Graham stands by comments on Islam

Charlotte Observer ^ | November 19, 2001 | Ken Garfield

[Stand Watch Listen]

But `evil and wicked' quote doesn't cancel Christian love, he says

While saying he is called to love people regardless of their faith, evangelist Franklin Graham on Sunday wouldn't back away from his recent statement on a national news program that Islam "is a very evil and wicked religion."

In a prepared statement released to The Observer through a spokesman, Graham said his Samaritan's Purse ministry in Boone will continue providing millions of dollars in aid to Muslims in need around the world. But he did not take back the controversial comments aired Friday night on "NBC Nightly News" and repeated on cable stations.

Those pieces were based on an interview Graham gave last month near Wilkesboro, at the dedication of a chapel in his parents' name, when he said: "We're not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God. He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God and I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion."

In his prepared statement Sunday, Graham said: "It is not my calling to analyze Islam or any other religions, though I recognize that all religions have differences. In the past, I have expressed my concerns about the teachings of Islam regarding the treatment of women and the killing of non-Muslims or infidels."

Graham, 49, does not plan to comment publicly on the issue, and only will release Sunday's statement in response to questions.

His response comes a day after his ministry's Operation Christmas Child began processing 1 million shoe boxes in Charlotte for needy children overseas - including thousands destined for largely Muslim nations.

His comments were challenged by former Charlottean Ali Akber, who helped organize a meeting between local Jews and Muslims after Sept. 11, before he relocated to Maryland.

"That's spreading hatred," said Akber. "It is the same God. We just don't worship the same way. We all believe in God and charity and worshipping and not doing any evil."

Franklin Graham's views run counter to those expressed on Sept. 17 by President Bush, who called Islam "a faith that brings comfort to a billion people around the world."

It also stands in contrast to the message delivered by Graham's father at the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance service at the National Cathedral in Washington, on Sept. 14. "We come together today to affirm our conviction that God cares for us, whatever our ethnic, religious or political background may be," Billy Graham preached. "The Bible says that he is `the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.'"

[foreshadowed at waco]

Catholicism underwent a Reformation and Islam badly needs one IMHO.

[nonliberal]

A christian with some guts. You don't see this very often. He is better than his dad.

[CCWoody]

I guess what I was focusing in on was the Mullahs, not just in the more extremist Islamic countries such as Iran, but even in the US itself--it is very, very hard to pin down the religious leaders to get a statement outright condemning the methods used by Islamic terrorists.

There is a reason for this:

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been wrought by God."

Islam is a darkness that deceives. I don't expect the muslim community to join together with the children of God in condemning those terrorists as Godless infidels!

[CCWoody]

I'll let you, who seems has met all'em, to state the ridiculous.

Is it within you to answer: Are these muslims who torture and kill Christians Godless infidens or not?

[a_Turk]

Islam is a lie, because no God has 72 virgins and little boys waiting for anyone in any paradise to have sexual orgies.

Taken out of context. Virgin means innocent, and there's no word of sex or orgies. That' little boys comment of yours is sickening. Are you allowing yourself to be someone's tool?

Also, Mohammad had 40 wives, one as young as 6, of course he gave her a break and didn't have intercourse with her till she was 9 . ( Oh wow, what a prophet ).

Untrue, and unsubstantiated. Multiple wives were a custom even practived by biblical figures. Are you reading propaganda off of Hindu sites?

No God who is real allows 4 wives at a time? Oh yea, don't forget the Koran allows a man to beat his 4 wives if they don't behave.

Here you went from 40 to 4. Plus you are misinterpreting or quoting someones misinterpretation. It's not beat, it's educate.

By the way the real Islam is in Saudi Arabia and Turkish people are considered Infidels by the Saudi.

As far as we Turks are concerned everyone can just line up an kiss our a$$es, so maybe that'll give you an idea how much I care about what they consider us to be. Anyway, perhaps that's a platform upon which you and the Saudis can finally agree :^D

[a_Turk]

Catholicism underwent a Reformation and Islam badly needs one

It has in Turkey during the 1920s.

