Dr. Falwell is depicted as a false Fundamentalist seeking to please his hardline Baptist wife! He allegedly pretended to believe general Fundamentalist values to keep peace at home. Thus, Dr. Falwell didn’t really believe the values he preached at Thomas Road Baptist Church and on national television. Moreover, Jerry Sr. knew he could not build a large university espousing liberal or loosey-goosey Evangelical positions, so he assumed biblical or Fundamentalist positions. Therefore, according to his wayward son, Jerry Sr. was a very successful hypocrite.

That is asinine, abominable, and far from accurate. It is also tommyrot, baloney, balderdash, and a very generous portion of hogwash. Moreover, even if it were true, why would a son purposefully try to destroy his father’s reputation? After all, Jerry Sr. gave Junior life, but also a very gracious childhood and when grown, a substantial position and financial security. Junior is not only an ingrate but a perfect example of a religious jerk.

Jerry Sr. was a faithful, strong yet gentle leader of his home, church, and Liberty University, as those who knew him better than I will contend. We know his egg-sucking son is attempting damage control since his life has been out of control for decades. The thought of Jerry Sr. permitting his wife to determine what he preached and to order him around is supercilious.

I believe the article dipped into viciousness and a defamatory attack on Dr. Falwell when it alleged: “Looking back, Jerry said his dad adopted militant stands against drinking and homosexuality to prove to his wife that he would be a conservative Christian. ‘My mother was the only reason my dad became puritanical,’ Jerry said. Jerry said his dad also knew that there was a lucrative market for such beliefs. ‘He became a different person to build a church and a school,’ Jerry said.”

How silly for him to make such a charge that Dr. Falwell taught what he did, not because it was biblical, but to satisfy his wife! Moreover, he became a Fundamentalist not because that is what Christians are supposed to be, but he knew it would be easier to sell than Liberalism or soft Evangelicalism.

First, that is an assessment by a disgraced son who has proved to be a scoundrel, a liar, a fornicator, a drunk, a hypocrite, etc., who is trying to find some redemption, not at the cross of Christ, but in the court of public opinion. Jerry Jr. said that being on the receiving end of Evangelicals’ scorn has turned him away from that movement. He said he believes in Christ, but not the church. But then he has another problem since Christ is head of the church, having died for it. No one can declare to be a Christian and disavow the true church, but the weekly gatherings of many religious people worldwide are another matter. Many of them are poor examples of a failing, cheap, three-ring religious circus.

Most churches are contemptible since falsehood is always repulsive.

Jerry Sr. made some mistakes, as even his beloved church members admit. In 1985, I heard him say, during his original announcement, that his highest goal was to have 50,000 students on Liberty Mountain. Goals are good, but the goal should have been qualified not to compromise to reach his desirable result. That was one of Dr. Falwell’s worse mistakes and some of his future decisions were corrupted by that faulty goal.

Most of my disagreements with Dr. Falwell were with his university decisions and some of his association with religious lunatics. With his supreme goal in mind, he began to appeal to an ever-expanding student pool. Not only Baptists were sought, and not only Baptist professors were hired. The narrow door was expanded to include almost any student, even homosexuals. Moreover, he hired non-Fundamentalist professors with a Ph.D. to satisfy the secular accreditation agency.

It is always organizational suicide when a Christian association permits, for whatever reason, a secular agency to sit in judgment on its purpose, policies, people, or program.

Few church people understand the problem with Christian schools that seek secular accreditation. Accreditation is always deadly to any school, as a cursory look at history will prove. I opposed these major compromises without breaking fellowship with Jerry. He didn’t lose any sleep because we disagreed since his gracious (often too gracious) attitude was very accommodating.

In 1987, he showed an eagerness to meet his goal of 50,000 students when he courted the PTL crowd following the sex scandal involving Jimmy and Tammy Faye Bakker. He actively sought to do a “friendly” takeover of the PTL Network. The PTL people are fine individuals but not Baptists.

I disagreed later when Liberty became a Southern Baptist-approved school in 1999 which opened the door for conservative Baptists who disapproved of the lethal liberalism in the SBC.

Furthermore, I disagreed with many of the Liberty student rules that were far too loose, in my opinion.

My other differences with Dr. Falwell are debatable. Accepting $3.5 million in 1994 from the Reverend Sun Myung Moon’s organization can be hotly debated.

Of course, no one questions Junior’s ability, but it seems everyone questions his discretion, honesty, morality, etc. Jerry admitted to Vanity Fair that he drank a few beers while a student at Liberty and his dad should have expelled him if he was informed.

The Vanity Fair article deals with Junior and his wife Becki’s meeting, mating, and marriage. “They fell in love. Becki dropped out of Liberty after her freshman year and got a waitressing job in Lynchburg. She stayed with Jerry in Charlottesville on her days off.” Jerry was in law school at the University of Virginia.

If words still mean what they used to mean, Jerry Junior was a fornicator while in graduate school at the University of Virginia. His church was obligated to bring him up for disciplinary action to restore him to proper godly living if and when they were aware of his actions. His church failed him and disregarded biblical teaching. His dad was his pastor at the time, and if Jerry did not seek to bring Junior under church discipline, he failed his son in that regard. If Junior had left the church membership, then his dad should have (and possibly tried) to discipline his adult, rebellious son.

I have written about various Jerry Falwell Junior’s scandals here, here, here, and here

Jerry said, “I became a true Christian in college,” but that didn’t mean he had to follow the evangelical rules. “After all, Jesus was a rule breaker too.” Evidently, Jerry did not know Christ kept biblical rules—all of them, but He did disregard some man-made rules.

Jerry is quoted as saying, “Organized religion says you have to earn your way to heaven. What Jesus said was, ‘You just have to believe,’” That is correct as far as it goes. Following one’s personal salvation experience, he is expected to live what he possesses. Jerry Junior never did that. He was a hypocrite while young, a hypocrite in middle age, and probably will die a hypocrite.

Junior is obviously a certified jerk.

The people who refuse to make any judgments will accuse me of being unloving, which is a sin; however, no one knows my motives. Love always deals in truth, never falsehood. Jerry Jr. has proved by his words and lifestyle to be a hypocrite. And frankly, a blatant hypocrite.

