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DEL.ICIO.USSpeak not but good of the dead. Sort of.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Like any other profession, politics has its generational shifts. In the late ’70s and early ’80s, the Rev. Jerry Falwell represented the opening charge of conservative Christians into Republican politics.
Some among the next generation of evangelical leaders have questioned what they see as both the narrowness of the conservative moral agenda, and the excessive loyalty to a single political party.
On the day of Falwell’s death, not a lot of this is being voiced. But you can see a hint of it in the statement below from Jim Beck, leader of the Georgia Christian Coalition:
“At the recent passing of Rev. Jerry Falwell, many of us in the conservative movement are given pause to consider his life.
“The Rev. Falwell was like any person, with faults and talents, virtues and vices. You could never doubt his passion and love of the Lord, and the Christian Coalition is unforgettably grateful to him for his legacy of perseverance in encouraging Christians to have a voice in their government and an active interest in promoting sound leaders and legislation.
“Although there were times when we questioned his approach, nevertheless he has had a powerful impact on America that will not be forgotten. (Emphasis ours.)
“We will continue to be in prayer for Rev. Falwell’s family.”
Minutes later we caught up with Beck by phone, and he went into a little more detail.
“Like all of us he was imperfect, but he held a mirror up to our society and made us take a good, hard look at it,” Beck said.
When Falwell came on the scene, Beck said, Christians had the sense that “For the first time, you could say some of the things you’d been thinking.”
Some of the comments Falwell made later in life, such as his ascribing the blame for 9/11 to feminists and other liberal groups, “we could have done without,” Beck said.
But in an interesting comparison, Beck said he saw little difference between those comments and some recent statements by former President Jimmy Carter. Aging leaders, he noted, have a tendency to “say something a lot more outrageous in order to remain relevant.”
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