From the Los Angeles Times:
Watergate felon and prison reformer Charles W. Colson, who died Saturday at age 80 in northern Virginia, was two people.
He was Richard Nixon’s “hatchet man,” the president’s “evil genius,” who by his own admission was “ruthless in getting things done” in the Watergate years, when the things that he and others in the White House were getting done would become a national disgrace and send Colson to prison.
And he was a born-again Christian, the founder of the world’s largest prison ministry, an “unfailingly kind but tremendously courageous” intellectual leader who became the “William F. Buckley” of the evangelical movement.
He hurt many people during his life. Though we won’t sugarcoat that fact, our thoughts go out to those who loved him.
Eva Braun said Hitler was good with children.
Let’s see, none of his family was barred from his deathbed or his funeral and not only do none of them have to fight for their rightful inheritence but they don’t have to pay an estate tax. Cry me a river.
He was a traitor to his country and his fellow citizens in ways literally too numerous to ever accurately count.
He was an evil man the world is infinitely better off without. If anyone did, indeed, love him, they were or are fools.
RainbowPhoenix, I set my computer at a high zoom so I don’t have to wear glasses. It makes everthing bigger but I have to scroll more. I had only read the first four lines of your comment and I knew immediately it was from you, before I got to the end and saw your name. If you don’t post this at Joe My God, can I copy and post it? I’ll give you the citation. I have read a lot of comments and yours is the best.
I’m not going to dance on his grave, but I’m certainly not going to shed any tears. He was a cruel, hateful man.
Feel free SG.
Finding God in prison is always a plus for guys like Colson. He received forgiveness for his wicked past and proceeded to turn the never-lost viciousness on to gay people. May he rest in peace; he caused a lot of heartache for others.
This gay artist who died too young pretty much sums it up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vXR5gjRMPk
[...] Anti-Gay Crusader Chuck Colson Dies at 80 Truth Wins Out Sat, April 21, 2012 10:17 PM UTC Truth Wins Out Rate Loading … Share (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); [...]
This hypocrite will not be missed. He was a christianist dominionist of the first order who sought to impose & enshrine his irrational dislike for LGBT people in the legal system. That he cherry-picked portions of a bronze-age derived religion as his cover should be no surprise. He clearly knew what side his bread was buttered on.
“…unfailingly kind but tremendously courageous…””
I find it curious and probably telling that these two phrases are linked by “but” instead of “and,” as if kindness and courage are opposites. It implies that kindness and kind people are weak or timid.
Indeed, I expect that this view accurately reflects prison, criminal and military subcultures and the belief systems of cruel authoritarian personalities and right-wing Christians.
It seems at odds with Christian values if one defines them by how Christ is said to have defined a Christian:
John 13:34-35 NIV “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
This formulation of Christ’s values is radically at odds with much of the rest of the bibles, which is based on violence, anger, punishment, oppression and retribution.
I use the plural “bibles” since there are numerous inconsistent translations and compilations, and no one can say which, if any, is the true bible.
Gandi said it best F Young, and sad losers like Colson are the sort he was thinking of when he said (parphrase), “I like your Christ. I do not like your chrisitans…your Christians are so unlike your Christ”