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Real Answers™
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Copyright: ©2007 James J. Jackson
650 words

FALWELL STOOD IN THE GAP

By: James J. Jackson

When the news of Jerry Falwell’s death broke, I found it interesting that, of all of the great accomplishments in this man’s life, the media chose to point out his mis-statements and flaws.

He once mused that a PBS “teletubbie” named Tinky-Winkie may have been configured to promote the gay agenda.  He also founded and successfully led the 25,000-student Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.  The teletubbie story was front and center in the report of Falwell’s passing.  Liberty University wasn’t mentioned.

In the 1970’s, Falwell noted that immorality was beginning to surface as the norm, while moral living was ridiculed. He believed that most people were good and moral citizens, so he formed the group and coined the phrase, The Moral Majority, and began a life-long effort to take on the elements in society that he viewed as anti-moral and anti-God.

The Moral Majority grew to become a successful lobbying group for God’s perspective on major legislation.  In Ezekiel, God says, "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land..” Jerry Falwell tried to be that  someone who would stand in the gap between right and wrong, declaring what God has established as right, and refusing to allow the lines to become blurred.

At Liberty University, Falwell proved that young people can receive a quality education without the social programming that is inherent in public education. Students are provided a biblically based education, and the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes.  Many alumni have gone on to become viable forces within the legal, educational and medical communities.

Falwell also established the 24,000-member Thomas Road Baptist Church, a theological seminary and a correspondence school.  Falwell was human, and thereby subject to occasional errors in judgment, but it seems that the media insist upon elevating the few controversial sound bites to try to define Falwell as some kind of religious fanatic who shoots from the lip.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Sometimes, in his zeal to defend things spiritual, Falwell might have used language that could be construed as strong, but he was big enough to apologize when that happened.  When we were attacked on September 11, 2001, Falwell was vilified in the press for blaming the attacks on pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays, lesbians, the American Civil Liberties Union and People For The American Way, saying "I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'" He later apologized for naming specific groups, stating that such groups may have contributed to the creation of …“an environment which possibly has caused God to lift the veil of protection which has allowed no one to attack America on our soil since 1812." . 

He also opined that such attacks could be God's judgment on America for "throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked."   Later, he stated that only the hijackers and terrorists were responsible for the deadly attacks. He also said, "I do believe, as a theologian, based upon many Scriptures and particularly Proverbs 14:34, which says 'Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. ’”.

While the major media would rather report derogatory items about Rev. Falwell, there was much more to his life than those missteps.  He was a humble man who cared about others.  Many former Liberty students tell stories of Falwell personally helping them financially, through counseling, or just with moral support.

Whether one agrees with Rev. Falwell’s politics or religious beliefs, one important attribute cannot be easily denied--his service to others.  We are all sinners and subject to saying things that we really don’t mean, but the true measure of a person is the fruits of his labor.  I believe that Falwell’s legacy is one of faith, forgiveness and doing God’s work to the best of his ability.  All Christians, regardless of denomination, would do well to serve others as Jerry Falwell did during his life, and to seek opportunities to stand in the gap for what is right.

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

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