I normally try to keep this Forum free of the type of political and religious pontificating that some OTHER boards seem to like to instigate. But in the aftermath of yesterday's death of Jerry Falwell, a station on my truck radio happened to play an excerpt from one of his recent addresses: perhaps it was from the pulpit, or from a radio show of his, I don't know. He was railing against those who would try to encourage others to get involved in what he called the "green" movement, as doing the work of Satan. (!!!) By trying to avoid adding chemicals to the air, and by trying to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, we are doing the Devil's work. (!!!)He went on to say that people who do this are trying to get you (his audience) away from doing God's work, such as fighting against a woman's right to choose, against gay marriage, and all those good old things that folks such as George Bush hold so dear (at least when he's out looking for votes.)

I am totally flabbergasted that anyone of sound mind could even conceive of making such a statement to grown-up adults. I guess it's because of the Reverend Falwells of this world that I have become so very dubious of self-righteous gasbags preaching from up on pulpits telling me how I should be living my life, when so many of these "men of the cloth" are off doing their own dirty deeds when they think no one is watching.

Boy. I feel so much better now.

'Sound mind' was the key phrase there. RIP, Mr. Fallwell.

i didn't hear it... so i don't know what he was REALY saying...

however i'm always amazed at how the communist/socialist left loves to twist the knife even in death when a conservitive dies...

I am hardly on the communist/socialist left. I even voted for Mitt Romney, the newly-minted right-of-center candidate for the Republican candidate for president, when he ran for Governor in Massachusetts. Of course, that was the "old" Mitt, a kind of responsible Republican moderate, and someone who deserves credit for coming up with a model state health plan. I guess he figured this wouldn't play in the Bible Belt or the midwest heartland, so he has since re-invented himself as a kind of fundamentalist/right-of-center type of guy: in Bush's manner of speaking, a flip flopper. I was simply expressing my being appalled that Rev. Falwell could assert that anyone trying to be a responsible citizen of the planet Earth was "doing the Devil's work". To demonize those attempting to bring about cleaner water and air is just about the height of absurdity and fuzzy thinking, and should not go uncommented on. This was not knife-twisting. This was more like "What in God's name has this man been smoking?"

Wow. Communist... socialist left. Fascinating assumption. You should work in Berkely as I do if you want to learn about the communist socialist left. Didn't this guy [Fallwell] twist a knife in the families of 3,000 or so dead people after the world trade center with the proclamation that the attack was god's wrath for the [ahem] behaviors of a certain demonized segment of society? Or was that just the righteous sword of sound judgement twisting? My mistake. Lots of twisting goes on. Hard to keep up.

You know I was born and raised in MA,it still amazes me how I hear the most rediculess things.Some people will believe anything,when you get people weather they are on the left,so called middle(what ever that means,depends on a lot of things)or right.when they only talk with like minded people,they cross a lot of lines this state has no republican party.This state with the Bulger Brothers,Mr Kennedy,Kerry the current Gov,they are all embearassing and a bunch of Heporcrites.This state needs people who atleast are not afraid to speak truth to real power,like these hate filled Democrates out here.

The Close minded view is one that I will never understand. Falwell (one of the worst at holding a one-sided argument) was simply saying that there are worse things in the world than a couple of house hold cleaning chemicals. (i.e. gay marriage, abortion, etc.)

But my argument would be why do those things, (Falwell called them "evils of the world") have to take precedence over our choices. What can I do to prevent gay marriage? The answer... Nothing! Am I going to go protest the abortion clinic up the street...? No!

However, when it comes to the world we live in and the environment, I can help... we all have the ability to protect the earth and being involved in the "green movement" (as he called it) is something that I can do. Why ridicule me for doing something when there are several people out there doing nothing?

The problem doesn't lie in the fact that Republicans or Democrats might see each other doing the wrong things, the problem lies in that members of both parties are too often doing nothing! I wish that everyone would have a personal goal of improving the American way of life and then simply said, "do what you can."

All I know is Rev. Falwell was a lot plumper than I figure Jesus was. If you are going to emulate, then emulate. No judgement here. In another life me and ol' Jerry will be friends. We all have lessons to learn.