Just had to get that anti-gay jab in there, didn't you, Reverend?

What is it with you folks and your endless fascination with what gay people do in their private lives?

Here's a proposal. We'll leave your family unit alone, if you'll leave ours alone.

I don't see any gay people proposing that Christians should lose the right to marry, the right to health care, the right to a solid family unit.

Yet some Christians have no problem proposing all that for gays.

And, really, would Jesus really be out there fighting to deny an aging lesbian couple health care or basic financial stability in their golden years?

Really?

Alex511 , fr egglotfelty --- Samaritan's Purse *does* help children, the poor, the homeless, the sick, right here, too. Before parading your ignorance for all the world to see, attend a Franklin Graham crusade! Most of "his" people aren't political at all. I happen to be a liberal becasue my faith led me to understand that much of what liberals wish for social programs are the very things that Christ commands us to do (I do, however, think abortion is horrible; it's just that, once you get past the labels, there is no difference between Obama's and McCain's stance on that issue).

Dr, Graham, I am an Evangelical Christian. I have taken friends to your crusades where more than one accepted Christ...and that faith took root and transforemed their lives. I voted, just today, for Barak Obama and have been knocking on doors, inviting other Evangelicals to vote for him, too. It is not enough to ask for the money changers of Wall Street to turn away from their lives based on sex and drugs and the worship of money; sometimes we need to drive them from the temple of our democracy if they will not turn. They have done great damage to our country, to our people, and even the chruch by their using churches in their policial games. In particular, I am extremely upset by the so called "Chrsitian Voters Guide" which isn't published by chruches at all. It is published by, and the recommendations come from, GOP allied partisans that actually ridicule genuine Christian's.

JGOLDEN001SCRRCOM

We should not lose sight of the FACT that God is the Father of ALL and Jesus, God-Incarnate, is the Brother of ALL and that the Holy Spirit is available to ALL.

ALL OF HUMANITY is made in the Image and Likeness of God, not just Americans.

Do you think that we should pray for God's Will or what we think is God's Will?

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

I also believe that we need desperately to return to The God of our Fathers & put all of our hope in Him who created us & blessed us beyond anything we deserved & Humbly ourselves before Him & look for His forgiveness & for Him to heal our land & protect us as only He can. We need only to remember that it is He that has made us & not we ourselves. Praise God for That fact.

Wow...I am amazed at the ignorance displayed in this blog. A different God than the God of our fathers? What are you talking about? The founding fathers of our country deliberately separated religion from the government for a reason. Do some homework and learn to think for yourself. BTW...Jesus was a Socialist.

If we want America, and her promise of liberty and freedom to operate beautifully, then all that each of us needs to do is to embrace the fundamental precepts of our Constitution. "We hold these truths to be self evident...." etc., etc.

The same goes for Christianity. "To love others (our "neighbors") as ourselves". In other words,
to treat others as we wish to be treated.

Our Constitution is our 'social contract'. If America is in need of 'change' it is, usually, because we have broken our covenant (social contract) with others who make America their home.

Both our Constitution and Christianity can only succeed if we 'follow the rules' and purge ourselves of negative emotion, negative judgments,
and perpetual argument.

Otherwise these two 'systems' (democracy and religion) are merely untested 'hypothetical' models.

.

fr egglotfelty:

>...Did you know that Franklin Graham's organization, Samaritan's Purse, actually ministers primary to poor and sick children in other countries? ...

Doesn't he know that charity begins at HOME? He can "minister" right here in the US.

SPIDERMAN2

You wrote, "Thomas Baum, the Bible is not a simple book.", it says right in the bible, "I will send the simple to confound the wise", does it not?

You also wrote, " I don't think your mind is capable of understanding it.", why should I have the presumption to think that I, in and of myself, can understand it when I should actually believe Jesus when He said, "I will send the Holy Spirit to guide you into all Truth", Jesus also told His Apostles and Disciples to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them, did He not?

You also wrote, "You are the kind of person, atheists are warning about. Religious but stupid.", I don't really understand what you are trying to say here but I do not consider myself "religious".

It is not about being "religious" or for that matter about being "spiritual" but it is about having a relationship with God and not only is God: "My Dad and my Brother and my Knitting Buddy but He is humanity's Dad and humanity's Brother and humanity's Knitting Buddy".

God is God of ALL. We are ALL MADE IN HIS IMAGE.

Whether that Image shines thru or not, well, we do have free will you know.

God is not the loser that you seem to want Him to be. I can only go by what you write on these postings in making comments about what you write but there is no way that I would want to have anything to do with what you perceive God to be.

I have met God and God is a Trinity and God is a BEING OF PURE LOVE, I find it rather revealing when some of those people that are trying to jam the bible down other people's throats saying this is the "Word of God" when the bible itself says that the "Word became Flesh" which clearly is speaking about Jesus considering the bible itself did not become Flesh, did it?

Do you know why you think God is a loser or do you just want Him to be one?

Jesus told us that night is coming and it is and it is necessary, it is God's Plan not mine, I am just a messenger, but to look forward with glee to this night, I find rather sad, but I thank God that the dawning of the seventh day will also arrive and with it the new heavens and the new earth, God's Kingdom.

As I have said previously, I look past heaven to the Kingdom.

As I have also said previously, God wins Total Victory, satan loses, a tie is unacceptable.

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

It is amazing to me that all a politician has to do is SAY he is a believer and follower of God's word and the religious zealots fall in lock step. John McCain cheated on his first wife with Cindy McCain and the holier than thou religious right just ignores that. What kind of a man cheats on a severely injured, fragile wife and what kind of morally loose woman is with such a man?