Although I hope not, even pray that he does not die in his present condition, that is his decision. He can’t blame that on daddy, and it is a sure thing that he won’t get to Heaven because of his name, lineage, education, baptism, or because he finished the work his father started.

Some of us will question Jerry’s salvation since Christians should live clean, dedicated lives rather than give ammunition for the enemies to use against us. As others, seeking to justify evil actions, Junior will say the Bible records major leaders who did terrible acts, such as King David. However, while David committed adultery, he did not live in adultery, and he came broken-hearted before God and wept copious tears in repentance.

Even if one is stupid enough to discount every other charge against Jerry Jr., he is obviously without discretion, which indicates immaturity. As president of the number one Christian university in the world with student behavior rules, he posted a photo on Instagram of himself with his arm around a pregnant woman with his and her shorts unzipped, and stomach exposed. He was holding what seemed to be an alcoholic drink. Becki and daughter Caroline were horrified and told him to “take it down.” But Jerry “didn’t see the big deal.”

He couldn’t see because he was blind.

Compromising photos that Jerry had taken years earlier showed Becki posing topless on a tractor, but Jerry said, “We were just playing around.” Such an attitude shows shallowness or stupidity or maybe he thought he was special.

Maybe I was wrong to call Jerry a jerk.

Make that a double jerk.

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA Today for 8 years. Boys authored 20 books, the most recent, Reflections of a Lifetime Fundamentalist: No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets! The eBook is available at Amazon.com for $4.99. Other titles at www.cstnews.com. Follow him on Facebook at Don  Boys, Ph.D., and visit his blog. Send a request to DBoysphd@aol.com for a free subscription to his articles and click here to support  his work with a donation.)

Jerry Falwell, Jr. is proof that sometimes the apple falls far from the tree, as revealed in a recent Vanity Fair article. The article suggests he has his daddy’s name, but not his nature. He has the Falwell culture but not the Falwell character.

The apple that fell far from the tree was obviously rotten.

If Falwell had any character or self-respect or familial affection, or concern for the cause of Christ, he would climb into a deep Virginia cave and hide therein until his demise. I don’t expect Jerry to do so since he seems to think he is relevant and important. No one cares what Jerry says except the scandal sheets who delight in salacious information, especially if critical of Christians. By Jerry’s vile lifestyle, he has provided many pages of poison that intensified hatred of anything Christian.

I have written about the various Falwell scandals here, here, here, and here.

It seems without debate that Jerry did a sterling job taking control of Liberty University following his father’s death. But for him to suggest he qualifies as the reason Liberty University is one of the largest universities in the world is excessive and embarrassing crowing.

Junior only built upon a deep, solid foundation constructed of sweat, blood, tears, prayers, energy, and total commitment of his father. Without Dr. Falwell, Junior would be known as Jerry, who?

Liberty was originally called Lynchburg Baptist College, which began in 1971 and changed its name to Liberty Baptist College in 1977 and Liberty University in 1985. Liberty was founded by Dr. Falwell, with help from Dr. Elmer Towns and one of my oldest friends, Dr. Harold Willmington, who came in 1972. Dr. Towns and Dr. Willmington provided the academic respectability that Jerry did not possess since he only possessed an undergraduate degree from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri.

While Dr. Falwell lacked academic qualifications, he easily surpassed ivy league university presidents in his ability, wit, knowledge, memory, perseverance, commitment, and genuine love for students. He was one of the most gracious, genuine, as well as one of the greatest men I ever met.

And I often disagreed with him.

Following Falwell’s death in 2007, Liberty experienced spectacular growth and stability under leadership from Jerry Junior. Liberty now boasts over 700 programs from the certificate to the doctoral level ranging from medicine, biology, chemistry, and engineering to design, music, religion, law, and more.

Liberty has more than a billion-dollar endowment fund, gross assets of over 2 billion dollars, an impressive campus with 15,000 students, and a total of 100,000 students when online students are counted. Both the university and church are totally out of debt following payment of a 34-million-dollar life insurance policy on Dr. Falwell.

Liberty’s fiscal stability is impressive even for the secular world and shocking in that it was begun in a small southern city by an independent Baptist pastor with no educational credentials.

The Vanity Fair article reveals a dispute in September 2020, when Jerry and Franklin Graham argued over who should get credit for Liberty’s success. Jerry said, “My dad built the foundation, but I built the house.” Franklin furiously said, “You didn’t build it!”  Well, to put this in perspective, if the bull had not done his job, the farmer would not have any calves to count. Jerry Junior did an impressive job continuing the building on his dad’s foundation. But Junior did not possess the charisma, gravitas, discipline, and reputation to build their Christian elementary school, let alone a university, by his own effort.

Junior has a right to crow but not as the cock of the walk. He can share his daddy’s name and sit in the president’s chair, but he never filled his shoes. But he has often disgraced his name.

In the article, the younger Falwell suggests his aberrant lifestyle was not of his choosing, and it was almost forced on him, saying, “It’s almost like I didn’t have a choice.” But that has been the plea or reason for evil behavior since the beginning of time.

Everyone has a choice, and many of Junior’s were wrong.

He said, “Because of my last name, people think I’m a religious person. But I’m not. My goal was to make them realize I was not my dad.” Wow, what a confession. His goal was not to honor Christ, obey Bible commands, seek to win the world for Christ, or even to make the world a little better but to disassociate himself from the one who gave him life!

What a senseless, ungrateful, despicable jerk.

Furthermore, I will not consider any complaints from religious snowflakes about my lack of love for a brother in Christ, and I’m not sure that is possible with Junior. Even if he is a Christian, it is a sign of love to speak the truth, and the truth is—Jerry Falwell is a jerk. I’m sorry if it offends Jerry and his supporters, but he and his supporters know he is a jerk.

He said his father was not a hardline Fundamentalist at home and did not force him to attend church. But that is not true, according to my sources at Thomas Road Baptist Church. Dr. Falwell allegedly permitted Junior to own rock records and even tolerated moderate drinking. While the rock records accusation cannot be supported or denied, awareness of his drinking became known only when he was in law school at the University of Virginia.

