Franklin Graham: His Father's Son?
by Joseph C. Hinson
November 20, 2001

Franklin Graham, son of the well known and widely-respected evangelist Billy Graham, is defending his comments on the Islamic faith. In an interview last month that became known just this past weekend, Graham said, "We're not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God. He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God and I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion."

Since 9/11, one message that has been made clear by President George Bush and other leaders is that the terrorists who hijacked four U.S. airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania countryside were not following the beliefs of most Muslims. On September 17, the president called Islam "a faith that brings comfort to a billion people around the world."

Franklin Graham's characterization of their faith is the equivalent of Muslims saying Christianity is evil because Timothy McVeigh bombed the federal building in Oklahoma City. His statement was badly timed, ill advised and, frankly, just plain stupid. Furthermore, a few days ago, he declined to retract that statement, and then refused to discuss it further. In some ways, it's like he closed his eyes real tight and put his hands over his ears hoping that would make it go away. (Graham did make it clear, however, that his Samaritan's Purse ministry would continue to provide millions of dollars to aid needy citizens around the world, including Muslims. Not sure what that says, but there it is.)

Although he is nearing the end of ministry, the Rev. Billy Graham may be the most famous American minister of all time. He has carried his religious crusade all over the world, including nations where Christianity is a minority religion. The elder Graham has counseled presidents (even Richard Nixon!) and prayed with world leaders. Where his words seek to heal and comfort, those of his son seek to divide us. Some could argue that, in fact, they could lead others to incite violence on those of the Muslim faith. At a time when our leaders are telling the world that this is not a war on religion, we did not need Graham's rhetoric of hate.

One cannot imagine his father disparaging the beliefs of millions of non-Christians or issuing statements that could incite his countrymen to inflict harm on Muslims. Indeed, the elder Graham said something to the contrary when he spoke at the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance in Washington, D.C., three days after the terrorists' attacks. "We come together today to affirm our conviction that God cares for us, whatever our ethnic, religious or political background may be," Billy Graham preached. "The Bible says that he is `the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.'"

It's too bad that his son was not listening that day.

"Negative impressions of Islam are most often based on a lack of accurate and objective information,'' the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations executive director Nihad Awad said earlier this week. His group wants to sit down with Graham to discuss the statements. So far, neither Graham nor his spokesperson has replied.

"If that is his belief, what does that say about him being accepted in mainstream Christian thought?'' Hooper said. "You've got everybody from the president to the pope saying Islam is not evil and wicked.''

And that's the danger. What does this say about Christians? Furthermore, what does it say about our country as a whole? We have been trying to convince people that our intent is not to war with Islam, but with certain people who profess to believe in that faith. Franklin Graham certainly did not help in that cause.

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Headline Photo: The Rev. Franklin Graham speaks with the media in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2001, after announcing the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will move it's headquarters from Minneapolis, to his father, Billy Graham's hometown of Charlotte. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)