Quote of the day
posted at 10:30 pm on May 16, 2007 by Allahpundit
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“My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. He would visit me in California and we would debate together on college campuses. I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling.”
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I knew it was from him! Wow.
nailinmyeye on May 16, 2007 at 10:32 PM
Hehe…reminds me of the “friendship” between Tammy Faye and Ron Jeremy. EQUALLY hurl-inducing.
tickleddragon on May 16, 2007 at 10:32 PM
With all religions being equal and all maybe Jerry should’ve just chucked a bomb at Larry’s house over the minor disagreement. I’m just sayin’…
ulyses on May 16, 2007 at 10:37 PM
Who said they were all equal? You guys keep bringing this up and it keeps being a strawman. No one here is claiming that they’re all equal in terms of the danger they pose. Not even Hitchens claims that.
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 10:40 PM
I never thought it was possible to use the words “class act” and “Larry Flynt” in the same sentence, but in this one instance, Larry Flynt does come off as a class act.
commonsensehoosier on May 16, 2007 at 10:46 PM
Maybe not equal, O Holy One, but I believe your quote was “they (Christians) would behave violently” if pushed hard enough. Was Larry’s behavior a push or more like a shove?
ulyses on May 16, 2007 at 10:51 PM
I’m glad Larry went positive on this, it would have been easy to take a cheap shot like so many other of Falwell’s enemies.
Bad Candy on May 16, 2007 at 10:52 PM
I think Larry is hoping that Jerry puts in a good word for him with the Lord.
William Amos on May 16, 2007 at 10:52 PM
Where and when did I say this? I think some Christians would behave violently if pushed hard enough, just like some atheists would.
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 10:53 PM
More then most liberals and heck if i can think of one person who’d be especially furious at Falwell WITH A GOOD REASON its the person who got sued by Falwell. I give props to Flynt for being a respectful guy.
Defector01 on May 16, 2007 at 10:56 PM
Here’s one Christian who WILL respond when pushed.
Because it is written.
.
The Machine on May 16, 2007 at 10:58 PM
I think Larry’s age is the point here, he is a classical liberal, not today’s progressive Liberal with a capitol L.
.
The Machine on May 16, 2007 at 11:00 PM
Sweet!
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 11:00 PM
i remember the case like it was yesterday – 1983?! No way…
Hitch was on fire again tonight on H&C. It seems Hypocrisy is a requirement of Christianity! Makes me wonder why the MSM goes to such great lengths and makes such a big deal out of finding examples of it then…
TheBigOldDog on May 16, 2007 at 11:01 PM
Exactly. He, unlike so many on the Left, is not what he claims to hate.
TheBigOldDog on May 16, 2007 at 11:03 PM
I’m just amazed that Larry Flynt outclassed so many people in his response to Falwell’s death.
Bryan on May 16, 2007 at 11:06 PM
You’re right. Anyone, not just Christians, are capable of violence. Like Bryan, I just have a problem when you seem to insinuate at times that “Christianity and Islam are the same thing” (Byan’s Quote). They don’t believe the same things and don’t teach the same things. That’s all.
ulyses on May 16, 2007 at 11:06 PM
Yes, that’s understandable. Or rather, it would be understandable had I ever actually insinuated that. Which I haven’t.
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 11:08 PM
Heh. Cheap shot by Hitch at the end. He was having Hannity for dinner up to that point. Hannity – essentially making the same point as Flynt about the “sincerity” of Falwell -
muddied the waters by trying to provoke a professional provocateur…he couldn’t let Hitch have the ‘I know what Falwell is selling’ ground and Hitch let him have it. Still, cheap shot by Hitch. Funny. But cheap.
ganeshpuri89 on May 16, 2007 at 11:16 PM
Not to me. this sounds like the Christianity with which I’m familiar; the one which Jesus personified when he was here (and I know that I may miss the mark in this area:
(Emphasis mine.)
Matthew 9:10-12, NIV
baldilocks on May 16, 2007 at 11:16 PM
I have that clip ready but was planning to post it in the a.m. Should I post it now?
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 11:18 PM
yes AP. Post it.
ganeshpuri89 on May 16, 2007 at 11:19 PM
Eh, I don’t know. I think we might have had enough Hitch for one day.
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 11:22 PM
Oh for the love of god and plastic toys!
Post it now Allah! I just heard about Hitchens comments!
Kini on May 16, 2007 at 11:22 PM
Baldilocks, exactly. It is like the XXX Church and their work in the porn industry.
Paul wasn’t preching to the Godly Jews, he was preaching to the Greeks and Romans.
