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Ephesians
Billy Graham Association
Says No More Crusades
A. P. Charlotte, N.C., - Though
long-assumed, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has given its first official
word that the ailing evangelist would no longer hold crusades.
The association said in a news
release that Graham is enjoying quiet time at his home in Montreat, where he
turned 87 on Monday. His most recent crusade was in
"Ruth and I have enjoyed our
time together these last few months, and we both feel at peace about the
decision to have the New York meetings be our last," Graham said in the
release. "We know that God can still use us to reach people with the Gospel
message in other ways, and we look forward to seeing how he will do so."
The association said that while
the crusade phase of his evangelistic ministry may be over, Graham still finds
plenty to do.
He participated in the recent
groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies at the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association headquarters in his hometown of
The Grahams offered their old home
as a shelter to a family from
Graham also has been working on a
book and "determining the best use of his remaining years," the
release said.
Graham suffers from fluid on the brain,
prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease. He uses a walker due to a pelvic
fracture and is largely confined to his home.
His wife, Ruth
If you check out the latest form
990 - 2002 for
Billy Graham Evangelist Organization available from Guide Star http://www.guidestar.org/search/ you will see that Billy Graham
is just as much of a crook as ever. At 87 years of age he is still receiving a
hundred percent salary
of $ 189, 385 and $ 233,979 for other allowances and is working
less than ten percent of the time! The same with Clifford B.
Barrows who is receiving $ 164,442. They both should have been put out
to pasture a long time ago and should have stopped taken a salary that they
have not earned!
And yes Billy used his
organization to support financially his children including $ 600,000 to
Franklin Graham, $ 210,000 to Ned Graham and $ 300,000 to Ann. Ned Graham who
was originally slated to take over Billy Graham Evangelist Organization instead
of Franklin received less money because he is the black sheep of the family.
What gave Billy Graham the right to take money donated to preach the gospel to
give to the support of his family especially Ned Graham? Nothing!
Graham didn't intend to endorse Clinton
Evangelist's praise for senator at crusade just that, son says
Rest easy, conservative Christians. That was no endorsement Billy Graham gave Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
at his
Graham provoked more than 100 e-mails and calls of protest to the
ministry with his praise for
Franklin Graham, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,
responded to concerned e-mailers and letter-writers with a statement saying,
"My father, of course, was joking."
"For a long time," Franklin Graham wrote, "my father
has refrained from endorsing political candidates and he certainly did not
intend for his comments to be an endorsement for Senator Hillary Clinton. While
his political views, as well as mine, are quite different than the
Franklin Graham also wrote that while Bill Clinton has the charisma,
personality and communication skills to preach, "... an evangelist has to
have the call of God, which President Clinton obviously does not have, and my
father understands that."
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/12030058.htm
That not to say that
politicians, or other high profile public figures, never say sorry. The
Whopper of the Century: Billy Graham
The reverend elaborates on his admiration of the Jewish people.
"I have never talked
publicly or privately about the Jewish people, including conversations with
President Nixon, except in the most positive terms."
—Rev. Billy Graham, in a May
1994 statement denying H.R. Haldeman's claim in his published diaries that
Graham carried on about "satanic Jews" in Nixon's presence. Quoted by
David Firestone in the March 17 New York Times.
"I go and I keep friends
with [Abe] Rosenthal at the New York Times and people of that sort, you know.
And all—I mean, not all the Jews, but a lot of the Jews are great friends of
mine, they swarm around me and are friendly to me because they know that I'm
friendly with Israel. But they don't know how I really feel about what they are
doing to this country. And I have no power, no way to handle them, but I would
stand up if under proper circumstances."
—Rev. Billy Graham, in a
transcript of an Oval Office conversation with Richard Nixon from 1972 recently
made public by the National Archives. Quoted in Firestone's March 17 story and
elsewhere. (Click here to read Graham's apology, and here to read Slate's David
Greenberg on Graham's remarks.)
Billy Graham Hypocrisy And Satanic Jews
Barbara Webb,
Administrative Services. Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization in response to
the reporting of Billy Graham's Hypocrisy And Satanic Jews on
Subject: Mr. Graham
Dear Friend:
Mr. Graham apologized in regard to the Nixon tapes which were recently broadcast. Although Mr. Graham had no memory of what he had said, he felt it was appropriate at this time to give an apology. He does not actually feel about Jewish people in the way the words were said. Mr. Graham has made many friends over the years among the Jewish leaders and rabbis and has a great respect for them.
Please pray for Mr. Graham and our Association--that we will be truly faithful and obedient to our Lord. May God bless you.
Sincerely,
A response
was sent to Barbara Webb on
Dear Barbara,
Thank you for your reply concerning Billy Graham's memory lapse!
I have an important question to which I would like to have an answer does Dr. Billy Graham at 84 years of age still take a 100 percent salary as a employee and chairman of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization and work less than 25 percent of time?
The sad part about Billy Graham's refusal to accept real responsibility is his use of the phrase "Although I have no memory of the occasion, I deeply regret comments I apparently made in an Oval Office conversation with President Nixon ... some 30 years ago." You will appreciate Bill Clinton the former President of United States and a great liar also used a similar phrase to avoid answering questions asked of him during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and would state " I don't recall." But God has a perfect memory and he recalls all things and so do others.
Graham's two
faced hypocrisy also came out in a 1989 when a Graham memo to Nixon was made
public. It took the form of a secret letter from Graham, dated
Graham lent
his imprimatur to this recommendation. Thus the preacher was advocating a
policy to the
This disclosure of Graham as an aspirant war criminal did not excite any commotion when it became public in 1989, twenty years after it was written.
Billy Graham
has raised up two sons Ned and Franklin who are as deceitful as their father.
Ned Graham, the son of Billy Graham, Southern Baptist minister, president East
Gates International, a group that distributes Bibles in
Grace
Community Church, Southern Baptist Convention, in Auburn,
Yet in a style reminiscent of Jimmy Swaggart, who refused to be defrocked by the Assembly of God denomination, Ned Graham left that congregation for another church.