Jerry Jr. did not qualify as president of any Christian college. My longtime friends on Liberty’s Board of Trustees, including the current president Dr. Jerry Prevo and board chairman, Dr. Tim Lee, failed when they turned the university over to him. Of course, they can plead they were doing as Dr. Falwell instructed them to do. However, I believe the control of a not-for-profit organization cannot be handed over to anyone as one might award a prize bull.

One can assume a prize bull will get the job done, but a person with the “right” ancestry should still be suspect as to character, competence, and calling before being hired for a high position.

Jerry Junior said his brother Jonathan became his mother’s favorite son. If so, that was a mistake, but with Jerry’s corrupt record of adultery, drunkenness, lying, stupid behavior, and generally vile lifestyle, I wouldn’t believe him if he swore on a stack of original 1611 KJV Bibles. Besides, my sources at the church and university tell me that Jonathan managed to have a grandchild of Jerry Sr. at their home each night following Jerry’s death. Jonathan’s thoughtfulness and kindness at such a time would endear himself to his mother.

The article drags Jerry Sr. and his family through the slime pits, and it must be remembered that Jerry Jr. has not repudiated the article, so an assumption of misquotes is not supported. The following savaging of the Falwell family is one of the most despicable, disgraceful, and dishonest attacks upon Dr. Falwell and his wife.

The Vanity Fair article reveals that Jerry Junior said his father’s much traveling provided a reprieve from an oppressive marriage. “My dad wanted to travel the world as an escape,” Jerry said. He recalled that his mother’s provincial worldview grated on his father. “She wanted to live a small-town preacher’s life. She didn’t let him mess around.” Divorce was out of the question, according to the article.

How silly. Folks at Thomas Road Baptist Church laugh at such ravings. Note the explosive words, reprieve, oppressive, escape, grated, mess around, and divorce. I am convinced either Jerry Junior or Vanity Fair (or both) was determined to deny, distort, and destroy the memory of Jerry Falwell.

The article continued, “According to Jerry, his dad found ways to take the edge off at home, even though Macel never allowed alcohol in the house. ‘Sometimes, he would drink a whole bottle of Nyquil. He called it Baptist wine,’ he remembered. Jerry [Junior] grew up to learn that he too could have a private life that didn’t align with his public persona.”

That is not the Jerry Falwell I knew from the mid-1960s to his death, nor is that reflected in the hundreds of sermons preached on national television. And the thought of Jerry drinking a bottle of Nyquil because Macel would not permit him to drink wine is so ludicrous I even laughed when I read the stupid statement.

Jerry Junior is not only a jerk but a stupid double jerk. However, God still loves him, and I am trying.

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA Today for 8 years. Boys authored 20 books, the most recent, Reflections of a Lifetime Fundamentalist: No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets! The eBook is available at Amazon.com for $4.99. Other titles at www.cstnews.com. Follow him on Facebook at Don Boys, Ph.D., and visit his blog. Send a request to DBoysphd@aol.com for a free subscription to his articles and click here to support  his work with a donation.)

Jerry was the President of Liberty University, founded by a longtime friend of mine, Jerry Falwell, Sr. Jerry Senior did an astounding job in establishing the school, and Junior did an astounding job expanding the school. After many failures, he then did additional harm when an Instagram went public of him with his arm around a woman at a yacht party. Both Jerry and his female friend were pictured with pants unzipped, and his underwear was exposed.

Jerry was wrong in many ways in that incident, but he posted it on Instagram; that was not dumb; it was super dumb. While there is no vaccine for the Chinese coronavirus or racism, there is also no vaccine for stupidity.

He took a leave of absence from Liberty. Today, many major media outlets reported he had resigned as President. Later today, it was reported he had not resigned.

Whatever, Jerry Falwell should never have anything to do with the university. Forgiveness, yes; return to power, no.

Most of the media and all on the left hated Senior with passionate heat. It always shows in any article or interview. However, friends of Liberty will not be true to principle or the memory of Jerry Sr. if this additional escapade is not handled biblically.

On Sunday, Jerry confirmed a major sexual failure in his family to the Washington Examiner. He called it an “inappropriate personal relationship,” but a more honest and appropriate term is adultery.

Everyone has a tendency to soften, lessen, and make more pleasant anything that is unpleasant. He added that “Becki had an inappropriate personal relationship with this person, something in which I was not involved.” I’m suspicious of that statement. It appears to be as old as man. “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”

The media is ablaze with new charges that Jerry’s wife Becki had a year-long (now we are told it lasted six years) sexual affair with the “pool boy,” Giancarlo Granda! Jerry admitted the shocking affair to the Washington Examiner. However, Granda, a business partner of the Falwells, also charged that Jerry looked on while he and Becki had sex as reported by Reuters. That’s revolting, repulsive, and reprehensible if true.

Jerry has not admitted that additional salacious voyeur accusation.

Moreover, many false charges can be expected after such an affair is made public, and no honest person, even Falwell-haters, should believe them without corroboration. Jerry has done many stupid things recently, but he just can’t be that stupid unless he has been taking stupid pills. Falwell’s attorney has categorically denied the Reuters story about Jerry being an observer.

But then, sin does that. It makes us think we are special when no one is special. And any person on Earth has the potential of doing anything if the circumstances are just right. Of course, the public has a right to expect more from Christians than such barnyard behavior.

Giancarlo said his “sexual relationship with the Falwells began when he was 20,” and Becki was in her late 40s. She is now 54. Jerry charged that when he tried to get out of a business arrangement he had with Giancarlo, Giancarlo began blackmailing him until he was “just tired of it” and admitted the affair to the media.

Falwell said he and Becki reconciled quickly, but the extortion continued, and he got fed up and released the information to the Examiner. Jerry admitted, “I shouldn’t have been afraid to admit my vulnerabilities and to reach out for assistance from the mental health professionals who could have alleviated this pain and stress.”

It is good that Jerry took some responsibility for the affair. He said he should have sought help from “mental health professionals,” but his first stop should have been at an old-fashioned altar to confess his sins of boasting about his sexual prowess; the size of his testicles; he and his son relaxing in a Miami nightclub; and helping his son purchase a “gay-friendly” Miami Beach hostel characterized by Politico as a “cesspool of vice.”