Thomas Baum, the Bible is not a simple book. I don't think your mind is capable of understanding it.

You are the kind of person, atheists are warning about. Religious but stupid.

SPIDERMAN2

You wrote, "He let Himself be crucified at the cross desiring that nobody will perish if they would only listen."

On the cross Jesus said, "Father forgive them", did He not?

There is no asterick after them is it?

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Please keep your God in your church and out of our White House. The last thing this world needs is more nutjobs using religion as a pretext for political decisions.

SPIDERMAN2

You wrote, "Most Arabs see America as the "Great Satan".", you do not know how "Most Arabs" see America any better than I do.

By the way satan is not great and satan is not a country.

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Thomas Baum, you don't interpret the Bible that way. "Rightly dividing" the word of God is the proper way.

"I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied."

"They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you."

"Behold, a whirlwind (NUKE?) of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked."

SPIDERMAN2

You wrote, "What God says, IT HAPPENS."

Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw ALL MEN [humanity] to Myself", did He not?

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

ThomasBaum, the Vatican is the seat of satan so take care and be ready.

CENTRAL1942

God gave us free will, what we do with that free will is not only our choice but also our responsibility whether or not we accept that responsibility.

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

I was extremely incensed when Franklin Graham and his sister endorsed George Bush. Then his father did. As a born again Christian he fell for the tactics of ungodly men. As a born again Christian, I do not trust "man" on the political issues and the "R" party which tries to use the uneducated to sway them to vote against "evil".
I no longer trust nor respect the "Graham's" political agendas. I choose God's wisdom rather than "man's".

Dear Mr. Graham:

When I was young I went to a vibrant and charismatic church, one that offered structure and fellowship to unfocused lives and affirmed focused ones in a rapidly changing area. Yet its members were often so consumed with their vision of the world that they couldn’t see the forest for the trees. At one point the youth group minister decided to tell his charges that the root of their problems lay in the girls’ choice to wear jeans, citing a biblical passage. This was not the 1950s but the 1990s, and the problems these girls faced, which included not only the dramas of youthful love and betrayal, but also poverty, addiction, and abuse by parents whose authority was backed by the church, were by no means so small. When pushed the youth leader could offer little more than a circular definition of sin as the connection between our everyday struggles and his prescription.

My point here is that your piece operates in much the same way. It invokes a host of international problems, offers a series of rather limited domestic solutions, and poses sin as the connection without offering much more than a few out of context verses as authority. It detours your audience from considering a much needed broadening of the frameworks of social justice and responsibility toward an obsessive focus on controlling women’s bodies and sexuality, placing any reasonable civic conversation about these latter matters beyond the pale.

Mr. Graham, you and I both attended the same church, which you offered your leadership and lent your father’s considerable legacy. I am saddened, but unsurprised, to see you perpetuating its narrow vision here.

fr KERT1:

>... I am greatful that we still have men like Mr. Graham who are willing to lead us with Biblical wisdom.

Hopefully America will take his advice.

Hopefully America will NOT take his so-called "advice". He's a poor imitation of his father, who IS a Godly man. Frankie wants to send gazillions overseas in aid to 3rd world countries, and can't see the forest for the trees here at HOME.

If you want more economic trouble, read this :

It's the Dems who started this mess.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081020/ap_on_bi_ge/the_influence_game_housing

Wait a minute... wasn't unthinking obedience to people who claimed to talk to the Magical Sky Pixie a big part of what got us into this mess in the first place? Thanks, but no thanks.

Wow - a guy who was given everything by his daddy is going to tell us all how pre-Islamic, pre-Christian scribblings are the answer? Isnt' it interesting that out of all the Bible, the rev is whining about those sexual issues that adhere to Republican neo-puritanism. This guy is just another Republican tool. Maybe he should sell his mansions and fleet of cars and actually try following Jesus. To me he's just another religious huckster with no ideas.

Frankly, I'm tired of seeing religious mumbo jumbo on the pages of the Washington Post.
Keep it in your churches... we don't need it and we sure don't want to hear it.

"If you want a good argument against democracy just listen to the average voter" I would bet my last dollar that not one of these people could give the definition of "religion".
It comes from the Latin root meaning

to connect

I'm sorry, but the last thing we need is MORE leaders "talking to God" every morning before breakfast. The last thing the country needs is more "biblically based solutions."

It's no coincidence that the leadership we have received from pious, Bible-believing, First Amendment-oblivious Christians over the last 8 years has been the most inept and corrupt in modern American history.

History is abundantly clear on this point: When religion is intertwined with statecraft, it's bad for statecraft AND bad for religion.

The best thing for the country would be if religious leaders like Franklin Graham withdrew from the political arena and ended their un-Biblical alliance with the Republican Party.

Billy Graham knew presidents, and he had his political views, but he respected the political process in ways that this generation of Evangelical Christian leaders do not.

The Old Testament is very clear about one thing: God does not think or work like a politician. And the New Testament makes clear that Jesus gets very annoyed with people who seek power and try to wield it in God's name.

So let's follow what the Bible so clearly instructs us: let Caesar have what is Caesar's and leave God out of politics, PLEASE.

Mr. Graham speaks of nothing more than magical thinking. It's time to stop this nonsense and put religion back in it's place - the church of your choice, and keep it far, far away from our Government.

