Jerry Falwell Jr. takes leave of absence

[mamselle]

I was just reading that last week.

Nothing new under the sun...or the tabernacle roof...

M.

[writingprof]

Check out Jacob, Esau, and Isaac for an earlier mess...

M.

Or perhaps more pertinently, the High Priest Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas.

That is some impressive Biblical literacy.

[apl68]

Check out Jacob, Esau, and Isaac for an earlier mess...

M.

Or perhaps more pertinently, the High Priest Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas.

That is some impressive Biblical literacy.

Well I AM, as noted above, from a family of ministers.  Bible stories from Old and New Testaments were our bedtime reading growing up, along with Treasure Island and Black Beauty.

[mamselle]

And besides writing, researching and teaching the liturgical arts (our Italian Renaissance art history instructor told us the first week to read the Hebrew Scriptures, and the next to read the NT, "because a lot of the art you're going to see in this class is based on those two books) I read two chapters a day and have for years.

It just becomes a kind of language--Scriptural narratives become a kind of emotional shorthand, in something like the way Tolstoy saw art: a representation of emotional, spiritual, or metaphoric truth that summarizes the nub of the issue in a scene or a few names.

One forms, and is formed by, ones hemeneutic, maybe.

M.
 

[paultuttle]

This is an interesting story.  The photo itself (easily viewable online) is "racy" in only the mildest sense of the word.  Yet it's reasonable to argue that Falwell should be held to the same standard to which Liberty holds its students.  Could one of them post such a picture without consequence?  I honestly don't know, but it seems to me unlikely.

That said, I'm reminded of moments when conservatives cheer a progressive's descent into #MeToo hell, or a progressive's "cancellation."  No, no, no.  If an ideology is illegitimate, it's illegitimate whether it's attacking one's friends or one's enemies.  Leftists should take note.  If you don't like Liberty-style anti-intellectual Christianist legalism, you shouldn't like it when it eats Jerry Falwell, Jr.

Writingprof is correct: We shouldn't be interested merely in scoring points off each other politically; instead, we should be concerned about the disjointedness, lack of consistency, malicious intent masquerading as "truth" or "compassion," and other illnesses inherent in certain systems and ideological positions.

(Just trying to be real here, not defending Junior's choice to share a rather unappetizing selfie on social media.)

All that said, I would much rather have seen Liberty's board pitch Junior out of his position due to the multiple other things he's done that show his lack of ability and questionable morality as a university leader.

[nebo113]

Liberty students would be expelled for the same conduct, so writingprof is wrong.

Since that is what I said, I suppose I am "right."

Yet it's reasonable to argue that Falwell should be held to the same standard to which Liberty holds its students.  Could one of them post such a picture without consequence?  I honestly don't know, but it seems to me unlikely.

Check your language in bold type.

[nebo113]

This is an interesting story.  The photo itself (easily viewable online) is "racy" in only the mildest sense of the word.  Yet it's reasonable to argue that Falwell should be held to the same standard to which Liberty holds its students.  Could one of them post such a picture without consequence?  I honestly don't know, but it seems to me unlikely.

That said, I'm reminded of moments when conservatives cheer a progressive's descent into #MeToo hell, or a progressive's "cancellation."  No, no, no.  If an ideology is illegitimate, it's illegitimate whether it's attacking one's friends or one's enemies.  Leftists should take note.  If you don't like Liberty-style anti-intellectual Christianist legalism, you shouldn't like it when it eats Jerry Falwell, Jr.

Writingprof is correct: We shouldn't be interested merely in scoring points off each other politically; instead, we should be concerned about the disjointedness, lack of consistency, malicious intent masquerading as "truth" or "compassion," and other illnesses inherent in certain systems and ideological positions.

(Just trying to be real here, not defending Junior's choice to share a rather unappetizing selfie on social media.)

All that said, I would much rather have seen Liberty's board pitch Junior out of his position due to the multiple other things he's done that show his lack of ability and questionable morality as a university leader.

Liberty has appointed an "acting" prez.  I never remember the distinction between acting and interim, bu I have a vague recollection that acting signals that he is expected to return....which of course could change.

