I cannot believe the negativity towards Tammy Faye Messner here at DU

[LynneSin]

This was not Jerry Falwell who died just this past week. This is a woman who was involved with some pretty shady dealings with her first husband, disgraced Televanglist Pat Bakker, but has spent her last years of her life showing that she wasn't the horrible 'Christian TV Fundie' that so many people labeled her. I think one of the biggest things that help bring me over to her side and really appreciate her was the fact that unlike most Tele-Evangelists of her era, Tammy Faye was a friend to the GBLT community.

Sure, Tammy Faye was a bit mascara-challenged, but this past decade I've learned to appreciate who she was and how she was giving back to the community.

God Speed Tammy Faye - you made me a believer and you will truly be missed!

[MissMillie]

1. Frankly, I wouldn't care who it was that died... I think when we take the low road

we do ourselves a great disservice.

Let the fundies speak ill of the dead.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. I loathed Falwell and the Bakkers beyond words.

And I was stunned by both of their deaths, as well as my own total lack of a negative response to either. I actually said a couple of "God bless's" to Tammy Faye. Who wants to suffer through cancer? Whew.

The Great Equalizer is just that. I wish that consciousness of mortality were more pervasive in our culture, so that we could perhaps take a miss of some of our more egregious actions and motivations, which are so needless in the larger scheme of things.

[LostinVA]

3. I agree 100%, Sissie

She and Princess Diana were the first "public figures" to embrace AIDS patients. And, she ALWAYS preached acceptance of gay people, among other things.

Tammy Faye had a good heart, and she raised two very decent kids. Jim Bakker's sins weren't hers.

[slj0101]

4. His name was Jim Bakker.

And yes, I thought her vilification was excessive at best.

[Oeditpus Rex]

5. I think a lotta folks didn't know what she did post-PTL

I didn't. :shrug:

[matcom]

6. Did she ever give back the millions she and hubby stole from the elderly and poor?

seriously asking

[Richardo]

7. You'd have to go to Jim for that.

She was never charged with a crime, and besides, in my opinion she spent the remainder of her post-PTL years attempting to atone for her part in Bakker's swindles.

[matcom]

8. i thought she flipped on him

in exchange for no jail. i seem to remember back in the day she was right there with him holding the checks :shrug:

[LostinVA]

10. Yes, a point many DUers are missing: she was never charged

And, believe me, they would have charged her with one if they could have.

[LynneSin]

9. I'm not saying the woman is a saint and like someone else said - it was Jim that was convicted

I just feel she has spent her post-PTL years trying to make up for the sins she committed while in the PTL. Did she return all the money? I don't know and that saddens me. But I'll give the women credit for trying to make a difference in those post-PTL years. She doesn't deserve the same condemnation that many of us (and yes, including myself) gave to to Jerry Falwell.

[noonwitch]

11. Tammy Faye

As far as the money goes....

I know that some of the people that sent PTL money were old people, but, please, if anyone watched that show, you can remember that the wealth was pretty obvious. Anyone who sent money had to know that it wasn't being spent the way it was claimed to have been spent.

I think Tammy Faye repented of the mistakes her husband made and that she benefitted from for a brief time. She was kind to people, she loved her friends regardless of their backrounds or their sexual orientation, and she died a painful death. I don't see anything there to make fun or or deride her for.