Billy Graham Goes Soft On Mormon Faith In Time For Presidential Election
One now has to wonder when the Grahams (Billy and Franklin) will be less heinous against the Islamic faith? Perhaps when we have a presidential nominee of that faith–given the track record they have with the Mormon faith.
I do not so much care what the Grahams think or do, other than the timing of the change of heart about Mormons is just plain awkward. This move speaks to a bending to what is the most pragmatic. That is clearly the political thing to do, and I applaud anyone who compromises and meets in the middle for policy goals. But when it comes to religious beliefs I was not aware until now that the Grahams had such a floating foundation for a belief system.
Maybe they can now find it in their hearts to be gay friendly, too.
Shortly after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney enjoyed cookies and soft drinks with the Rev. Billy Graham and his son Franklin Graham on Thursday at the elder Graham’s mountaintop retreat, a reference to Mormonism as a cult was scrubbed from the website of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
In a section of the website called Billy Graham’s My Answer there had been the question “What is a cult?”
Answer: “A cult is any group which teaches doctrines or beliefs that deviate from the biblical message of the Christian faith.”
“Some of these groups are Jehovah’s Witnesess, Mormons, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Spritualists, Scientologists, and others,” the site continued.
No longer. On Tuesday, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association confirmed that page has recently been removed from the site.
When checked this morning, Graham’s website is “Down For Maintenance”. It would seem they need to more than just remove Mormons from the site as a cult to reconcile there allegiance with Mitt Romney.
Not surprising given Franklin’s involvement in politics. Many evangelical and fundamentalist preachers who are also involved in politics, and who once condemed Mormonism, are now embracing Romney and even the Mormon (LDS) church for political gain! Saying that Romney’s “Christian” views on marriage and abortion are the reason to support him over Obama, while ignoring Christ’s many teachings about helping the poor. Of course, this ticket also has Roman Catholic Paul Ryan who like many of his church’s bishops, (unlike the the church’s nuns), use the same two issues to sway their congregations to vote Romney-Ryan.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2012/10/13/campaign-twist-mitt-romney-now-relying-evangelicals-who-overcome-doubts-about-mormonism/R2gAmXFLHia7rgrwneHrZM/story.html?camp=pm