Granda revealed other incriminating material to Reuters that is even worse than his affair with Becki; however, some of it cannot be verified. There were audio recordings between him and the Falwells that are disturbing. He also released a text, allegedly from Becki to him, that has her saying, “Right now I am just missing you like crazy …. Have you had this effect on all of your lady friends?”

Other messages between the Falwells and Granda reveal anger and frustration. In the same message string, Falwell reportedly replied, “You should by now understand that I will not be extorted. I have always treated you fairly and been restrained in response to your threats because I did not wish to ruin your life. Going forward, stop contacting me and my family.”

This is a sad example of the failure of church discipline. Whatever the final outcome of this story, many of the details will remain unknown. Someone long ago should have dealt with Jerry, not because of these new accusations, but his admitted failures in the past. That would include Jerry Jr. and his son dancing and drinking at a Florida nightclub; providing more than a million-dollar down payment for the “gay-friendly” hostel; the “racy” photos of Becki; and Jerry’s Instagram of him with his arm around a woman in hot pants (both their pants unzipped) on a yacht with bikini-clad dancers on deck.

Heavens! What do you have to do to receive church discipline in Virginia? Baptists, like Roman Catholics, are required to live according to basic biblical principles. If you don’t follow them, then you must give an account. Even the Moose Lodge expects that.

Some of the above charges are so outrageous they can only be identified as sad, sinful, and stupid. One can get forgiveness for sin but not for being stupid. He sure does not qualify as President of a Christian university. Or any university.

I have many longtime friends associated with Liberty, including some board members, and I have been told that Jerry is not a member of Thomas Road Baptist Church. If so, then Pastor Jonathan Falwell and that church cannot be held responsible. My sources have confirmed that Jerry and his whole family have seldom been seen at the church in years.

Whatever church the Falwells are members of, the church leadership failed to treat them as other members: in love holding them accountable for transgressing biblical and church standards of behavior.

Christians are not perfect people but saved people. Moreover, we need to be forgiven day-to-day for our sins. The failed members of the Falwell family have discredited Christianity, disgraced their church, dismayed their family, demoralized Liberty students, destroyed their reputations, damaged Liberty University, and dirtied Jerry, Sr.’s memory.

President Trump will have to quickly reevaluate his association with Falwell, one of his most important and ardent supporters who has stepped in it too many times.

Sins can be forgiven but cannot be undone.

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA Today for 8 years. Boys authored 18 books, the most recent being Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! The eBook is available here with the printed edition (and other titles) at www.cstnews.com. Follow him on Facebook at Don Boys, Ph.D.; and visit his blog. Send a request to DBoysphd@aol.com for a free subscription to his articles, and click here to support his work with a donation.)

And Jerry posted it on Instagram!

Jerry says this was a theme party, a parody of the Trailer Park Boys, a raunchy and crass Canadian mockumentary that aired 106 episodes. The movie version used the F word 935 times, a world record. Yet, Falwell (proving what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 14:9, “Fools make a mock at sin”) chose such trashy television to be the theme of the party. The series was known for sex, drugs, and pornography, and the Falwell video shows a bunch of Christian university people pretending to smoke and drink (assuming it was all pretending) and dancing.

I have been a supporter (and sometime critic even when Jerry Sr. was alive) of Liberty University for decades. I met Jerry Sr. in the mid-1960s as a member of the same religious group. I purchased an annuity from the university, so I have not been a Falwell-hater.

Moreover, Jerry Sr.’s right-hand man from almost the beginning of his ministry was one of my oldest and closest friends from our teen years in college to his death last year. I have many friends who are Liberty alumni and still have friends involved with Liberty. I personally know many of Liberty’s Board of Trustees. I have always been a critical friend and supporter.

The yacht incident is the last straw. If Jerry has any sensitivity or spiritual discernment, he will resign and retire to his mountain home and never be seen in public again. I think that is the judgment his dad would also make, although I don’t presume to speak for him.

Jerry Jr.’s enemies could make many charges against him:

He has his arm around a woman, not his wife or daughter.

He and the crowd break the dress code of the loosest Christian school in America.

He is permitting dancing on the yacht deck by 10 or 12 scantily clothed young people.

He is playing the hypocrite since Liberty requires its students to eschew lewd music with sexual content, and their dress should be with “appropriateness” and “modesty.” As I write these words, I smile at my first alma mater, where we had to obey the “six-inch-rule” where students had to stay six inches from a date. And some of the guys carried a small six-inch ruler with them. Not sure they wanted to be sure of keeping the rule or if there was some incipient rebellion there.

Those new charges are enough to do him in, but frankly, Jerry should resign because he is stupid. I say that because he posted the damning photo on Instagram! He would have to be drunk or dumb as a post to do that. I have a zero-tolerance policy for stupidity.

Maybe Dr. Fauci could develop a shot to fix Jerry’s problem, or perhaps his university teaches a class on How to Fix Stupidly. Or maybe there is a pill he could swallow. Afraid not, as Ron White said, “You can’t fix stupid.”

He compounds his problem with an interview on a local radio show, and many who have heard it, declare that he was drunk. I doubt that, but Falwell and Liberty-haters have made that accusation.

Describing the scene leading up to the unzipped photo, Jerry told the interviewer, “You know it was weird, ’cause she was, she’s pregnant, she couldn’t get her pants up, and I was, trying to like — my, I had on a pair of jeans I haven’t worn in a long time, so I couldn’t get mine zipped either,” he said. “And so I just put my belly — I just put my belly out like hers,” he added, explaining that the woman in the photo is his wife’s assistant and ‘a sweetheart.’ I should never have put it up and embarrassed her because, um, anyway, I’ve apologized to everybody, and I promised my kids, I’m gonna try to be a good boy from here on out.”

That is another stupid flippant comment. He is President of the largest Christian University in the world and is a major political and religious leader in America. People look to him for leadership, not insipid, juvenile comments.

A thoughtful person asks Jerry, “When you dressed that morning and put on your pants, wasn’t it obvious that they wouldn’t zip?” To her, we ask, “And when you got dressed, didn’t you notice that the shorts were too small and would not zip?”