Tim Burton on May 16, 2007 at 11:22 PM
I would have said Oh for the love of Allah, but that would have been too gee and I Allah is….. ehhhmmm, not good for me.
Kini on May 16, 2007 at 11:24 PM
anyone read Ann Coulter’s column on Falwell today? its brilliant and framed nicely around. Mark 13:13
[Jesus said] “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” [NIV]
jp on May 16, 2007 at 11:27 PM
No red meat before sleepy time?
ganeshpuri89 on May 16, 2007 at 11:27 PM
Bryan,
If you can get video of the Larry King interview tonight, Flint briefly mentions the outright HATRED and vile comments people on the left use towards Falwell. You may be amazed that Flint outclassed others, but I wasn’t.
Larry Flint’s big issue is mainly the right to free speech. And considering the riots after Mo’s cartoons, we still need him on our side. But he’s not completely on our side.
I haven’t bought a Hustler in a year or so, but was disappointed in the lack of Islam cartoons during the time I was buying issues. Larry fought so hard for free speech but seems to cave when it came down to insulting Islam.
Hustler would print letters from our troops over in Iraq and Afghanistan about what it was like over there. It may be hard to imagine, but the troops liked seeing pictures of attractive naked women. Hustler would send free care packages over to the troops and in the letters sections tell them to come home safely.
I’m learning to hate liberals more and more, but I like and respect Larry Flint.
Canadian Infidel on May 16, 2007 at 11:30 PM
entirely off topic as per usual for me at this time of night and length down in comments:
http://kungfurumsfeld.ytmnd.com/
Vincenzo on May 16, 2007 at 11:47 PM
If Hitchens wants to take up the path of nihilism that’s fine. But, by castigating the entirety of Religion, he makes the error of equating exotericism with esotericism, epistemology with ontology.
For instance, the moral injunctions of, say, the ten commandments, can be viewed as practices to prepare the ground, so to speak, for the more rigorous practice of contemplation. Rare is the one who possesses an intellect sharp enough to direct it to its source and keep it there. For all others, the intellect must be sharpened through practice.
Hitchens’ smugness is the logical result of his certainty that nothing lies beyond, or, more accurately, behind the intellect.
Hitch is no Nagarjuna. Hell, he’s not even sharp enough to hold a candle to Acquinas.
ganeshpuri89 on May 16, 2007 at 11:53 PM
I like seeing a naked attractive woman too (and I’m a Christian), I want to marry one someday. :-p
Tim Burton on May 16, 2007 at 11:53 PM
I don’t mean to imply that Tammy Faye is in any way Christlike, but speaking of Christ, didn’t Jesus sup with prostitutes and have at least one wash his feet?
Perhaps, while disliking everything Ron Jeremy stands for, less criticism should be made of a person with Christian values embracing someone who has moral challenges in their life.
Don’t we all.
Christoph on May 17, 2007 at 12:05 AM
I don’t know why anyone posting here is surprised that public and prominent Christians such as Falwell and Tammy Faye would try to be friendly to those who don’t believe as they do/did.
After all, the very publicly Christian Ms. Malkin pays the very publicly atheist AllahPundit (and I hope that a brutha is getting paid) to kick up religious dust on nearly a daily basis. And she’s not only not threatening to cut of his head if he doesn’t convert, but letting him freely reign in his opining on religion–good, but mostly bad–with Christianity being the prime target.
Think about it.
baldilocks on May 17, 2007 at 12:08 AM
At least I hope not. :-)
baldilocks on May 17, 2007 at 12:11 AM
She’s not? I kid.
The fact is, I really don’t “target” religion in most of my posts. I don’t rail against Christianity; in fact, I posted not too long ago about a scientific study that suggested prayer actually has benefits. I think sometimes you guys think I’m being harsher than I am because you know I’m an atheist and so you read certain assumptions into my posts that aren’t necessarily there. I believe religion is basically a force for good. I just don’t think it’s sound.
Allahpundit on May 17, 2007 at 12:14 AM
She’s not?
Heh.
baldilocks on May 17, 2007 at 12:21 AM
Larry Flynt deserves some real credit here. I can’t believe I’m saying this but what a gentleman!
tommy1 on May 17, 2007 at 12:31 AM
Hey did you guys here about the failed Buddhist who converted to Salafism?
He passed the Buddha on the road and beheaded him.
ganeshpuri89 on May 17, 2007 at 12:34 AM
Allahpundit,
Mostly I get the feeling that you play devils advocate because it provokes interesting and lively debate. Quite honestly I am not convinced that you are an atheist so much as you enjoy a good well argued debate.
doriangrey on May 17, 2007 at 2:22 AM
doriangrey on May 17, 2007 at 2:22 AM
Agreed.
baldilocks on May 17, 2007 at 2:59 AM
Me too.