Thank you Franklin for your words of moral clarity and courage; unfortunately, most Americans want to do what THEY want to do when THEY want to do it, heedless of any moral concerns. Take abortion on demand: in the name of choice and convenience, nascent human life is destroyed. we have a legal ruling that gives women (and the men that get those women pregnant) the unlimited PUBLIC license for the use of PRIVATE lethal force - nowhere in American life do we allow this...NOWHERE. Yet in the name of "women's rights" and "choice" we allow such destruction. Forget for a moment the Bible and that Hebrew-Christian God, when ANY culture engages in such a self-destructive behavior it is on the verge of cashing itself out, much like the Aztecs did.

Mr. Graham's comments have some merit. I would like to propose all Americans turning to the tenets of Buddhism, which far exceed those of Christianity when it comes to tolerance and understanding.

Don't like that idea? I can't imagine why not. It makes as much sense as anyone turning to the Bible, which is, after all, just another playbook in the game of life.

religion is not the answer to our problems. religion is our problem. under the guise of religion we got george bush maybe the most religious president in our nations history, who said he was going to bring honesty and integrity back to the white house and to Washington. take a look around. nothing but lies, cronyism, and destruction of the our constitution. no sir, what we need is a real leader who will work to repair the damage done by christian zealots. we need a constitutional expert who will govern for the benefit of all Americans, not just the super wealthy and super religious. so no thanks!

nice smile.....

but how is this Stooge any different from W Bush? Born into wealth and influence, just another son of another politician. With NO idea how the majority of the world lives.

He has nothing to say that warrants space on this page

The Changes America Needs
1. Cease to claim America is a Christian nation, for America is a secular and ungodly nation driven mad by the love of money, power, and sex. American capitalism has infected the whole world, now the taxpayers are forced to pay for the greed and corruption and crime of those in power and the rich.
2. America needs a Jeffersonian revolution; the problem is there is no credible leader like Abraham Lincoln. American democracy is hollow; it has become a government of special interests, by special interests, and for special interests.
3. The two American parties do not serve the American people; they serve themselves and the special interests. Money has corrupted the government and politics. That is why Obama opposed public financing of presidential campaigns because he got so much money from special interests. The change needed is to take money out of politics. All campaigns should be free on TV, there is no need to raise funds or pay for commercials.
4. The American form of government has failed. Proofs: It created the largest national debt, budget and trade deficits in the world with dollar dropping. America has become the most hated nation on earth because of foreign policy of world domination. About 84% of Americans say we are on the wrong track. American government needs a structural change: the three branches of government do not work. It will be too much to go into detail. The point is to make all elected and appointed officials accountable and liable for their action or inaction.
5. To achieve this goal of responsible government, the U.S. Constitution needs to be revised to add a clause of people’s sovereignty. It means the citizens of America have the final authority over how the government is managed or run. To execute people’s sovereignty a general referendum is required. In a general referendum 51% of American voters can remove any official including the president and dismiss any branch of the government including congress without impeachment process. When 51% of citizens cast a vote of no confidence in the president or any official, the president or official will be removed. If 51% of citizens cast a vote of no confidence in congress, congress will be replaced by new leaders.
6. If Obama is elected, the Democrat president with a Democrat-controlled congress will constitute absolute power. Absolute power will corrupt absolutely. Democracy will be in name, dictatorship in fact. Even if the president commits a major crime or abuse of power, he will have absolute impunity because the Democrats control both Executive and Legislative Branches of government. Meaningful changes under the Democrat president and the Democrat-controlled congress will be impossible. For this reason, my fellow Americans and fellow Christians, I urge you to reject Obama because he is not right for America.
7. American way of life needs to be changed, but that cannot be done by legislation. Love of money, power, and sex is the root cause of American problems. Worldly values lead America to self-destruction. Instead of pursuing the values of money, power and sex; Americans should value faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ. The choice is yours. There is no evidence of being optimistic about the future of America. No one can be responsible for the fate of a nation. You can be responsible for your own destiny by making a decision for Christ. Whoever repents and believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life.
Willie Wong
October 20, 2008
http://www.wongwillie.zoomshare.com/

Thankyou Mr. Graham for endorsing Sen John McCain. However I think your choice shows you are a total hypocrite. John McCain certainly is not the better example of someone living a good christian life. He committed adultery and his campain is waging a race war. Besides if you want to hand pick sins out of the bible why not pick the one about Adultery, they stoned those people to death in the Old Testiment. And another abomination that makes as much sense as same sex relations is eating shellfish, that too is an abominiation in the Old Testiment. Interesting 2 choices you made in believing we as a country are going down the wrong spiritual path are the same 2 areas desperate Republicans always bring up Abortion, and Gay Rights. No Mr. Graham those 2 are not ruining our country, greed, apathy, bigotry and disregard for the poor are destroying our country. You don't sound like a man of the bible to me, just a man from the RNC and you should be totally ashamed of yourself using religion to promote a political party. Its time they take the Tax Exempt Status away from your church.

Hey Franklin: Perhaps the part of the bible you need to stress would be the Sermon on the Mount. Actually, I recommend you and all the other evangelical Republicans re-read that. The last 8 years have completely ignored that part of the bible. You and your followers have alot of responsibility for the administration of lies, wars, cynicism and torture that you helped install.

I'm not sure any nation needs straight talk from the bible...
Exodus 35:2
Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

Deuteronomy 20:16-17
16But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
17But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Luke 14:26
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. "

The bible has many quotes extolling death and violence that unfortunately diminishes the positive impact it would otherwise have with the loving things it says (i.e. turn the other cheek, love thy neighbor and thou shall not kill).