Most of the staff and board members of East Gates International resigned amid controversies. East Gates, in Sumner, Wash., withdrew its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after Ned replaced the board members with his sister Ruth Graham McIntyre, brother-in-law Stephan Tchividjian, and business leader Peter Lowe.
Graham's sister Gigi Tchividjian has joined the office staff and Ned Graham continues as East Gates president. The ECFA the self-policing organization Billy Graham helped start requires that a majority of board members not be related by blood or marriage, which is no longer the case for East Gates. Nepotism is alive and well in Evangelical ministries?
A December East Gates fund-raising letter included a note from his father saying that "Ruth and I are proud of and grateful to God for our son Ned." East Gates has distributed 2 million Bibles to Christians in China, Billy Graham said, encouraging Christians to "back this unique and effective ministry."
It is
interesting to see the most famous "evangelist" (some say) not being
able to educate his children, especially Ned. At the same time, having a bunch
of so-called Christians following the leadership of such wreckless person.
Franklin Graham wears jeans, boots, denim shirt, and leather jacket. He was a
teen rebel who drank, smoked, fought, and led police on high-speed chases. He
was kicked out of
Although Billy Graham encourages religious leaders to be open about their salaries and publish their finances none of the Grahams reveal their total compensation nor release their personal income tax as President Bush does and former President Clinton has done. It's the law of the land that all non profit chairman of corporations must reveal their total salary and that Billy, Ned and Franklin do not to their donors speak volumes of their hypocrisy?
Yes, Jesus told us to beware of hypocrites like Dr. Billy Graham.
Editor’s Note - Barbara Webb nor Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization did not reply about Billy Graham's salary nor other matters stated.
Billy Graham and Bishop
Pike And False Prophets
By
Wally Duncaster
In his 1959
Three times Pike
was brought up on heresy charges in the Episcopal Church. In an article in Look
magazine Pike stated that he did not believe the fundamentals of the faith. In
a pastoral letter that was to be read in all the Episcopal Churches of his
diocese, Pike stated that "religious myth is one of the avenues of faith
and has an important place in the communication of the Gospel." He spoke
of the "myth of the Garden of Eden." He said, "The virgin
birth... is a myth which churchmen should be free to accept or reject." In an article in Christian Century,
Three times Pike
was picked up by
http://cnview.com/on_line_resources/billy_grahams_disobedience.htm
JOHN WARWICK MONTGOMERY
is Professor of Law and Humanities at the University of Luton, England, and
Director of its Human Rights Centre. He annually conducts the University's
International Seminar in Jurisprudence and Human Rights in
Professor Montgomery
holds eight earned degrees besides, the LL.B.: the A.B. with distinction in
Philosophy (
Dr. Montgomery is
author of over one hundred scholarly journal articles and more than forty books
in English, French, Spanish and German. He is internationally regarded both as
a theologian (his debates with the late Bishop James Pike, death-of-God
advocate Thomas Altizer, and situation-ethicist Joseph Fletcher are historic)
and as a lawyer (barrister-at-law of the Middle Temple and Lincoln's Inn,
England; member of the California, Virginia, Washington State, and District of
Columbia Bars and the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States). He is one
of only six persons to have received the Diploma of the International Institute
of Human Rights cum laude, and was the Institute's Director of Studies from 1979
to 1981.
http://www.id.ucsb.edu/FSCF/LIBRARY/MONTGOMERY/bio.html
NOW COMPARE HOW
JOHN W MONTGOMERY HANDLED A FALSE PROPHET SUCH AS BISHOP PIKE VERSUS BILLY
GRAHAM.
John W. Montgomery
actions with Bishop Pike were different as seen from the book " The Strader
Affair."
Chapter 21
"For False
Christ's And False Prophets Will Rise
"For false
Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to
deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)
In the early Seventies, during the
"God is dead" movement, Dr. John W. Montgomery came into prominence.
He was and is a renowned Biblical scholar with numerous degrees and an obvious
brilliant mind, and a "who's who"
in
Ironically, later
on Bishop Pike died on a trip to a desert where he actually got lost. Amazing!
Dr. Montgomery, a brilliant Christian man of unusual intelligence and knowledge
of the Bible, matched by few in our lifetime, was vicious and even to the point
of cruel, when he debated Bishop Pike in an open forum. Later,
His critics were
upset and protested at how he destroyed Bishop Pike during the debate. Even
though God's word states that they should be destroyed:
He shall strike the
earth with the rod of His mouth, And
with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Isaiah 11:4
But there were also
false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among
you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who
bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2:1
I was to have the
privilege of meeting Dr. John Montgomery when he came to our university for a
week of Evangelism. It was sponsored by the university's Inter-Varsity
Christian Fellowship club where I was on the executive committee. I
personally asked John the following
question, "As a Christian how could you do what you did to Bishop
Pike?" He answered, "Easily, and I would gladly do it again to anyone
who was a false prophet and had hurt and deceived so many people."
Well, these are my
sentiments exactly about deceived Jim Bakker, Henry J. Lyons and Billy Graham who called themselves--a Man of God. A real
Man of God doesn't lie, steal, is not cowardly or fearful, because he is
truthful, bold and full of courage. These things are done by those who belong
to the other family and not to God's family.
Those who walk in
the flesh will demonstrate the works of the flesh adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and
the like. Those who practice such things will not inherit the
Modernists and
apostates with whom Billy Graham has fellowshipped, and used in his crusades:
Henry Van Dusen
Union Theological Seminary
Bishop James Pike,
episcopal bishop
John Sutherland
Bonnell
Robert McCracken,
Minister of
Dr. Geoffrey
Fisher, Archbishop of
Dr. Fred Townley
Lord, British Methodist
Dr. Bertram
Simpson, Bishop of Southwark
Dr. E.A. Payne,
General Secretary of British Baptist
Bishop Gerald
Kennedy, Methodist
Dr. Jesse Baird
Dr. Stanley E.
Jones
Dr. Martin Luther
King, Modernist in theology.
The Lord Jesus
said, 'If ye love Me, keep My commandments'. (John 14:15). God has said, 'To
the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them'. (Isa 8:20). We ask every reader to study
the following Scriptures and then compare their commands to the practices of
Dr. Billy Graham.
