LGBT, Pagan, feminist, secular, you know...
Can you have compassion for the people he's left behind now?
He's employed an awful lot of people and built the city of Lynchburg, VA up single-handed. His college is having commencement this week, and now the tone will be really changed. Thinking of them is the only way I can be compassionate about this and not do something like sing the "Kiss Him Goodbye" song.
How about y'all?
2007-05-15 09:00:52 · 24 answers · asked by GreenEyedLilo 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I've been taught since, like, infancy that we always respect the newly departed, and being in Vodoun really solidified that. I'm trying to think of how to respect someone who made his name and living at the expense of lives like mine and those of people I love, or at least not be mean. It's hard.
2007-05-15 09:06:03 · update #1
I didn't care for him or his methods, but we are all connected and any death impacts us all. I am glad that he didn't suffer for long, and my thoughts go out to his family, friends and others who mourn his loss.
Edited to add: The question of "He was disrespectful to so many different groups of people..... Why should any of them show any respect to him in his death?" has a simple answer.
Because I'm not like him.
2007-05-15 09:05:15 · answer #1 · answered by Nandina (Bunny Slipper Goddess) 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I'm in one of those groups and I feel for his family's loss.
He did not single-handedly build up the city of Lynchburg. His college has been on the verge of collapse for the last 10 years, and he had to have financial advisors come in to save it from ruin.
I don't think very highly of his thoughts, words or deeds while he was here.
However, I do have compassion on those who feel the loss of any family member or friend.
2007-05-15 16:05:50 · answer #2 · answered by Kallan 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Someone asked something like this earlier and someone responded "would you mourn the death of Osama bin Laden?"
Bin Laden is a hero to more people than Falwell ever was, so would we mourn his loss too? How about Saddam ?
Was he as ruthless as those guys?
Maybe not, but only because he wasn't in power.
Imagine if he had the power Saddam had - what do you think he would have done with it?
2007-05-15 16:25:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
WHy is it that when anyone dies.. no matter how big of an @$$hole that person is everyone wants to be all warm & fuzzy about it & wants everyone to stop talking trash about the person out of respect for the dead?! Life doesn't stop for everyone just because Jerry's life stopped.
He was disrespectful to so many different groups of people..... Why should any of them show any respect to him in his death? Who cares about his "achievements" ..... they are nothing in comparison to the hate-filled words he spread about the groups that he did not agree with. Not only that, but unless you live in LYNCHburg, VA...... nobody cares about what he "single-handedly" did to "build" the city. Especially if his attitude is any indication of what kind of city it is!
Why should anyone show compassion to a man who had compassion for only himself and those who believed the same things he believed?
It makes me wonder..... When hitler died do you think everyone kept the jews from rejoicing saying "can we be compassionate? Look at all he's done for germany!"
2007-05-15 16:08:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
I'm no fan of the man. He did, however, do those things and did do some good things. Yes, I can have compassion on those left behind, and I don't think it just to dance on anyone's graves and am disgusted by the practice. All people are human, even those we don't like.
2007-05-15 16:05:36 · answer #5 · answered by Innokent 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Eh. I can understand that people who thought him important are saddened by his passing. I can muster a bit of empathy for that. But the things he put in place will continue even without him, so I don't think that most of them will feel a significant impact. (His family and friends, sure, same for anyone else dying.)
Personally, though, I feel rather apathetic about his death. Can't claim that I liked a lot of things that he said, but don't feel any happiness over his passing, either. ::shrugs:: He lived, he died, that's life.
2007-05-17 10:24:07 · answer #6 · answered by ArcadianStormcrow 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hitler also did some amazing things for Germany, yet left behind an absolutely horrible legacy. Maybe people will be able to separate the bigot that Falwell was from his good, positive accomplishments.
2007-05-15 16:06:00 · answer #7 · answered by born_schaetzung 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
*chuckle* I fit just about everyone of his target groups.
I would not gloat over the fact he's dead. However I can't say it saddens me that much. I had no respect for the man, he was a hateful bigot. Let's just hope the fundies don't turn him into some glorified martyr for their cause.
2007-05-15 19:23:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, think of all the money he's milked from them, and now they'll never be able to get it back.
Generally, the people who supported him also reject the people who form those groups. Hard to feel sympathy for people who spit on you and/or despise your existence.
Don't worry, I don't hate any of them. That would imply that I care about their opinions, and frankly I don't. But I also don't have any compassion for the life they've chosen.
2007-05-15 16:06:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Being a Pagan, I am in one of his target groups. I don't hate him, I pity him for the life he wasted on hating so much, and being afraid of what he couldn't understand.
As for those he left behind, I am sorry for their suffering, but life will go on, and I'm sure they already have his replacement picked and ready to go.
2007-05-15 16:52:23 · answer #10 · answered by meg3f 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