Rev. Jerry Falwell & Rush Limbaugh -- Apostates

I think that Rev. Jerry Falwell is another example of a leader who did not firmly understand or perhaps even believe in the Christian system of Theology.  My reason for this is simple.  Some years ago Rev. Falwell appeared on William F. Buckley's television program Firing Line for an interview.  During their discussion, they brought up the fact that a number of television evangelists were doing faith healing through their television broadcasts.   

Reverend Falwell was very disturbed by this practice and criticized a particular faith healer, Rev. Ernest Angsley, who asks his viewers to put their hands on the t.v. screen to receive their healings.  Falwell suggested that these people were only feeling the static electricity coming off the screen.  Then he said that the healings could not be real because "those shows are taped two weeks in advance."

I would think that, if you can believe in faith healing at all, then God using a faith healer to heal people through a television set—even though the programs was taped in advance—should make no real difference.  I can't see how this would contradict the Bible or its teachings, since in the New Testament Jesus on one occasion healed a sick girl before her father asked for the healing, saying "Your faith has healed her already."   

I find it hard to believe that Falwell was unfamiliar with this story, so I can only assume that his faith in miracles was weakened & distorted by 20th century ideas about biology and physics.  Evidently, Rev. Falwell's grasp of 1st century Christianity was a bit weak, and he badly needed a refresher course in how miracles work. That is Miracles, if they exist at all, do not work on scientific principles (like physics) but through Magical Thinking.

Similarly, I suspect that Rush Limbaugh has very little commitment to political conservatism.  When he had a radio show in Missouri, his politics were fairly moderate—some might say liberal.  However, like Rev. Falwell, Rush Limbaugh knows that right-wing conservatism pays very, very well.