Jerry said they were on vacation, and “It was just in good fun.” No, it was a travesty, a shame, a disgrace, and it should be his last hurrah. Jerry must go, now and just take a temporary leave then back to the same old stuff.

The university is legally run by a Board of Trustees, the chairman being Dr. Jerry Prevo. I have known Dr. Prevo for more than 45 years. He has always been a principled person in all our relationships. He built a large church in Anchorage, where I was privileged to preach many times over the last 40 years. I am asking Dr. Prevo to initiate board proceedings to remove Falwell as President if he refuses to resign.

Jerry has brought shame to the institution that Jerry Sr. gave his life to establish.

It seems Jerry Jr. inherited his daddy’s prestige, prominence, and position, but not his principles.

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA Today for 8 years. Boys authored 18 books, the most recent being Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! The eBook is available here with the printed edition (and other titles) at www.cstnews.com. Follow him on Facebook at Don Boys, Ph.D.; and visit his blog. Send a request to DBoysphd@aol.com for a free subscription to his articles, and click here to support his work with a donation.)

Caesar was concerned about his career, not his wife’s adultery. He was a typical politician who threw his wife under the chariot to protect his own reputation. Whatever his motives, he was right in that he might not survive if he had been cuckolded especially by a lesser man. Of course, he was far from being pristine as proved by his affair with Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, who was thirty years younger than himself.

However, the principle of leaders being without suspicion is correct, and in spades for religious leaders.

No Christian leader should be accused of impropriety because of his lifestyle. He should live in private and public so that any charge against him is totally unfair, untrue, and even unbelievable. However, since evil people seek to justify their own wickedness by attacking others, Christian leaders should not think personal attacks unusual. Matthew 5:11 proclaims, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” The key word is falsely.

The left delights when they can point to inconsistencies in high profile Christians such as Jerry Falwell, President of Liberty University. However, a charge of guilt does not a conviction make. Falwell’s early support of President Trump made him a target by the left. Because of this, the numerous charges against Falwell and Liberty University are to be expected; however, like Caesar’s innocent wife, the critics have decided that Falwell is guilty even if he is innocent.

Just because Jerry may be guilty of one or some charges does not mean he is guilty of all charges.

Moreover, there is still residual hatred by the left because of his father’s stand against the LGBTQ crowd, same-sex “marriage,” abortion, and other leftist positions. The left was always frustrated because they couldn’t find Dr. Falwell guilty of immorality, inconsistency, or any impropriety.

So, since Dr. Falwell is no longer available, his son will do.

Jerry Falwell, Jr. has done an incredible job as president of Liberty University with assets of over 3 billion dollars and almost 2 billion in unrestricted endowment. Moreover, they have over 15,000 resident students and about 95,000 on line. Liberty University is almost a modern miracle.

However, the university and its President are under attack by many hotshot media moguls and a young writer and homosexual activist Brandon Ambrosino who received his education at Liberty! His stimulating, sensational, but speculative article has caused heartburn all over Liberty Mountain and in homes of Christians across the fruited plain.

This is one of many reasons why no homosexual should be accepted at any Christian school. Of course, there are many reasons why they should be rejected.

This latest attack, justified or not, was against the Falwell family, the university, and evangelical Christianity in my opinion. There were numerous charges in the Politico article and many major media outlets of nepotism, family feuds, naughty or racy photos of Jerry and/or his wife, giving political support to Trump’s candidacy in 2016 as payback for Trump’s lawyer effecting the destruction of the photos, fiduciary bungling, self-dealing in Liberty University construction projects, and Jerry Jr. with his wife and son dancing and drinking at a Florida nightclub.

After reading numerous media reports and many pages issued by Liberty University, I am convinced that the charges are a mixed bag. It is easy to find disgruntled former employees each with an axe to grind and plenty of God-hating writers to help grind them. That is my evaluation of some of the charges but I’m withholding judgment on other accusations until additional facts are revealed.

Any and all legitimate accusations made by haters or by friends should be faced and handled biblically and legally—remorse, repentance, and restitution. And the leaders should be removed from office if egregious enough. I have demanded the same from liberal university and church leaders and would be a hypocrite if I did not demand the same from my Baptist crowd.

As to the charges that Jerry has taken advantage of his position for financial rewards, Jerry said, “I have not personally benefited financially from…any…contractor’s work for Liberty University nor has any member of my family.” After review of those charges and Jerry’s answer, I believe him.

I contacted Jerry himself for some explanations of the other accusations since he would demand an explanation from any of his students so charged. Will he answer the accusations with full and factual answers?

Time will tell.

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA TODAY for 8 years. Boys authored 18 books, the most recent Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! eBook is available here with the printed edition (and other titles) at www.cstnews.com. Follow him on Facebook at Don Boys, Ph.D.; and visit his blog. Send request to DBoysphd@aol.com for a free subscription to his articles, and click here to support his work with a donation.)

However, just because some charges may be true or partially true does not mean the charges of nepotism, family feuds, giving political support to Trump’s candidacy in 2016 as payback for Trump’s lawyer effecting the destruction of “racy” photos of Jerry’s wife, fiduciary bungling, self-dealing in Liberty University construction projects, Jerry Jr. and his son dancing and drinking at a Florida nightclub, etc., are true. I will delineate those charges in future articles.

A recent article of mine dealt with Jerry’s support for GOP Congressman Denver Riggleman from Charlottesville for reelection next year. The congressman is a whisky producer who performed a wedding ceremony for two homosexual men who worked for his candidacy. Jerry endorsed him knowing he could have supported another candidate (even choosing a candidate) in the coming primary, but he chose to support the same-sex “marriage” congressman.

That is not the Falwell I knew for decades. As the Brits cried out for centuries, “The [old] King is dead; long live the [new] King.” But while Jerry got his father’s position, he did not get his father’s principles. Sad.

Jerry’s dad for sure would never support homosexuality. In fact, many Republicans stay out of primaries and permit each candidate to take his or her message to the GOP voters. Jerry Jr. decided to jump in very early to give his support after the county GOP refused to support his reelection! I predict Riggleman will become a Democrat following his reelection.