This is a change of subject.

Being 70, the issue of the "free market" or "free marketplace" as it applies to medicine and Medicare is of particular interest to me -- as a receiver of medical services and as a subsidized payer for these services. This is a MultiBillion Dollar Market whose growth and influence will continue to accelerate and to impact our economy. As such, it deserves attention to determine what economic resources does it currently consume and is projected to consume.

The quick answer is that the Medicare system, our primary funder of the delivery of medical services, particularly for Senior Citizens, is kinda broke. And it will, along the way, break our economy, as it already has participated in the breaking of our Credit Markets.

What broke our Credit Markets was that basically we couldn't afford to sustain the consumption level that we were at. And we mistakened credit availability with our ability to pay for our level of consumption.

Technology is expensive to develop, to implement, and to sustain in our society. Its expense is corrolated, IMHO, to it's consumption of limited knowledge resources such as Researchers, Attorneys, Bankers, and Businesses that resemble college campuses, [environments designed to foster intellectual creativity, breakthroughs, and new products/property].

A question is whether a "free market" variant of one sort or another might be able to deliver some given and responsive level of medical services more cheaply than how it's currently funded.

Another question is whether socialized medicine or government funded medicine is more efficient in using limited financial resources to provide a certain level of medical services in comparison with "for profit" medical services providers.

And what level of regulation is needed in any case?

These are complex questions.

Of course, that doesn't stop the uninformed, such as myself, from jumping in with "analysis and proposed solutions"!

As it applies to the field of medicine, there is no such thing as a free and unregulated marketplace. It clearly cannot exist.

In the field of engineering, an area within which I earned my living, complex mathematical systems and processes and interactions are the stuff that allows this discipline to function. Engineering is HIGHLY regulated and disciplined. The regulations come from what we like to call The Laws of Nature -- as well as manmade laws. In other words, we didn't "make up" these laws. They were always there. These were the laws that already created the many complex "products of nature" such as water, weather, and life.

By comparison, I view our current financial malaise as the result of a "Wild West" mentality -- exciting perhaps, but untamed, uncivilized, untrustworthy, HIGHLY INEFFICIENT, and in great need of The Law of Common Sense [which most folks can understand].

"Free Markets" IMHO are Romantic Concepts that haven't kept up with the development of modern technology. Not that Medicare doesn't need continual improvement. But it is THE Medical Delivery System that is The Major Player in the Medical Marketplace.

And as we each become older, we will perforce enter into that Medical Marketplace -- to discover whether we can afford it's many life saving wares. And -- trust me -- it will focus your mind.

The reverence for the cow does not make it God. We do not pray to the cow. There are many other things in nature that Hindus consider sacred but not God. An example: the tulsi plant.

Hinduism believes that God, we call Brahman, exists in everything. Including the cow. The cow brings us many blessings: its milk, the farmers use it for tilling the land and its manures is converted to biogas.

How can Jesus, who used to consort with prostitutes and drove pigs into the river because he thought they had the devil inside of them, be God?

Worshiping Jesus is blasphemy.

If Mr. Graham truly loved God then he would not lie to us by telling us that Jesus was God and that he died for our sins and similar gibberish. Jesus was a good man for the most part but had his flaws and was certainly not God. For Mr. Graham and other Christians to utter these gross misrepresentations is BLASPHEMY.

The Bible is the work of humans and God had nothing to do with it. Many parts of the Bible, I am sure, make God very sad.

spidey2- I didn't say I thought it was acceptable, I pointed out you lack understanding of why they believe as they do. and I'm surprised you even care about untouchables- you're the one so looking forward to all of us "sinners" dying horrible deaths. I have a hard time accepting your lustful drooling over the misfortunes you wish on the rest of us.

"... but if you're implying that conservative Christianity put our economy into a tailspin, I wonder why the bigwigs of Wall Street are subpoenaed and not the preachers.

The people in Wall Street are competent crooks. That's where the problem lies."

I implied nothing of the sort, my statement was direct and bounded.

You leap to false conclusions within a void of evidence.

You seem to want to think that all people on Wall Street were crooks, as opposed to what most of them really were, -and that is incompetent.

They had help, the fish rots from its head.

As for Doomsday, don't hold your breath - do not count on that sparing you the torment your ignorance,irrationality and hubris will inflict on you as we go further into the century.

stevetunley wrote "Return to those days? No thanks Franklin."

God will decide who will return to those days. Doomsday is coming a few years from now. The worst is yet to come folks.

I weep for my country, and the larger world for that matter, for putting ANY stock in what men like Franklin Graham are peddling.

Both the Lincoln and Jefferson quotes make reference to "God", generically, so it's a leap to say the Bible should be the basis of any "moral or spiritual change". I guess the 75% of the world's population that is not Christian are just plain wrong and are ultimately facing an after life of eternal damnation. And speaking of Presidents, you can see what eight years of a Born Again Christian got us. Hard to see how an Atheist in the Oval Office could do any worse.

Yes, terrorists have attacked us, as the Japanese attacked our parent's generation at Pearl Harbor. So it's tough to see how returning "to the God of our parents" will help us much. The God of our parents didn't seem to have much trouble with keeping the black man in his place, gays in the closet and women in the kitchen. Return to those days? No thanks Franklin.

sparrow, you should live as an untouchable in india for just a week so your ignorance would be cured. You seem to be approaching the stupidity Arminius displays.

