Jerry Falwell Jr., the head of Liberty University, calls himself a Christian, and yet he repeatedly acts like anything but a follower of Jesus with his unflagging defense of President Donald Trump and questionable actions he and his wife took with a pool boy that allegedly involved some steamy photographs and suggestions of a three-way affair.
Now Falwell is up in arms about what a top official with the Southern Baptist Convention had to say about the way the administration is treating immigrant children.
On Tuesday, Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, tweeted out this in response to a story from the Associated Press:
The reports of the conditions for migrant children at the border should shock all of our consciences. Those created in the image of God should be treated with dignity and compassion, especially those seeking refuge from violence back home. We can do better than this. https://t.co/Cv3AmJgypn
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) June 25, 2019
Everything Moore said is in keeping with the teachings found in the Bible. But Falwell took great umbrage at the call for “dignity and compassion,” so he lashed out with this response:
Who are you @drmoore ? Have you ever made a payroll? Have you ever built an organization of any type from scratch? What gives you authority to speak on any issue? I’m being serious. You’re nothing but an employee- a bureaucrat.
— Jerry Falwell (@JerryFalwellJr) June 25, 2019
What in the world does making payroll or building an organization from scratch have to do with how kids are treated while in custody of the U.S. government? And who is Falwell to ask such a question when he inherited Liberty University from his father and hasn’t done an honest day’s work in his life?
It didn’t take long for social media to light up with outrage and ridicule for Falwell:
Jesus should sue Jerry Falwell Jr. for defamation. https://t.co/sYpfIzSSKf
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) June 26, 2019
Normally I’m against people quoting religious scripture in political debates but Falwell dropping Jesus’s beautiful “Have you ever made payroll? You are nothing but an employee” line from the Sermon on the Mount today was extremely powerful
— Tom Gara (@tomgara) June 26, 2019
Jerry Falwell, Jr. has an uncanny ability to sound just like Jesus – if Jesus were a condescending asshole who only cared about money. pic.twitter.com/uU62EHKTbw
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) June 25, 2019
Jesus of Nazareth’s owners manual says “Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.” I dig this guy. He gets it. You, Not so much.
— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) June 26, 2019
There is no one in public religious life who to me acts less like a Christian leader than Jerry Falwell JR
And Rev Falwell you didn’t “build an organization from scratch”….your Father did. You inherited it and were born on 3rd base thinking you hit a Triple https://t.co/KgXbb00e27
— Matt Jones (@MattJonesRadio) June 26, 2019
Bonus points if your poolboy made your payroll.
— Karen Zacarias (@KarenZacarias6) June 26, 2019
Featured Image Via NBC News