Jerry Falwell

Jerry Lamon Falwell (born on August 11, 1933) is an American Baptist pastor, televangelist, founder of the Moral Majority & Liberty University, and a prominent Conservative activist. His parents were Carey and Helen Falwell, and he has a fraternal twin brother, Gene Falwell.

Homosexuals and libel

Falwell has been on both sides of libel cases. In 1984, he was forced to pay gay activist Jerry Sloan $5,000 after losing a court battle. During a TV debate in Sacramento, California, Falwell denied calling the gay-oriented Metropolitan Community Churches "brute beasts" and "a vile and Satanic system" that will "one day be utterly annihilated and there will be a celebration in heaven."

Related Topics:
Sacramento, California - Gay - Metropolitan Community Church

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When Sloan insisted he had a tape, Falwell promised $5,000 if he could produce it. Sloan did, Falwell refused to pay, and Sloan successfully sued. Falwell appealed, with his attorney charging that the Jewish judge in the case was prejudiced. He lost again and was forced to pay an additional $2,875 in sanctions and court fees.

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Since Canada has strict laws forbidding comments against homosexuality, broadcast tapes sent to Canada are edited to remove any such comments.

Related Topics:
Canada - Homosexuality

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In unrelated incidents, Falwell has taken legal action against owners of websites that he feels impinge on his own website, www.falwell.com. In 2003, an Illinois man surrendered the domain names jerryfalwell.com and jerryfallwell.com after Falwell threatened to sue him over trademark infringement. On August 24, 2005, a federal appeals court ruled that Christopher Lamparello, the owner of a website called www.fallwell.com that is critical of Falwell's views on homosexuality, did not violate trademark laws. The court ruled that Lamparello can continue to operate his anti-Falwell "grape site."

Related Topics:
2003 - Illinois - Trademark - August 24 - 2005

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