A Life Beyond the Sound Bytes

No doubt many are rejoicing at the death of Jerry Falwell. And, for what many of us knew about him, such a reaction is perhaps not surprising. Yet, Rocco Palmo of Whispers in the Loggia offers us a different point of view on Busted Halo, and it's worth having a look:

"It doesn’t say much for modern discourse that friendship, kindness and respect are often only given when we’ve vetted others enough to see how their worldviews mesh with our own. If we’re really going to preach a Gospel of Life, however, we’ve got to be prepared to live it, and not only when it’s easy or convenient.

I haven’t always seen eye to eye with Jerry Falwell—or, for that matter, with my relatives who have been part of his flock. But while ideas and teachings are one thing, their practice is entirely another. Catholic, Mainline or Evangelical, conservative, liberal, libertarian, or anywhere in between, those of us who call ourselves Christian all come from a tradition where we’re charged to love our neighbor as ourselves.

The living witness of my family’s faith and love was inspired by the example of the pastor who taught them more than all the acres of newsprint and airtime he ever garnered could ever hope to cover."

read the whole thing.