"So what makes Hinduism immune from ignorance when it treats cows as holy and some people as "untouchables"? Cows are more sacred than some "dirty" people? What's more ignorant than that?"

You are more ignorant. Why don't you do some research before you condemn it based on your own, very warped version of christianity? You don't have to accept their point of view (and knowing you, you certainly won't) but at least you'll understand what they believe and why. You know- exactly what you expect everyone else to do for your beliefs.

Momohund wrote "He (Franklin Graham) once stated that all Hindu Indians live in a perpetual state of sin because of their faith and culture."

So what makes Hinduism immune from ignorance when it treats cows as holy and some people as "untouchables"? Cows are more sacred than some "dirty" people? What's more ignorant than that?

Not everyone is Christian and the Holy Bible isn't the only source for spiritual development. The Torah, the Upanishads, the Koran are others.

Although I kind of liked Billy Graham compared to the other evangelicals, his son Franklin brings a few cautions to mind. He once stated that all Hindu Indians live in a perpetual state of sin because of their faith and culture. I think that's ignorant.

Be careful with evangelicals. They often cannot ascertain the difference between the pursuit for spiritual development and the promotion of their own culture.

Our War on Terror and Aggression:

An update (or how we are spending or how we have spent the USA taxpayers’ money to eliminate global terror and aggression)

The terror and aggression via a Partial and Recent Body Count

1) Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

2) 9/11, 3000 mostly US citizens, 1000’s injured

3) The 24/7 Sunni-Shiite centuries-old blood feud currently being carried out in Iraq, US Troops (3,385 combat 800 non-combat) and 88,373 – 96,466 Iraqi civilians,

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/ and
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf

4) Kenya- In Nairobi, about 212 people were killed and an estimated 4000 injured; in Dar es Salaam, the attack killed at least 11 and wounded 85.[2]

5) Bali-in 2002-killing 202 people, 164 of whom were foreign nationals, and 38 Indonesian citizens. A further 209 people were injured.

6) Bali in 2005- Twenty people were killed, and 129 people were injured by three bombers who killed themselves in the attacks.

7) Spain in 2004- killing 191 people and wounding 2,050.

8) UK in 2005- The bombings killed 52 commuters and the four radical Islamic suicide bombers, injured 700.

Other elements of our War on Terror:

1. Saddam, his sons and major henchmen have been deleted. Saddam's bravado about WMD was one of his major mistakes.

2. Iran is being been contained. (beside containing the Sunni-Shiite civil war in Baghdad, that is the main reason we are in Iraq. And yes, essential oil continues to flow from the region.)

3. Libya has become almost civil. Apparently this new reality from an Islamic country has upset OBL and his “crazies” as they recently threatened Libya. OBL sure is a disgrace to the world especially the Moslem world!!! Or is he??

4. North Korea is still uncivil but is contained. With the opening up of rail traffic between North and South Korea after 50 years and with the assistance of the US Navy in retrieving NK ships and personnel hopefully a fresh sense of civility is afoot.

5. NK has recently been taken off the list of terrorist countries

6. Northern Ireland is finally at peace.

7. The Jews and Palestinians are being separated by walls. Hopefully the walls will follow the 1948 UN accords and the Annapolis Peace Conference is at least somewhat successful.

8. Bin Laden has been cornered under a rock in Western Pakistan since 9/11.

9. Fanatical Islam has basically been contained to the Middle East but a wall between India and Pakistan would be a plus for world peace. Ditto for a wall between Afghahistan and Pakistan.

10. Timothy McVeigh was executed. Terry Nichols will follow soon.

11. Eric Rudolph is spending three life terms in prison with no parole.

12. Jim Jones, David Koresh, Kaczynski, the "nuns" from Rwanda, and the KKK were all dealt with and either eliminated themselves or are being punished.

13. Islamic Sudan, Darfur and Somalia are still terror hot spots.

14. The terror and torture of Muslims in Bosnia, Kosovo and Kuwait were ended by the proper application of the military forces of the USA and her freedom-loving friends. Radovan Karadzic was finally captured on 7/23/08 and is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the law of war -- charges related to the 1992-1995 civil war that followed Bosnia-Herzegovina's secession from Yugoslavia.

15. And of course the bloody terror brought about the Japanese, Nazis and Communists was with great difficulty eliminated by the good guys.

plaza04433 wrote " What America needs is competence. It is that simple, full stop. That is what has been lacking the last eight years."

Im not saying that Bush is competent but if you're implying that conservative Christianity put our economy into a tailspin, I wonder why the bigwigs of Wall Street are subpoenaed and not the preachers.

The people in Wall Street are competent crooks. That's where the problem lies.

"As you know from your scientific background, every effect has a cause."

Oh really? Please review your quantum electrodynamics.

"Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination." -Thomas Jefferson

Mr.Graham is well advised to refresh his knowledge of American History and the attitudes of the founders, and is also well advised to avoid the generalization that all Americans are fearful.

What America needs is competence. It is that simple, full stop. That is what has been lacking the last eight years.

It amuses me to see those that assert that good government is impossible to then act on that ironclad belief and proceed through willful ignorance, incompetence and psychotic inability to face reality to do their best to insure that bad government is attained and complete failure is inevitable.

Without a return to respect for the Constitution of the United States of America, talking to God will do as much good for the world as it did from first century AD to 1776.

Which was not much.

"The reason this country is in such a terrible mess is because CHRISTIAN REDNECKS have hijacked our democracy and elected CHRISTIAN MORONS to run this country into the ground."

