Falwell says U.S. has lost God's

protection because of spiritual void

Gustav Niebuhr, New York Times



Friday, September 14, 2001

The Rev. Jerry Falwell said yesterday that the American Civil Liberties Union, along with abortion providers, gay rights proponents and federal courts that had banned school prayer and legalized abortion, had so weakened the United States spiritually that the nation was left exposed to Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

The conservative Baptist minister said that "the ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this," according to a partial transcript of televised remarks he made on "The 700 Club," Pat Robertson's religious program.

In the transcript, distributed by the liberal organization People for the American Way, Falwell described the ACLU as "throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools." Referring to the terrorist attacks, he said he would point a figurative finger at those "who have tried to secularize America" and say: "You helped this happen."

Robertson, in a separate statement, agreed, saying Americans had insulted God by allowing abortion and "rampant Internet pornography." He also chided the U.S. Supreme Court for, among other things, limiting prayer in

public schools.

"We have a court that has essentially stuck its finger in God's eye," Robertson wrote. "We have insulted God at the highest level of our government. Then, we say, 'Why does this happen?' "

Falwell, asked to explain his remarks in a telephone interview last night, said he was making a theological statement about how various groups had so offended God that the attacks could occur. He said he did not intend to shift actual blame from the terrorists who carried out the attacks.

"I sincerely believe that the collective efforts of many secularists during the past generation, resulting in the expulsion from our schools and from the public square, has left us vulnerable," Falwell said. "God has protected America from her inception. It is only recently that many have decided God is unnecessary."

Falwell added he does not believe God "had anything to do with the tragedy," but that God permitted it.

"He lifted the curtain of protection," Falwell said, "and I believe that if America does not repent and return to a genuine faith and dependence on him, we may expect more tragedies, unfortunately."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

"Tinkie-Winkie!! Dipsy!! Usama!! Po!!"

Falwell blames gays, liberal groups for terrorist attacks



Anti-gay advocate makes remarks on '700 Club' broadcast;

Robertson nods approval



by Lou Chibbaro Jr.

Washington Blade

© 2001, Window Media LLC



WASHINGTON, Thursday, Sept. 13 -- The Rev. Jerry Falwell said

gays, feminists, "pagans,"

and a host of liberal advocacy groups have made "God mad" and

must share the blame for

the terrorist attacks this week that took the lives of thousands of

Americans at the World

Trade Center in New York and at the Pentagon outside Washington.



Falwell made his remarks Thursday, Sept. 13, while appearing on

the religious television

program The 700 Club, hosted by the Rev. Pat Robertson. Falwell

and Robertson are among

the nation's strongest opponents of gay civil rights.



"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the

feminists, and the gays and

lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle,

the ACLU, People for

the American Way - all of them who have tried to secularize

American - I point the finger in

their face and say, 'You helped this happen,'" Falwell said on the

program, which was

broadcast nationally.



"Well, I totally concur," Robertson told Falwell, "and the problem is

we have adopted their

agenda at the highest levels of our government."



The comments by Falwell and Robertson came at a time when gay

activists have joined

leading Republicans and Democrats in calling for national unity and

full, bipartisan support

for President Bush's planned response to the terrorist attacks.



"The terrible tragedy that has befallen our nation, and indeed the

entire global community, is

the sad byproduct of fanaticism," said Lorri L. Jean, executive

director of the National Gay

and Lesbian Task Force.



"It has its roots in the same fanaticism that enables people like

Jerry Falwell to preach hate

against those who do not think, live, or love in the exact same way

he does," Jean said.



"The tragedies that have occurred this week did not occur because

someone made God mad,

as Mr. Falwell asserts," Jean continued, in a statement released

Sept. 13. "They occurred

because of hate, pure and simple."



In separate statements released this week, the national gay groups

Log Cabin Republicans

and National Stonewall Democrats condemned the terrorist attacks

and declared their

support for President Bush's efforts to respond to the incidents.



"Gay and Lesbian Americans across the nation are united today,"

said Log Cabin executive

director Rich Tafel. "In the face of defending our nation together, all

differences fall away,

and all other issues pale in comparison."



"This week's tragedy truly asks all of us to come together as a

people to bury our dead, to

comfort and heal all families and to rebuild this strong nation," the

National Stonewall

Democrats said in a statement. "Stonewall Democrats join in

solidarity with all Americans in

placing our loyal support behind our national government and our

president."



The group added, "Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered

Americans also have paid with

their lives and their honor, and we join in saluting their sacrifices and

those of every

American who suffered these terrible, senseless events."



"Now is the time to join together behind our president and our

government in defense of our

nation," said Tafel of the Log Cabin group.



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