Ephesians 5:11
And have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Corinthians 6:14-18
Be ye not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord
hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the
2 John 1:9-11
Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that
abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If
there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your
house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker
of his evil deeds.
2 Thessalonians 3:6
Now we command you,
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which
he received of us.
Hosea 4:17
Ephraim is joined
to idols: let him alone.
2 Peter 2:1-2
But there were
false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord
that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall
follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil
spoken of.
1 Timothy 6:3-5
If any man teach
otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud,
knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof
cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of
corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw thyself.
Romans 16:17
Now I beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine
which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Revelation 18:4
And I heard another
voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers
of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Matthew 7:15-16
Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or
figs of thistles?
2 Chronicles 19:2
And Jehu the son of
Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest
thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath
upon thee from before the LORD.
THESE ARE THE
COMMANDS OF GOD!
“My health is
excellent!''
Rev Billy Graham
hosted a 4 day crusade in
Everyone is pleased
to hear of Rev. Graham's "excellent health." I suspect his claim to
"excellent health" was a show of personal courage. Unfortunately he
misled the public in its perception of Parkinson's Disease portraying it as a
benign disease of the elderly. Hasn't he heard of Michael J. Fox and the fact
that there are significant numbers of people who are diagnosed with Parkinson's
before age 50? While no one would expect him to turn his interview into a Parkinson's
fund raiser, he could have asked the audience/congregation to pray for those
who suffer from devastating, incurable diseases. It was a missed opportunity to
encourage christians to be aware of the needs of the sick in their communities
and to support funding of medical research.
NOTE - TWO RELATED
ITEMS:
1. Rev. Graham's
wife's disability is a reminder that even those who today have a
caregiver/spouse, they are vulnerable to losing that vital support at any time.
Most Parkinson's literature, educational seminars and community support
programs assume all or most Parkinson's patients have willing and able
caregivers. The unique needs of widowed, divorced, single, or patients whose
partners are also in poor health, are seldom addressed.
2. Rev. Graham's
"excellent health", despite his Parkinson's, bears further
investigation. Perhaps he could be persuaded to share "his secrets.
''Say it ain't so, Billy!''
(YellowTimes.org) –
If Southern Baptists were given to saint-making, the first modern name they
would be praying to would be Reverend Billy Graham. I was one of those
southerners who attended church on Tuesday, Wednesday, and twice on Sunday
growing up. It is still hard for me, a classic backslidden agnostic, to utter
the words “Billy Graham is an anti-semitic hypocrite” out loud, even though I
feel this strongly in my heart.
I drive to my store
in
I suggest that the
Graham parkway be changed to the “
In fact, ever since
I saw that classic documentary, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” I'm not sure that the
Bakkers were so guilty, and that the other evangelists were not at least as
materialistic. But the Reverend Graham's sin was more dangerous than simple
stealing. He had the ear of a president, and apparently he was not just
recommending that Dick learn all the verses to “Just As I Am.”
This is not the
first time that one of the Graham clan caused such an uproar with words of
bigotry in the past few months. Billy's son Franklin was quoted in the weeks
after September 11, calling the Islamic faith “wicked, violent, and not of the
same God.” When I first read this, I remember thinking that the Reverend must
have been horrified by his son's nasty words about one of the major religions
of the world. Today, I'm not so sure that Frankie didn't learn this sort of
prejudice while sitting on his own daddy's knee.
I'm not here just
to beat up on the Grahams or Christianity in particular, although I believe
that everyone in the public eye deserves equal scrutiny in the press. What
bothers me these days is the way that every American is getting categorized as
a patriot or not a patriot, a good citizen or a bad one. If we speak against
this war, or against this administration, we risk being labeled as unpatriotic.
If one interprets
our military actions and legislation such as the Patriot Act as undermining
peace, justice, and freedom, one might be risking the ire of our elected
officials. However, I demand that my government allows me to feel free to
express my opinions, whether popular or not, without fear of harassment from
the powers that be.
Is Billy Graham a patriot?
Was he a patriot back in the Nixon days, when he was advocating terrorist acts?
If he had suggested bombing the
Who is really a
patriot anyway? Do the flag-huggers love
People should stop
and think about the real meanings of the words that come from the mouths of
leaders, and not just accept the official usages. Patriot, evil, Christian,
terrorist, enemy, us, them, “a just war,” are just a few that come to mind.
Maybe the
publicizing of the dark dichotomies of Billy Graham's mind could serve as a
reminder that everyone and everything is complicated, and it is not the
government's business to go around defining who is good and who is evil, who is
patriotic and who is not.
I believe that
Jesus himself said “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” That's good advice for
Attorney General Ashcroft, President Bush, Vice-President Cheney, and any stray
thought policeman hanging around the
Debra McCorkle is
the mother of two aspiring feminists. She writes and rants in her spare time.
She currently lives in
Debra McCorkle
encourages your comments: mamakarma40@hotmail.com
http://www.yellowtimes.org/print.php?sid=187
By Josephine Melrose
If one claims that
Mr. Graham has been even remotely faithful to the written Word of God then that
person is either woefully ignorant or a willful liar. The facts speak for
themselves. Southern Baptist Evangelist Billy Graham has many faults and errors
including bad theology and bad company.
1)
No
Rebuke In His Ministry
Proverbs 14:2 says, "He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is perverse [i.e., ungodly] in his ways despises Him."
In Just As I Am, Graham
writes of President Bill Clinton,
The
previous day, President Clinton called and asked me to stop by the White House.
We ended up spending much of the afternoon together, talking not only about the
past and current events, but also about the Bible and what it says about God's
plan for our lives. It was a warm fellowship with a man who has not always won
the approval of his fellow Christians but who has in his heart a desire to
serve God and do His will. (p. 656, entire paragraph quoted).