Nothing could be further from the truth. Never confuse Christianity with Christendom. The gulf between what men have done with the wisdom of the scriptures and what those scriptures teach is as wide as the Grand Canyon.

Mr. Graham, I think the criticism is valid when we ask where was the Graham family when a preemtive war was started? Where was the Graham organization when torture was presented as an acceptable war time tactic?

What is not valid, is the critism that negates his ideas and advice. Mr. Graham, thankyou for taking the time to write this. The scriptural wisdom along with Mr. Lincoln's are as valuable and current as ever.

Wow! The tirades from hopelessness. The responses to Rev Graham's article make me sick.

Rev Graham -- please keep preaching God's word to America.

America -- Wake up from your spiritual slumber!

yeap, let us beseech the invisable guy in the sky while people like you stick your hands in our pockets.

Thanks, Franklin, for again equating same-sex marriage with theft, environmental neglect, and greed. It's actually an improvement for you - you usually compare it to child molestation and rape.

You are a pale, poor imitation of your father.

Germany is world's SECOND biggest aid donor. I wonder who's the FIRST.

http://www.topnews.in/germany-worlds-second-biggest-aid-donor-after-us-229970

victorlove1:

Well, you are right about a lot of things. However, judging someone is not necessarily wrong. If you see someone who is continuously dishonest, a lying gossip, or crude and lacking any self-control (when he has the ability to be self-controlled) you will make some sort of judgment about them. You will probably conclude they are doing things that are wrong, so you won't want to be best friends with someone like that. Your response is judging...judging of character.

However, there is another kind of judging that God wants us to avoid. That kind is when we act as if there is no hope for a person and we condemn them as worse than ourselves and act as if we have no faults of our own. This is not right. Both of these types can be seen in the Bible (Matthew 7:1-6).

Another kind of judgment takes place in a courtroom. Judges and juries have to make judgments ever day. That is OK so long as the judgments are just.

Another thing to think about is Jesus' words that we are to be perfect just as "our heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Immediately, I know I miss the mark on that by a long shot. The good news is there is one who has been perfect in my place--Christ Jesus. He perfectly fulfilled all of God's requirements. In addition he died for my sins (as a substitute for me). He gives the free gift of righteousness to those who believe in him (Romans 5:17).

I hope you will believe this, or already do.

Mr. Graham, Did God tell your Daddy to give this job to you as there was no better Christian around or did your old Daddy not trust God enough to do the right thing by you? Oh, before you start cursing, it may help to know that I am a Muslim and an Asian. That should take some of the sting out, you old bigot you ! Don't let the Old Man in the Sky find out. He probably still thinks of us as equal in His creation. But you know better, dontya?

bartedson:

You can't defend your claims. Christian rednecks (as you call them) did not elect Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Maxine Waters into office. Remember them? They were the ones who told the Republicans everything is fine with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae...no intervention need here...especially while the pad our campaign coffers.

Republicans aren't perfect either, but to blame the world's problems on redneck Christians is bogus, and you know it.

Although I hold,and have God in my heart, I recognize that I am far from prefect and subject to temptations, some of which I succumb to on occasion.
Am I Godless? Am I the son of satan? Do I deserve to be put on public display for any one to ridicule me? All because I have not measured up to perfection, and have shown weakness in making poor decisions.

I think not, Jesus understood the frailties and shortcomings of human nature, He understood that only a rare few could come close to being God like. Because of that understanding, He chose to die on the cross for the sins that man were sure to commit. All he asked in return, is for us to accept Him as OUR God and Savior, to follow the
Commandments, and don't break any of the Seven Deadly Sins.

God does not want a Utopian society or world,
because in my view, With out temptation, one cannot aspire to be God like,Without temptation
ones goodness cannot be measured.So, in effect,
God created a world and a people that are in balance, A yin and yang so to speak. So, even the sinner is doing Gods work, yes?

I am but a simple, uneducated, imperfect human
trying to do the best I can in an imperfect world full of temptation, these are my thoughts that I do not hold to be beliefs, and am open to being corrected, I open this to dialog for clarification and enlightenment.

But I will not allow any one to judge me, God reserved that right for himself, since Jesus
understood that man cannot be, or is perfect.

The reason this country is in such a terrible mess is because CHRISTIAN REDNECKS have hijacked our democracy and elected CHRISTIAN MORONS to run this country into the ground.

Chritianity has turned this country so STUPID, it may never recover.

Depends how you define "aid to the world". We basically are the globe's policemen. Through the Defense Budget into the foreign aid equation and we win by a landside.

Franklin's Christian beliefs and traditions are all based on pagan ones before them:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=88839109613517863

and Humpty Dumpty was pushed!

"So here's the kind of change I'm proposing this election season: Let's return to the God of our fathers and put our real hope in the One who made us in His image and blessed our nation far beyond anything we deserve. Let's humble ourselves and seek His forgiveness, rather than the approval of men. Let's look to God, rather than Wall Street or Pennsylvania Avenue, to heal our land."

Amen -- with demonstrated love for others because of our love and service to our God. He changed my life, and I wish the same new life for all others.

sparrow4:

Sorry I did not read the thread more carefully. Frankly, not sure I want to at this point. Still not sure what your point is.

BTW, just because God's judgment is true does not mean we relish in its great horror. As I've said in one way or another, God would be justified in sending me to hell--right now. I don't boast about being better than everyone else.

