Falwell: An Autobiography

After reading about Jerry in his own words, I find him likable and funny and not at all stuffy. His Christianity is heartfelt and real, and he lives it out without fear or hypocrisy. As a Christian who agrees with Falwell theologically, I always kind of steered away from him, his church, and his college because of the media response toward him, his theology, and his Moral Majority foray in the 1980s, under the theory that smoke followed fire and Falwell might be the self-righteous ogre he was portrayed in print. But after reading his autobiography, and learning his turbulent family history, I found him honest, open, and humble. Most of all, I respect his desire to stay in his hometown of Lynchburg, VA, amongst the people who know him best. Earning the respect and love of family and close friends who know you best is harder than escaping to a larger world where you can remake yourself in your own image. Truth in reviewing: I have three children at Liberty University, which Falwell started nearly 30 years ago with a handful of students, and is now a thriving and respected university with over 10,000 students. In fact, I received this book as a "gift" from the University when my first daughter started. So my respect for Falwell is based not just on his words but his actions.

Jerry Falwell's autobiography is worth the read if you have a genuine curiosity in the man. If you already have a predisposition against the Christian faith then the book may not have much value for you. Falwell does not preach throughout the book as one may expect - always spouting ideologies - but he does spend the introductory chapters mentioning his faith and the basis he has for the things he does and preaches. His honesty is striking and he even admits some of his own shortcomings and some past mistakes. He may have put his foot in his mouth sometimes in the past and said some things that were interpreted as more extreme than what he meant, and this book was helpful in getting to see the ideas in the man's head and not just get the talking points we always hear about him, whether they be pro or con.

I truely saw the light when I read this one. Jerry Falwell almost certainly speaks for God. Those that do not like his book will certainly rot in hell for iternity. I think his ideas of putting nonblievers in training camps is good. I think his stances against homosapians is correct..they should be shunned and spit upon as they will rot with the other nonbelivers and those that dont like this book. I have jerrys book on the shelf with the bible, the only too books I allow in the house. God bless you Mistr Fallwel.

From the early days of his life to his crowning achievements as a respected Christian leader and "Missionary to the Media", Dr. Jerry Falwell tells his interesting life story in "Falwell: An Autobiography". In this book, you will read about a Christian, a Pastor, and a University Chancellor whose Grand-father was an Atheist, and until just prior to his death, his father was an agnostic. Read about the incredible journey of a man whose faith was tried and tested and has inspired thousands, even milliions in his life and ministry. The man who tells candid, often very humorous stories of his childhood, is also the man who formed a church of several thousand from a handful of members in an abandoned bottling company in the mid 1950's, and began in 1971 "The World's Most Exciting University". Dr. Jerry Falwell has met with and been held in high respect by presidents, business and political leaders, and average citizens worldwide. Critics and admirers alike will laugh, cry, and be inspired by the life of Jerry Falwell.