That's Falwell's legacy. He's a blasphemer. He has claimed that he spoke for God. That's the essence of blasphemy.

Satan has called Brother Falwell home.

It is widely reported that Falwell apologized for what he said, but in reality he did no such thing. Instead, he opted for a technicality: the gays, lesbians and feminists weren't personally responsible, but God lifted his protective shield over America and allowed the attacks of 9/11 because of their, and others', immorality.

For example, here is the widely-quoted CNN article whose headline is "Falwell apologizes to gays, feminists, lesbians". I believe this article should have never run with this headline.

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/14/Falwell.apology/

Read the article, and you'll find that in the same phone interview in which he "apologizes", Falwell says:

"I do believe, as a theologian, based upon many Scriptures and particularly Proverbs 14:23, which says 'living by God's principles promotes a nation to greatness, violating those principles brings a nation to shame' [... The ACLU and other organizations] which have attempted to secularize America, have removed our nation from its relationship with Christ on which it was founded. [...] I therefore believe that that created 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."

In other words, the gays, lesbians, feminists, the ACLU, and others have angered God, and therefore, He decided not to protect us on 9/11, as a punishment.

Later on, he says, "I would never blame any human being except the terrorists, and if I left that impression with gays or lesbians or anyone else, I apologize."

He doesn't blame any human being except the terrorists for personally -- in some undeniable, cause-and-effect way -- causing the towers to physically crumble. But he does believe that their immoral actions caused God to look unfavorably upon America as a nation, and that 9/11 was allowed to happen because God wanted to punish our nation for the sins of our pagan citizens.

Conclusion? If we were all "moral, Christian" people like he is, then none of this would have ever happened. Which is exactly what he said in his original statement.

Some apology.

You hit the nail on the coffin (I mean, head)

Falwell was nothing more than a "media personality". Like so many others who have filled air time with their vapid ideas - Anna Nicole Smith, Tucker Carlson, Pat Roberston - he offered nothing of substance to the culural dialogue. Like a good old fashioned huckster, he used hate and religion to manipulate his target demographic. Funny how those were the two things Jesus himself hated most. I think Falwell's downfall is that he skipped over the Sermon on the Mount because that kind of gospel won't line your pockets and get you invited on Hannity and Colmes. What is interesting is that for a personality like Anna Nicole Smith I actually felt bad because it was obvious she was a victim. Falwell was no victim. He was just plain vain and greedy. Its just too bad this couldn't have happened 70 years sooner. It would have saved many people a lot of pain.

person uses this opportunity to trot out the "see liberals are so intolerant! and therefore hypocrites" about this...I'll just have to admit it, I'm not just intolerant of Jerry Falwell and his ilk, but in fact have no tolerance of any kind for the type of bigoted, cretinous drivel that was the signature mark of his "faith". In watching many of the TV obituaries run down many of his greatest hits, including the classics "Gays deserve AIDS", "Pagans and feminists caused 9/11", "Tinky Winky is gay", I'm struck that almost no one has even touched his pre-moral majority role as a radical segregationist and outright racist asshole. This is the man who said in 1958:

"The true Negro does not want integration... He realizes his potential is far better among his own race... It will destroy our race eventually... In one northern city, a pastor friend of mine tells me that a couple of opposite race live next door to his church as man and wife... It boils down to whether we are going to take God's Word as final."

He was also an outspoken advocate of Apartheid South Africa, so I think even you take away his leadership of the "Moral Majority", his life would still be one of unqualified disgrace and infamy for which he spent almost every second making a personal investment in and embrace of everything hateful and stupid about the human race. He should be remembered as the vile slug he truly was, so join me in looking back with derision and scorn. The world is unquestionably a better place without him.

"The people who represent evangelical Protestantism's future want little or nothing to do with injustice, pollution and war."

I have yet to hear from these people. Where are they, and what have they been up to?

...despite the fact that every time I visited The New York Times' website today, there was a new picture of Falwell, looking bigger and bigger and still bigger with his many chins. In the end, I think, he basically resembled a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade balloon. But, seriously, I have to thank Mr. Wolfe for the following: "Jerry Falwell expressed great hate for a lot of his fellow Americans. It is no wonder that so many of them will greet his death with something less than love" — because it's so true. We are raising a glass of champagne this evening (Tinky Wink and I, of course), and I came home to celebratory telephone messages from other friends whom this charlatan blamed for the terrorist attacks on September 11. There's nothing like the death of a demagogue to bring good people together. I say, good riddance, Jerry. On behalf of all my gay friends and other people you vilified merely for believing in true Jeffersonian democracy, screw you.

oh wait, he's already there.

As a Christian, I forgive Falwell for the hatred and divisiveness he spread far and wide. But I also believe in justice, and articles like this are part of that justice. Good job.