Hopefully, God's serious warning about how he will deal with sin serves as a warning to repent and receive from him what he gladly gives...hope, life, an eternal life better than anything here.

tim02:

Unless you insist on feeling guilty about America's generosity, you might go to the Hudson Institue's web site for more information... http://gpr.hudson.org. Maybe after looking there you won't be so glum.

That is not to say everyone is the U.S.A. is generous, but it is not as bad as you make it sound. Besides, we haven't even gotten our "middle-class" tax cut yet. ;)

One more note: I am two generations removed from living on dirt floors in a tiny cottage with too many people. The "too many people" part is an edict of my religious upbringing and the cause of a great deal of heartache and pain. Americans are not inherently bad, and the pursuit of personal and material comfort is also not necessarily evil. How about Franklin Graham returning to the dirt floors of his ancestors' log cabin and then we can all talk?

unseenhope:"Stop quoting from the Bible--you only condemn yourself. Your choice of verses is, in itself, an effort at interpreting the naure of God. Sorry you forgot to include the context."

Perhaps if you had taken the time to read the thread you would have understood that I was quoting spidey, who posted that quote. I don't quote the bible because I have never been boastful or arrogant enough to think I had enough knowledge to interpret it. Nor would I quote the bible to promote a point of view that literally lusts after armageddon and the deaths of millions, (My G-d doesn't like such things), and neither would I call this country the great satan, in agreement with arab terrorists. Something spidey has also done, with great glee.

You my not find him morally reprehensible- I, having lived through the 9-11 attacks- do. So here we have a man who agrees with terrorists, and wants the deaths of millions (boy, and you think I'm crude?)to fulfill his faux christian interpretations of the bible, but still wants to bring children into this horrible world he sees, and is still so worried about his money he is complaining about Obama's financial policies, and stance on equal rights. You want to see obscene. Spidey is staring you right in the face.

Here we go again. I thought Graham might be a bit creative and offer something aside from a vent about how liberals are ruining heaven on earth (his mention of "life" issues, same-sex marriage, etc). Is it possible to offer inspiration without pointing the finger at one group or another? I was never particularly interested (or not) in gay rights, but the more that the far right pushes on this issue, the more in favor I become.

Good grief. This is a man who also derided the Muslim religion.

rwolf01:

No empirical evidence? How about the world around you? I know, I've heard it a hundred times--the watchmaker theory (where there's a watch, there must be a watchmaker) has been disproved. Problem is, the people who argue that point always forget to tell me how it has been disproved.

As you know from your scientific background, every effect has a cause. This logically leads to an ultimate uncreated cause, namely God.

Likewise, there is a limited number of ways to explain the existence of the principle elements of the universe: 1) they created themselves (an impossibility); 2) they have eternally existed (in this case we have to ask why things change and who or what is the agent of these changes); and 3) they were created by someone outside of creation (this is reasonable and also what the Bible teaches).

Back to the topic: no one here is arguing against science--Franklin Graham wasn't, I'm not. we can do more than one thing at a time...be Christian and accept scientific principles, be Christian and involve ourselves in politic. But Graham was not calling for political action, he was calling for you to believe in the God who is over politics and science.

No one is forcing you. But if you look at the world and think people act like they are enslaved (religious or not) to a principle more powerful than themselves, you are right...and the Bible confirms this. We are either slaves of sin, or slaves of God. The payment of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life.

Likewise, no one on this side is asking to receive the reigns of power. You make it sound like we live in a monarchy. On the other hand, if we think certain policies and principles are valuable to all men--religious or not--why would you ask us to stay out of politics? Why should you be in politics and not us? Is it possible you too may not have all the best ideas, the best knowledge on every topic?

We live in a democracy of sorts, and I for one plan to participate in it. And sure, when you are ready for counseling, one of us will be waiting to help.

"I think Americans are the biggest AID DONORS per capita in the world."

Well you are completely wrong about that. It's easy to look up. But right-wingers are too lazy and self-regarding to even bother checking the facts.

Earl C. wrote "I think that the election of "W" proves that voting for someone on purely "Christian" principles can end in disaster, both political and moral."

Are the players in Wall Street Christians? Wall Street put us into this mess and if there's a Christian value at fault here, it is "trusting these peole too much".

I don't think Bush was being Christian when he didn't solve those house foreclosures very early before it became catastrophic.

I even doubt if he's a Christian at all. His cabinets are closet democrats. Look at Powell. He's now supporting Obama, who is very liberal.

Of course, this is the same Franklin Graham who called Islam a "wicked and hateful" religion.

In 2004, he also called for conservatives to back Bush and other "God-fearing candidates” against the “moral corruption that is coming like a flood against this nation.”

rwolf01 wrote " Sorry. I'm a scientist. I have seen no empirical evidence for an actual God"

So you now have an answer who made the flowers? Can you make one from scratch?

"We need leaders who, like the priests and prophets of the Old Testament, will warn us to turn from our sinful ways and follow God's blueprint for living." Franklin Graham

* * * * *

Our political leaders need to be honest, visionary, intelligent, trustworthy, and tolerant. Spiritual leaders are the ones who need to preach to the faithful about the way to God and so forth. In our system of government, we do not elect a spiritual leader. It is nice when such a man of God is elected to the presidency. I think that the election of "W" proves that voting for someone on purely "Christian" principles can end in disaster, both political and moral.

Franklin finds it difficult to separate his political leaning to an objective look at the pruposes of government and our elected leaders. Jesus found it much easier to draw the distinction than does Franklin.

YouGotRooted wrote "Do you sick Americans think God actually cares about your economy while millions suffer and die from hunger and disease? "

I think Americans are the biggest AID DONORS per capita in the world. You can't blame Americans for all the problems you have.

