Nightline report attributed Franklin Graham's denunciations of Islam to a lack of "diplomacy"
SUMMARY: In an ABC Nightline segment featuring Rev. Franklin Graham's controversial comments about Islam, ABC News' John Donvan reported: "So, Franklin Graham may not get a diplomacy prize, either. And yet, his message when he's preaching is actually quite positive."
The March 15 broadcast of ABC's Nightline featured a story by correspondent John Donvan on Rev. Franklin Graham, described by Donvan as "more interesting" and "more controversial" than his father, Rev. Billy Graham.
During the report, which included an interview with Franklin Graham, Donvan noted in a voiceover that Graham "refuses to pretend he believes all religions are equal, because he doesn't believe it" and that Graham "has always stood by a remark he made in 2001, in the aftermath of September 11th, that Islam is an evil and wicked religion."
Donvan then showed footage of his interview with Graham, in which Graham stated: "If people think Islam is such a wonderful religion, just go to Saudi Arabia and make it your home. Just live there. If you think Islam is such a wonderful religion, I mean, go and live under the Taliban somewhere."
Donvan then said in a voiceover, "So, Franklin Graham may not get a diplomacy prize, either. And yet, his message when he's preaching is actually quite positive."
In a separate clip from the interview, Graham told Donvan that he did not believe that God had caused Hurricane Katrina as a punishment for New Orleans, adding, "If God was going to use a hurricane to judge sin, there may be other places he might want to strike first. Like maybe Vegas." According to Donvan: "Graham was probably at least half-serious when he said that, because, as a rule, he tends to mean what he says and says what he means. And if it brings in souls for Jesus, that's good enough for him. Just as it was for his dad."
From the March 15 broadcast of ABC's Nightline:
DONVAN: And the truth is, when you compare the two men, in certain ways, Franklin has become the more interesting. Certainly the more controversial. His dad, at civic events such as prayers with presidents, rarely spoke the name of Jesus aloud. For the sake of the non-Christians present, he would reach for broader terms.
[...]
DONVAN: Graham also refuses to pretend he believes all religions are equal, because he doesn't believe it. He has always stood by a remark he made in 2001, in the aftermath of September 11th, that Islam is an evil and wicked religion.
At the time that various Muslim clerical groups reached out to you, in their minds, they wanted to educate you. They wanted to change your mind and to teach you about Islam. Did that happen?
GRAHAM: No. You know, do they want to indoctrinate me? Yes. I know about Islam, I don't need an education from Islam. I've been working in Muslim countries now for, oh, 40 years or more. So I know about Islam. If people think Islam is such a wonderful religion, just go to Saudi Arabia and make it your home. Just live there. If you think Islam is such a wonderful religion, I mean, go and live under the Taliban somewhere. I mean, that's -- you're free to do that.
DONVAN: So, Franklin Graham may not get a diplomacy prize, either. And yet, his message when he's preaching is actually quite positive.
GRAHAM: And with Christ living in your heart, you're going to have the power to turn from your sins.
[...]
GRAHAM: I don't believe the storm was God's judgment. But I believe we could see some great things happen after the storm. I've had African-American pastors and Anglo churches, white churches, say, "We knew each other at a distance. But we never worked together, had never cooperated." This church -- these churches have come together, working for the first time.
DONVAN: And he had another thought. Satan might have done this to New Orleans, destroyed not only homes, but also churches. On the other hand, however:
GRAHAM: If God was going to use a hurricane to judge sin, there may be other places he might want to strike first. Like maybe Vegas.
DONVAN: The thing is, Graham was probably at least half-serious when he said that because, as a rule, he tends to mean what he says and says what he means. And if it brings in souls for Jesus, that's good enough for him. Just as it was for his dad.
Now Franklin Graham certainly has the right to express his opinion and say what he believes, as do those who disagree with him. But frankly, I am growing a little tired of evangelists and their acerbic comments about why hurricanes hit, or what group of sinners deserve what is due them, or why other religions are unworthy or evil or whatever. This pipeline they seem to have to God, thus their proclamations and warnings as though God is somehow speaking through them, is becoming an annoyance.
Speaking for myself only, what continues to be the cornerstone of faith and what has always drawn those to religion is the uplifting message that lies within.......to think outside of yourself, to be a better person and to treat others the same way.
These messages sent from the Graham's and the Robertson's of the world do not, in my opinion, appeal to those qualities in us - but rather use God to pass unwarranted judgements and divide us rather than pull us together.
Let them say what they want as they speak only for themselves........I, nor many people of faith I know, ascribe to the same "preaching" philosophies.
