Posted on 06/27/2005 1:51:56 PM PDT by doug from upland
From the article or Rev. Graham's American revival meeting in New York:
"I was just a little boy and I'll never forget it," said Clinton, who was joined by his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. "I've loved him ever since. God bless you, friend."
Graham called the Clintons "wonderful friends" and "a great couple," quipping that the former president should become an evangelist and allow "his wife to run the country."
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When some of you read the above, it probably evoked projectile vomiting. I fought it off. The words of Rev. Graham were not welcome to my ears.
I phoned his offices and let the girl who takes messages know how much I have admired him and how disappointed that he made the comment about Hillary. I told her about Juanita Broaddrick and Easter Sunday in 1996 with the intern right after Easter Service. I let her know that it is the Clintons who mock religion.
The girl calmly told me that the reverend made the statement as a joke, it shouldn't be taken out of context, and he is not endorsing Hillary Clinton or the Democratic Party. My suggestion to her was that he should make a public statement and clear the record.
Regarding Broaddrick, she said that she doesn't know if Clinton has asked God for forgiveness. That is between the former president and God. By comment was that he should make a public apology to his victims, and Hillary should make a public apology to his victims, the ones she went after behind the scenes.
Reverend Graham, please clear the record.
FOR YOUR COMMENTS:
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There are these two free daily papers all over the place now, they are not too bad for a quick read on the train. Today the both front pages were pretty amusing, 1/2 Billy Graham 1/2 the Gay Pride parade.
I don't know if Bill and Hill invited themselves on or if they were invited. What I know is this, a largest part of BG's reputation is his calling people to Christ and secondly is his influence over Presidents, Republican and Demoncrat over the years. BG is like a spiritual icon in the U.S.. So to see him with the Clintons is not a big deal. There are pictures of him with Johnson, Bush Sr., Bush Jr. the Kennedy's etc..
Personally I wished none of the Demoncrats were there. They ALL disgust me with few exceptions - Zell Miller. But things in life don't always go my way. I see the good of BG outweighing a joke some didn't find funny.
No, I was not there and I'm not trashing Billy Graham. But when the Clinton's show up, the focus turns to them. And I don't think that Hillary running the country is absurd. In fact it's quite likely, and that is very scary, not absurd.
I also believe that Billy Graham, if he is still living in November 2008, will vote for the Clinton electors in NC.
And I and others are entitled to our own.
....will vote for the Clinton electors
Totally disagree.
Hillary Clinton may be unbeatable in 2008. I don't know of a single Republican possibility who would dare "get in her face" and criticize her even as strongly as Rick LAZE E OO never did. McCain, a strong possibility as her opponent, will just compliment and complement her in every appearance. I see a Clinton-Obama combination that will be hard to beat.
I don't want to be judged harshly, so I didn't finish the joke.
My joke wasn't a comparison to his joke. You missed the point. You talked about not judging me harshly for telling a joke, so I started a few jokes but didn't finish them.
I'm not trying to intimidate you. I've been warning about Hillary for about 14 years now. We will not recognize our nation if she makes it back to the White House.
I accept the fact that he was kidding. The problem is that it will be used by Satan's Daughter to make people of faith trust her. That is what the Clintons do. The good reverend will be used by her in the drive to gain ultimate power.
Forgiveness is tricky business
The Reverend Billy Graham made an appearance on the Today show a couple of weeks ago. Possibly, he scandalized more than a few of the people he’s attracted over the many decades he has been preaching.
He said he forgives President Clinton. That’s because, "I know the frailty of human nature . . . . He has such a tremendous personality that I think the ladies just go wild over him." Mr. Graham finished this comment with a chuckle.
One guy who wasn’t chuckling was former drug czar and education secretary Bill Bennett. He objected to the reverend’s readiness to forgive with a "cheap grace."
Asked Bennett: "Billy Graham forgives him for what? What has the president admitted to doing? Billy Graham forgives him for something the president has denied in his deposition he has ever done."
That’s certainly true. Bill Clinton says no about Monica and no about Kathleen and no about Paula and no about Dolly and no about every other woman he’s been asked about. Well, except for Gennifer and maybe we shouldn’t even count that because, after all, he did say no about her for years.
