Posted on 10/20/2012 8:05:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Why, three weeks prior to one of the most hotly contested presidential elections in modern history, does America’s Evangelist need to suddenly declare Mormonism no longer a cult? Has there been an unreported change in theology or practice?
My maternal grandmother thought Billy Graham was a saint above all others. You simply could not say anything negative about the evangelist in her presence. She held the same regard for Jimmy Carter, because she considered him a godly man and a faithful Sunday school teacher -- even if not an effective president. She also was convinced Henry Kissinger was the anti-Christ, but that’s another story.
I’m glad she didn’t live long enough to see Billy Graham and his family descend into the arena of secular politics. It would have broken her heart. And it should be sad for the rest of the Christian world as well.
The latest news came last week, when the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association made a slight change to the content of its website right after a visit from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Prior to Romney’s visit, the evangelist had defined Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Spiritualists and Scientologists as “cults” and therefore not Christian. Several news outlets reported that after Romney’s visit to Graham, the page with that content was removed from the Graham website; then later, a Graham spokesman confirmed it.
Now before some of you, dear readers, start heating your branding irons to label me a partisan heretic, please keep reading. I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t vote for Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. What I do want to say is that you shouldn’t vote for either candidate just because you have been cleared to do so (or been encouraged to do so) by a preacher, pastor or evangelist. You should vote for one or the other because you are convinced in your own mind that person is the best for the job. God gave you a brain for a reason; use it.
Nor should you require Romney to be a Christian before you vote for him, just as you shouldn’t spread the lie that Obama is a closeted Muslim in order not to vote for him. There is no religious test for office in the United States.
So why, three weeks prior to one of the most hotly contested presidential elections in modern history, does America’s Evangelist need to suddenly declare Mormonism no longer a cult? Has there been an unreported change in theology or practice? What purpose could there be other than removing a barrier that might keep some evangelical Christians from voting for a Mormon? Especially when the evangelist, to the best of my knowledge, never has repudiated his own son’s statements from February, implying that Obama may not be a Christian but is likely a secret Muslim. Why is Billy Graham taking sides in a presidential election?
Some will say he has every right to take sides and should make his views known. Here’s why I think he shouldn’t and why his son, Franklin, is single-handedly undoing his father’s legacy: The gospel of Jesus Christ transcends political parties and labels. Jesus is neither Republican nor Democrat. And the moment we put God in a political box is when we alienate half the population from hearing the good news of redemption through Christ.
No person in our lifetime has done more to proclaim this message of salvation for all than Billy Graham. And he was heard because he appeared to care about all people without regard to race, creed or color. To make any other agenda -- abortion, gay marriage, economic policy or whatever -- more important than the universal call to redemptive faith is to lose sight of the cross of Christ. Ironically, it is Billy Graham who most clearly and consistently has called America to fix our eyes only upon Jesus. And now his own vision seems to be fading. Woe to us.
“What concerns me is this — why did he have to go so far as declare Mormonism no longer a cult?”
He didn’t. The article is trying to intentionally mislead people to think he did. Removing a webpage is not the same as declaring Mormonism to not be a cult.
VOTE Myth Romney OR there WILL NOT BE an America..
ONLY Myth can UNSEAT Obama.. did I say ONLY?..
More important than MYTH as President is a VETO proof Congress.. to get it you must elect Myth..
Making the thread "about" individual Freepers is a form of "making it personal."
So, if you wish to "call out" certain Freepers or make the thread "about" them, then do it on some other Free Republic forum, not here.
He also went too far when he said that Hillary would make a good president.
He took the statement about Mormonism down because he knows some of his flock won’t vote for Romney based on their beliefs about Mormonism. This election transcends the differences between religions. I wouldn’t care if Romney worshiped a pancake with a smiley face... as long as his belief system meant that he valued religious freedom and the right to life, he’d have my vote against Obama.
As a Jew all I can say is God bless Billy Graham
So many have denied their beliefs to vote for someone who isn't Hussein. The same will happen in the Republican Party from now on - the candidate will always be a liberal because they know the conservatives will always abandon their beliefs and vote for whomever the GOPe wants.
The downfall of this country is coming and soon.
And at their convention, we learned whose side they’ve taken. Anybody who thinks God would would be removed entirely from the Republican platform, then only restored on a phony voice vote with catcalls and boos isn’t paying attention.
“Franklin, is single-handedly undoing his father’s legacy: The gospel of Jesus Christ transcends political parties and labels. Jesus is neither Republican nor Democrat.”
I smell RINO.
Anyone know anything about the author of this article? Something doesn’t smell right.
Franklin is known for passionately standing for freedom, and using His God-given right to freedom of speech. If that bothers this author, he’s a RINO for sure.
A cult demands 100% of it’s adherents, a religion only wants 10%.
This is an issue to be discussed!
I appreciated Mitt's Mormonism (and the fact that our country is being directed currently by a Muslim).
That said, I would rather our country be led by Mitt than the communist, muslim Obama!
What makes you think they aren't? I mean the democratic position about people being free from religion obviously makes them against Christianity; but the Republican Party is quite remarkable in its ability to garner the support of Christians w/o fighting for Christians on any particular policy.
RE: He took the statement about Mormonism down because he knows some of his flock won’t vote for Romney based on their beliefs about Mormonism.
Hmmm... makes me wonder if he’ll put the page back up again if Romney wins the presidency.
The purpose of that page was to give guidance to Christians regarding the difference between what cults believe in and orthodox Christianity ( especially when it comes to the Person of Jesus Christ ).
It would be an act of negligence IMHO if the page is not returned after the current pressing objective has been achieved.
The Man knows quite a bit about power on this earth. He tries his best to convey it to the Presidents. They listen or they don’t. I’ll leave it there.
“It was only a few months ago when you couldn’t open a thread on this forum without having to deal with trolls like this dude telling us why we should just stand down and let Obami do us.”
I know. I dealt with a couple of them just today. Absolutely shameful.
It’s pretty simple.
Mitt Romney is not a threat to religious liberty.
Barack Hussein Obama, Mmm Mmm Mmm, on the other hand...is.
Game. Set. Match.
...closeted muslim?
It’s more important to take what people actually do rather than what they purport to be.
I see soetoro as an islamist, and see Romney as at least a capitalist.
Billy Graham has enough sense to know we’re not electing a preacher...we’re electing leader for the country. And he’s just as concerned for our country as the pastor in Leakey, Texas that has a sign “Vote for the Mormon, not the Muslim. Vote for the capitalist, not the communist.”
They both know that our freedom to practice our religious beliefs is under attack by the Owebama regime!
Mark Wingfield seems to be lost in the world.shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiachMark needs to seek YHvH in His WORD.
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