Posted on 09/14/2001 11:54:59 PM PDT by Brian_Baldwin
Is Jerry Falwell America's Taliban?
I do not know a lot about Jerry Falwell since I am not interested in his religion. Of course, I am familiar with him as a media icon of sorts, and have seen him on television giving commentary on current events as a guest of news talk programs on the networks, such as MSNBC or FOX. Even though I do not necessarily agree with some of the viewpoints which I have heard him express, and since I have no interest in his religion there is sometimes a disconnection between reality as I see it and his religious viewpoint as to why things happen in this world, nevertheless I have admired some of his works and was positive about what I would call a bravery in his personality, a motif of bravery in his openness about his convictions. I want to again clarify, that I am not familiar with everything Reverend Falwell has said either in the past or present since I do not regularly listen to him and certainly do not count myself as one of his enthusiasts.
Of the little that I am familiar of him, my positive feelings about him have now changed due to a recent comment he has made, and I have to seriously ask whether he might be a nut or something, and I don't mean to call him a nut as an insult but rather question if he might have mental problems. Current events, as related to the recent terrorist attack by what appears to be the Osama Bin Laden network of Islamic terrorist fanatics and the religious nut-case government of the Taliban in Afghanistan all converged with this rather odd person's statement, the statement by this Falwell to the effect that America got what it deserved in the form of God's wrath as manifest in this terrorist attack, God's punishment on America because there are too many lesbians, homosexuals, and abortions in America.
Again, Reverend Falwell said in so many words is that civil liberties groups, homosexuals and abortion supporters are partially responsibility for the terrorist attacks which turned God's anger against America, and that what happened to the people in New York, (including one of my own) is "what we deserve".
hmmmm . . . Sounds like Jerry's god agrees with the same god those suicidal sammies who just murdered our people in N.Y. worship. In fact it sounds like Jerry's god and their god is the same god. Because, well, what he is saying is, and it really doesn't matter now if he denies that he is saying this because if what I have just quoted is accurate then he is in fact saying that his God, whoever that is, blew up the WTC because that is what we deserve because there are too many ACLU types and homos running around in America, abortion, etc..
Excuse me, but isn't that what he said? . . . and so, excuse me, but this man is a lunatic and please don't let him or his god anywhere near my house because I have children I have to protect from mentals.
Accounting for what I understand he said, then what this man is, is America's Taliban. Please do not let this man have any political say or power in this nation, because we don't need this kind of Taliban voodoo at any level of power or government in the good ol' USA because such a man if put in any position of leadership would be a menace to world stability and a possible inspiration for followers of this type of cultism to potentially engage in terrorism. It also worries me, and I have to ask, does President Bush have anything to do with this apparent mental case?
Now, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I am no friend of abortionists, and though I have some friends who are homosexual it is a fact that when it comes to political opinnion regarding some of the homosexual agenda the gays and lesbians radicals probably consider me Public Enemy Numer One as they do of Falwell, but . . . I have no doubt, considering the statement of Falwell, that if his type of cultism took over the country, while the Afghan Taliban is aggressive towards it's 'enemies' and the Falwell Taliban would likely not be engaged in systematic aggressive attacks on others - though even this could be possible - there is little doubt that the Falwell Taliban would indeed be a Taliban of sorts in America, and the end of liberty sacrificed to kookiness and live-choking oppression and terror.
There is a lot to admire about President Bush, especially in light of his handling of this recent act of war upon the United States. I hope the President or his Administration has made some comment regarding this scary and frankly lunatic statement by the Falwell preacher, denouncing it as it should. I am concerned that it appears this man might have some following, also the kookiness of his position is disconcerting because it is rather reminiscent of a few, very few but scary, Christians who call themselves supporters of Bush because they think, and quite frankly from the way they act seem to worship, Bush as some sort of Christian President of a status of infallibility - that is it would not matter what Bush did even if he started throwing baby kittens to their death out of Air Force One, it's all justified because he is Pope President of sorts, the infallible anointed President of The New Jerusalem, amen. Somebody better tell Bush, because I don't think he considers himself as such even though it appears some do.
My greatest respect goes to Christians, whom I love. In fact, one of my concerns is how Christians are being turned into the next Jews for the gas chambers by the liberal fascists. Secularism in government is very important, however, so I suppose that Mr. Falwell is eagerly expecting a terrorist truck bomb to slam into the front door of my house, the punishment vented by his god upon me for which I so richly deserve. Who knows, considering our current state of national security and intelligence operations this even might very well take place, but it certainly has nothing to do with God's vengeance upon me.
As a nation, we should and must get morally straight once again, but NOT to please the Muslims. Screw them no matter what.
Not at all. May be the only time I ever agree with you. I'll savor it. :)
Source: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htmEffects of Sin
The first effect of mortal sin in man is to avert him from his true last end, and deprive his soul of sanctifying grace. The sinful act passes, and the sinner is left in a state of habitual aversion from God. The sinful state is voluntary and imputable to the sinner, because it necessarily follows from the act of sin he freely placed, and it remains until satisfaction is made (see PENANCE). This state of sin is called by theologians habitual sin, not in the sense that habitual sin implies a vicious habit, but in the sense that it signifies a state of aversion from God depending on the preceding actual sin, consequently voluntary and imputable. This state of aversion carries with it necessarily in the present order of God's providence the privation of grace and charity by means of which man is ordered to his supernatural end. The privation of grace is the "macula peccati" (St. Thomas, I-II, Q. lxxxvi), the stain of sin spoken of in Scripture (Jos., xxii, 17; Isaias, iv, 4; 1 Cor., vi, 11). It is not anything positive, a quality or disposition, an obligation to suffer, an extrinsic denomination coming from sin, but is solely the privation of sanctifying grace. There is not a real but only a conceptual distinction between habitual sin (reatus culpæ) and the stain of sin (macula peccati). One and the same privation considered as destroying the due order of man to God is habitual sin, considered as depriving the soul of the beauty of grace is the stain or "macula" of sin.
The second effect of sin is to entail the penalty of undergoing suffering (reatus pænæ). Sin (reatus culpæ) is the cause of this obligation (reatus pænæ ). The suffering may be inflicted in this life through the medium of medicinal punishments, calamities, sickness, temporal evils, which tend to withdraw from sin; or it may be inflicted in the life to come by the justice of God as vindictive punishment. The punishments of the future life are proportioned to the sin committed, and it is the obligation of undergoing this punishment for unrepented sin that is signified by the "reatus poenæ" of the theologians. The penalty to be undergone in the future life is divided into the pain of loss (pæna damni) and the pain of sense (pæna sensus). The pain of loss is the privation of the beatific vision of God in punishment of turning away from Him. The pain of sense is suffering in punishment of the conversion to some created thing in place of God. This two-fold pain in punishment of mortal sin is eternal (I Cor., vi, 9; Matt., xxv, 41; Mark, ix, 45). One mortal sin suffices to incur punishment. (See HELL.) Other effects of sins are: remorse of conscience (Wisdom, v, 2-13); an inclination towards evil, as habits are formed by a repetition of similar acts; a darkening of the intelligence, a hardening of the will (Matt., xiii, 14-15; Rom., xi, 8); a general vitiating of nature, which does not however totally destroy the substance and faculties of the soul but merely weakens the right exercise of its faculties.
"I really believe"
That says it all. This is Falwell's opinion. He has a right to it. What exactly is the problem here??
I don't see where Falwell is calling for terrorist or gang attacks on gay activists, abortion supporters, and pornography addicts. So the reference to Taliban is comletetly overblown and false. He is merely commenting on the fact of moral degeneracy in America on offering his view as to what the consequences are.
The libertine morally dissolute and liberals will surely disagree with him, as is their right. And I'm sure they will.
I assume you're speaking of the "well they've gotten what they deserved" line, whoever "they" are...
I'm hearing more and more along the lines of this sentiment from religious-right types... I was raised in this atmosphere, so it doesn't surprise me; I was actually expecting to hear this sooner or later.
