think of Him unless we're in trouble? The whole nation is turning to prayer because, perhaps for the first time, we realize that there is no safety apart from the Divine?
Stop letting your hatred of religion show. It is not the Taliban. I have challenged those who hate the so-called "religious right" to show me what they have done to control their lives. What legislation have they gotten passed?
On the other hand, look what their enemies have done. They are destroying the Scouts. We can't even have a moment of silence in schools. There cannot be a recognition of God at a graduation.
You tell me who is more dangerous. Jerry Falwell or the radical gays, radical secularists and radical leftists who have been systematically destroying our institutions.
All those little children overseas cheering the destruction of Americans never heard the song, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white - they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world."
Who will teach the children of Afghanistan, of the Palestinians, of Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Libya, Africa, China to sing that song?
That's a humorous comment. I'm VERY religious, in fact. This has nothing to do with being AGAINST religion, but FOR religious freedom.
I defend Falwell's and Robertson's right to believe as they wish, but I also defend the religious rights of Jews, Hindus, Muslims and anyone else.
It is reprehensible for Falwell or Robertson to make public remarks blaming an entire religion for the acts of a few fanatics.
I would still like to know, however, who you consider more dangerous. Is it Falwell or the radical homosexuals?
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