Posted on 12/27/2015 7:31:37 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
The Rev. Franklin Graham quitting the Republican Party poses a significant blow to the GOP's 2016 White House aspirations, especially if other evangelical pastors follow suit and their millions-plus congregations stay away from the polls.
Graham suggested earlier this week that the last straw was congressional Republicans funding Planned Parenthood in the recently passed, $1.8 trillion tax-and-spending package, despite revelations about the group harvesting fetal tissue.
However, he made clear Wednesday night that the funding was only part of the reason he left the GOP to become an independent.
"It's not just that," Graham said on Fox News' "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren." "It's the way the bill was passed. It came down so quickly. And it didn't seem like anybody tried to fight it. It was just, 'Let's get home for Christmas.' "
Graham, the son of evangelical leader Billy Graham, also expressed disappointment with GOP and Democratic leaders but insisted he’s not trying to lead a GOP exodus.
"I'm not here to hurt the Republican Party," he said, adding that the GOP appears to have "some good candidates" in the 2016 White House race.
Earlier in the day, the Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus, head pastor for the New Life Covenant Church, in Chicago, expressed similar concerns.
"People already know how evangelicals feel about the sanctity of life," he told FoxNews.com. "That's a continual fight. But the government spending also speaks to us. That was the disappointment and frustration you heard in brother Graham's tone."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Nor really unless he intends to support and endorse 3rd party candidates.
More of a problem for the GOPe than conservative republicans.
Don’t they mean “Putting the homosexual GOP vote at risk?”
Just from the title I was thinking it was Lindsey who was finally going to come out of the closet.
I beat Brother Graham by about a year.
As well it should. We elect people who seem to only have principals when they are running for office. They have most of a year to show a willingness to do the will of the voters or be replaced. This is a crisis among rats.
Does it? For whom does the writer believe “key evangelicals” will vote?
When I saw the title, I thought it was Lindsay Graham, too.
It is nothing more than they have been doing for 20 years....sitting out elections when given a rino to vote for except now they are getting serious and stepping up to action.
A few other postings of the Franklin Graham leaving:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3375948/posts
Franklin Graham: I Have Resigned From the Republican Party
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3376062/posts
Franklin Graham Leaves GOP, Question is Why Aren’t Other Christians?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3375700/posts
Franklin Graham quits the GOP over Planned Parenthood funding ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3375317/posts
Franklin Graham: “I have resigned from the Republican Party...” ^
Graham has said a lot of nice things about Trump and I believe at some point will endorse him.
Now's the time to find out how many alleged Christian leaders hold membership in or support the Demonicrat Party.
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial [Satan]? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God." (2 Cor. 6:14-16)
Support the candidate, not the party.
A few weeks ago, he came out for Trump.
The Republican Congress are the ones who hurt the GOP.
Give to the candidate, NOT the National GOP orgs. They use the money to prop up the likes of RINOS lindsey, mccain, lamar, corker, etc.
I’m not an evangelical, but I agree with them on this. I’m fed up with the repubs, the dems and tea party. All have betrayed the voters and citizens.
I’m not saying I have given up on our great country. I’ve given up on the political machine in DC - and that includes pundits, media, lobbyists, etc.
Don’t know the answer unless the people take to the streets with demonstrations, protests. But that means we would have to take off from work, leave our warm homes, give up some of our comforts. We are too complacent, and the ruling class knows that and will continue as always.
Pls pray for our country.
This is a function of leadership. I for one have never understood Paul Ryan to be an especially patriotic or religious individual. If there was/is any manifestation of either trait it has escaped me.
A lot of sincere Christians reach a point in their lives where they have been disappointed so often by quisling Republicans saying one thing and doing another that they vow to just drop out of politics altogether. I think Mr. Graham has reached that moment.
I don’t see him going third party as much as going “to hell with all of you”. The church I attend was becoming more political (not from the pulpit but in the activities of their people) but then toned it down after one too many GWB betrayals. Now they seem to avoid political subjects at all cost which has let to far more Obama bumper stickers in the parking lot.
The church elders believe that attracting people must come before exposing them to the gospel and seeming politically neutral will lead some to Christ who might not have been willing to listen to a “bunch of right-wingers” but, OTOH, I worry what the leadership will say when it comes down to gay marriage and other subjects that are specifically affronts to Christian beliefs.
Compromising principles can backfire on a church even if it appears more people are joining.
As for Mr. Graham, may God bless him in his work. I won’t judge the man leaving the GOP any worse than I would if he’d stayed.
Let's hope he endorses Cruz (or even Trump) instead of just floating alone in the sea....
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