Tammy Faye 1942-2007

July 23, 2007 in Influence with 10 Comments

This weekend Tammy Faye Messner (formerly Bakker) passed away. She has battled with cancer for several years. As with her whole adult life, the battle with cancer was displayed for the world to see on television. I was shocked when I saw her on Larry King Live this past week. She had dwindled to around 60 lbs. She passed away a few days later and the reports on television, in the print media and on the Internet have been everywhere.

I am wondering this morning how does someone who was at one time hated by the mainstream media and by many in the religious media go from “mocked” to “darling” in a few short years. It was only yesterday it seems that she and her former husband were all over the television for racketeering and tax evasion. She was made fun of for her extravagant lifestyle and outrageous makeup. There were no few detractors in the media who castigated her for what some might call “manipulating” people into sending money to a ministry in hopes of material blessing and a room with a view.

Tammy Faye had a resurgence in the last several years in terms of media coverage. After her former husband went to prison, she married his friend and business partner and then watched as he went to prison for fraud. She became heavily involved in the homosexual community as an AIDS activist (her memorial service was officiated by an openly gay pastor) and seemed to somehow come out of all this on top as far as the media is concerned.

How does one go from being the “butt of the jokes” to seemingly “darling” of the media.

Death, I guess has a way of making us recall the positive qualities of an individual. For that, I am grateful.

Tammy Faye – influence in the kingdom of God (positive or negative, you decide), brought attention to the kingdom of God (positive or negative, you decide), her children are involved in ministry today, she has tried to help those less fortunate than herself, brought attention to a terrible disease and those who have the disease.

Don’t misunderstand this post, I have many questions about Tammy Faye and her lifestyle. My posting about her death and her life does not condone what she was involved in or represented. I am just wondering aloud about the apparent dichotomies of life and practice in a person.

  • http://www.dreamingbigdreams.wordpress.com dreamingBIGdreams

    I too saw her on Larry King the other night and was horrified by how close to death she looked. It didn’t surprise me after seeing her that she died just a few days later.

    I was impressed with her joy and peace that she portrayed on the show despite her awful condition and all the pain that she was surely in.

  • http://www.dreamingbigdreams.wordpress.com dreamingBIGdreams

    I too saw her on Larry King the other night and was horrified by how close to death she looked. It didn’t surprise me after seeing her that she died just a few days later.

    I was impressed with her joy and peace that she portrayed on the show despite her awful condition and all the pain that she was surely in.

  • http://www.aaronivey.com aaronivey.com

    hey kyle! hope you’re doing great man. yeah, this leads to great questions. i know her being on the Surreal Life really brought the “positive” stuff to the surface for most of her audience. i think people saw her as a real-life person…laughing, smiling…being friends with Ron Jeremy…stuff like that. i’m pretty sure that season was the major turning point in people’s perception of her. also, i think American culture feasts on tangible examples of redemption. most are made up examples…but some are legit. i think our culture wants to see someone who was in trouble come back and do great. it’s the hope of redemption…everybody wants it…

  • http://www.aaronivey.com aaronivey.com

    hey kyle! hope you’re doing great man. yeah, this leads to great questions. i know her being on the Surreal Life really brought the “positive” stuff to the surface for most of her audience. i think people saw her as a real-life person…laughing, smiling…being friends with Ron Jeremy…stuff like that. i’m pretty sure that season was the major turning point in people’s perception of her. also, i think American culture feasts on tangible examples of redemption. most are made up examples…but some are legit. i think our culture wants to see someone who was in trouble come back and do great. it’s the hope of redemption…everybody wants it…

  • http://kylegoen.wordpress.com/ kylegoen

    I wonder if people think she was a victim, due in part to Jim and his tryst with the secretary and the fraud. She made it out and people love the comeback.

  • http://kylegoen.wordpress.com/ kylegoen

    I wonder if people think she was a victim, due in part to Jim and his tryst with the secretary and the fraud. She made it out and people love the comeback.

  • http://www.dianaromano.blogspot.com Diana Romano

    Kyle,

    Her condition was a shock, Her bravery in going on Larry King Live was incredible. What was the most imortant parts of her interview was that as an audience we saw courage and HOPE. Hope being the thought that tomorrow holds something more to live for than today.

    Even though she was dying she knew that her relationship with Jesus was secure and that she was going to Heaven. Not only that, she encourged viewers by saying that she wanted to see everyone there one day. I have seen articles that have been critical in regards to the fact that she didn’t tell the audience how to get to heaven. Hopefully people can look past their own noses and realize that she was all of 60lbs and in unimaginable pain, trying to relay to the world, that her fear was for her children not for herself, she knew she’d be in heaven.

    As human being’s we should bypass our own questions about other people’s lives simply because that’s not our job required by GOD! He designed us for His glory, and in the end of her days wasn’t that what she proclaimed in that interview, that there is HOPE in Jesus?

    Diana

  • http://www.dianaromano.blogspot.com Diana Romano

    Kyle,

    Her condition was a shock, Her bravery in going on Larry King Live was incredible. What was the most imortant parts of her interview was that as an audience we saw courage and HOPE. Hope being the thought that tomorrow holds something more to live for than today.

    Even though she was dying she knew that her relationship with Jesus was secure and that she was going to Heaven. Not only that, she encourged viewers by saying that she wanted to see everyone there one day. I have seen articles that have been critical in regards to the fact that she didn’t tell the audience how to get to heaven. Hopefully people can look past their own noses and realize that she was all of 60lbs and in unimaginable pain, trying to relay to the world, that her fear was for her children not for herself, she knew she’d be in heaven.

    As human being’s we should bypass our own questions about other people’s lives simply because that’s not our job required by GOD! He designed us for His glory, and in the end of her days wasn’t that what she proclaimed in that interview, that there is HOPE in Jesus?

    Diana

  • http://www.holdingouthope.org Tina

    Hey Kyle,

    Such complexities in her life, Jim’s and Jay’s. I think God does call us to examine fruit. God’s word is SO CLEAR about his position. Unconditional love. Period. However, the depth of a person’s effictiveness in ministry will be their depth in obedience to God’s word. Our behavior does not alter his love, but it does alter our participation in Kingdom work.

    Glad to see you are back and blogging again.

  • http://www.holdingouthope.org Tina

    Hey Kyle,

    Such complexities in her life, Jim’s and Jay’s. I think God does call us to examine fruit. God’s word is SO CLEAR about his position. Unconditional love. Period. However, the depth of a person’s effictiveness in ministry will be their depth in obedience to God’s word. Our behavior does not alter his love, but it does alter our participation in Kingdom work.

    Glad to see you are back and blogging again.