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.

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.

Christopher Hitchens, a journalist who I tend to admire, was interviewed on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes on the death of Rev. Jerry Falwell. Hitchens makes no attempt to conceal his hostility toward the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, a man with……

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 believe religion is basically a force for good. I just don’t think it’s sound.

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:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

– 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?

Who said they were all equal?

That’s right. Islam uber alles!

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

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:

You’re not funny, CyberCipher.

Stupid dog.

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.

Allahpundit on May 17, 2007 at 12:14 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.

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.

I’m just amazed that Larry Flynt outclassed so many people in his response to Falwell’s death.

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.

Agreed.

The fact is, I really don’t “target” religion in most of my posts. I don’t rail against Christianity

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.

He passed the Buddha on the road and beheaded him.

Heh.

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.

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.

she’s not only not threatening to cut of his head if he doesn’t convert

At least I hope not. :-)

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.

Hehe… reminds me of the “friendship” between Tammy Faye and Ron Jeremy. EQUALLY hurl-inducing.

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.

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.

Canadian Infidel on May 16, 2007 at 11:30 PM

I like seeing a naked attractive woman too (and I’m a Christian), I want to marry one someday. :-p

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.

http://kungfurumsfeld.ytmnd.com/