Franklin Graham Weighs in on Pete Buttigieg’s Sexuality and Faith

From Christian Broadcast Network-

Graham, who adheres to a traditional reading of the Bible that argues the practice of homosexuality to be objectively sinful, warned in a post on Facebook that true followers of Jesus must have a faith in God’s word “that transforms our lives.”

Citing one example of scripture, Old Testament passage Leviticus 20:13: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination,” Franklin added “That’s what God says and that settles it for me. I stand with the Word of God. I care enough about people to tell them the truth and to warn them about the judgment to come for all sin.”

Responding to a number of protestors who recently, in a rather unpleasant manner, implored Buttigieg to turn away from his homosexuality, the Mayor of South Bend simply responded that, “the condition of my soul is in the hands of God …”

That, Graham said, is absolutely the case—for all of us. “Mayor Buttigieg is absolutely right—His soul is in the hands of God, so is everyone’s,” Graham wrote, noting that, as Christians, we should be sure to follow the commands of the Bible and live in accordance with God’s will.

More here-

http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2019/april/franklin-graham-weighs-in-on-pete-buttigieg-rsquo-s-sexuality-and-faith

Billy Graham Built a Movement. Now His Son Is Dismantling It.

From Politico-

As a young boy growing up in an Episcopal household, I watched Billy Graham at least a dozen times as he preached his straightforward gospel of sin and salvation on national television. I was dazzled by what I later learned to describe as his charisma. He was tall and handsome. There was a sweet urgency in his voice. And he didn’t seem to be hiding anything behind his deep-set blue eyes. So I may be unduly forgiving of his faults. But I still view him as a good man who was ultimately chastened by his chumminess with Nixon, who worked hard to transcend the racism and anti-Semitism that swirled around him as a farm boy in North Carolina, and who understood (at his best) that the Christian message (at its best) is about love rather than fear, inclusion rather than exclusion.

When he spoke to the nation at the post-9/11 memorial service at Washington’s National Cathedral, he spoke of evil, but he did not denounce Islam. Throughout his career, Graham was criticized by fundamentalists for working with Catholics and liberal Protestants at his crusades. He prayed with Democratic and Republican presidents. And instead of castigating Christianity’s religious rivals, he focused on preaching Christ. When asked to join in common cause with Jerry Falwell after the foundation of the Moral Majority in 1979, Graham refused to yoke his organization to the cultural wars of the Religious Right and the Republican Party. And almost immediately after saying during a 1993 crusade in Columbus, Ohio, that AIDS might be “a judgment of God,” he retracted those words, telling the Cleveland Plain Dealer a few days later, “I don't believe that and I don't know why I said it. . . . To say God has judged people with AIDS would be very wrong and very cruel. I would like to say that I am very sorry for what I said.”

More here-

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/02/24/billy-graham-evangelical-decline-franklin-graham-217077

Franklin Graham calls persecution of Christians ‘genocide’

From RNS-

Also speaking at the opening of the summit: Metropolitan Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America, and the Rev. Mouneer Hanna Anis, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Egypt, who stressed that Christians have shown love to the killers of their relatives.

“The forgiveness that has been expressed by families of martyrs is the most powerful witness in the face of terrorism,” he said.

Forgiveness and Christ’s call to love one’s enemies were invoked during the evening far more than Islamic militants were blamed for the sufferings of Christians. But Graham, at one point in his 25-minute speech, presented Islamists as threats to Christians globally.

He said the Islamic State fighters who beheaded Coptic Christians on a Libyan beach in 2015 had then promised to conquer Rome.

More here-

http://religionnews.com/2017/05/10/franklin-graham-calls-persecution-of-christians-genocide/

'Beauty and Beast' gay character sparks Christian boycott calls

From Reuters-

An evangelist preacher is calling for a boycott of the upcoming Walt Disney film "Beauty and the Beast" because it features a gay character, saying that the company is trying to promote an LGBT agenda to children.

Franklin Graham, the North Carolina-based son of evangelist preacher Billy Graham and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, called for the boycott in a Facebook post on Thursday. By Friday the post had been shared more than 88,000 times, and a movie theater in Alabama said it will not screen the film.

"They’re trying to push the LGBT agenda into the hearts and minds of your children - watch out!," Graham wrote.

Graham said Disney was making an attempt to "normalize this (gay) lifestyle."

More here-

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-film-beautyandthebeast-idUSKBN16A2IO

Welcome to Canada, Mr. Graham. Please shut up now.

From Canada-

The famous evangelist Billy Graham may not have been to everyone’s liking but the man certainly tried to expunge politics — and even controversial and divisive issues — from his Christian preaching. He once said, for example, that one of his greatest regrets was being too closely identified with President Richard Nixon.

His son Franklin, however, is cut from a different cloth. Rather than distance himself from politics and sensation, he has positively embraced the divisive and the ultra-conservative. He has said that Muslims should be banned from the United States because Islam is “very evil and wicked.” He’s demanded that LGBTQ people be barred from churches because Satan “wants to devour our homes.” And he claimed that the election of Donald Trump was due to the “hand of God” at work.

These and other comments are why Graham’s appearance in Vancouver this weekend at the so-called Festival of Hope is being vociferously opposed by many local Christians. More than 30 leading Christian leaders have issued a public letter expressing profound concerns about his visit.

The list is an impressive one and includes Catholic Archbishop Michael Miller, Anglican Bishop Melissa Skelton, leaders of the United Church and (this is deeply significant) various evangelical leaders. This is arguably the first time such a broad grouping of Christian leaders has come together to stand against such a prominent co-religionist.

More here-

https://ipolitics.ca/2017/03/02/welcome-to-canada-mr-graham-please-shut-up-now/

Top Vancouver Christian leaders reject Franklin Graham's crusade

From Canada-

A leadership group representing more than half of Metro Vancouver’s one million Christians issued a public letter on Friday expressing deep concerns about the rally to be held here by American evangelist Franklin Graham.

“Our concern is that the contentious and confrontational political and social rhetoric that Mr. Graham has used has the potential to overshadow the message of Jesus and incite hostility in our highly charged social climate,” said the letter, signed by more than 30 prominent evangelicals, Catholics and mainline Protestants.

Graham — who presided at the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump and attributed the billionaire’s surprise election to “the hand of God” ­­– has frequently denounced Muslims, homosexuals, former president Barack Obama, gun-control advocates and atheists.

“(Graham) has made disparaging and uncharitable remarks about Muslims and the LGBTQ+ community, while portraying the election, administration and policies of U.S. President Donald Trump as intrinsically aligned with the Christian church,” said the clergy’s unprecedented joint statement, which came after almost a year of failed negotations with Graham’s team.

More here-

http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/top-vancouver-christian-leaders-reject-franklin-grahams-crusade

Reclaiming Christianity from the Grasp of Franklin Graham

From Huffington (Hawaii)

One sign said "All are Abraham's children." Another said "The Aloha State Does Not Hate." And yet another invoked Leviticus 19:34 "You shall love the alien as yourself." Pastors of several churches on Oahu who were protesting Rev. Franklin Graham's rally on the grounds of the Hawaii State Capitol on Wednesday Feb 24, were joined by passers-by who were stopped in their tracks by the sights and sounds of the "Decision America" event.

Graham invoked his father, but it was hard to imagine Billy Graham endorsing the scare-mongering and demonizing of others that his son encourages in those who come to hear him. Franklin Graham looked out on the diverse crowd sitting on the lawn under blue skies in beautiful Hawaii and pronounced America "broken, spiritually, racially, economically." The "only hope for the United States is Almighty God. The most we can do is pray," he said. Under that apparently innocuous call to prayer, lies a record of very un-Christian exhortations.

(snip)

Rev. David Gierlach, Rector of St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, who initiated the protest in concert with his fellow pastors, emphasized that the public rejection of Graham's version of Christianity was needed. "We cannot be silent when we hear Christian teaching being distorted and dispensed to good people who deserve to hear the Gospel message of love. Rev. Franklin Graham's stirring up of hate and discrimination towards Muslims, and his efforts to use religion as a political tool need to be publicly rejected. That is why we stood in protest."

More here-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-morais/reclaiming-christianity-f_b_9313998.html

Evangelicals criticise Franklin Graham

From The Church Times-

THE "crude, insensitive, and paternalistic" comments made by Franklin Graham, chief executive of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, about police shootings, have been condemned by Evangelical leaders.

On 12 March, Mr Graham, who is Billy Graham's son, wrote on Facebook: "Listen up - Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and everybody else. Most police shootings can be avoided. It comes down to respect for authority and obedience. If a police officer tells you to stop, you stop. . . It's as simple as that. Even if you think the police officer is wrong - YOU OBEY. Parents, teach your children to respect and obey those in authority. Mr President, this is a message our nation needs to hear, and they need to hear it from you. Some of the unnecessary shootings we have seen recently might have been avoided. The Bible says to submit to your leaders and those in authority 'because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account'."

More here-

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2015/27-march/news/world/evangelicals-criticise-franklin-graham

Revival headliner Franklin Graham has trail of support, polarizing comments

From Pittsburgh-

For those in the scores of Protestant and Catholic churches supporting it — stuffing envelopes, putting out lawn signs, training to be ushers and counselors — the Aug. 15-17 revival to be led by the Rev. Franklin Graham is something of a Super Bowl of spiritual life here.

Several hundred people from churches in dozens of denominations have trained to be ushers, counselors and other volunteers as the Three Rivers Festival of Hope, to be held at the Consol Energy Center. The free services — starting at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17—  will feature music ranging from Christian rapper Lecrae to country rock veteran Charlie Daniels, with preaching by Rev. Graham.

“Christians are about sharing the love of Christ, and he’s good at it and he’s focused on it. I think it’s a unifying message, and we’re thrilled to have him here,” said Cynthia Scott, executive leader of the festival.

More here-

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2014/08/10/Franklin-Graham-coming-to-Pittsburgh-known-for-outreach-but-also-divisive-comments-on-Islam-Hinduism-and-gay-marriage/stories/201408100022