Do Jerry Falwell
& Pat Robertson
Speak for God?

ollowing the tragic terrorist attacks, two fundamentalist buffoons appeared together on TV’s The 700 Club, pontificating on the disheartening events and assigning blame. Jerry Falwell described his September 13 exchange with Pat Robertson as a "theological discussion."

Herewith is a partial transcript of their 700 Club theologizing:

Jerry Falwell: And I agree totally with you that the Lord has protected us
so wonderfully these 225 years. And since 1812, this is the first time
that we've been attacked on our soil and by far the worst results. And I
fear, as Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, said yesterday, that
this is only the beginning. And with biological warfare available to these
monsters - the Husseins, the Bin Ladens, the Arafats - what we saw on
Tuesday, as terrible as it is, could be miniscule if, in fact - if, in
fact - God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America
to give us probably what we deserve.

Pat Robertson: Jerry, that's my feeling. I think we've just seen the
antechamber to terror. We haven't even begun to see what they can do to
the major population.

Jerry Falwell: The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this.

Pat Robertson: Well, yes.

Jerry Falwell: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But,
throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system,
throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The
abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be
mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God
mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the
feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make
that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way - all
of them who have tried to secularize America - I point the finger in their
face and say "you helped this happen."

Pat Robertson: Well, I totally concur, and the problem is we have adopted
that agenda at the highest levels of our government. And so we're
responsible as a free society for what the top people do. And, the top
people, of course, is the court system.

Jerry Falwell: Pat, did you notice yesterday the ACLU, and all the
Christ-haters, People For the American Way, NOW, etc. were totally
disregarded by the Democrats and the Republicans in both houses of
Congress as they went out on the steps and called out on to God in prayer
and sang "God Bless America" and said "let the ACLU be hanged"? In other
words, when the nation is on its knees, the only normal and natural and
spiritual thing to do is what we ought to be doing all the time - calling
upon God.

Pat Robertson: Amen

Over the last week there has been a swift response in the U.S. media to the Falwell/Robertson remarks. Many journalists seemed to perceive how the two clergymen lacked any believable sense of anguish as they discussed the death and destruction maiming their country.

Instead, journalists noted, Falwell and Robertson had —like the vulgar opportunists they are—used the occasion to stir up hatred against other Americans with whom they disagreed.

I’d once mistakenly thought that the outing of Tinky Winky would be Falwell’s ‘finest hour.’ I couldn’t have realized he’d prove so resilient as a silly buffoon. His latest conversation with Robertson proves he yet has miles to walk. I hope FOX News will keep him at bay, however. And I hope the FOX Family Channel will revamp its contractual support for Pat Robertson’s 700 Club!

Calling Falwell’s remarks "Opportunistic Garbage" (September 15) an editorial in the

Des Moines Register, characterized them as "Unbelievable."

"It's disheartening and distressing to see such opportunism and misguided comments from

a supposed spiritual leader. Just what god is Jerry Falwell worshipping?"

Scripts Howard Newspapers’ Dan K. Thomasson called Falwell and Robertson "Peas in a pod". He said:

"One religious fanatic is pretty much like another when it comes to using the Bible or the Koran to justify the most unimaginable barbarisms."

Both of the two Christian fundamentalists, he explained, "voiced the belief that the deaths of thousands of Americans at the hands of terrorists was inspired by God as a way of getting even with those who condone feminism, homosexuality, abortion rights and any number of civil liberties the two have no use for."

Stephanie Salter, writing in the San Francisco Chronicle (September 15) said:

"Yes, yes, I know this alleged man of God and his equally unholy twin, Pat Robertson have millions of followers in our country. And when I say followers, I do mean followers. To take Falwell and Robertson seriously, folks have to practice a kind of Greyhound bus-style of religion; you leave the driving and the thinking to someone else."

In stark contrast to Falwell and Robertson, the Revered Barry Lynn, regularly their ready critic as executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State,

refused to dignify their comments with an immediate reply. Instead, the Rev. Lynn rightly

addressed the loved ones of those whom the terrorists had killed and put his focus on

stopping the killers. He said:

"At this time of national tragedy, we extend our deepest sympathy to the families of those killed and injured in the horrific attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. As a people, we cannot -- and will not -- allow these repugnant crimes to weaken our commitment to the American values of democracy, pluralism and freedom of conscience. Our nation stands united in our determination that terrorism will not triumph over constitutional government and that those guilty of these crimes will be brought to justice."

Co-pilot David Charlebois, first officer on American Airlines Flight 77, was among those killed Tuesday when terrorists hijacked the Boeing 757 jetliner, crashing it into the Pentagon. A Washington, D.C. resident, Charlebois belonged to the National Gay Pilots Association.

Also killed was Mark Bingham of San Francisco who, it is believed, may have helped

overcome terrorists when the United Airlines jet they took crashed in the Pennsylvania

countryside. A rugby player, Bingham had previously fought off muggers, according to

reports on CNN. The openly gay man had, according to the cell-phone conversation he had with him Mom, planned to join others to fight off the terrorists, thereby preventing them from accomplishing their mission, possibly the destruction of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Others killed were 33-year-old Ronald Gamboa and his partner of 14 years, Dan Brandhorst as well as their adopted 3-year old son, David. They were on board the second plane that crashed into the World Trade Center.