http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspxFrom NBC's Mark MurrayCOLUMBIA SC -- The news that  TV evangelist Jerry Falwell passed away will obviously reverberate at tonight's GOP presidential debate. Remember that McCain, in his 2000 presidential bid, referred to Falwell and other evangelicalen-USCommunityServer 2.0 (Build: 60608.1)http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191609Tue, 15 May 2007 18:29:01 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191609rodeo, ellensburg, waI'd love to be a fly on the wall in heaven about now. In the '80's, Falwell's minions shoved my mother around at our state Republican convention because she had the temerity to try to sit in an aisle seat on the floor (she was a legitimate delegate.) Since then, I've had a dislike for Mr Falwell that has been hard to shake. The Founding Fathers did right to separate church and state (Deists and Freemasons, not Christian partisans) We all have the liberty to believe as we wish. As Mr Falwell used his talents in the pulpit to bring people closer to God, he will be missed. As an architect of the current meanness of spirit and partisanship in American politics, he has done grave damage to our political system and the liberty we fight to enjoy. Hopefully, this will allow statesmanship, reason, tolerance and respect to find their way into political discourse.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191635Tue, 15 May 2007 18:42:06 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191635Mark ThiemeFalwell was a chiefton in the American Taliban. His vision of reality was disturbing, horrific. Death comes even to those who preach death and darkness. The great leveler. May he be, nonetheless, greeted on the other shore with the unmitigated mercy he was prone to withhold from those who would dare disagree with his brand of "religion" on earth. May he rest in peace and may perpetual light shine on him.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191642Tue, 15 May 2007 18:51:54 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191642Bob, OrlandoI often found myself in total disagreement with Rev. Falwell however he gained my respect over the years as a man of faith and conviction. Unlike some on the Christian right he was not vengeful, hateful, or worse, a hypocrite. If what he believed is true he will most certainly spend eternity in "heaven". If not, his was still a meaningful life. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191643Tue, 15 May 2007 18:51:56 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191643Gary Schear, bozeman MontanaFalwell's death could actually make the debate hard to view. If FAUX lower's to half staff their ever present, ever billowing American flag in the corner of the screen it may in fact block the candidates. The solution would be to increase the transparency on the flag image thus making it seem as if each of the candidates were actually wrapped lovingly in Old Glory's embrace. If ya got lemmons...make lemonade.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191697Tue, 15 May 2007 19:26:00 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191697Coy Reese, Shady Spring, West VirginiaJerry Falwell along with Pat Robertson blamed the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01 on "feminists, gays, lesbians and liberal groups". Perhaps those persons, unfairly blamed, will have a more Christ like attitude regarding the death of the late Rev. Falwell.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191710Tue, 15 May 2007 19:37:24 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191710Beachdog, CoastingYeah, because the debate is the important thing here. My sympathies to the family and friends of Rev. Falwell.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191826Tue, 15 May 2007 20:27:20 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191826jus askinso whos gonna pay hommage to the false prophet?http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191895Tue, 15 May 2007 20:51:53 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191895Robert Catalano, Salem, OROne less wolf in sheep's clothing for the faithful to follow off of the cliff.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191924Tue, 15 May 2007 21:03:15 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191924JWilson, Atlanta, GACan't wait to watch FlipFlop McCain fall all over himself praising Falwell...http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#191995Tue, 15 May 2007 21:28:53 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:191995Gary Schear, Bozeman MontanaBob, Orlando--I respected him as well. His first rise with the "Moral Majority" was my wake up call that if we all aren't vigilant, we may wake up one morning in a Christian Theocracy complete with Baptist Ayatollahs and Catholic Mullahs. No Thanks Here is one of my favorite quotes from Jerry. “AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals” Isn't that just a lovely sentiment for all the parents with kids infected early on before blood supply screening? If that's the kind of God that Jerry represented then I have no problem rejecting such nonsense out of hand. Condolences to his family but in life Dr. Falwell was able to smile, look in they eyes of a Mother who had lost her child to AIDS and report confidently to her that she and her child had it coming. In the next week to two weeks our national media will have raised Jerry Falwell to the level of Martin Luther King. (retch) Excuse me If I can't get into the love fest. I respected Jerry Falwell. I also respect rattlesnakes. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192074Tue, 15 May 2007 22:04:43 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192074Mark ThiemeWell said Gary. Rattlesnakes remind you to keep your boots on in the tall grass. The beckoning grasses may make you want to "lie down in green pastures," but for the rattler, the pasture is just another killing field.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192102Tue, 15 May 2007 22:24:40 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192102Darren, MB, SCWell, nothing's changed here I see. Rev. falwell had every right to express his religious views, our Constitution guarantees that. No one forced anyone to agree, or even listen. I hope people will put aside their animosities and insults when we die long enough for our bodies to grow cold. Anything less is inhumane and completely disrepectful. Some of the comments here are shameful. But most of you don't seem to actually believe in the idea of tolerance and diversity of views you so faithfully advocate. It only applies to those who are in agreement with you. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192119Tue, 15 May 2007 22:34:41 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192119Mark Thieme"No one forced anyone to agree, or even listen." http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192135Tue, 15 May 2007 22:42:14 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192135Steve AlthouseI'm sure gasbag McCain will be all over Falwell as he was all over Reagan in the last debate. Doesn't he have an identity of his own? Oh, that's right, he's the maverick! Phony phony phony!http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192152Tue, 15 May 2007 22:52:55 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192152Gary Schear, Bozeman MontanaDarren--You reap what you sow. Dr. Falwell had a right to believe and say what he wanted. He did so. Many times in his career he chose to use his national pulpit to preach hate and intolerance. The people that were the target of that hate and intolerance are many. They also have a right to respond in kind. My condoleances to you. I didn't know you were a follower.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192179Tue, 15 May 2007 23:22:07 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192179Still Crazy After All These Years"I'm So Sorry Uncle Albert"-The Beatleshttp://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192187Tue, 15 May 2007 23:27:22 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192187Darren, MB, SCSorry to disappoint you. I was not a follower. I firmly disagreed with many of Falwell's comments. I just happen to really believe in the freedom of religion we are guaranteed. You missed the point. Actually, I rather doubt you missed it, you only ignored it. In order to justify spouting hate and intolerance, just as you have accused Rev.Falwell of doing. It apparently doesn't apply to everyone, as I said. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192209Tue, 15 May 2007 23:57:42 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192209Lee HolmesWhile no pal of Falwells,I was not suprised by one thing that happened in the wake of his death,and intrigued by another.First,MSNBCs dingbat journalism which jumped the gun in tying the GOP to Falwell when its afternoon segment in a Falwell interview with HARDBALLs Chris Matthews had MSNBC erroneously quoting a ''White House''website in its praise of the departed Falwell.The ''White House''site in question had zero to do the the Bush administration and in fact,is a leftwinged website packed with Bush critics.[Matthews,seeing where this all was leading,[i.e.Falwell+GOP+Top GOP Presidential Contenders=Gulags For Gays,And The Return Of Cotton Mather Anti-Feminist Puritainism So You Better Vote Hillary],was having none of it,rolled his eyes,and dismissed the interviewer with a curt remark.www.instapundit.com for the full MSNBC interview,just in case it has been pulled].Meanwhile, over at the Los Angeles Times,hardly a mouthpiece for the right,a piece today by sometime SLATE contributor Jonah Goldberg discovers something even more disturbing than the Falwell remarks in the wake of 9/11 blaming ''gays,lesbians and feminists''.Such bombast,coming from the volatile Falwell,was never taken seriously by more than a tiny minority of diehard Christian conservatives[Mainstream conservatives blamed al Qaeda].A RASMUSSEN public opinion poll released yesterday finds that 35% of Democrats polled believed that the Bush administration was behind the 9/11 attacks and that a further 26% were ''unsure''.Say what one will regarding Bush,such an opinion makes Falwells tame by comparsion.Chafing with resentment at being labeled '''un-American''a sizable portion of these polled Democrats go on to make an un-American opinion.Dismissing Bush as a ''chimpy dunce'' who could not pull his lunch out of a brown paper bag,a sizable portion of polled Democrats invest Bush with having created the greatest conspiricy in the history of the planet,expertly,exquisitely performed with no flaws,no witnesses,no ''Deep Throat''whistleblowers,no leaks,no-one with the conscience of the guilty coming forward out of the shadows,no nothing and nobody.Even the involvement of a Saddam bears more credibility than a belief that the Bush administration was involved in 9/11.Tough to say which opinion is the more deranged.That of the singular Falwell,or that of thousands of true believers who in their way are even more destructive to the fortunes of this republic than any one tele-evangelist.I dub these,Dealy Plaza Democrats.Oliver Stone on line one.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/191591.aspx#192227Wed, 16 May 2007 00:13:39 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192227Mark ThiemeI thought love was only true in fairy tales...Meant for someone else but not for me...Love was out to get me...That's the way it seemed...Disappointment haunted all my dreams. Then I discovered our constitutional right to freedom of religion, now I'm a believer...Not a trace of doubt in my mind...I'm in love, I'm (really) a believer! Couldn't be a bigot if I tried. (Metallica, maybe the Monkees, or maybe the early Neil Diamond, I forget)