No one who promotes
the killing of unborn children, as
Even though Apostle
Paul told Timothy in chapter 4:1-5 that
the work of an evangelist was to rebuke, Billy Graham rebukes nobody including
his friend and pal sexually immoral adulterous Bill Clinton:
4:1 I
charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the
living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 4:2 Preach the word! Be
ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all
longsuffering and teaching. 4:3 For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have
itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4:4 and they will turn
their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 4:5 But you be
watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry. 1 Timothy
Dr. Billy Graham in
his new book indicated that adulterous President Clinton made a big impression
on him during the
Mr. Evangelical
Graham went off the deep end and stated:
President
Bill Clinton would make a great evangelist, Billy Graham told U.S. News &
World Report in a interview. Graham said he was impressed with
It's a fact that
Christianity Today founded by Billy Graham did not report immediately on one of
its own pastors Ollin Collins Senior
Pastor of Harvest Baptist Church in Fort Worth, and Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary's board chairman. A man who resigned amid sexual
misconducts allegations when he was accused of having sexual relationships with
two women who sought counseling.
But it did report
about the adultery of a black man and a National Baptist but not about the
adultery of a white man and Southern Baptist. An adultery that was more hideous
and gross because Collins raped unsuspecting trusting women, while
Now concerning the
fallen hero, the church had suspended Pastor Collins with pay pending an
investigation. He resigned from his board position one day after a story in the
But of course
neither the Seminary nor the Church did anything for the real female victims
but they did help and console the aggressor?
Just like Billy Graham stated about Bill Clinton "I forgive him . .
. because I know the frailty of human nature, and especially a strong, vigorous
young man like he is. "He has such a tremendous personality that I think
the ladies just go wild over him."
In other words it was the fault of the victims not the victimizer?
They are all
hypocrites and thieves their lack of accountability by their CEO's proves
it. They are nothing but crooks and con
artists and their smooth words do not change this fact! Otherwise hypocritical Baptist leader who
preach integrity to others would not hide their salaries but be honest and
state the "total compensation" of their five top employees, including
Billy and Franklin Graham!
2)
Doesn't Rule His Own Household?
3:2 A
bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate,
sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3:3 not
given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome,
not covetous;
3:4
one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all
reverence. 1 Timothy
Billy Graham has
raised up two sons Ned and Franklin who are as deceitful as their father. Ned
Graham, the son of Billy Graham, Southern Baptist minister, president East
Gates International, a group that distributes Bibles in
Grace Community
Church, Southern Baptist Convention, in Auburn,
Yet in a style
reminiscent of Jimmy Swaggart, who refused to be defrocked by the Assembly of
God denomination, Ned Graham left that congregation for another church.
Most of the staff
and board members of East Gates International resigned amid controversies. East
Gates, in Sumner, Wash., withdrew its membership in the Evangelical Council for
Financial Accountability after Ned replaced the board members with his sister
Ruth Graham McIntyre, brother-in-law Stephan Tchividjian, and business leader
Peter Lowe.
Graham's sister
Gigi Tchividjian has joined the office staff and Ned Graham continues as East
Gates president. The ECFA the self-policing organization Billy Graham helped start requires that a majority of
board members not be related by blood or marriage, which is no longer the case
for East Gates.
A December East
Gates fund-raising letter included a note from his father saying that
"Ruth and I are proud of and grateful to God for our son Ned." East
Gates has distributed 2 million Bibles to Christians in China, Billy Graham
said, encouraging Christians to "back this unique and effective ministry."
It is interesting
to see the most famous "evangelist" (some say) not being able to
educate his children, especially Ned. At the same time, having a bunch of
so-called Christians following the leadership of such wreckless person.
Franklin Graham
wears jeans, boots, denim shirt, and leather jacket. He was a teen rebel who
drank, smoked, fought, and led police on high-speed chases. He was kicked out
of
3) Bad
Theology and Company
Did you know that
over 60% of Billy Graham's support in the crusades or missions as he now calls
them come from Roman Catholics who have given us many pedophile priests and
nuns raped by priests.
Every since he
received an honorary doctorate from Catholic priests at
Billy Graham
praises the pope, a man who allows himself to be called God. When Billy Graham
was on the Phil Donahue show on
Billy Graham even
had a Catholic priest SUPERVISE the 6,600 counselors for the
The Catholic
archdiocese in
Graham Deceived by
Communists--Gary Bauer says: "Billy Graham went to the
In 1966: Graham
said, "I find myself closer to Catholics than the radical Protestants. I
think the Roman Catholic Church today is going through a second
Reformation" (Philadelphia Evening Bulletin 24 may, 1966. )
In 1980 Billy
Graham stated: "Since his election, Pope John Paul II has emerged as the
greatest religious leader of the modern world, and one of the greatest moral
and spiritual leaders of this century … The Pope came [to America] as a
statesman and a pastor, but I believe he also sees himself coming as an
evangelist. … The Pope sought to speak to the spiritual hunger of our age in
the same way Christians throughout the centuries have spoken to the spiritual
yearnings of every age-by pointing people to Christ" (Saturday Evening
Post, Jan.-Feb. 1980). [In this same article Graham was quoted as saying,
"Recently I learned the word 'Pontiff' comes from the Latin words which
originally meant 'bridge builder.' … Pope John Paul II [is] indeed a bridge
builder, and that is something our divided world desperately needs."
Historically, "pontiff" does not mean bridge- builder, but refers to
the papal title of Pontifex Maximus, which was handed down to the early popes
from the high priests of ancient heathen religion inthe Roman Empire;
"Pontiff" in Italian and Latin means "bridge," and clearly
points to the Pope's blasphemous claim that he himself is that bridge between
man and God.] (Billy Graham, The
Saturday Evening Post, Jan.-Feb. 1980).
4) Bad
Doctrine
BILLY GRAHAM TELLS
ROBERT SCHULLER HE BELIEVES PEOPLE CAN BE SAVED APART FROM JESUS CHRIST!
"Graham
Believes Men Can Be Saved Apart From Name Of Christ", by Robert E. Kofahl,
Ph.D., television interview of Billy Graham by Robert Schuller, on
"SCHULLER:
Tell me, what do you think is the future of Christianity?
GRAHAM: Well,
Christianity and being a true believer -- you know, I think there's the Body of
Christ. This comes from all the Christian groups around the world, outside the
Christian groups. I think everybody that loves Christ, or knows Christ, whether
they're conscious of it or not, they're members of the Body of Christ ... I
think James answered that, the Apostle James in the first council in Jerusalem,
when he said that God's purpose for this age is to call out a people for His
name. And that's what God is doing today, He's calling people out of the world
for His name, whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world,
or the Christian world, or the non-believing world, they are members of the
Body of Christ, because they've been called by God. They may not even know the
name of Jesus, but they know in their hearts that they need something that they
don't have, and they turn to the only light that they have, and I think they
are saved, and that they're going to be with us in heaven."