There is no question that Falwell made a hasty and dangerous political decision, but to justify his support of perversion by his immature nonsense about the Supreme Court having already made same sex “marriage” legal is embarrassingly shallow. Whatever the circumstances, any support, and in fact, the lack of condemnation of such a ceremony has no defense. Jerry blew it.

But then, Jerry and Liberty University have waded into these muddy waters before.

In 2014, many friends of Liberty were concerned that university officials (that means Jerry, Jr.) hired a homosexual advocate to teach students choreography in its presentation of Mary Poppins. Additional concerns developed when Brandon Ambrosino, a Liberty student, crawled out of the closet as a homosexual and was allowed to enroll as a graduate student in Liberty’s seminary program. That was a mistake.

Surely if God decreed the death penalty for sodomy in ancient Israel under a theocracy, He obviously would not want any kind of encouragement or support to them in our day of grace except to demand they repent and “sin no more.” For any Christian to give any encouragement to homosexuality is to support evil deeds. Dishonest critics will twist that to suggest that is a dog whistle for haters to mistreat homosexuals. As usual, they are wrong.

The Brandon Ambrosino article reported that Trey Falwell, Jerry Junior’s son, also a Liberty vice-president, “co-owns a gay-friendly hostel in Miami Beach known as the Miami Hostel! The article’s author reported that he spent a weekend at the establishment that displays the warning, “No Soliciting, No Politics, No Salesmen, No Religion.” Ambrosino called it a “flophouse” saying that one can stay at the hostel for $20.00 per night (in Miami Beach!). It boasts a bar/lounge and pool and provides bed sheets; you make your own bed. Parking garage is two blocks away.

The hostel website boasts, “You can hang out in the Jacuzzi or after you have had a few drinks join the club tour for that night with your friends. There is a liquor store connected to the hostel with almost anything you need for partying!”

A gay-friendly hostel that sells booze owned by a Liberty University vice-president! But it gets worse. It was allegedly funded by the President of Liberty University!

The Daily Mail reported, “A representative for Falwell Jr told BuzzFeed that he [Jerry] had loaned a company the downpayment (sic) to purchase the property on Alton Road for $4.65 million, but that Falwell Jr. himself was not a partner in the hostel.” Reuters reported, “Falwell [Junior] filed an affidavit in 2018 saying he used his own wealth to lend $1.8 million to the $4.65 million project….”

If so, Jerry is a participant, promoter, and pimp for perversion.

Jerry can contact scores of theology experts at Liberty who will validate that II John 1:11 warns all Christians, “For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” Not only are Christians warned not to encourage perversion (or those who encourage rebellion against Christ), they are required to condemn it. Hebrews 11:7 reveals that Noah condemned the sin of his day but Lot refused to do so. Lot was “vexed” by the sodomites in Sodom but he was like many Christian Conservatives who would never support the LGBTQ crowd and they speak strongly for “family values” but refuse to say, “Sodomy is evil.”

It seems Jerry Falwell Jr. would never wave the LGBTQ flag but he will wave the white flag of surrender and say, “Can’t we all just—you know—just get along!”

No, Jerry, we can’t. Christians are required to take a stand and go to the heart of the issue: Sodomy is wrong whether by two men or two women. It is wrong for married couples. You call a news conference, admit your softness on the issue, even speak about your repentance for compromise, cut all ties with any support for perversion, and lead the charge in a battle against the LGBTQ crowd as your dad did.

After all, your dad may be watching and if not your Father is for sure.

Martin Luther’s attributed statement is germane here: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the Word of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Him. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved.”

On the most pressing social/moral issue of our day, all Christians should stand with Luther and God. Pretty good company.

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA TODAY for 8 years. Boys authored 18 books, the most recent Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! eBook is available here with the printed edition (and other titles) at www.cstnews.com. Follow him on Facebook at Don Boys, Ph.D.; and visit his blog. Send request to DBoysphd@aol.com for a free subscription to his articles, and click here to support his work with a donation.)

When Jerry called Bishop Tutu of South Africa a “phony” in 1985, and the media castigated him, I came to his defense in a column I wrote for USA TODAY. That column started my career as a columnist that lasted for eight years until I refused to sign another agreement with the paper. Jerry gave a qualified apology which I think was a mistake.

At an unremembered location in the 1980s, our picture was taken with Jerry’s arm around my shoulders and he whispered, “Don, this will ruin you with our Baptist brethren.” He was referring to the attacks he was getting from our mutual friends over decisions he had made at Liberty University and his Moral Majority activities—and I often agreed with his critics!

But Jerry was one of the kindest, sharpest, most generous, and most principled men I knew and I write that having often disagreed with him. But that kind of disagreement didn’t affect our casual relationship.

Over the years, I have been to Liberty a few times, know many graduates, and Jerry’s right hand man was one of my oldest and loved friends going back to our college days. He died this year and the world is poorer and Heaven richer because of his death.

Jerry Sr. is no longer running Liberty, but Jerry Jr. is and I’m afraid the younger Falwell inherited his father’s position without his father’s principles.

Jerry Jr. has overseen an amazing growth in Liberty enrollment to about 110,000 students with 94,000 on line and has built a school of medicine and a school of law, all fully accredited. Their sports teams compete and often beat major secular universities. Jerry Sr. would be proud.

I am not impressed with Liberty’s accreditation or athletics, but that’s only my opinion.

Recently, the leftist media have relentlessly attacked Jerry Jr. for his peccadillos, practices, and policies. No doubt, most attacks are fake news but not all. Jerry wrote to Congressman Denver Riggleman (representing the Charlottesville area) promoting his reelection even though the county Republican Party unanimously refused to support his reelection!

Riggleman’s website makes no mention of church, God, Christ, or the Bible and could be that of a pagan. He and his wife own a whisky distillery.

It seems Riggleman officiated at the wedding of two homosexual men! Let me see if I have this straight: Jerry Falwell, that’s the son of Jerry Falwell, Sr., is supporting the congressman but the county GOP is not! Does that mean they are more principled than Jerry Jr.?

Seldom does a political party refuse to support an incumbent; moreover, let me remind you that there is a primary scheduled to decide who will represent the party. However, Falwell has already decided to support the whiskey-making, homosexual-supporting candidate!

