The Rev. Jerry Falwell, pastor of The Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia always refers to literal interpretations of the Bible when attacking same-sex love and affection. Progressive theologians have critiqued him for his tunnel-vision and for failing to properly understand the scriptures. Now, however, the anti-gay preacher, considered one of the most vicious in the world, has demonstrated—via a nationally-televised program--Politically Incorrect—that he doesn't know his Bible.

Rev. Falwell: Needs to do his homework.

Asked if it was not the Old Testament's Job whose daughters got him drunk and then copulated with him, the Reverend Falwell replied "It was Noah."

The Reverend Falwell was mistaken. The Biblical character to whom reference was made was, in fact, Lot who, according to Collier's encyclopedia, "was miraculously saved from meeting his doom in the destruction of Sodom And he and his family fled the city. His wife, however, who looked behind her, in disobedience to instructions, was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. XIX:26). Lot then settled in Zoar, a city situated southeast of the Dead Sea, but he finally went to live in a cave with his daughters."

The book of Genesis (xix:30-36) reads:

And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the marrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose. Thus were the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

The Lot referred to in the Bible is no relation to Senate Majority leader Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss.) whose June 16 equation of homosexuality, thievery and sin the Reverend Falwell was defending.

The text the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Biblical mistake-making on Politically Incorrect is as follows:

Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher
June 22nd, 1998

Guests: Rick James, Rev. Jerry Falwell, Scotty Morris, Tamar Jacoby

Bill Maher: Let us meet our panel. His band is called Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Their CD is also called "Big Bad Voodoo Daddy." He's Scotty Morris. Scotty. [ Cheers and applause ]

There you are. How are you? Nice to meet you.

All right. She's a journalist and social critic. Her book is "Someone Else's House: America's Unfinished Struggle for Integration." Tamar Jacoby. Tamar. [ Applause ]

How are you? Nice to see you.

The founder of Liberty University and the leader of the moral majority, the Reverend Jerry Falwell. Jerry. [ Applause ]

Hello, Reverend. Always good to see you. Thank you for coming.

And finally, a uniquely talented singer, songwriter, I'll say. His CD is "Urban Rhapsody." Great record. His upcoming movie is "Life." My friend Rick James is over here. [ Cheers and applause ]

Hello, my man.

Rick James: How are you?

Bill Maher: : Good, good. All right. [ Applause ]

Okay. Well, we're going to return to a subject we talked about last week, which is the Christian right and homosexuality. And people sometimes say to me, "You know, you talk about that a lot on your show." I don't intend to. It's just in the news a lot because the Christian right talks about homosexuality more then they do down at The Ramrod. And if you don't – [ Laughter ]

If you don't know what happened last week, well, first of all, Trent Lott, our Senate majority leader called homosexuality a sin. Compared it to alcoholism and kleptomania. And Pat Robertson, who I'm sure you're very familiar with, said the city of Orlando was going to get God's wrath, which made me think, "What's going to happen to Newark?" [ Laughter ]

Because Orlando had something called Gay Days, which was a three-day festival.

Rick James: No, it was really four days, four days and a half. [ Laughter ]

Go on, go on, Bill. Go on, go on. Go on. Go on.

Bill Maher: He's not gay.

Rick James: No. No.

Bill Maher: But everything else. [ Laughter ]

Rick James: She should know.

Bill Maher: And I'm just wondering, why does the Christian right care more about homosexuality than homosexuals themselves?

Jerry Falwell: I don't think that is the case. I think the issue that Senator Lott brought up was on a talk show where he was asked a direct question by the host, "Do you think homosexuality is a sin?" And he said, "Well, biblically I do believe that." And I don't know how you can believe the Bible and not agree with –

Bill Maher: But the Bible, if I may, also says things like adulterers should be stoned to death. We don't do that. It says you need to choke a chicken in a certain way. That sounds dirty, I know.

Rick James: Also, incest. I mean, you know, Reverend Falwell, you know.

Bill Maher: Slavery is in the Bible.

Rick James: Yeah, slavery. I mean, incest. I mean everybody begat everybody in biblical days. I mean, was it Job's daughters that all got him drunk one night and allayeth with him or something?

Jerry Falwell: It was Noah.

Rick James: Who was it?

Jerry Falwell: It was Noah.

Tamar Jacoby: But why isn't it a good thing for religion to bring in the question of values? I mean, I don't agree with Robertson on homosexuality, I think he's dead wrong. But why isn't it a good thing for religion to bring in the question of right and wrong into the public debate?

Bill Maher: Well, if you don't think that it's valued, then why is it a good thing? I agree that if it's a sin you should talk about it. But if it's not a sin, then why do you think it's a good thing?

Tamar Jacoby: The concept of right and wrong should be talked about. And other people can come up and say they don't think homosexuality's wrong.

Jerry Falwell: And if pastors don't do that, if political leaders who are men and women of faith don't do that, parents out there are left standing on their own with no help.

Tamar Jacoby: And there's a hunger for it. There's a hunger for it.

Bill Maher: Yeah, but there may be a hunger for it. But when you talk about what Pat Robertson talked about. When he said Orlando is going to be the victim of terrorist bombs, earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor. I think I've seen this movie, by the way. [ Laughter ]

A meteor -- don't you think you are inspiring marginal minds out there to do the kind of hate crime that Tim McVeigh did in Oklahoma City when he heard people on hate radio, talk radio, talk about -- you know what, these people are bad and therefore somebody out there is going to start killing homosexuals.

Jerry Falwell: Well, I'm only a preacher, I'm not a prophet. And I certainly hope that what was predicted there is not true. Because not too long ago a storm came through my lawn and took out 35 trees and damaged my house. So I hope I don't read anything into that. But – [ Laughter ]

Rick James: I'm not going near that.

Jerry Falwell: But the fact is –

Bill Maher: This could be your next boyfriend.

Rick James: But, I mean, on a serious -- on a serious note. My hometown, Buffalo, New York, would have been taken out, I mean, with meteors and cataclysmic whatever. I mean, I don't know. It's, it's overtalked about. I mean, just -- just leave us alone.

Bill Maher: But they always say, "Hate the sin, love the sinner."

Jerry Falwell: That's how the Lord did it. And -- when he drove the money changers out of the temple.

Bill Maher: The Lord. But Jesus never said one word about homosexuals. Not one word.

Jerry Falwell: He inspired the writing of the Bible. At least evangelicals believe that and orthodox Jews believe that. And there's much said in Romans chapter I, that it's called an "unseemly and abominable act."

Bill Maher: Right. Homosexual sex is an abomination. But we've all had sex that was an abomination. Haven't we, Rick? [ Laughter ]

Rick James: Yeah. Yeah, we have. [ Applause ]

Bill Maher: All right. We have to take a commercial. We'll be back.