What you need to know about Franklin Graham's Decision America Tours: They are Politics dressed in Christianity's clothing. (Matt. 7:15)
In 1981 Rev. Billy Graham, Franklin's father, told Parade magazine, “I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it.”
In the 1970s when Jerry Falwell changed the face of American Christianity by marrying it with conservative politics, Rev. Graham refused to be a part of it. Although a Southern Baptist and a registered Democrat, he never let either of those distinctions rule his life. Graham willingly pastored all presidents from Truman to Obama regardless of political party.
In 1979 Rev. Graham refused to join Falwell's Moral Majority, saying, "I'm for morality, but morality goes beyond sex to human freedom and social justice. We as clergy know so very little to speak with authority on the Panama Canal or superiority of armaments. Evangelists cannot be closely identified with any particular party or person. We have to stand in the middle in order to preach to all people, right and left."
Now the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (including its publications) is completely in the hands of Graham's son Franklin, who has whole-heartedly embraced the right-wing poligion his father warned against. Follow Franklin's religion, or follow his father's, but let's not confuse one with the other.
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The above was originally posted a few years ago when Franklin Graham was crossing the U.S. with his Decision America Tour to influence the coming election.
A pastor with whom I attended seminary responded to that post:
I went to the Decision America tour . . . this Saturday in Charlotte. The closest thing to politics mentioned was we obeyed the Scripture to pray for those in authority. We prayed for wisdom for both the president and the leaders in Congress. We prayed for the governor and for local leaders. We did not pray for a revival through politics but that our leaders would put aside selfishness but do what is right for our nation. Franklin Graham preached an evangelistic message very much reminiscent of his father's. We all (are) sinners in need of a savior. He mentioned sins such as gossip lying and stealing. He reminded us that all are guilty and need (God's) love. The one thing he emphasized was He wanted everyone to know that God loves them.
To this I responded to him and to you, my readers:
(Name), I understand. You are a Southern Baptist pastor, and Southern Baptists form the base for the “poligionists” this post is about - Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, Jerry Falwell Jr., Paige Patterson, Adrian Rogers, James Dobson, Pat Robertson . . . As you know, Southern Baptist was my first language too, so I understand it well.
I agree with you that Franklin’s looks, his voice, and his speaking style are almost identical to his father’s, and I’m glad he is calling for prayer and preaching God’s love. I’m sure you are aware of Franklin’s political activism and how the powerhouse formed at the marriage of politics and fundamentalism has fed the greatest historical and corporate sins of this nation, oppressing women, people of color, and people of other nationalities, languages, orientations, and religions.
I know you as an educated man, and one with power that comes with position. Is it possible in Baptist life today to follow the life and teachings of the Christ of the Gospels without buying into the mess of poligion?
While I have no doubt Franklin Graham says some good things, you and I both know his agendas. I pray for wise and courageous pastors, and I’m seeing some hope.
A few videos that might be interesting, not about whether you as a Southern Baptist pastor agree with his words or not, but whether you would say he has no political agenda and is not manipulating the “God is Republican” mindset forged into fundamentalist Christianity in the Moral Majority era. I think you and I would agree that God is neither Republican nor Democrat, nor American. And I'm certain we would agree that Jesus alone is our Christ, worthy of our following. I wish all the best for you, your family, and your congregation.
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