The Death of Jerry Falwell, Part 1
It was hard to believe at first.
My response ... well, speaking as one of those GLBT Christians who has to some degree suffered from Falwell's particular brand of spiritual abuse and violence, what Dr. Rembert Truluck refers to as "Bible Abuse", I experienced the sensation of having a weight lifted somewhat from my back.
It is a sad and terrible thing when a person's death gives hope to millions of people ... that one of the terrible voices that consistently dehumanized me and my people has been silenced. I know that there are those who are mourning his passing, and I do have compassion for those who have lost someone they loved ... and I have a certain compassion for Rev Falwell too. What he must be experiencing now that he sees face to face, not as through a mirror dimly ... when what remains of the stuff of sin in us is burned away in the relentless, loving, healing light of God's unmediated presence, and the process of our going on to perfection is suddenly completed, when we know and are known ...
It is so difficult not to dehumanize Rev. Falwell in return. I laughed at a quote someone sent me from Moms Mably, which went something like this: "One must speak good of the dead. OK then --he's dead. Good!" I have appreciated the way that other RGBPs have responded and look forward to seeing what others say ...
When it is my time to experience that relentless, loving, healing light of God's unmediated presence ... what will be burned away from me ...?
My response ... well, speaking as one of those GLBT Christians who has to some degree suffered from Falwell's particular brand of spiritual abuse and violence, what Dr. Rembert Truluck refers to as "Bible Abuse", I experienced the sensation of having a weight lifted somewhat from my back.
It is a sad and terrible thing when a person's death gives hope to millions of people ... that one of the terrible voices that consistently dehumanized me and my people has been silenced. I know that there are those who are mourning his passing, and I do have compassion for those who have lost someone they loved ... and I have a certain compassion for Rev Falwell too. What he must be experiencing now that he sees face to face, not as through a mirror dimly ... when what remains of the stuff of sin in us is burned away in the relentless, loving, healing light of God's unmediated presence, and the process of our going on to perfection is suddenly completed, when we know and are known ...
It is so difficult not to dehumanize Rev. Falwell in return. I laughed at a quote someone sent me from Moms Mably, which went something like this: "One must speak good of the dead. OK then --he's dead. Good!" I have appreciated the way that other RGBPs have responded and look forward to seeing what others say ...
When it is my time to experience that relentless, loving, healing light of God's unmediated presence ... what will be burned away from me ...?
posted by Reverend Dona Quixote @ 7:27 AM
1 Comments:
At 9:46 AM ,
Cecilia said...
Amen. You speak with compassion and honesty-- a combination of great strength.
I do not mourn the man. I did not wish him dead. But I believe he did much harm, and amassed much power and wealth along the way, and in the name of the One who was all about emptying Herself in love for us.
Glad it's God he's meeting. Wouldn't want it to be anyone else. (Though I hope he meets up with Matthew Shephard at the pearly gates.)
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