My question to all religious-right types is, do you think this is a true and/or appropriate response? I'll be frank with you; in light of the sheer devastation of thousands of lives, it doesn't seem appropriate to me in the least. "My heart goes out to you, but you asked for it." Comes across as very un-Christian, IMHO. There is a time and a place for everything, and Bible-beating someone who just endured crushing loss is unbelievably gauche, and does the RR a disservice...
Thoughts? Offensive/defensive maneuvering?
Whose opinion is this? The editors of the Catholic Encyclopedia?
How does that jibe with the preceding paragraph:
). It is not anything positive, a quality or disposition, an obligation to suffer, an extrinsic denomination coming from sin, but is solely the privation of sanctifying grace
Contradictory, no?
Man suffers because of original sin. He does NOT suffer because a gay man had sex last night.
Msg Base: AREA 3 - ASK FATHER (AMDG)
Msg No: 368. Thu 5-27-93 23:08 (NO KILL)
From: Father Mateo
To: Larry B
Subject: your message
³ I suffer greatly from a mental Illness and cannot rationalize
³ why I suffer so much pain. I don't believe I have hurt anyone
³ or sinned so greatly that I should spend life this way. I feel
³ that I must have either already lost my soul or am living in limbo
³ condemmed to suffer due to an unclean life. I have thought this over and
³ cannot get handle on it .I beleive that I will never be at peace even in
³ death. Please respond
Dear Larry,
I apologize for the unavoidable delay in getting this response to
you. I hope to answer more promptly from now on, now that the school
year is over.
No, Larry, it is not possible to be condemned to hell before one
dies. You are not condemned now, no matter how much you are
suffering. You are neither in purgatory (which is an after-death
state of the soul), nor are you in limbo (which does not exist at
all). You are living on this earth, a vale of tears. There is
not nor ever was, in all of Scripture and Church teaching, any
equation between one's sufferings and the sins of one's past life.
Innocent people suffer -- Jesus Christ is the prime example.
I will tell you a truth, and I pray you will hold still for it: your
sufferings are a great gift from Almighty God, an invitation to
forget yourself and share the sufferings of Jesus Christ for the
salvation of the whole world. In 2nd Corinthians 1:3-7, the Holy
Spirit speaking through St. Paul teaches us the purpose of innocent
suffering. It is an overflow to us of Christ's sufferings, which we
offer to God in union with the offering of Christ on the Cross for
the salvation of the world.
Colossians 1:24, Paul again writing, says "I REJOICE in my sufferings
for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in
the afflictions of Christ, on behalf of His Body, which is the
Church."
I beg you to pray for the strength and grace to forget self and self-
pity and begin to offer with Christ what you are suffering. This
prayer in suffering creates a great closeness to Christ and enables
the sufferer to grow greatly in holiness and to save many souls. How
many people die every day in sin and go to hell. But if you suffer
for them, God will grant many the grace to repent. "The fervent
prayer of a righteous man is very powerful" (James 5:16).
Be sure to confess your sins, receive Communion frequently, and pray
always. Spend considerable time, according to your situation with Our
Lord, and with His Mother. Please also buy and read Pope John Paul's
letter "On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering" (75 cents plus
P/H from Daughters of St. Paul - 1570 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA
92101. The order # is EP 0145).
Sincerely in Christ
Father Mateo
--Jerry Falwell on the World Trade Center Attack
This statement is right on the money. You conservatives don't get it. America will be judged like other nations long ago!!! Falwell should NOT apologize for his words!!
Let me repeat that
There is not nor ever was, in all of Scripture and Church teaching, any equation between one's sufferings and the sins of one's past life`
Thanks for Fr. Mateo's quote.
He agrees with me, not you.
As someone with strong ties and sympathies for the religious right, I can't help but be conflicted between my loyalties and an overwhelming sense of revulsion for some outstanding examples of apparent judgmentalism and coldheartedness...
Lucky for most of us, it's God who judges in the end.
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