[jimbogumbo]

This is an interesting story.  The photo itself (easily viewable online) is "racy" in only the mildest sense of the word.  Yet it's reasonable to argue that Falwell should be held to the same standard to which Liberty holds its students.  Could one of them post such a picture without consequence?  I honestly don't know, but it seems to me unlikely.

That said, I'm reminded of moments when conservatives cheer a progressive's descent into #MeToo hell, or a progressive's "cancellation."  No, no, no.  If an ideology is illegitimate, it's illegitimate whether it's attacking one's friends or one's enemies.  Leftists should take note.  If you don't like Liberty-style anti-intellectual Christianist legalism, you shouldn't like it when it eats Jerry Falwell, Jr.

Writingprof is correct: We shouldn't be interested merely in scoring points off each other politically; instead, we should be concerned about the disjointedness, lack of consistency, malicious intent masquerading as "truth" or "compassion," and other illnesses inherent in certain systems and ideological positions.

(Just trying to be real here, not defending Junior's choice to share a rather unappetizing selfie on social media.)

All that said, I would much rather have seen Liberty's board pitch Junior out of his position due to the multiple other things he's done that show his lack of ability and questionable morality as a university leader.

OP here. Didn't start this thread to score points. I'd read many things about prior issues, including the really good Probublica reporting the spork linked to. IMHO it was the many "other" things which led to the dismissal, and this incident was the final straw. Thanks to apl68 and mamselle for the Biblical perspective.

[writingprof]

Liberty students would be expelled for the same conduct, so writingprof is wrong.

Since that is what I said, I suppose I am "right."

Yet it's reasonable to argue that Falwell should be held to the same standard to which Liberty holds its students.  Could one of them post such a picture without consequence?  I honestly don't know, but it seems to me unlikely.

Check your language in bold type.

I wish others would weigh in, because now I'm beginning to doubt my own sanity.  It seems clear to me that the message of my words was "It seems to me unlikely that a Liberty student could post such a picture without consequence."

[apl68]

This is an interesting story.  The photo itself (easily viewable online) is "racy" in only the mildest sense of the word.  Yet it's reasonable to argue that Falwell should be held to the same standard to which Liberty holds its students.  Could one of them post such a picture without consequence?  I honestly don't know, but it seems to me unlikely.

That said, I'm reminded of moments when conservatives cheer a progressive's descent into #MeToo hell, or a progressive's "cancellation."  No, no, no.  If an ideology is illegitimate, it's illegitimate whether it's attacking one's friends or one's enemies.  Leftists should take note.  If you don't like Liberty-style anti-intellectual Christianist legalism, you shouldn't like it when it eats Jerry Falwell, Jr.

Writingprof is correct: We shouldn't be interested merely in scoring points off each other politically; instead, we should be concerned about the disjointedness, lack of consistency, malicious intent masquerading as "truth" or "compassion," and other illnesses inherent in certain systems and ideological positions.

(Just trying to be real here, not defending Junior's choice to share a rather unappetizing selfie on social media.)

All that said, I would much rather have seen Liberty's board pitch Junior out of his position due to the multiple other things he's done that show his lack of ability and questionable morality as a university leader.

OP here. Didn't start this thread to score points. I'd read many things about prior issues, including the really good Probublica reporting the spork linked to. IMHO it was the many "other" things which led to the dismissal, and this incident was the final straw. Thanks to apl68 and mamselle for the Biblical perspective.

Yes, this was surely a last straw in a long line of increasingly disturbing and embarrassing incidents.

[jimbogumbo]

Back in the news again.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2020/08/21/were-falwell's-yacht-vacations-aboveboard

[Ruralguy]

He's the Steve Bannon of College Presidents. Religion is just a racket for him, most likely.

[ciao_yall]

Here is the full article from Politico.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/20/falwells-yacht-use-under-scrutiny-399424

It's like he wasn't even trying to hide this stuff, FFS.

[jimbogumbo]

Well, this took a turn: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/08/24/report-former-pool-boy-describes-years-long-sexual-relationship-with-jerry-falwell-jr-and-wife/#42b9f34e66da

[spork]

Thy shalt not covet thy neighbor's bisexual pool boy.