Whom would Jesus punch?

September 28, 2005

I’m not a theologian, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing in the New Testament about Jesus whipping and punching those with whom he disagreed. Then again, maybe Jerry Falwell has a less turn-the-other-cheek kind of Bible. (thanks to Eugene for the tip)

During his September 25th sermon to his Thomas Road Baptist Church congregation, the Rev. Jerry Falwell examined the freedoms enjoyed by Americans and turned to the issue of what should happen to so-called “un-patriotic” Americans: “You know when I see somebody burning the flag, I’m a Baptist preacher I’m not a Mennonite, I feel it’s my obligation to whip him. In the name of the Lord of course. I feel it’s my obligation to whip him, and if I can’t do it then I look up some of my athletes to help me.

But, as long as at 72 I can handle most of the jobs I do it myself, and I don’t think it’s un-spiritual. When I, when I, when I hear somebody talking about our military and ridiculing and saying terrible things about our President, I’m thinking you know just a little bit of that and I believe the Lord would forgive me if I popped him.”

You can even watch a video highlight of Falwell’s unique “insight” via dial-up or broadband.

I have to admit; I enjoy these little insights into the mind of a nut. After all, here’s a preacher — who, I should add, enjoys close connections with the Bush White House — who believes there’s nothing “un-spiritual” about beating those whom he finds offensive. He’ll “whip” flag-burners “in the name of the Lord”? Hilarious.

I wonder sometimes if even Jerry Falwell can take Jerry Falwell seriously.

My favourite bumper sticker recently reads:

When Jesus said love your enemies, he probably meant don’t kill them

And this was in Lynchburg, within spitting distance of Mr Falwell’s ginormous church…

  • The modern fundamentalist preachers have abandoned the “peace, love and forgiveness” of the New Testament as preached by Jesus in favor of the “vengeful god” of the Old Testament. Someone should ask them about it sometime.

  • Go ahead and laugh – General William “Jerry” Boykin was promoted to deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence after he said God put Bush in the White House.

    Posse comitatus was probably secretly suspended four years ago and the general knows who we are and where we live.

    After his God annihilates Osama bin Laden’s God, we’re in big trouble.

  • Personally I think that is not only irresponsible, it sets a dangerous precedent. Basically he is inciting violence by giving permission if not encouraging “whipping” anyone not in-line with the WH. And as unfair as this may sound i suspect there is a handful of followers who would do just that. There is no telling how far they will take it!

  • hell, Falwell couldn’t “whip” Larry Flynt when Flynt said he’d done his momma in an outhouse – and Flynt was in a wheelchair.

  • Dammit, Poppy beat me to it. Falwell’s an ignorant ass, but Jesus did go after the money changers with an actual whip, as I vaguely recall. He also sent Peter for a sword before the Romans arrived the night he was taken in the garden, though it’s not really clear why other than to give him a set up for the “live by the sword, die by the sword” line after Peter hacked some guy’s ear off.

    (I could provide cites for these things but am not feeling sufficiently motivated to do so. In the Gospels somewhere.)

  • WHOM would Jesus punch?

    Damn. I’m usually pestering my friends about who/whom. Let’s go with…I was distracted by pending word of DeLay’s indictment. Yes, that’s it. My grammatical mistakes are Tom DeLay’s fault.

  • I’d like to know exactly how many times Falwell has actually seen an American citizen burning the American flag. It’s not like it happens daily in cities large and small across the country.

    Serena, you’re right that it’s irresponsible and could result in violence, which I’m sure wouldn’t bother Falwell (or his friends in Washington) a bit.
    I also think that way more than a handful of his followers would be more than happy to take up the whip. Especially if Jerry tells them the Lord’s gonna wink and look the other way.

    Ugh, I’ve always wanted to ask that same question. I’m not what you’d call a Biblical scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but I thought that the Sermon on the Mount and all that “love thy neighbor” stuff was supposed to supercede all the First Testament fire & brimstone eye-for-an eye stuff. Maybe I missed the part where it says “love your neighbor as long as he looks, thinks, prays, votes and has sex the same way you do. Whip everyone else.”

    I guess when you talk to the Lord directly He lets you know which parts of the Word to obey and which to ignore.

  • When will we get enough guts to confront this type of rhetoric. While we sit back and address the issues with comments, they are changing our country for the worse with ACTION. When will this counrty wake up ?, is the rest of the world that far ahead of us ! God is the property of everyone, not just the black hearted.

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