Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Evangelist Graham in Presidential Hot Water Over Comments
Agape Press ^ | 11/20/01

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."

photo of Franklin GrahamShortly 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.


AgapePress writers Fred Jackson, Jim Duke,


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: franklingraham
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 281-289 next last
To: RnMomof7
Who said he had "fellowship"? You accuse before you know. And even a Christian can disobey. You disobey too.
81 posted on 11/21/2001 11:42:20 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Austim
Receiving oral sex on Easter Sunday from an adultress puts Bill Clinton's faith in turmoil too.
82 posted on 11/21/2001 11:42:39 AM PST by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

Comment #83 Removed by Moderator

To: GraniteStateConservative
They think that they would be helping God by getting things started for Armageddon.

Not even Armageddon could make me cozy up to Islam, (a man-made religion birthed in paganism, idolatry, and demonism, and continuing to bear its evil fruit to this very day).

I would like to see my daughter graduate from high school/college, get married, have kids, etc. before I get turned to dust in a mushroom cloud. Crazy me.

The Islamists WOULD turn you to dust, if they had the power to do so. Don't blame Christians who tell the truth about em.

Wake up and smell the coffee. Appeasement never works. (That's why the name of Neville Chamberlain is despised to this very day).

All appeasement does is lend legitimacy to the enemy, and make him think you are weak, and vulnerable to further attack.

Do you think it would have been advisable for Roosevelt to have invited Nazis, Fascists, and Imperialist Japenese to the White House, after hostilities in WWII had already commenced?

84 posted on 11/21/2001 11:43:37 AM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: IvecrossedmyRubicon
You remind me of the guy who was served a fine meal and then was asked if he believed there was a cook.

Maybe there is a cook, but I'm not sure whether it is Emmeril, Julia Child, Maria Calendar or Chef Boy-ar-Dee.

85 posted on 11/21/2001 11:45:50 AM PST by Diverdogz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: USS_Ronald_Reagan_CVN76
"Exactly what was lost?"

What was lost was the dignity of the Unoted States of America, due to sanctioning of pagan prayer in the house of the President of the United States, a distinctly Christian Nation.

I voted for Bush, and I have supported him in his activities up to now. - I can no longer do so; he stands in overt defiance of the Lord and his Holy word.

86 posted on 11/21/2001 11:46:49 AM PST by editor-surveyor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: USS_Ronald_Reagan_CVN76
...and we're turning to our checkbooks to pay $9.95 for Robertson's new book on world conspiracies.

$9.95.....what a ripoff...

87 posted on 11/21/2001 11:49:25 AM PST by Nate505
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: DittoJed2
RnMom, that is going farther than the evidence allows right now. The Apostle Paul was seen in the company of heathen as well (at Mars Hill) but did not partake in their religion. Don't get me wrong. This disturbs me greatly. But, I don't think we are at the point to say President Bush's conversion was false.

Did he go to the high places and make offerings to their gods,or did he preach the gospel to them?

Paul was a Roman citizen..did he want to go to Rome to visit the temples.and join in their prayer?

Ditto,there is a big difference..W is promoting and encouraging a false heathan religion..he is not giving them the gospel! In fact he is letting them give their false gospel in his house from his podium.....

Big difference

As a believer in Jesus Christ I could not do that could you?

88 posted on 11/21/2001 11:50:33 AM PST by RnMomof7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7
"My guess is he had a convienent political conversion..good to get some VRWC votes.."

An excellent analysis, unfortunately.

89 posted on 11/21/2001 11:51:08 AM PST by editor-surveyor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: weegee
Receiving oral sex on Easter Sunday from an adultress puts Bill Clinton's faith in turmoil too.

I am not here to defend Bill Clinton's Faith in Christ. However, there seems to be many here defending President Bush's Faith in Islam.

90 posted on 11/21/2001 11:53:27 AM PST by Austim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7
In the interest of "unity", brotherhood, fellowship, equal time, yadda yadda yadda... Could George Bush (or another Christian) been given an opportunity to say at Christian prayer at this gathering?
91 posted on 11/21/2001 11:55:05 AM PST by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 88 | View Replies]

To: Austim
"Who do you suppose Imam Abdullah Muhammad Khouj and the President were praying to?"

In god's word he is called The Dragon, the inventor of the lie, the prince of darkness, Lucifer, Satan, the accusor.

92 posted on 11/21/2001 11:56:40 AM PST by editor-surveyor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: editor-surveyor
Pagan (in the sense of non Christian or generalist) prayers have gone on in United States government facilities for years; in fact since before the Declaration of Independence. Look up Thomas Jefferson's philosophies, for example. Or Benjamin Franklin's. Old Theist Ben Franklin proposed the idea for the constitutional convention to meet and pray! Which they did, in various churches, whereupon the disagreements rapidly resolved.

The US has NEVER been "pure Christian."

I wish Bush would have not hosted this meeting, because of the precedent, but it hardly is "spoiling an unspotted record of a Christian Nation." We never had that unspotted record to begin with.

93 posted on 11/21/2001 11:56:43 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: Austim
Clinton may have violated his marriage vows in the White House but he never violated his faith in Christ and Prayed to a Muslim god.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeee I hate to say anything possitive about Bill Clinton..but you are right..at least he never did it publically (we do remember his private life though :>(

94 posted on 11/21/2001 11:56:56 AM PST by RnMomof7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

To: HiTech RedNeck
Who said he had "fellowship"? You accuse before you know. And even a Christian can disobey. You disobey too

He opened his doors...prayed and broke bread with them and you don't all that "fellowship"?

95 posted on 11/21/2001 11:59:01 AM PST by RnMomof7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7
We are told not to even speak with them..we are to have no fellowship at all

How narrow minded and intolerant of you.

..they have now been invited to eat and PRAY in MY house

It is my house too. Don't forget the Article IV from the constitution:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

..there will be a spiritual price to pay for this..I will watch to see the price God will exact for this prostitution.

Hooo Boy. How exactly will you know what the 'spiritual price' is? Is your God gonna tell you? Or more likely, will you pick a 'bad thing' and claim it as the price we have to pay.....at which point I'll say it is because of YOUR narrowmindedness and intolerence that the incident happened.

96 posted on 11/21/2001 11:59:27 AM PST by Diverdogz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: HiTech RedNeck
You claim to be a redneck and you don't know that Billy Graham and his son Franklin are Baptist?
97 posted on 11/21/2001 11:59:49 AM PST by RickyJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7
Maybe he was a (dis)avowed Satanist? He certainly surrounded himself with demons: Hillary, Janet Reno, and Carville...
98 posted on 11/21/2001 11:59:50 AM PST by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 94 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7
You have yet to show that he prayed in concert with their prayers. Because you CAN'T!
99 posted on 11/21/2001 11:59:54 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance
Don't blame Christians who tell the truth about em.

Amen

100 posted on 11/21/2001 12:00:53 PM PST by RnMomof7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 281-289 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson