Shortly after the attacks of September 11, Graham had commented, "I don't believe [Islam] is a wonderful, peaceful religion." Asked by NBC News on Friday to clarify his statement, he repeated his charge that Islam, as a whole, was evil.Posted on 11/21/2001 9:28:59 AM PST by truthandlife
In what is believed to be a first in American history, there were prayers to Allah last night at the White House where President Bush hosted a formal Ramadan celebration with dozens of Muslim leaders.
The Ramadan event was another effort by the Bush Administration to prove its war on terrorism is not a war against Islam. However, conservative voices like Gary Bauer have been sharply critical of that effort. He says he has heard from a number of people within the U.S. intelligence community who are shocked and demoralized that some of the Muslim leaders who have been spending time with the President have been known to speak out in favor of terrorism.
Bauer notes that while these people are getting the red carpet treatment at the White House, reports indicate the President is distancing himself from one of the country's best-known evangelicals. According to reports, Franklin Graham upset the Bush Administration when he recently referred to Islam as being "wicked, violent, and not of the same God."
Shortly after the attacks of September 11, Graham had commented, "I don't believe [Islam] is a wonderful, peaceful religion." Asked by NBC News on Friday to clarify his statement, he repeated his charge that Islam, as a whole, was evil.
"It wasn't Methodists flying into those buildings, it wasn't Lutherans," he told NBC News. "It was an attack on this country by people of the Islamic faith."
In a follow-up statement yesterday, Graham said he is deeply concerned with "the teachings of Islam regarding the treatment of women, and the killing of non-Muslims or infidels."
The son of Rev. Billy Graham and the designated successor of his father's extensive evangelical ministry, Graham delivered the benediction at Bush's inauguration in January. As NBC News observed, "A presidential friend and supporter now finds himself at odds with both the Muslim world and the message from the White House." But conservative columnist Chuck Baldwin calls Graham "a breath of fresh air" for standing firm and not apologizing for his statements.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reports a Muslim advocacy organization has sent a letter to Graham inviting him to meet with them to discuss his remarks. In the letter, Nihad Awad of the Council on America-Islamic Relations says, "Negative impressions of Islam are most often based on a lack of accurate and objective information."
Positive Outcome
As a national holiday approaches, President Bush says Americans of various faiths will be "joined in prayer" this Thanksgiving. "On this holiday, we give thanks for our many blessings and for life itself," Bush said. "Thanksgiving reminds us that the greatest gifts don't come from the hands of man, but from the Maker of heaven and earth. This week, American families will gather in that spirit."
Since the September terrorist attacks, church attendance has increased and there have been more prayer gatherings on Capitol Hill. Evangelist Pat Robertson believes people have been shocked into examining what their true values are.
"What we're seeing is that this awful attack, as horrific ... and as heart-rending [as it was], is bringing about one of the greatest spiritual revivals in the history of America," Robertson says. "[T]he churches are full ... people are turning to God, they're turning to their families, they're turning to the fundamental values, and they're getting away from all this fluff of the last decade."
Robertson made his comments today on CNN.
I do think that Bush, although he has very good intentions, goes too far in accommodating the Muslim clerics and giving them prominence. I am no frind of theirs. I think, in fact, that we are way too lenient on them.
It is wrong prima facie to call Islam a pagan religion. DO we really need to hate the religion rather than the people whom we fight?
Members of all religions have been beligerent at some time or anothet. We have a quarrel with the current "Islam chirch" and should deal with them with no mercy. This does not preclude, however, that the future followers of Islam will not be peaceful. Let us fight the people --- Muslim clerics and their bandits --- not the religion. As in the Dark Ages, this will only lead us to killing each other.
As I recall, "this sin" is the literal translation from the Greek. I am much too tired to do a search right now and it has been years since I studied Greek, but I do remember this particular passage.
I do not believe that the God of Abraham would tell him to sell the moon god to America,or to allow them to pray for us to be converted to a heathan religion in the nation home.
This all shows a lack of prayer and discernment!
Solomon prayed for wisdom in handling National affairs.Believe it or not God could handle this without sharing His sovereignity with the false god of Islam.
If only this weren't true...alas it isn't. It's okay to celebrate Islam, a violent hateful religion, but it's not okay to worship the God that our country is built on.
God bless our President? I am commanded to, but I don't agree with his dishonorable ways.
Don't forget The Festival of Lights! Cha-nuk-ah! Oy vey! And there's a new moon in it!
Hosea 5:7
Your irony is unimpressive. LIBERALS LOVE MUSLIMS BECAUSE MUSLIMS ARE JUST AS PERVERTED AND UNREPENTENT AS BILL CLINTON. DUH!!!!
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
Paul wrote this 500 years before Muhammed received his supposed visions from the angel Gabriel. Here's the evidence: Muhammed received a different revelation from an angel about the clear message Paul and many others preached and is contained in the Bible. Islam denies that Jesus is God, among numerous other Christian doctrines. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-19 if Jesus didn't die and was not raised, then we are still in our sins and we are to be pitied. Read it for yourself!
On the other hand, the real question is: What is the best way to win Muslims to believe in the Gospel?
I think Graham's comments are better served for nominal Christians than Muslims. Christians who think that Islam is just another nice religion should look twice. Answering Islam
1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
As I recall, Robertson and Fallwell made slightly similar remarks, but then hastily back-tracked and appologized to the Muzzel-em community at break-neck speed !!! Yup . . . R 'n F are nothing but Sleeeeeezy Lying Cowards !!!
He denied that he had the problem altogether and blamed the vast right-wing conspiracy for his problems.
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