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From: rcd@opus.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.politics
Subject: Re: The Falwellite Frenzy
Message-ID: <268@opus.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 24-Mar-84 02:21:18 EST
Article-I.D.: opus.268
Posted: Sat Mar 24 02:21:18 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 25-Mar-84 13:41:13 EST
References: <2056@cbscc.UUCP>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
Lines: 49

<>
> Amidst all the mud slinging between "Falwellites" and "Anti-falwellites"
> (What should I call the latter?  Liberals?)...
Oops, I think that one was muddy too!  It may have been a slip, but there
are an awful lot of "anti-falwellites" who would be gravely insulted to be
called "liberals"...in fact, opposition to Falwell comes from a remarkably
widespread base.

>   I for one am not afraid to support the MM where I think they are
> right as well a oppose them where they are wrong.  Same goes for the other
> groups.  
...yes, but then you say...
> Though I disagree strongly with
> many of the MM's beliefs and practices, I find no reason to condemn them
> as an organization...
> I don't think that people should condemn the MM's involvement in politics
> before they realize that the groups they oppose are doing the same thing
I disagree strongly.  I will condemn anyone for using immoral or unethical
tactics to gain his ends.  If both the MM and their opponents are playing
dirty politics to get their own selfish ways, they are both wrong and I am
against both.  Ends DO NOT justify means.  (Looking at it from the other
side, I won't condemn Christianity just because the MM behaves scandalously
and claims to be a Christian organization.  Their behavior drags them down
but need not take all of Christianity with it.)
I believe that the reason that the MM is so often blasted for their actions
is that they claim to be a Christian organization, yet they don't seem to
show the alleged Christian traits of forgiveness, tolerance, kindness, etc.
If I saw Falwell's behavior in an avowed politician, I would regard it as
characteristic of underhanded, scurrilous politics - which seems to be the
way politics is conducted, as often as not.  But Falwell alleges himself to
be operating not so much as a politician but as a Christian leader.  Hence
I must regard him as not only scurrilous but hypocritical.  That's why he
gets more than his "fair share" of abuse from other camps.

> An example of Liberal intolerance would be the 'welcome' Fallwell received
> when he spoke at Harvard last year.  Contrast that with the warm reception
> that Ted Kennedy received at Liberty Baptist College a few months later.
> It seems that cat calls and jeers at Jerry Falwell are justified because
> "Falwell is wrong and Liberals are right"...
In my book, the catcalls and jeers would be wrong in either direction...but
I suppose that in each case the audience treated the speaker with the same
regard that they have come to expect from the speaker.  That is, while
Kennedy has no use for the reactionary Protestant fundamentalists, at least
he can keep a civil tongue in his head most of the time.  Falwell, on the
other hand, would be happy to drive the liberals from the face of the earth
straight through the gates of hell if he had the power - and he was greeted
with corresponding respect.
-- 
{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd