Evangelist Graham in Presidential Hot Water Over Comments

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."

WORLD RELIGIONS PEACE SUMMIT PLANNED BY POPE

Believing we have reached a historic moment for humanity, Pope John Paul is calling the world's religious leaders together to pray for peace and to work to overcome armed conflict.
The meeting will take place January 24 in the Italian city of Assisi, the birthplace of Saint Francis. When the Pope hosted a similar summit in Assisi in 1986, nearly all parties in armed conflicts around the world adhered to his appeal and laid down their weapons for 24 hours while the meeting was held. The Pope said he wanted the new Assisi summit held in the birthplace of the saint most associated with peace "to help overcome contrasts and promote authentic peace."
The Pope is hoping this meeting will be helpful in improving relations between Christians and Muslims following the attacks of Sept 11 on the United States saying "that religions must never be allowed to become a cause of conflict, hate and violence." He entrusted the success of the initiative to the Virgin Mary.
The gathering of believers to pray for peace and for unity is much-needed in these unstable times. In Psalm 133, David says "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" In Ephesians 4:3, Paul calls us to endeavor "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." In Psalm 122, we are instructed to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
However, there is a dangerous line that is crossed when all the religious leaders of the world are called to pray together, and Christians should be extremely wary of such 'ecumenical' efforts. There can be no true unity between religions that worship false gods and the worship of the only Living God. Yahweh, the God of the Bible, is very serious about His role as the only true God, the Creator of heaven and earth. He is a jealous God, and will not bless any gathering where His praise and authority are given to other gods, as though those gods are equal to Him. We are not to allow ourselves to be sucked into the popular philosophy that says that all religions are equal. We are to be the light of the world, standing on a hilltop proclaiming the truth, and showing the world the way to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. - Psalms 96:5
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. - Isaiah 45:22
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? - 2 Corinthians 6:14
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; -Psalm 96:9-11
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16
The Ecumenical movement looks like a positive, peace-loving effort, and much of the world will embrace it. However, the syncretistic global religion of the Antichrist will ride on the coat-tails of such ecumenicalism, and it will be a religion that is absolutely antagonistic toward those who stand steadfastly by the Word of God.

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