"SCHULLER:
What, what I hear you saying, that it's possible for Jesus Christ to come into
human hearts and soul and life, even if they've been born in darkness and have
never had exposure to the Bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what
you're saying?
GRAHAM: Yes, it is,
because I believe that. I've met people in various parts of the world in tribal
situations, that they have never seen a Bible or heard about a Bible, and never
heard of Jesus, but they've believed in their hearts that there was a God, and
they've tried to live a life that was quite apart from the surrounding
community in which they lived."
"SCHULLER:
[R.S. trips over his tongue for a moment, his face beaming, then says] I'm so
thrilled to hear you say this. There's a wideness in God's mercy.
GRAHAM: There is.
There definitely is."
This is the end of
the pertinent segment from the
Dr. Graham: "
I think everybody that loves Christ, or knows Christ, whether they're conscious
of it or not, they're members of the Body of Christ"
The Apostle Paul
provides the most definitive refutation to this false statement by Dr. Graham.
" For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" [Romans
10:13-15]
When Paul says that
"whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved", he
is correctly implying that a person cannot be saved apart from the name and
Person of Jesus Christ. This is why the Christian Church has placed such an
emphasis on sending missionaries to foreign lands where the Gospel has not been
heard. The Apostle Paul then continues to elaborate on this terrible truth.
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"
When Dr. Graham
asserts that people can be saved even though they know not the Lord Jesus
Christ as their Savior, he is repeating the lie -- the false doctrine of the
New Age Religion -- and of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as of Liberal
"Christians" like Dr. Schuller. This statement is quite a departure
from traditional Southern Baptist teaching; but, it does fit in nicely with
today's burgeoning Ecumenical theology, as they state that there are many roads
to Heaven, and it does not really matter what you believe as long as you are
"sincere".
5) Lack
of true financial accountability
See below “The Total Compensation of the Chairmen of the Board.”
6) Lack
of integrity
See below "They
Don't Know How I Really Feel"
7)
Summary
The following facts
are undeniable and true:
1) Billy taking 100
% salary at 83 years of age and working less than 25 percent
2) Billy being a
friend of Nixon and a bigot against the Jews
3) Billy writing a
letter to Nixon to bomb the dykes of
4) Billy unsure
that heaven is a right place for him
5) Billy's
unconditional support of
6) Billy using a
Ghost writer to write his books
7) Billy formed
ECFA to protect his interests and cook the books
7) Billly
supporting a son, Ned, who was a drunk, adulterer, immoral and had no integrity
8) Billy gave his
ministry to Franklin who is as deceitful as his father and a bum and a thief
References:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/9te/9te026.html
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/graham.html
http://www.webprowire.com/summaries/32914.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/alexgraham.html
http://www.maranathaprophecypage.com/Prophetic_Signs/Great%20Apostasy/Ghostwriting.htm
http://www.christiannews.0catch.com/graham.htm
http://www.christiannews.0catch.com/bakker.htm
http://www.worldmag.com/world/issue/11-06-99/national_1.asp
http://www.cephasministry.com/news_evangelical_news.html
http://www.cephasministry.com/baptists_money_changers.html
http://www.atruechurch.info/home.html
The Total Compensation
Of The Chairman of the
Board
By Josephine Melrose
Time reported on
Jackson counseled
former President Clinton on his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky, a liaison
that ultimately led to
But the Graham's
And Southern Baptists do not have integrity! For even though a President of an
Evangelical
“As CEO of the
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he collects an annual salary of
$115,500, plus a $38,500 housing allowance. The organization and its affiliates
brought in $139- million in contributions and revenue last year” reported the
It also reported
Graham, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, has crusades planned next year in
The son of Billy
Graham and the designated successor of the longtime evangelist's ministry,
Franklin Graham is considered one of
The Associated
Press reported from M I N N E A P O L I S, Nov. 21,2000 — The Rev. Billy
Graham, America’s best known evangelist, is stepping down from the head of the
ministry he founded a half-century ago. His
son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, has been named chief executive officer of the
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which was founded in 1950. The elder Graham, who turned 82 this month,
will remain chairman of the board and hopes to conduct several crusades next
year. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s
disease about six years ago. He spent three months at the Mayo Clinic in
But the financial
statements of Billy Graham Evangelist Association for the last ten years have
shown that Dr. Billy Graham has taken a one hundred percent salary as chairman
of BGEA. But it’s a fact that Dr. Billy Graham has not worked a hundred percent
of the time and not even fifty percent.
So is this right
for a man who is supposed to be “Mr. Integrity“ to take a hundred percent
salary, plus pension plus one hundred percent of other fringe benefits and
compensations and works less than fifty percent of the time?
According IRS rules all non profit organization must
report the salaries of the top five paid staff members! But BGEA is not
releasing to the donors Billy Graham’s
or Franklin Graham’s total compensation. Since BGEA is stonewalling the donors
for such information, as has been the case so far, then they are hiding
something?
Graham's finances
are an open book reported Darren Barbee -Star-Telegram Staff Writer on
Early
in Billy Graham's career, the preacher made a series of calculated decisions to
insulate his ministry from the temptations of greed.
"He
was aware that a lot of evangelists had been shipwrecked by their weakness for
money or women," said William Martin, a
Today,
after Graham's more than 50 years in ministry, Christians and non-Christians
know the
… The
Minneapolis-based organization's finances are available for public examination
on IRS returns called Form 990s, and they are broken down in an annual audit
prepared by accounting firm Ernst & Young. The most recent audit found no
material weaknesses in the ministry's 2001 finances, a Graham spokeswoman said.
… In
2000, Graham was paid $197,911, plus benefits and an expense account, for his
work as chairman of his ministry, according to the organization's Form 990.
But the
Star-Telegram and the Graham spokeswoman failed to point out the fact that
Graham worked less than 25 days in 2000 and no other employee in his
organization is paid 100 % salary for being sick 80 percent of the time!
