November 18, 2001

7:44 PM

Gimme That Old Time Religion.Lakeland, Fla. -- The Rev. Jerry Falwell says even Osama Bin Laden's soul could be saved if he converted to Christianity -- but he would still deserve to be killed.
posted by semmi (15 comments total)

I wish this "war" could be fought by our fanatics and by whoever we are fighting's fanatics. A boxing match between Falwell and Osama et al would serve many positive purposes. 1. The world would be a better place after both sets of fanatics off each other. 2. The ticket sales and Pay-Per-View revenue could go to education, food, and goods to the 3rd world (and to those in America who don't have enough to by). This would solve many of the problems that brought us to this point.

end sarcasm...please move on
posted by plemeljr at 8:04 PM on November 18, 2001

I already bummed out MegoSteve with this one. (No offense intended, MegoSteve. For me, though, Falwell and his philosophy, and executing humans [for whatever reason] go hand in hand. I consider execution unreasonable under *any* circumstances.)
posted by mmarcos at 8:14 PM on November 18, 2001

Hrm

Asside from the means, and of course the name on the religion, the two pretty much agree.
posted by delmoi at 8:37 PM on November 18, 2001

I take back my statements. You can't really compare bin Laden to Falwell. Falwell is a spinless bastard. At least bin Laden is standing up for what he belives in, however twisted those belifes may be.
posted by delmoi at 8:46 PM on November 18, 2001

Being Christian, its people like Falwell who give us bad names. I agree w/ throwing bin laden and Falwell in a pit together. Laden can kick Falwell's ass and then we can let laden sit there for all people to poke at him.
posted by jmd82 at 9:14 PM on November 18, 2001

people like falwell are what scared me away from christianity, so many years ago. of course, that doesn't make my decisions on it now any less valid. but anyways!
posted by mcsweetie at 9:20 PM on November 18, 2001

Actually, delmoi, I think falwell stands up straight and proud for what he believes in: making a buck off other people's ignorance, fear and confusion.

And he's damn good at it.
posted by signal at 10:05 PM on November 18, 2001

With my mortal mind I cannot imagine a situation in which Jesus says "sure I forgive you Osama, since I can see in your heart that you have repented and asked forgiveness of Me. But you still deserve to die."

Yet, Falwell well, who claims to understand..

Wait, why am I trying to prove Falwell is a hypocrit? On Metafilter, of all places? Next I'll be trying to convince everybody that Bush is an idiot.
posted by Hildago at 10:26 PM on November 18, 2001

Jerry and Osama sittin' on a tree
K - i - s - s - i - n - g ...
posted by Rastafari at 10:58 PM on November 18, 2001

Arriving at Heaven I was greeted by Hitler, Stalin and Mao; at the tavern, John Wayne Gacey and Karla Faye Tucker introduced me to Jeffrey Dahmer, who was playing backgammon with Tim McVeigh." Where's Charlie Manson", I asked. "That miserable bastard is in hell, where he belongs", said Ted Bundy. "Why, what's the difference?". Idi Amin explained: "He jammed with the Beach Boys"..It all suddenly became clear: I had not died, I had accidently fallen into the Normal Machine.....
posted by Mack Twain at 11:35 PM on November 18, 2001

Normal Machine?
posted by y2karl at 11:59 PM on November 18, 2001

Hildago-> BY virtue of the fact that Jesus forgave all those soldiers who killed him ("Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"), i have to disagree that Jesus would definitely not forgive him. Not saying that Laden won't go to hell or he won't be forgiven, but it wouldn't be the first time Jesus'de forigve people who nobody else would.
posted by jmd82 at 7:25 AM on November 19, 2001

It's a basic precept of Christianity -- the forgiveness of God for one's spiritual inequities is freely given to all who earnestly seek it, but that does not mean that one is absolved of their guilt for earthly deeds, nor exempt from punishment for them. One can be a murderer and be forgiven by God, and yet still face jail or even execution -- and their standing with God does not have any bearing on that human judgement. Why is it so odd to anyone that Falwell would make a statement which is directly in line with the theology which he espouses?
posted by Dreama at 7:42 AM on November 19, 2001

My point was pretty much the opposite of what you took it as. I realize now that it's not your fault, it's mine for having an ambiguous sentence. What I was trying to say is that Jesus would forgive him, but I can't imagine him forgiving him and then saying he deserved to die.
posted by Hildago at 12:21 PM on November 19, 2001

In unrelated news, I watched Children of the Corn last night.
posted by adampsyche at 12:48 PM on November 19, 2001