Jerry Falwell dead at 73

From CNN-

(CNN) -- Evangelist Jerry Falwell died Tuesday after he was found unresponsive in his office, an official at Liberty University told CNN.

Falwell, 73, was rushed to a Lynchburg, Virginia, hospital, where he was given CPR.

Falwell founded the Moral Majority in 1979 and is a nationally known voice for conservative Christian views. (Watch Jerry Falwell's rise to fame )

In 1956, the 22-year-old minister started Thomas Road Baptist Church with just 35 members, according to his Web site. The church now has more than 24,000 members.

Shortly after starting the Lynchburg church, Falwell began broadcasting the "Old Time Gospel Hour" radio and television ministries.

He founded Liberty University in 1971.

Falwell has found himself at the center of several controversies, such as the one sparked by his comments two days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in which he seemed to blame "abortionists," gays, lesbians, the ACLU and People for American Way for causing the attacks, saying they "helped this happen."

On September 14, 2001, he told CNN that he would "never blame any human being except the terrorists, and if I left that impression with gays or lesbians or anyone else, I apologize."

The Reverend and I(and I consider myself a conservative) held very different views on gays and lesbians and some other topics. Falwell was opinionated and I felt often wrong, but preachers of all faiths are like that. They're human after all, like you and me. RIP.

Hat tip- James Joyner at OTB. Also blogging on this news are Michelle Malkin and Sister Toldjah
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