Falwell was on the receiving end of a pretty foul attack by Flynt. Being portrayed as an incestuous drunk is about as low as it gets.
But he obviously forgave his enemy, such that when they met later they became friends. I think that says a lot for Falwell’s faith.
John on May 17, 2007 at 5:18 AM
RE: Flynt Being sorta classy toward Falwell; I’m amazed and pleased. Never would have thought that a Clintonian operative and smut peddler would ever act decently toward his antithesis.
RE: Allahpundit; He’s too smart to be a REAL atheist. We really brilliant people ;-) who haven’t been lucky enough to develop a true faith in anything beyond what we can observe can’t really go much further than agnosticism.
LegendHasIt on May 17, 2007 at 5:25 AM
That’s probably true. When you speak of Christianity, it’s from an outsider’s perspective, which can make it feel as though it’s you vs. us when in reality that may not be your intention.
Though from my personal perspective, it wasn’t until you expressed your wish that the Republican party was less “religious” that I began to view some of your posts that way, whether or not your posts were intended to be interpretted that way.
Esthier on May 17, 2007 at 9:19 AM
Good quote.
4shoes on May 17, 2007 at 10:28 AM
As a charter member of that peculiar religious sect known as the “Klingons for Jesus”, I compelled to clarify your remarks here. We are, in fact, a small group — but we are hard to ignore. We indulge ourselves in that rarely practiced religious ritual known as “the laying on of hands — WITHOUT prayer.” Is that helpful?
My collie says:
Stupid dog.
CyberCipher on May 17, 2007 at 11:17 AM
That’s right. Islam uber alles!
CliffHanger on May 17, 2007 at 11:18 AM
Allahpundit,
I get the impression that some of your more subtle sardonic comments are being taken at face value, and causing people to misunderstand your position on topics now and then. I see no other way to explain people believing that you’ve posited opinions that you really haven’t, unless, in the aftermath of reading tons of posts/comments, people lose the distinction between other people’s quotes in your posts, and your own commentary. So if you post Hitchen’s quote saying “X”, some of the impression left by that quote gets attributed to you, and the commenter starts to believe that it represents your opinion as well.
That said, I believe that you are quite intentional in picking stories that not only incite comment, but provide mild put-downs to Christianity. You say above that:
I have to call you on this one. If Jesus’ words are not true and real, then He was entirely evil, and by no means a force for good. As a small sampling:
– John 14:1-10
If you consider those words to be untrue, what would you think of the speaker expecting others to follow him, especially into death? Nice guy?
Freelancer on May 17, 2007 at 1:43 PM
I hate it when there’s no HT.
centuri0n on May 17, 2007 at 3:05 PM
I’ve always liked Larry Flynt. Even when he was slamming religion in the “old days”. Aside from the fact he
provided me with many hours of pleasure via Hustler (I had to steal them in high school)kept me entertained in my youth , I think deep down inside he’s a class act, and this proves it.AteMyFoot on May 18, 2007 at 1:01 AM
A number of years ago I saw Reverend Falwell and Larry Flynt on a panel discussion regarding the legal battle and events surrounding it. The friendship that the two shared was quite evident. When Larry Flynt was asked what he thought of Rev. Falwell at the time he said that he thought that, “he was the biggest a-hole there ever was”. Both men chuckled when that was recounted, although I believe the reverend turned a shade of crimson.
I believe that their friendship grew out of Reverend Falwell’s Christianity. By showing Christ’s love for Larry Flynt, Larry received something that no one had ever given him, unfortunately with Reverend Falwell’s passing I doubt he ever will again.
sanclemman on May 18, 2007 at 1:03 AM
I thought Jimmy Carter’s sister (the Donna Hanover character in the acclaimed motion picture) had given him Christ’s love years before. Or was that just a myth?
On the other hand, Falwell did show Larry Flynt something he’d never received before from anyone else: namely, a knock-down, drag-out, multi-year, winner-take-all legal battle that escalated all the way to the Supreme Court, over a piece of satire the Reverend was piqued about.
That, Mr. Flynt had never received from anyone before, nor has he since TTBOMK. What some call Christ’s love, I call making the best of a major mistake. The only display I’m particularly impressed with is that which Larry Flynt showed Falwell: when others might take their confinement to a wheelchair for life personally, and hold it against overtly political religious leaders such as Falwell (however unfairly), Flynt was gracious and congenial toward his erstwhile antagonist.
I agree though that it was good to see both men transcending their obvious character flaws and shortcomings.
RD on May 18, 2007 at 6:36 AM
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