And, lo, Mr. Hitchens has put his words to paper (internet paper!). You can read his column here. Some choice excerpts follow:
The discovery of the carcass of Jerry Falwell on the floor of an obscure office in Virginia has almost zero significance, except perhaps for two categories of the species labeled "credulous idiot."
Like many fanatical preachers, Falwell was especially disgusting in exuding an almost sexless personality while railing from dawn to dusk about the sex lives of others. His obsession with homosexuality was on a par with his lip-smacking evocations of hellfire.
It's a shame that there is no hell for Falwell to go to, and it's extraordinary that not even such a scandalous career is enough to shake our dumb addiction to the "faith-based."
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 12)
16. Jerry Falwell was a bigot. He was bigoted against women and other nationalities to put more money in his own pockets and for the pockets of his so-called ministry.
The fact that our own government used him as part of their compaigns is sick. Jerry Falwell did nothing for this country and I am even depressed that I am posting something about this. He was not worth our time.
Kari at 12:55PM on May 16th 2007
17. Christopher, My parents taught me that if I had nothing good to say about a dead person, to say nothing at all. I always thought that meant for me to be polite/courteous, but now I know that it was meant for bastards like you who use the opportunity to slam (without retort) someone who would be able to respond, were they alive - where is your heaven/hell?
James at 6:33PM on May 16th 2007
18. GOOD RIDDENCE TO A LITTLE BIT MORE BAD GARBAGE!!!!!THE WORLD IS BETTER OFF WITHOUT THE "PROFIT" JERRY FALWELL.
T. Hamilton at 1:19PM on May 16th 2007
19. Bravo Chistopher Hitchens for speaking out so eloquently on behalf of all of Jerry Falwell's victims - most importantly, the United States. I am buying your book. Christopher Hitchens is a voice of morality, not the self important leaders of today's major western and mideastern religions.
I'm not an atheist and I'm also not a member of any organized religion - throughout history, especially in the present day context of Fundamentalist Christianity and Islam - they are harbingers of evil. Instead, I believe in what I would like to believe, took the best I thought of various religions and made my own personal one. I fully believe I will get a faith "tune up" after my death, because quite frankly, I'm too stupid to know the answer, and too independent to join the flock of sheep that followed Falwell.
As a gay person who Falwell spent a great deal of his life victimizing, my first reaction to his death was "yeah, rah!" and then I caught myself. He is no longer with us to dislike or love, and is himself now finding out about something none of us really know about. I said a short prayer to the universe asking it to be kind to Falwell, and to make his next lifetime's goal to preach love, not hate.
Phil at 1:29PM on May 16th 2007
20. Bravo,, Falwell was the enemy of the teachings of Christ.. A bloated, bigoted, bully useing religion to line his pockets, intimidate those he perceived as enemies, and condem those whom espoused views different from his own.. Unfortunatly there will be more like Falwell to follow who will garner the weak minded who refuse to think for themselves.
Wallace at 1:34PM on May 16th 2007
21. Jerry Falwell is now in a better and hotter place that suits him! The expression is: Do/speak good and get good; do/speak evil and, brother, you deserve what you get in return!!
Robert Bova at 1:36PM on May 16th 2007
22. As a Baptist minister for over 25 years, I find nothing about Hitchens which impresses me. However his attack on Falwell was well earned by the late minister/fund raiser. I can assure all readers that many people of faith have little use for Falwell's huge ego and exaggerated political antics. In my mind, when approaching the pearly gates Mr. Falwell has already heard the following words, (in the style of Desi Arnez on the old I Love Lucy Show), Jerry you got some explaining to do!
Bobby at 2:00PM on May 16th 2007
23. Mr. Hitchens said it all for me!
Sheila at 2:49PM on May 16th 2007
24. It seems Hitchens thinks resonable those Jews who surrender lands to Muslims who send 15 year old boys and girls with explosive belts into Israeli shopping centers. Hitchens is just a little British punk who is paid blood money to make excuses for radical Islam. Glorify cowards like Rabin and denigrate great men like Begin and Shamir who knew how to defend the world from murderers.
Steven at 1:26AM on May 17th 2007
25. Anyone who has not been brainwashed from youth by religion (brainwashed mostly by geography - most people are the religions of of their geographic region - which alone says a great deal on the subject) can begin to grasp what Hitchens says and means. Hitchen's background in religion is actually quite extensive. I marvel daily at the religious heads on TV and their near-heroin-like euphoria when they speak, and Falwell was one of these people...a tad more sedate than some...but loopy none-the-less. But I cannot expect Hitchen's words, or Sam Harris's words to change any engraved, religious minds. Brainwashing from youth is brainwashing from youth. Also the psychological predispositions for some toward "the God Gene" is just to strong. When the A-Bombs start flying some day? The button pushers will be from religious camps.
W. Hock Hochheim at 2:27PM on May 16th 2007
26. Falwell may well have been a self-serving wolf in sheep's clothing. All of these socially and politically active religious on both the left and right who cloak their activism in religion fly in the face of Christ's sage advice to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's. One does not need to be a Christian nor even a believer of any stripe to marvel at this wisdom and recognize its importance as a cornerstone of Western Civilization and the modern world.
What is truly significant however is CNN affording this equally self-serving and even more pretentious toad, Hitchens, an opportunity to promote his book and dance on Falwell's grave uncontested by a totally inept interviewer and without any balanced commentary from other sources. This sort of performance ratifies the perception of media bias in the minds of a substantial portion of Americans outside the cosmopolitan elite. Let us recognize that Falwell and any damage that he can do is at an end while CNN, and the damage it does every day, lives on.
Cincinnati Rick at 2:27PM on May 16th 2007
27. Chris....I don't always agree with your views, but this time....You've Nailed It!
This man is better off gone, than at any time in his "Illustrious" career!!!
Bob
Bob at 2:28PM on May 16th 2007
28. It comes as no surprise that the VULTURES couldn't wait to attack and pick over the bones of Jerry Falwell before he was even cold. You all should be very proud.
kisbuild at 1:26AM on May 17th 2007
29. FALWELL AND ROBERTSON ARE THE MOST TOTALLY OUT OF STEP WITH CHRISTIANITY. THE SPREAD AND TEACH HATRED, BIGOTRY AND HYPOCRISY. THEY ARE JUST LIKE BU$H OUT FOR THE $$$$. THE PREY ON THE WEAK, OLD AND THOSE WHO ARE EASILY CONFUSED BY WORDS. THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD OR CHRISTIANITY. HOW MANY JESUS LIGHT SWITCHES DO THEY SELL? DID JESUS NEED A PRIVATE JET AND A MERCEDES? I FEEL SORRY FOR THOSE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO FALL FOR THESE CHARLATANS.GOOD FOR CHRIS HITCHINS...HE IS RIGHT ON THE TARGET WITH THESE AMBASSADORS OF THE DEVIL.
ANN at 2:39PM on May 16th 2007
30. Put another shovel of coal in hell for this moron. I think he is lying if he says indeed he has read The Holy Bible. If he read it, he is truely an idiot & he can only chastise Chritians whom pray for souls like his
Randy at 3:01PM on May 16th 2007