Falwell’s letter to the congressman said that nothing can be done about homosexuality until the Court reverses the law. However, even then that law should be disobeyed since no one should support perversion whatever the law or consequences for breaking that law. Obviously, Jerry didn’t get his dad’s convictions, or character, or common sense. He suggests that Republicans must be “united and pragmatic” or they will lose the election. He forgot that, as a Christian, he must predominantly be guided by biblical principles.

In his own defense, Riggleman said, “it also comes down to love is love. I’m happy to join two people together who obviously love each other.” Gag! Hand me a barf bag. Love without truth is not love. I’m sure glad it is impossible to gag in Heaven.

Jerry, with his many talents, has become too political, too pragmatic, too safe. He is standing on the battlefield of the most combative and bloody of battles but has refused to grab the sword so skillfully and stanchly used by his faithful dad, to fight for victory.

He has decided to opt out of the most controversial social/political/biblical battle of our day and let others do the fighting.

For sure, Jerry Sr. would not support a whisky-making, homosexual-supporting congressman even if pigs learn to fly over the White House in close formation while whistling Amazing Grace in harmony.

It’s all distressing, disgusting, and disloyal!

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives who ran a large Christian school in Indianapolis and wrote columns for USA Today for 8 years. Boys authored 18 books, the most recent Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! eBook is available here with the printed edition (and other titles) at www.cstnews.com. Follow him on Facebook at Don Boys, Ph.D; and visit his blog. Send request to DBoysphd@aol.com for a free subscription to his articles, and click here to support his work with a donation.)

I knew this man for 68 years and in those years, I never heard him curse or even be crude. I never saw him lose his temper. I never heard him belittle anyone. He was always gracious, generous, gentle, and a gentleman—thoughtful, honorable, and kind. Even as a young man!

He was what every Christian should be but he was more. He was a scholar, author, teacher, preacher, professor, and friend. Heaven is richer and the world is poorer because of his death. My life for sure is a little less today than it was yesterday.

For more than a year, he fought a long, painful battle with cancer; and while he had no desire to leave his work, his family, and his friends, he told me he was “just stepping out of one life into another.”

My departed friend is Dr. Harold Willmington, former dean and Vice President of Liberty University and author of twenty books that line the shelves of pastors and teachers around the world. His massive Willmington’s Guide to the Bible is a library between two covers that has sold more than 350,000 copies.

He also served as a visiting professor at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem, Israel. He developed what is now the Willington School of the Bible that has had more than 100,000 students from 50 states and 40 different nations. Over ten million of his teaching cassettes are now in circulation worldwide.

Harold was a good, great, and godly man who made an impact on the world. I know he influenced my life. He was not grasping but giving; and not haughty but humble.

I met Harold in 1953 at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. We were teens full of ambition with far more zeal than knowledge. We had many great, even humorous, experiences that we have laughed at many times through the years. There were nine of us who always ate every meal together next to the table where ten major leaders at the school also ate. I’m sure they wondered if any of our crew would ever amount to anything for man or God.

We caused heartburn to two or three of the deans with our youthful, yet rather innocent monkeyshines. Most of us were expelled at one time or on suspension or threatened with expulsion. Spending so much time in the immediate presence of the deans and administrators kept us in the spotlight.

None of those deans and faculty members would dream that one of us would 65 years later be brought back to Moody and honored as Alumnus of the Year and be invited to speak to thousands of students, faculty, alumni, and honored guests. Harold told me that he received the award thinking of the nine of us.

Harold went on to receive advanced degrees from Trinity Evangelical Theological Seminary and Dallas Theological Seminary. The other eight of us pursued our education at other institutions, got married, had children, and took positions in churches and Christian schools and with world mission boards.

One day he called my home in Indianapolis and said, “Hey, Don you rascal how are you? I assume you are married to the same woman.” I said, “Harold, no, Mary died almost two years ago with cancer.” Of course, he was horrified, but I quickly helped him recover from a very normal blooper.

Later, my new wife Ellen and I were doing a Christian Couples’ Conference in Carlsbad, New Mexico, staying at the Holiday Inn. At breakfast one morning, I looked up and saw Harold and Sue eating breakfast! They were doing a family conference at another independent Baptist Church in the city! What a delight to renew fellowship and friendship again.

After that, we were not separated very long before we spoke, emailed, or met for a couple of days.

At Moody, all nine of us—all single and somewhat daffy—had a driving desire to make a difference. After Harold and I met again in New Mexico, the nine of us would meet for two or three days every few years at my home in north Georgia or at Liberty University. We would sit all day in a motel room or in a Liberty classroom and sing, talk, laugh, pray, and rejoice together. We were scattered all over the nation and even the world as Jim was a missionary in England, then Spain; and Phil was a missionary in the wilderness of Alaska. We rejoiced with each other’s success and commiserated with our failures and wept with the loss of a wife or child.

But the nine musketeers, called “the Moody Mafia” irreverently by me, started to die off one by one. First, it was Bob then Clyde then Dwight then Richard then Dick. Now that Harold is gone, that leaves Jim, Phil, and me.

For 17 years, Harold’s wife Sue appeared on the nationally televised Old Time Gospel Hour as an interpreter for deaf viewers in America and Canada causing Harold to tell new acquaintances, “I’m the deaf interpreter’s husband.” Their son Matt is associate pastor of ministry development and family ministries to Pastor Jerry Falwell.

In July of this year my wife and I were on a long tour preaching, lecturing, and signing books; since we were close to Lynchburg, we spent the afternoon with Harold. He was weak but was alert. I did not expect to see my friend alive again; I didn’t. But we chatted about life, Christian service, and the end of life and the beginning of eternity. I mentioned what a delight, even joy to live a lengthy life without remorse over the past even recognizing our failures during our lives; to thrill in knowing the race is almost won with maybe a few crowns to be received; to see our children and grandchildren following in our footsteps without bringing shame to the family name or His name; and to revel in deep friendships that literally are as close as blood family.

However, Harold and I will meet again—all nine of us—and we will tell stories of our college days, sing, laugh again, and act like 19-year-olds again—in a far better place.