As a matter of fact Graham has worked less than 50 percent of the time for the
last ten years. He has spent more than 50 percent of his time in the hospital
or in bed.
The Star-Telegram
and the Graham spokeswoman also failed to point out all the things that are
charged to his organization that are not included in his total compensation
including a full time nurse for his wife and Billy, a private secretary to meet
their every whims, and other personal expenses that are charged directly to the
corporation. That is why the Graham's never release their personal income tax
to the public because they would have to list these things as benefits.
Billy Graham
doesn't work 100 % of the time and isn't entitled to a 100 % salary.
The Star-Telegram
and the Graham spokeswoman also failed to point out the fact that Billy Graham
Evangelistic Organization of
"I
do not believe charitable Associations in
So Billy Graham
Evangelistic Organization of
But the fact
remains that the foolish shepherds in
They have rejected
the power of the Holy Spirit to bring supernatural healing to the sheep. They
have chosen take the sheep’s money for themselves and their building programs rather
than distribute all of it to the poor, not just the portions they chose to give away.
Unfortunately
deception is everywhere in the Christian Church. It insidiously fills every
nook and cranny of a Christian’s mind until they are full of falsehoods and are
so certain all they believe is truth.
Does a man speak and God spoke? Does a man think and God thought? Does a
man act and God act? No! A thousand times, No! If God uses a man just for a
brief moment does that mean he has the mind of God all the time? No!
Very few men in the
bible actually held God's power within
them for an entire life time. Most men or women of God were people of integrity
whom He used when a specific task was required and then they returned to being
whom they were.
They did not take
pride in being used of God. They were simply used and grateful for it. But not
this generation of religious leaders. No, every word that proceeds from their
mouth is God’s. Every thought they think is from the Lord. Every action they
take is God’s will. Especially
Evangelist Benny Hinn who has to let the whole world know how wonderful and
great he is. As Jesus said of them
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint
and anise and cumming, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law:
justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the
others undone. (Matthew 23:23)
The true sheep Hear
the Shepherd’s Voice. They hear Him in the night watches. They hear Him in the
fray of battle. They hear Him when they have been wronged. They hear Him when
they are sad or happy. They hear Him and follow Him and act as He would have
them to. They can’t help it--they are His true sheep. His love runs too deep in
them. They can’t help but serve Him and honor Him and do His bidding. Their
comfort and wealth is of no importance to them because they are all His—body,
soul and spirit!
Sold out! Not just
in words but in deeds. Sold out to the
Sold out, is not
sitting in a comfortable office, with a PH. D. hanging on the wall, and looking
out onto a dirty world. Sold out, is getting out of the office, leaving the PH.
D. behind and getting involved with the homeless and finding them a home.
Getting involved with the prostitute and lifting her out of her mire to a
better place. Loving as well as praying for the lowly and needy. The act of
showing love is more important than any prayer you can offer for them. Praying
from a distance is easy.
Getting into the
prison with them requires time, energy and your emotional involvement. It’s not
for the weak of stomach. It’s not for the con-artist and opportunist. It’s for
a true shepherd who has heard the Shepherd’s voice and responded to His true
call. It’s not a profession it’s a faith. Their PH.D. means nothing in God’s
equation. It is a piece of useless paper that only they and their
false colleges admire.
Though I speak the tongues
of men and angels and have not love it profit me nothing.
The Associated
Baptist Press - www.abpnews.com on
Presidents Albert
Mohler of Southern Seminary in
It is safe to say
that some of the smoothest Southern Baptist thieves in
Due to the art of
stonewalling the true total compensation of the Graham's are very well hidden
and kept a secret. For even though he
was sick and dying, spent over fifty
percent of his time in bed or the hospital, Dr. Billy Graham had been taking a
one hundred percent salary and other benefits from the B.G.E.A. that he had
founded: Even though the I.R.S. rules stated that no non-profit organization
should exist for the benefit of one individual.
No other salaried
employee in B.G.E.A. was allowed to take a one hundred percent salary plus his
pension fund and other perks and spends so many days being sick, as Billy
Graham has done and does. Where was the
justice or integrity in all of this?
..."As CEO of
the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he collects an annual salary of $115,500,
plus a $38,500 housing allowance. The organization and its affiliates brought
in $139- million in contributions and revenue last year" reported the
IT'S TO BE NOTED
FRANKIN'S GRAHAM'S REAL TOTAL COMPENSATION AND PERSONAL USE OF HIS COMPANY
PLANE IS STILL A REAL PROBLEM TODAY AND NED GRAHAM'S PROBLEMS HAVE PROBLEMS!
ALSO BILLY GRAHAM'S REPORTED ANNUAL SALARY FROM THE BGEA FINANCIAL STATEMENT IS
OVER $ 200,000 AND IN REALITY IS ABOUT $450.000.
Although it's the
public right as well as each donor's right to know and ask questions about the
total remuneration of Southern Baptist Billy Graham, including special
privileges and expenses in his North Carolina home paid by BGEA, including
support staff. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Samaritan's Purse, and
Campus Crusade For Christ have developed the art of stonewalling when it comes
to special remuneration and expenses of it's chairmen.
Many prominent
Baptist evangelists in
Christian News
Today requested such information from ECFA but to no avail, although the
hypocritical motto of ECFA is
"For we are
taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the LORD, but also in
the eyes of men"
It's also to be
noted that the most efficient charities in the American Religion Category for
the year 2000 Samaritan's Purse, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,
Focus on the Family, and Campus Crusade for Christ had many things in common
besides being Southern Baptist led in that they do not reveal to the public or
their donors the total salary of their Chairman of their non profit
organization even though their tax exemptions come from the public.
Although it's the
public right as well as each donor's right to know and ask questions about the
total remuneration of Southern Baptist Billy Graham, including special
privileges and expenses in his North Carolina home paid by BGEA, including
support staff. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Samaritan's Purse, and Campus Crusade For Christ have developed
the art of stonewalling when it comes to special remuneration and expenses of
it's chairmen.
