Well I can't say it was totally unexpected... BJ Harris caused quite a stir tonight. I was expecting people to call in and voice their opinion on why they think magic is evil, but I got the opposite. People wanting to know how they can get a hold of BJ, find out more information about him and maybe book him at their church. Can I say I'm happy to see this? I'm happy to see we've brushed off the uber-conservative state of mind and moved out of the dark ages. (www.bjharris.com)
On a semi-related note, it was interesting to see the response to the news Jerry Falwell passed away today. I was at the dry cleaners when 5 o'clock hit and the news on the radio (not Life 100.3) was about this crazy man dying... They play clips of Mr Falwell making outlandish statements and made him seem like a lunatic. I flip onto Life 100.3 once I get in the car and our take is that Jerry Falwell is a saint. I think the truth lies somewhere in between.
[My opinion does not necessarily reflect the beliefs of Life 100.3]
He did many great things...
- Founded Liberty University
- Began Thomas Road Baptist Church
- Took over PTL after Jim Bakker
- Championed the anti-abortion cause
He also (like all of us) screwed up...
- Criticized Martin Luther King Jr and supported racial segregation
- Encouraged people to ban the Teletubbies because Tinky-Winky might be gay
- Came up with this gem: "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals."
- Supported Apartheid in South Africa
- Blurred the line between Religion and Politics
Jerry Falwell was no doubt a good man... Liberty University has become a respected academic institution under his guidance, he grew a church of 35 to over 24,000, and he became a major player in Christianity. A part of me respects the man, and yet another part of me is embarrassed to be lumped into the same "Christian" pool as him. I'm not sure how I feel about his passing.
In 15 years, what will he be remembered as? A tremendous leader who built up a mega-church and an educational institution? Or a wack-job that believed that the 9/11 attacks were a direct result of God punishing America for legalised abortion and the feminist movement? I have no idea... Only time will tell.
