Reddit reviews Jerry Falwell and the Rise of the Religious Right: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford Series in History and Culture)

Because Falwell's own words were quite specific about this: he and his followers were constantly saying that people with AIDS should be segregated from the rest of the population, that they were dangerous and evil – those were the words he used – and even that LGBTQ people should be imprisoned and executed. His church continues to support such proposals outside of the US, as well, even today. If these things are somehow not malicious, then the word has lots its entire meaning. There can be nothing more malicious than threatening people with death and suggesting they do not even have the right to exist.

And using an image "just to catch the eye" is a core element of propaganda. It wouldn't work very well if it didn't catch the eye, would it? Sure, he wanted to "sell his stuff" – i.e., have people give him money. That's pushing for material and/or ideological support – a central intent in almost all propaganda.

I think you may not be very familiar with Falwell and his movement if you think there wasn't malicious intent.

You can start here:

https://www.amazon.com/Jerry-Falwell-Rise-Religious-Right-ebook/dp/B07MKPDCD4

https://www.amazon.com/Falwell-Inc-Religious-Political-Educational-ebook/dp/B01ARRWPKI

https://www.amazon.com/Propaganda-Edward-Bernays/dp/0970312598