Jerry Falwell Jr. takes leave of absence

[jimbogumbo]

My hypothesis is that his heart was never really in it to following in his father's footsteps, that he was always was just a rich party boy, and now with a golden parachute he can go live his ideal self as said rich party boy in the Mediterranean somewhere unencumbered by the restrictive morality he was supposed to peddle.

Entirely possible.  The ministry is supposed to be a personal calling, not a family business.  Pushing somebody with no calling into the ministry is a good recipe for disaster.  The junior Falwell's behavior makes it sound like he never really grew up, let alone cultivated any spiritual maturity.

My grandfather was a minister who had two sons (Dad and, eventually, his youngest brother) who followed him into the ministry, but neither was ever pressured to do so.  And since they were rural bi-vocational pastors it's not like they were drawn by good salaries or golden parachutes!

I doubt that the ministers in your family were like many of the industrial-level televangelist family ministries. Danny McBride didn't make this up out of whole cloth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Righteous_Gemstones

[mamselle]

Well, that's also not a new problem.

Demetrius, the silversmith of Ephasus might be said to have been their ancestor, in a way...

M.

[nebo113]

And a former student is saying that Becki slipped into his bed and gave him a blow job.  Eeewwww

[spork]

And a former student is saying that Becki slipped into his bed and gave him a blow job.  Eeewwww

One time at band camp . . . https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/27/becki-falwell-affair-liberty-university-student-band-jerry-402559

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

And a former student is saying that Becki slipped into his bed and gave him a blow job.  Eeewwww

Whoops! I tripped!

Honestly, it all sounds predatory.

[spork]

There will be blood.

"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." - Galatians 5: 19-21.

I suspect cocaine will be the next headline.

[jimbogumbo]

There will be blood.

"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." - Galatians 5: 19-21.

I suspect cocaine will be the next headline.

When I first saw this story I almost laughed out loud at her response to the "had he been drinking heavily" question.

[apl68]

Here's what it makes me think about, from the Gospel according to Matthew:

"When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it wanders through dry places, and finds no rest.  Then it decides to return to the house from which it came.  It goes and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

Usually understood as Jesus warning against trying to live a godly life through one's own willpower, without seeking help from God.  If somebody whose heart has never been renewed by Jesus tries to live according to biblical teachings for the sake of appearances, he may succeed for a time.  But sooner or later the old evil nature will end up getting the better of him.  I think that dynamic helps to explain some of the truly spectacular moral failings in priests, televangelists, etc. that we've seen over the years.

[kaysixteen]

apl has a good point..  But whether or not Falwell Jr. is a sincere Christian vs a charlatan, he remains an A+ argument against nepotism in evangelicaldom.

[spork]

Falwell family purge at Liberty continues:

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/14/falwell-son-liberty-university-481557