...I'm glad to hear you offer those comments. Regardless of one's 'faith'... the use of religion as a form of manipulation is a tried and true tool of the GOP. Although I hear a lot of pious amd moral rhetoric thrown about by the current neocon movement, I don't believe the actions by this current administration (like the public statements made by Graham, Robertson, Fallwell, et al) adhere to the teachings of Christianity or any established religion.
Sadly, I think this is the oldest scam in the book = fearmongering by false "prophets".
it's all manipulation in the first place, so there's no way to get rid of it except to expose all religion for the nonsense that it is.
...from pulpits in community churches, rather than on national television. Given Graham's advice to those who think Islam is so great, I wonder why he's spent 40 years in muslim countries trying to convert muslims into christians.
I remember the rise of political christianity in the late 1970's, and the controversy it caused among mainstream protestant denominations at the time. People feared exactly what has come true. Introducing politics into religion has degraded religion into a political party. Religion is about what you believe and your relationship to God, but in the hands of people like Graham and Robertson, it has become about believing that your political agenda is "right".
I wonder what kind of spiritual value Graham offers his flock. How does receiving his brand of christianity bring anyone closer to God? Who would Jesus hate?
The worst thing about evangelical dominionism is not what it has done to politics, but what it has done to religion. The w0rst thing about its presence in "news" media is the access the media give its messengers.
Pat Robertson lite
Want the same theocracy here in America. Only it will be for God, not Allah.
That's a misconception widely touted. Allah isn't a different God it's just the Arabic word for God. The original followers of the three dominant world religions Judaism, Islam, and Christianity descending from Abraham who preached that there was one true God. Judaism came first and then there was a dispersion of the people and the original religion evolved in some places (the East) as Islam and of course Christianity was an off shoot of Judaism as well. Theologians acknowledge this but of course the practitioners think that the others have misinterpreted God's word and they got it wrong even if they mean well.
Wild fires and tornadoes are God's punishment for ignorance and bigotry. I keep waiting for Mullah Robertson to say that.
"If people think Islam is such a wonderful religion, just go to Saudi Arabia and make it your home. Just live there. If you think Islam is such a wonderful religion, I mean, go and live under the Taliban somewhere." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Why would you have to leave America? You could think that Islam is a great religion and stay right here and practice it in in this country. What he should have said if you think living in a theocratic government is so great you should go live in one.
That there are some in this country that would prefer Islam not be practiced here. Maybe I am trying to read a bit much between the lines.
Sometimes what someone doesn't say does make a difference..
I wonder how long it will be before the Evangelical extremists try to use their weight to push the Republicans to promote some sort of legislation that curtails the practice of "non-christian" religions..
Graham twists for his own convenience: the people he criticize are the ones who "walk the walk" in terms of actually doing the extreme things portions of their historic heritage encourage, whereas Graham wants to claim fundamental adherence to the perfect word of God while ignoring what is no longer fashionable (Jesus came not to change the law, but to fulfill it, Matt. 5:17; we learn just this past week that the "first stone" episode may have been a creation added by a scribe centuries after his death, so I guess we should still be stoning adulterers and unruly children; Paul wanted the women to cover their heads and shut up in Church (but somehow scoop-necked short-length sun dresses and open hair bleached and curled and teaching Sunday school is now okay; we're told to pray in our closets and not to make long prayers that sound good for the sake of being heard - Matt. 6:5) but let's pray for the death of the Supreme Court judges that don't want us praying over the loud speakers in football stadiums and school lunchrooms; "But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord" 1 Cor. 7 (BBE) - so if he admits it is only his opinion then how do later readers justify calling the entire publication being the perfect word of God (translated differently in other works so which translation is the perfect word they are preaching?); and on and on and on). We're seeing horrible internal violence among sects of Islam over exactly the same types of things Graham and his like use to control their own masses: which version, taught by whom, descended from who, has the truth? He may or may not be a sincere man (I wouldn't offer the same qualification for Falwell or Roberts), but he is in the seat of power and wants to preserve the power built on the "us" in America (and only those of "us" who fit in his exclusionary divise categories) versus "them" everywhere else philosophy.
Heaven forbid that fundamentalists of any of the three purported descendents of Abraham or their many-splintered subsequent divisions should admit that faith and spirituality evolve with the advancement of civilization and the aspired-for goal of valuing the human spirit in an environment of health and peace. Actually, some do, such as the Society of Friends ... but they don't have much political power, do they? Because they try to operate on inclusion through love rather than exclusion exacerbated by fear and intolerance - the age-old effective sources of power over the masses.
is how this piece seems to be a promotional video for Graham.
"He tends to mean what he says and says what he means." This kind of "he's a straight shooter" b.s. is the brand of pablum that got Bush elected. Donvan sounds suspiciously invested Franklin's legitimacy. Sounds like this was made for Sinclair Broadcasting, not Nightline.
Come back, Ted, come back!