Many prominent
Baptist evangelists in
Jeffrey K. Hadden
and Charles E. Swann reported that Graham is a fundamentalist, at least to the
extent that he has organized his life and ministry around the literal truth of
the Scriptures. But he has never displayed any interest in the battle cries of
fundamentalism. He is just not an "aginner." Graham is a Southern
Baptist but downplays denominationalism. His wife is a Presbyterian, and their
home is in
Graham typifies the
evangelicalism that the more traditional and conservative members of nearly all
The finances of the
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association have been scrutinized many times. Graham
has come out clean, but he was embarrassed in 1977 when the Charlotte Observer
discovered an undisclosed $23-million fund in
http://religiousbroadcasting.lib.virginia.edu/primetime/C2.html
The Billy Graham
Crusades have been held in most of the major cities in the
Billy Graham is
among the most widely read non-fiction authors living today, and his books have
become an important arm of his world-wide ministry. His books, The Jesus
Generator, (1971) has been published in fifteen languages. Peace with God,
(1953) is now available in thirty-eight languages.
Dr. Graham's books have
established several book publishing records. Angels-God's Secret Agents sold a
million hardback copies in the first ninety days after publication. (Dr. Graham
gave his entire earnings from the book to
Dr. Graham's
counsel has been sought by presidents and kings. His appeal to both the secular
and non-secular worlds is shown by the wide range of groups that have honored
him. These recognitions range from addressing the President's National Prayer
Breakfast to the Gold Award of the George Washington Carver Memorial Institute,
and from the Speaker of the Year Award to the Salvation Army's Distinguished
Service Medal. Graham regularly is listed as one of the "Ten Most Admired
Men in the World" and has been named "Man of the Year" by Time
magazine.
William Franklin
Graham, Jr., known to the world as Billy Graham, was born on November 7, 1918
near Charlotte, North Carolina to William Franklin and Morrow Coffey Graham.
The first of four children, he was raised in a Christian family which regularly
attended the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church.
In 1934 Evangelist
Mordecai Fowler Ham preached a series of revival meetings in
In the fall of
1936, Billy Graham entered the
Dr. Graham has also
been influential in the founding of Christianity Today Magazine in 1955,
organizing the World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin in 1966, Decision
Magazine which has a circulation of more than three million copies and the
International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne in 1974.
In 1980, Dr. Graham
dedicated the
The
…In 1992 his
ministry, Samaritan's Purse, had a run-in with the Evangelical Council for
Financial Accountability, the self-policing organization his father helped
start. The ECFA suspended Samaritan's Purse while it looked into Franklin's
(Graham) compensation and use of the company plane.
Billy Graham
attended the infamous racist and bigoted
Bob Jones
University leaders have criticized the
pope and labeled the Catholic church a ``Satanic cult'' say that the pope is
the antichrist, forbid interracial dating, and teaches that speaking in tongues
as a result of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is of the devil! The Associated Press reported that
But bigoted books
anti catholic books published by
Between 1998 and
2002 Billy Graham received a 100 % salary raise for working less hours. As CEO
of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he collects an annual salary of
$115,500, plus a $38,500 housing allowance. The organization and its affiliates
brought in $139- million in contributions and revenue last year reported the
The
Graham said that
even though he is weak, he still believes he has work to do.
He joked that the task
became abundantly clear one recent day when he was on an airplane with a drunk
passenger. He said the passenger kept harassing the flight attendant until he
realized Graham was sitting behind him. He said the passenger then turned
around and offered his hand to Graham. "Put her there," the drunk
passenger told Graham. "Your sermons sure have helped me."
"There is
something that can be corrupting about power and notoriety," said Paul
Nelson, president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability,
which reviews Graham's finances each year. "God bless them, they (Graham's
organization) have been able to navigate that." (These remarks turned out
to be false for Billy Graham's total
compensation was a lot higher according to the
financial statement of B.G.E.A. not including fringe benefits pension
and health care expenditures and he spent fifty percent of his time in bed?)
So how can American
TV preachers preach to others if they are hiding their total salaries? They
cannot! It only shows they have no
integrity, especially Rodney Howard Browne who has his parents on the payroll
and Benny Hinn who has his family on the payroll and Dr. Billy Graham who
pretends to be something that he is not. For the
Although Billy
Graham encourages religious leaders to be open about their salaries and publish
their finances, Howard-Browne would not disclose what he earns. He says his
salary is determined by his board of directors, which is comprised of four
pastors, himself and his wife. The couple does not vote on his salary. ``People
get hung up on the figure,'' he says. ``But they don't take everything into
account. I don't get a housing or clothing allowance. We take our kids on the
road and that's very expensive.''
Not good enough,
says Paul Nelson, president of the Evangelical Council of Financial
Accountability in
For the past five
years, the ministry has been audited by Katz & Kamm, a
Speaking of making
their records public, "open about your finances'' and
"forthright," while Paul Nelson, President of Evangelical Council of
Financial Accountability reveals upon demand even to strangers his total salary
of $ 123,000 and IRS tax form 990 Billy, Ned and Franklin Graham do not. This
makes the Grahams and ECFA hypocrites.
Many prominent
Baptist evangelists in
Why is it that the
Religious Evangelical leaders in
Evangelist Howard
Browne winter camp meeting in the USF Sun Dome in Tampa Florida attended by two
CNT reporters, South African Pentecostal Evangelist Dr. Rodney Howard Browne
taught pastors that "sheep needed to be fleeced or they would have too
much hair and could not see where they are going. It was the pastors job to
fleece the sheep."
Dr. Rodney Howard-
Browne had been credited with bringing the laughter revival to
The
Daniel, 37, was
sentenced to 45 years in prison in August 1995. He was convicted of 238 felony
counts for bilking 57 mostly elderly investors, some members of the church, out
of $2.3 million by selling investments in properties that didn't exist or
already had liens against them. Others who were involved along with Dan Strader
were not pursed by the State of
Dr Rodney Howard
Browne used his influence and powers to raise money at Carpenter's
It is to be noted
that Howard-Browne's standard biography claims he once served as an associate
pastor at Rhema. But according to Rhema church officials contacted,
Howard-Browne was never an associate pastor-nor did he ever hold any pastoral
credentials or responsibilities. Said Kelmeyer: "Rodney was never an
associate pastor here. He was an ordained minister by the state and a lecturer
at our Bible school, but was not involved in any form of pastoral work."
