Franklin Graham Explains Himself

Now that Newsweek has tripped & is falling down the stairway to the sewers, we'll start paying some attention.

Anyway, Billy's boy Franklin clarifying his view of the First Amendment. (Xians only, & only Xians.)

Well, sure, someone can try to make that argument. But you have—what is it?—80 percent of America claims to be of the Christian faith. OK, so there may be 20 percent that may be offended, but it won't be 20 percent.
JM: I'm in the 80 percent, and I'm offended.
FG: That I mention Jesus Christ [in prayer]?
JM: No, sir, by what you said about Islam, because I think it's more divisive than unifying.
FG: Nine years ago I said it was wicked and evil.
JM: And you just repeated that here.
FG: No, I repeated what I said nine years ago.
JM: But you still believe it.
FG: Sure. But, again, I don't go out and speak about it. I just have to ask you: what they do to women, is that wicked or evil?

He goes on. (Of course he goes on. It's in the Graham genes to love the sound of one's voice.)

JM: Are you suggesting that the Obama administration is soft on Islam?
FG: I think the whole nation is soft on it. You have to go back to the Bush administration—I think they were soft on it, and I think this administration is too. No question. And there's still the concern with many people about what Obama really believes. Obama's father was a Muslim, so the Islamic world sees him as a Muslim. Now, he has told me personally that he believes in Jesus Christ, and he is a Christian. He said that to me again last week. And I said, "Mr. President, thank you for sharing that with me, I appreciate that." So I believe what he says. The Islamic world, though, they see him as one of their own. So if the president and his administration wants to cut guys like myself out, that's fine. But it's just sending a signal to the evangelical community that, you know, our people aren't important to him.

What is ++not-good to be soft on? Two things come immediately to mind: Communism, & crime. Now we find that America may be (Gasp! Horrors! Yada.) soft on a religion. Or two or three religions, as Junior G gets in his licks against the Hindoos, & Chinamen in general.

FG: I am who I am. I don't believe that you can get to heaven through being a Buddhist or Hindu. I think Muhammad only leads to the grave. Now, that's what I believe, and I don't apologize for my faith. And if it's divisive, I'm sorry.

Here we wonder if there's been a shift in theology. Our anti-theism would have us believe that Bible-thumpers expect pagans, Buddhists, et al. to end up in a Dante-inspired hell of flame & brimstone for eternity. Yet no mention of punishment for unconfessed sins, merely "the grave." So we're consigned to mere deadness after death, moldering away w/o consciousness? No whip-wielding demons to scourge us, not a pitchfork poked where the flames don't reach? Just the sweet ... of death? Sign us up for worm food now!