I usually write about very important social, financial, international, or moral issues rather than a column such as this; but every person on earth will one day come to the end of his or her earthly journey and be the star attraction at his or her funeral, so this column goes to the very core of life and I could not deal with any more timely, important, and practical issue.

Harold Willmington had an influence on this world. He left it a far better place for his being here. Isn’t that what all of us are expected to do? What a tragedy to live and die without making any positive impact on others.

For a few years, I have tried to say or do something each day to or for someone who can do nothing, absolutely nothing to benefit me. Although Harold and I never spoke specifically about my practice, he followed it normally while I have to work at it. And often failed.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reminded us “Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.”

Mankind will note Harold Willmington’s footprints until eternity; hopefully, they will follow in the same direction he walked.

Boys’ new book Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! was published recently by Barbwire Books; to get your copy, click here. An eBook edition is also available.

The Big Question: How much loyalty do Christians owe to local, state, and federal governments when their laws conflict with biblical teaching? Few people understand that all Christians are to be totally submissive to Christ in all matters (Col. 1:18). Even all governments are subject to Him! (That won’t play well in Washington and all places of power.) Consequently, what kind of loyalty do we owe any human ruler?

Rome had changed rulers frequently and often violently. Caligula had been assassinated; Claudius had been put to death by poison; and Nero was, at that time, reigning as a bloodthirsty tyrant. Jews were known to be as difficult to control as a roomful of angry cats. Jerusalem was always known as a rebellious city (Ez. 4:15, 16) and to compound the problem, Jews, who were to be ruled only by a Jewish king according to Deut. 17:15, now were ruled by a Roman tyrant. All that made them ripe for rebellion.

The early Christians were Jewish converts who had been under Roman rule for hundreds of years, often rebelling without success, resulting in much bloodshed. The Roman system was founded upon paganism so Jews and Christian Jews even wondered if they owed any obedience to pagan rulers, especially since Nero was killing Christians by the thousands. Pagan religion had been woven into the Roman civil government; hence, early Christians refused to serve in any capacity as judges, soldiers, civil workers, etc. It would be insane to serve in a government that is determined to destroy you; moreover, they could not swear supreme allegiance to Caesar.

In spite of the above, there was no question what Christians should do: God commanded them to submit to pagan rulers! In fact, Paul told those early Christians that they must obey those in authority even if the rulers were ungodly and sinful. That command was given so that there might be a calm, correct, civil society–even if it were pagan. However, it was clearly understood that no Christian should obey an immoral order.

But to resume the subject, and conclude the argument: while I have had disagreement with some of Dr. Dobson’s past positions, I respect his courage, commitment, and convictions in this matter. However, he did not go far enough. He should add: “We will not comply with your order and you will have to come close us down!” I hope he doesn’t’ think that is too militant. It takes courage to challenge the government but it takes super courage to tell them, “Come and get me.”

Christian militancy is missing in most churches even those who identify with fundamentalism! Some have stood such as Dr. Greg Dixon and his son Pastor Greg A. Dixon who were pastors of the 8,000 member Indianapolis Baptist Temple, one of America’s largest and most influential churches. The Dixons refused to withhold FICA taxes from their school and church workers who paid their own taxes. Some misinformed or uninformed people have accused the church leaders of refusing to pay taxes. The problem was not in paying the taxes due but how the money was collected and paid. The Dixons did not believe the government had the authority to force church leaders to be tax collectors and their stand is supported by the First Amendment and the New Testament!

The Bush administration disagreed, and after a 93-day siege in 2001, sent 100 heavily armed federal marshals (after all, these were dangerous Christians) to take their property, valued over six million dollars. While the church leaders, along with scores of other leaders from around the nation were praying, the Feds carried them out of their building. The government then sold their Christian school building (that had enrolled 700 students) to a Charter School and bulldozed the other buildings and the large auditorium down to the dirt–a first in American History. The church leaders told the government, in essence, “Come and get us.” They did and the church folk lost everything except their faith and character.

The Dixons have been friends of mine since 1960 and I have preached for them many times. After the Federal Government stole their buildings and 22 acres of land, the church moved to a better location near Interstate 65 on the south side of Indianapolis and still has a thriving ministry.

While there is no legitimate comparison of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple to the Branch Dravidian cult in Waco where 55 adults and 28 children were slaughtered by their government, there are some parallels. While the Waco cult was weird, warped, and wacko, there is no law against being such. After all, many names, mostly Democrats, come to mind. Even though the cult was weird, they did not deserve to be burned and shot by their government. For sure, the Feds came after them, but the world watched the unprovoked, unlawful, and unnecessary brutal suppression of a religious cult who refused to bow to the government. Charges of child abuse and illegal gun possession were used by the Feds to justify the brutal killings but such charges were discovered to be untrue–after 83 innocent, helpless Americans were slaughtered!

Dr. Dobson, Catholic Hospitals, Liberty University, and other universities and religious groups should live up to their convictions or turn off the lights, lock the doors, and everyone go home. Those ministries (and there will be many) that cave under government pressure do not deserve to be mentioned in the same context as the faithful Christians who have died and are dying today for their convictions. Some things (like unborn babies) are worth fighting for, even worth losing everything.

CEOs of the ministries that cave will hold news conferences to explain (rationalize) their surrender to federal pressure: “Well, we fought a good fight, but lost the battle; however, everyone knows where we stand. We will obey the government in order to continue our valuable ministry.” Others will declare: “Well, we tried and made it clear where we stand; however, as we look at the issue again, we believe we can live with the decision. After all, the feds have a point.” Still others will say: “Our board of directors has prayed about this and while it is unpleasant, we have looked at the scriptures again and believe we can live with the order. After all, we are commanded to obey every law of man.” Others will declare: “We fought, even sued the government but we lost so we will obey the law under duress.” Those are many words that justify nothing.

Unsolicited advice for Dr. Dobson and other ministries: Don’t close down your ministries; force the feds in jackboots to close you down. They won’t use tanks and guns–probably.

http://bit.ly/1iMLVfY Watch these 8 minute videos of my lecture at the University of North Dakota: “A Christian Challenges New Atheists to Put Up or Shut Up!” And pass it on!

Copyright 2014, Don Boys, Ph.D.