Howard-Browne also
claimed a "doctorate of ministry degree" from an obscure
Why are Evangelical
leaders in
David Taggart, a
twenty-nine-year-old "personal aide" to Jim Bakker and his lover,
received $360,000 in 1986 for special services. While in 1986 the Bakkers were
paid $1.9 million. It is a fact the PTL Club was full of personal misconduct,
mismanagement, and pillaging of the PTL treasury.
So are the others
any different? For the total salaries of the Billy Graham and his sons and
family are one of American's best-kept secrets and even their personal lives
that are no different than that of Jim Bakker!
It's evident that
they are nothing but thieves, liars and wolves in sheep's clothing and the word
of Jesus are unchanging:
"Beware
of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
"Even
so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. "A
good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good
fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
"Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
"Not
everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but
he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
"Many
will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I
never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Matthew 7:15-23
Josephine Melrose
can be reached at Psalm91@mail.com
"They Don't Know
How I Really Feel"
Billy Graham,
Tangled Up in Tape
By David Vest
Almost thirty years
after President Nixon resigned in disgrace, the tapes continue to come out,
their power to sully reputations undimmed by time.
Now it is the Rev.
Billy Graham who has been made to feel the lash of his own words, secretly taped
by the president who sought his spiritual counsel and used him for
"cover."
We knew, long ago,
of Nixon's own anti-Semitism. We heard his voice on the first wave of tapes,
wanting to know how his daughters were being deployed in his re-election campaign.
When staffers told him they were scheduled to appear at functions in support of
the arts, he protested, "No, no, that's Jews and queers."
Nixon himself has
long since lost the power to shock us, even when we hear him proposing to drop
nuclear weapons on
But this
conversation with Billy Graham is something else again. Here is the most
admired and influential religious leader in America complaining to the
president of the United States about the Jews and their
"stranglehold" on the media, and blaming them for "all the
pornography."
Even when Nixon
replies that he agrees but "can't say that" in public, Graham presses
the point: Yes, right, but if you get elected to a second term, then we could
do something about the problem.
Graham adds that
while many Jews are friendly to him, "they don't know how I really feel
about what they are doing to this country."
Today, Graham
claims to have no memory of the conversation, as if to throw ever-so-slight a
doubt on whether it actually occurred. Alas, we have the tapes. Advisers (and
network news anchors bending over backward to sound respectful) point out that
the old evangelist is in his eighties and suffering from Parkinson's disease,
an argument similar to the one used to try to keep war criminals from being
brought to trial.
What they might
have pointed out instead is that Billy Graham, at a time when he was presenting
himself as a moral leader and conducting "Crusades for Christ," was
saying things no person with the slightest claim to moral stature could be
imagined saying, under any circumstances.
Given nearly
unfettered access to the highest halls of power, the minister used his
influence to slander an entire people, to betray the trust of those who had by
his own account been good to him, to urge the most powerful person in the world
to act vigorously in the service of bigotry.
Closer in time to
This news is
especially painful to people who have revered Billy Graham, seeing him as a
class act who operated on a much higher level than the Jerry Falwells, Pat
Robertsons and Jimmy Swaggarts who came after him. I recall how some people who
loathed and feared Nixon took comfort in the thought that "at least he's
talking to Billy Graham."
Now that we know
what poison he was pouring into the president's ear, it will be impossible ever
to think of him in the same way again. As paranoid as Nixon was, his spiritual
advisor sounds even nuttier.
Dr. Graham says
that the statements he cannot remember saying do not reflect his real views,
and that he apologizes. For what, one wonders. The word "repentance"
has been conspicuously absent from news accounts.
The very thought of
all the times Billy Graham has "led the nation in prayer" is painful
today, and not just to people who never liked him in the first place, who found
him hard to take even at his best.
Had he been caught
with a hooker, or with his hand in the till, or busted trying to pick up a boy
in a bus station washroom, and it had come out only now, we'd probably just
feel embarrassment for the old guy. But this goes way deeper. We have all said
things we regret, things we'd never want made public. Graham said them to the
president of the United States, from a position of privilege, by way of advice.
What must people be
feeling who attended his "Crusades" around the time of that phone
call, who heard him preach, who poured down out of the stadium seats at his
call to conversion, now that they know what was really on his mind?
David Vest writes
the Rebel Angel column for CounterPunch. He is a poet and piano-player for the
He can be reached
at: davidvest@springmail.com
Visit his website
at http://www.rebelangel.com
January
2, 2000, Fox News Interview, reported in The Calvary Contender, Vol. XVII,
January 15, 2000.
"In
a Jan. 2 Fox News interview, Tony Snow asked Billy Graham: 'When you get to
Heaven, who's going to speak first, you or God?' Graham replied: 'When I get
there, I'm sure that Jesus is going to say that he will welcome me. But I think
that he's going to say: 'Well done, our good and faithful servant.' Or he may
say: 'You're in the wrong place'."
I was
stunned to silence and even to a trembling of my soul when I read Billy Graham
actually say that Jesus Christ may say to him, "You are in the wrong
place"!! Of all the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives, assurance of
Salvation is paramount. The Holy Spirit literally fills our hearts with the
firm assurance that we are as assured of Heaven as if we are already there.
Yet, here is the famous Evangelist, Billy Graham, saying he is not sure of his
salvation? The reason he is unsure of his salvation becomes clearly evident in
his response to Tony Snow's next question.
SNOW:
"You really worry that you may be told you're in the wrong place? GRAHAM:
Yes, because I have not - I'm not a righteous man. People put me up on a
pedestal that I don't belong in my personal life. And they think that I'm
better than I am. I'm not the good man that people think I am. Newspapers and
magazines and television have made me out to be a saint. I'm not. I'm not a
Mother Teresa. And I feel that very much."
5:3 But
fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among
you, as is fitting for saints;
5:4
neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not
fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
5:5 For
this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, has any inheritance in the
5:6 Let
no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of
God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
5:7
Therefore do not be partakers with them.
5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are
light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
5:9 (for
the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