To my knowledge the president hasn’t accepted responsibility for real estate scams or travel office firings or FBI files or anything else. So I wonder if Billy Graham’s forgiveness covers everything or only the sins caused by that tremendous personality that makes the ladies just go wild.
Bennett went on to point out that forgiveness usually comes after acknowledgement of one’s sins and repentance. I’m not too familiar with Protestantism, but I think Protestants believe that only God can forgive sins.
The Catholic Church, of course, has the sacrament of penance and reconciliation in which a priest may absolve penitents from their sins. Except in emergencies, this usually requires a confession of the sins.
Bennett’s bewilderment (if I may use a word the president’s spin-doctors appear to have a monopoly on) is understandable. What the heck was Billy Graham doing? There’s no admission of wrongdoing, so there’s nothing to forgive. Even if there were, it’s up to God to do the forgiving. Unless Mr. Clinton converts to Catholicism and I doubt the Pope’s praying for that.
All the Reverend Graham’s done is cause confusion and provide some wandering husbands with a ready-made excuse. Yes, dear, it’s just like Billy Graham says about how frail we human beings are. And I do have this tremendous personality that makes the ladies go wild.
If Mr. Graham is intent on forgiving a president he should do it for one who’s personally wronged him. Harry S. Truman will do. He wasn’t known for his tactfulness and one day he really unloaded on the subject of – Billy Graham!
"But now we’ve got this one evangelist, this Billy Graham, and he’s gone off the beam. He’s . . . .well, I hadn’t ought to say this, but he’s one of those counterfeits I was telling you about. He claims he’s a friend of all the Presidents, but he was never a friend of mine when I was President. I just don’t go for people like that. All he’s interested in is getting his name in the paper."
That’s pretty harsh. But it’s a transgression Billy Graham can actually forgive.
Whenever you get into a discussion of morality and sins and such you take the risk of being accused of trying to be holier-than-thou. We’re all sinners – some of us much worse than others - and we all need forgiveness: the forgiveness of those we’ve hurt and the forgiveness of a loving God.
That must ultimately come from a Higher Authority. Forgiveness by Mr. Graham for unacknowledged sins may help in the polls, but that’s about it.
Given the voter fraud the democRats are famous for, he may vote for her even if he is NOT living.
I'd forgotten entirely about that and was just now thinking back to his interview with Larry King, as I recall, when he made those remarks...
And my Houston FRiend, Re-Joyce, had made a name for herself at our March for Justice in D.C. Because of her fantastic 3 minute speech, she became an immediate celebrity for the right and for Christianity by calling Clinton out for his SIN, concerning Monica. Because of her speech, she was invited on Hard Ball twice. The first visit she hit it out of the park when she remarked, "I don't care if Monica marched around BUCK NAKED! President Clinton should have told her to get her clothes on and to get out!"
In her second appearance on H.B., Chris Matthews blindsided her when he asked IF SHE AGREED WITH BILLY GRAHAM, that Clinton was just too attractive, it was Monica's fault for seducing him, etc.
Re-Joyce stuttered and couldn't recover. It was hard to watch.
Rev. Billy missed it all. It was not about affairs; it was about sexual assault. That was the crime for which he has neither been punished nor atoned.
Matt.19:24
[24] And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Mark.10:25
[25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luke.18:25
[25] For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
While I can't see into Old BC and HC's heart, their actions and words suggest they are not following Christ nor do they plan to. They can carry around as many Bible as they like and laugh at funerals and when the camera focuses in on them shed crocodile tears but God isn't fooled.
It wouldn't surprise me if BG felt bad for ole Bill. It's no secret BC is a disgrace. Hill is salivating to be President. The "joke" is really kind of a slur on old BC. Hill will boss him around and get even with him. You can bet on that. It will be hell on earth for old BC if she gets her wish. Who knows, maybe old BC will turn to males for comfort. I really don't fear her being President.
To even suggest that BC pursue being an evangelist is too funny for words. It won't happen - it's diametrically OPPOSED to what he IS. Will he change? Doubtful. He has no incentive to. He's got money, fame, drugs lots of affairs but that VOID is still there. He is PRECISLY what BG discussed in his short talk. He's a walking poster boy of a lost soul. Sure he may claim belief but it is not seen in how he leads his life.
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