[ballah09]

Some of y'all are overreacting and seem lost in left field. It's bad, but y'all seem to be making stuff up.

[LUconn]

Focusing on being anti-gossip has been a major tool in the evangelical cover-up world.

[Jonathan Carone]

At the same time, we need to rally behind both Jerry & Becki. While they have embarrassed the university, and are in need of a great revival, it's also important that we give them the chance for forgiveness. Neither should ever again have any position of authority within the school, but we should all be praying for their family, for their marriage and for their salvation.

I wanted to address this idea in a separate post. I agree Jerry and Becki are in need of a great revival and neither should have any position of authority in the school. I also agree we need to be praying for all the things you mentioned.

However, I want to be careful with the "chance for forgiveness" line of thinking. So often in Christianity we think we have to automatically give someone forgiveness. Forgiveness on this level requires a repentant spirit. At this point in time, we haven't seen that from either one of them. I'm fully willing to forgive, but we can't forgive until they repent and acknowledge what they were doing as being wrong.

[thepostman]

Some of y'all are overreacting and seem lost in left field. It's bad, but y'all seem to be making stuff up.

I agree with @VAGolf ans his take. We do need to be careful.

With that said, @ballcoach15 you have been a JFjr apologist for a long time. I mean this very respectfully. You're opinion on this is null and void.

[LUAlum1215]

Some of y'all are overreacting and seem lost in left field. It's bad, but y'all seem to be making stuff up.

Did you read the Reuter's article AND listen to the released audio in full? If not, please do. If you have done both and still think people are overreacting I have to assume you're on Jrs payroll. There is no defense possible or plausible with what has come public today.

[gerb]

I have found this to be almost always the case: when you find 1 cockroach there are 10 you don't see.

[gerb]

At the same time, we need to rally behind both Jerry & Becki. While they have embarrassed the university, and are in need of a great revival, it's also important that we give them the chance for forgiveness. Neither should ever again have any position of authority within the school, but we should all be praying for their family, for their marriage and for their salvation.

I wanted to address this idea in a separate post. I agree Jerry and Becki are in need of a great revival and neither should have any position of authority in the school. I also agree we need to be praying for all the things you mentioned.

However, I want to be careful with the "chance for forgiveness" line of thinking. So often in Christianity we think we have to automatically give someone forgiveness. Forgiveness on this level requires a repentant spirit. At this point in time, we haven't seen that from either one of them. I'm fully willing to forgive, but we can't forgive until they repent and acknowledge what they were doing as being wrong.

And its less than 24 hours that Jerry lied about the situation...

[thepostman]

Some of y'all are overreacting and seem lost in left field. It's bad, but y'all seem to be making stuff up.

I agree with @VAGolf ans his take. We do need to be careful.

With that said, @ballcoach15 you have been a JFjr apologist for a long time. I mean this very respectfully. You're opinion on this is null and void.

I'd like to add to my thought:

All questions should be asked. What shouldn't be done is assuming certain things must have happened since the whole pool boy story appears very accurate. It is a delicate balance. Unfortunately, Christians are often worried about "gossip" so much that hard questions aren't asked. That kind of thinking got us into this to begin with.

[gerb]

And its now 4PM EST. Where is the PR that Jerry has resigned or that the board has permanently removed him? As an alum its bad enough but active students absolutely need this to happen asap.

[chris leedlelee]

And its less than 24 hours that Jerry lied about the situation...

Trying to put this all on Becky with audio leaked where he was clearly complicit (not to mention the affair was over six years and not short term) shows that Jerry needs an entire revival in his heart and at this point is still in denial of his sin. Pray for his repentance, pray for his family, pray for Liberty. LU will make it through this; I am grateful that the sin has been brought to light.

[LUAlum1215]

And its now 4PM EST. Where is the PR that Jerry has resigned or that the board has permanently removed him? As an alum its bad enough but active students absolutely need this to happen asap.

I really don't understand what else could be needed to make this happen. Outside of assembling the board to make it official, I can't imagine they are looking for more detail to make a decision.

[gerb]

And its now 4PM EST. Where is the PR that Jerry has resigned or that the board has permanently removed him? As an alum its bad enough but active students absolutely need this to happen asap.

I really don't understand what else could be needed to make this happen. Outside of assembling the board to make it official, I can't imagine they are looking for more detail to make a decision.

God help us if they engaged image consultants to manage the response. Sadly many churches handle scandals using these clowns.

[Class of 20Something]

Does the Board trust that the University counsel will can be impartial here? How do you manage that aspect of it?

[Jonathan Carone]

The hard part is many on the board have been complicit in this. The pool boy rumors have been going on for 2-3 years. Others have been going on longer than that. The Board had to have done some type of investigating with many turning a blind eye.

[gerb]

The hard part is many on the board have been complicit in this. The pool boy rumors have been going on for 2-3 years. Others have been going on longer than that. The Board had to have done some type of investigating with many turning a blind eye.

agree although this principle also applies: “When you strike at a king, you must kill him.”

[flameshaw]

And its now 4PM EST. Where is the PR that Jerry has resigned or that the board has permanently removed him? As an alum its bad enough but active students absolutely need this to happen asap.

I really don't understand what else could be needed to make this happen. Outside of assembling the board to make it official, I can't imagine they are looking for more detail to make a decision.

In cases like this there could be 10 million reasons why it takes a little longer to move. Time zones, tying up loose ends, writing a public press release, etc.
I am sure the BOT's are doing the right thing to benefit LU and everyone involved. I trust them to do the right thing.

[thepostman]

[thepostman]

No idea if true but if so good on Jerry. First step, i hope, in a long road to recovery for him and his family.

[olldflame]

I'm cautiously optimistic that if Jerry is dismissed, it will not have a huge negative impact on the school ongoing. The same could not be said if he were to be allowed to return in light of what we now know.

Back in antiquity when I was at then LBC, if you asked students why they were there, a huge % would say it was specifically because of Dr. Falwell. They (or their parents, or both) believed that getting an education at a school led by a man of God they trusted, was the best way to prepare themselves for a life of service to Christ, whether in a full time ministry or as a Christian in their vocation. That dynamic has not existed for a long time, and certainly not since Doc's death. The school has it's own identity apart from the Falwell name. I feel safe in saying you would be hard pressed to find a single student today who would say they are at Liberty because of Jerry JR, or would consider leaving if he is no longer President.

Hopefully new leadership can re-focus on the mission of training champions for Christ and glorifying his name. I was always uncomfortable with JR recusing himself from being a spiritual leader because he is "not a preacher". Whoever the new President is needs to be willing and able to take on that role, regardless of their particular background or expertise.

[sstaedtler]

I would feel better if the source was someone other than the Atlantic. But Falwell resigning would be great news.

[RubberMallet]

just saw this on Marketwatch of all places. Ooof. Good gravy. That's really all I got to say about that.

[Jonathan Carone]

Jonathan Merritt - while I disagree with some of his theology and views - is usually pretty tied in when it comes to things at Liberty.

[thepostman]

Yeah, I've got to wait until I get something from more reliable sources. I've heard from sources that big news is coming soon. So we wait and see.

[chris leedlelee]

While I am delighted to hear this news, I would take this with a grain of salt until further confirmation. This Merritt guy is a "progressive Christian" who hates LU and is incentivized to stir the pot.

[RubberMallet]

guys he's going to resign. i mean absolutely 0 of us are surprised that he sat in the corner while his wife did the backstroke with the aquatic engineer so he's basically guilty whether the story is true or not. If he doesn't resign they should immediately fire him.