It's amazing to me that the most "tolerant" among us can be so vindictive and narrow-minded. It seems the only "truth" that can be condemned is TRUTH Himself.

The plan of God cannot work on a wicked world. Wickedness will be destroyed first before God's goodness will be felt.

Democrats are a party of pro-abortion and gay marriage. It's not a wonder why America is suffering today. God's blessings are withheld.

Lets rely on God since that has worked so well in the past...not. Do you sick Americans think God actually cares about your economy while millions suffer and die from hunger and disease? With the amount of money your paying to revive the financial sector, you could solve the worlds poverty problems.

Its a slap in the face to God.

Spiderman2 aka Canyon Shearer, Bible Thumper, Fortune Teller and Severely Brainwashed in that Old Time Religion,

What "voodooer of the hoodoo" blessed you with such stupidity in the field of fortune telling and interpretations of said stupidity???

The reality of it all is that the "pew sitters" and "bowers" are coming to grips with the flaws in their religions and in ten years the religions of today will be unrecognizable or extinct as the "pretty and ugly wingie flying thingies" are finally buried in the piles of utter stupidity.

A correct view of God's/evolution's interactions with the human race:

From Father Edward Schillebeeckx, the famous contemporary theologian in his book, Church: The Human Story of God,
Crossroad, 1993, p.91 (softcover)

"Christians (humans) must give up a perverse, unhealthy and inhuman doctrine of predestination without in so doing making God the great scapegoat of history" .

"Nothing is determined in advance: in nature there is chance and determinism; in the world of human activity there is possibility of free choices.

Therefore the historical future is not known even to God; otherwise we and our history would be merely a puppet show in which God holds the strings.

For God, too, history is an adventure, an open history for and of men and women."

Sorry. I'm a scientist.

I have seen no empirical evidence for an actual God, but I have seen far too many shifty people who are all too willing to standup and interpret "his word" for the rest of us.

To me "let's put our faith in God" means nothing more than "please sit down, shut up, and do as I and my unelected friends tell you to."

The system you advocate has no checks and balances. We have seen what too much power in too few hands can do. We have seen the damage you people do, when you are left alone with children.

Why should *anyone* hand you the reigns of power?

I'll take my chances with Science, reason, and representative government.

You people best serve society as peer-counselors and community organizers. Get people together to help take care of each other.

But please stay OUT of government!

sparrow wrote "spidey- you don't speak for G-d, you don't know who G-d is, you have no understanding of G-d. You are barely human, let alone an interpreter of G-d's word."

Only time will tell and Im not talking about hundred of years. Just a few years.

"I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied."

"They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you."

"Behold, a whirlwind (NUKE?) of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked."

Sparrow4:

Stop quoting from the Bible--you only condemn yourself. Your choice of verses is, in itself, an effort at interpreting the naure of God. Sorry you forgot to include the context.

You and Spidey both need to understand God would be entirely justified in sending us all to hell. The fact we can sit around a debate the matter is an act of God's tolerance--temporary though it may be.

When was the last time you asked what God wanted of you?--or what would make God happy?--or disagreed with someone without being toxically crude?--or honestly sought the creator of the world around you?--or chosen not to speak slanderously, lie, cheat, steal, or think only of your own comfort?--to intentionally examine the truthfulness (or error) of what you believe?

Well, you and I fall into the same category, to some degree. I may actually be worse than you. However, the bottom line is, God is perfectly just to take our offensives to his eternal, compassionate nature and in essence say, "This is what you like, well, you can have more of it--for eternity." Who can object to that?

I can't believe I am hearing this.

In other words, this crisis is not because of the shenanigans of Wendy Gramm, DeLay, Lugar, Lay, Rubin, Summers and Flimflam, it is because of Roe V Wade, the morning after pill and because Ellen DeGeneres married a girl.

Is that it, Franklin?

You really believe if Ellen De Generes sleeps with a man, all will become OK in our financial system.

Hey, let's call Ellen DeGeneres, maybe she would like to save the country.

Don't Follow the Bible

The bible has plenty of injunctions to kill your children if they talk back, sell your daughters into sexual slavery, and commit genocide (right after saying Thou Shalt not Kill).

BUT
Mr Graham is right about blaming Wall Street.

As the great prophet Pogo said,
"we have met the eneny, and he is us."

We support and tolerate all that our government and financial institutions do. Who of you have protested the 100 fold increase in CEO compensation over the last 40 years. Not many Christians, I dare say.

spidey2""And I will kill her children with death;" . Does is sound like coming from an Islamic extremist? Nope. Those are the words of God and it's directed at the liberal Democratic parts of America.

"And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts:"

Wow- what a seriously sick a**hole (apologies to colons and lower intestines). Now I know- spidey2 is really Osama bin Laden. Actually, he's worse. This is the G-d you want people to turn to? this is the "goodness" you find in your christianity? Sorry pal, you are like no Christian I know. You're simply a deluded, sniveling butt wipe of satan. You have as much relation to Christ as a paramecia has to Einstein.
------------------------------------------
"the fact is, we are not God. And another hard fact is, there are things that God can't change. He let Himself be crucified at the cross desiring that nobody will perish if they would only listen.

For what reason they don't want to listen, that I don't understand."

Perhaps because your ranting is so incomprehensible as to defy belief. the only true thing you managed to say was "we are not G-d" But you expose your ignorance to all by your next statement- "there are things that G-d can't change" