The conservative Baptist
minister tells correspondent Bob Simon he has concluded from reading
Muslim and non-Muslim writers that Islam's prophet "was a — a
violent man, a man of war."
"Jesus set the example for love, as did Moses," Falwell says. "I
think Muhammad set an opposite example."
CBS released a partial transcript of the interview Thursday.
Falwell's comments occur in a segment about American conservative
Christians' political support for Israel.
Falwell stood by his opinion in a telephone interview with The
Associated Press. He said Simon asked directly whether Falwell
considered Muhammad a terrorist and he tried to reply honestly. The
minister said he would never state his opinion in a sermon or book.
"I've said often and many places that most Muslims are people of
peace and want peace and tranquility for their families and abhor
terrorism," Falwell said. "Islam, like most faiths, has a fringe of
radicals who carry on bloodshed wherever they are. They do not
represent Islam."
Other conservative Protestant clergy have made sharply critical
remarks about Islam and Muhammad in the past year. They include
Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son and successor, TV evangelist Pat
Robertson and leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention.
In response to Falwell's remarks, Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for
the Council on American-Islamic Relation in Washington, said:
"Anybody is free to be a bigot if they want to. What really concerns
us is the lack of reaction by mainstream religious and political
leaders, who say nothing when these bigots voice these attacks."
Hooper noted that Falwell and Robertson will speak at next week's
Christian Coalition convention in Washington alongside House
Majority Whip Tom DeLay and other politicians.
"How can these elected representatives legitimize this kind of
hate speech by appearing on the same platform with Islamophobes and
Muslim-bashers?" Hooper asked.
Falwell was widely criticized last year after he said on
Robertson's TV show that pagans, abortionists, feminists,
homosexuals and civil liberties groups had secularized the nation
and helped the Sept. 11 attacks happen. Falwell later apologized.
- Sign
Out 
My Yahoo!
