The Media Should Ignore Jerry Falwell

Jerry Falwell is perhaps the best-known Religious Right leader in America today, if only due to his many years in the trenches of the culture wars.

Falwell has been eclipsed by other evangelical power brokers, including James Dobson, Rick Warren, D. James Kennedy and Franklin Graham.

But when the media wants a religious conservative to enunciate his views on social issues like abortion or same-sex marriage, they round up the usual suspects including Falwell.

Old Christian soldiers like Falwell don't fade away, they stay on the air preaching their vitriolic message until mercifully they give up the ghost.

Falwell may be a 72-year old grandfather, but he's no slacker. Falwell maintains a busy schedule preaching dozens of times each week.

The Bible says that Jesus "didn't have a stone to lay his head", but good old Jerry has been busy building an empire to keep his name alive. The televangelist's empire includes his 20,000-member Thomas Road Baptist Church, Liberty University and "The Old Time Gospel Hour" TV program.

Falwell owes his continued relevance to the mainstream media who loves to interview the old war horse, hoping he will come up with an outrageous sound bite.

"So Rev. you're saying that Senator Hillary Clinton, Tinky Winky, and Richard Simmons are involved in a vast left-wing conspiracy to undermine American values?"

"Yes, my spies tell me that they were at a screening of "Brokeback Mountain", discussing how to take back the White House."

Jerry Falwell, the Wizard of Lynchburg, should be preaching only to his choir. I implore the media, especially Fox News, to ignore the rantings of the tired old dinosaur.