I was wondering about that. Billy Graham has led more people to Christ than anyone I have read about or listened to. Why do they hate him?
Well I have my suspicions why...
It could be one of two reasons or both. First they could be completely in the dark on Scriptural orthodox evangelical preachers and teachers or second creating a fallacious straw man to provoke an angry or unmeasured response. Given the FR RF population I have to say it could be both.
I grew up in a VERY practicing Irish Catholic family. We did not have protestant neighbors, friends and maybe a few in school. We were acquainted with more Jews than Protestants. Billy Graham was known from TV and my parents and grand parents thought favorably of him because he preached a moral Christian life. We were taught good protestants would go to heaven like Catholics as they are baptized. But we were taught since and I quote “the protestants don’t believe in Mary they will not get the full reward as Catholics.”
Being of Irish background (my mom lived most of her youth in Ireland and grand uncles born there) the protestants were mostly seen from a political standpoint with regards to the over 700 year conflict of Catholics and Protestants shedding each other’s blood.
So given my background, I grew up with most relatives having issues mostly with the crown and not the protestant beliefs. Frankly I have wonderful respectful debates with Roman Catholics on other forums and when coming to FR thought I could expect the same. I was wrong. The Catholics here on FR are not the same kind, caring and understanding Catholics I grew up with and went to Catholic school with. I will mention one exception. That would be the poster af_vet_1981. We don’t agree on some matters but we engage as civil Christians and depart the field of debate “shaking hands.” It might be because we both were career military.
There was a preacher back in the 30s I believe, Billy Sunday...They say he led more than a million to Jesus...It's said that he led an entire town to Jesus...
I'm guessing that it's because Catholic FReeprs know that non-Catholics don't support Jones or Koresh,or any or the other charlatans listed, but they DO support Billy Graham.
So if Billy Graham can be maligned with guilt by association, even though he NEVER espoused any of the heretical teachings of those cult leaders and political figures, then all the non-Catholic FReepers can also be maligned through guilt by association since they DO support Billy Graham.
It screams desperation so loudly that it drowns out everything else that's being said.
It also destroys the credibility of the person making the associations because attacking Billy Graham is not going to work in anyone's favor, even (I daresay) with a number of Catholics. He's simply too well known and too respected a man with too much integrity for anyone to believe that association.
On the contrary, the only person's character that is being compromised, is the person making that association.
Why do they hate him?
Because he preaches the truth, the gospel message of salvation by grace through faith in Christ.