[Hildy]

Unfortunately Graham will now be on the run, like Rushdie and Steve Emerson. His crime? Speaking against Muslims, punishable by death by that peace-loving religion.

[Kevin Curry]

The sanctimonious athiest libertarian inquisitors will be by shortly to condemn Graham for calling it like it is.

I hope Graham will keep the courage of his convictions and refuse to backtrack. Graham has harmed no one. He has imprisoned no one. He has fined no one. Graham has done nothing but take a firm and resolute stand against evil. Let the heathen howl and rage.

[a_Turk]

First you asked:

Are you saying that almost every single muslim in these countries are really Godless infidels?

I thought it ridiculous and pompous.

Then you asked again

The question still remains: Are you saying that almost every single muslim in these countries are really Godless infidels?

Still unworthy of a sincere answer.

Now you ask a different question:

Is it within you to answer: Are these muslims who torture and kill Christians Godless infidels or not?

And I will wholeheartedly agree with you.

I will go on to say that anyone who tortures and/or kills the innocent fits that bill. Too many SO CALLED Jews, Christians, and Muslims are really worshippers of some golden calf. THAT IS WHY we, the real Jews, Christians, and Muslims must band together and not allow Satan to further drive a wedge between us with our own tongues no less.

That's what I say to that.

[Penny1]

Islam is a darkness that deceives.

This is so true, and I've been thinking about those verses a lot ever since 9/11. Just in the way that Islam appears to glorify death, it reveals itself to be a religion of darkness...

-penny

[CCWoody]

Come to Jesus, and preach his love, abandon your hate..

And embrace a God hating theology. No thanks. I'll stay with Christ Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Creator of all things!

BTW, this is how Jesus preached:

And He came to Nazareth where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister and sat down. And the eyes of all those who were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears."

And all bore Him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" And He said unto them, "Ye will surely say unto Me this proverb: `Physician, heal thyself! Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.'"

And He said, "Verily I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you in truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land. But unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Zarephath, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian."

Then all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him unto the brow of a hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong.

I have shared with you the free offer of the Gospel and you have called me a "hater". Nevertheless, I will not call evil good and good evil.

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

[a_Turk]

Speaking against Muslims, punishable by death by that peace-loving religion.

I hope that's humor, 'coz we're not all the Ayetullah Humeini.

[CCWoody]

Irrelevant. There are always exceptions to every rule.

We shall see! Notice how a_Turk will not condemn those who persecute the children of God in the name of allah.

[a_Turk]

Whatever makes you happy. I don't know why I bother. You'll never get rid of the Muslims, the Muslims will never get rid of you, and increasingly you will have to live side by side, so I wish you good luck, and please counter me now with some more verses out of the Bible which does not bother me at all as It is a holy book I respect.

Thanks for the ping, this is good bye for now. God bless :)

[CCWoody]

Give me kind, honest, upright Jews, Christians, and Muslims. That is my religion.

Why boast in your mischief? I will call upon the Name of the Lord, Christ Jesus whom you deny!

[CCWoody]

Who could possibly blame him for failing to condemn the enslavement, mutilation, and slaughter of Christians?

The Lord Jesus! He will repay.

[CCWoody]

Except that Christian "fundamentalists" haven't murdered thousands of people using terrorism....during the last few centuries.

Wrong again!

If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

They were Christian in name only. They did not have the Power of the Lord Jesus in their hearts.

[a_Turk]

Re: #93

That was not my quote. Come up for some air will ya?

[CCWoody]

Catholicism underwent a Reformation and Islam badly needs one. It has in Turkey during the 1920s.

The ultimate Reformer Christ Jesus will cast Islam into the Pit along with it's master.

[a_Turk]

You keep picking up someone else's quotes, but I like what you are saying here:

They were Christian in name only. They did not have the Power of the Lord Jesus in their hearts

And these bastards who commit these acts of terror and murder thousands (even one is too many) of innocent people in cold blood are Muslims in name only. We understand each other.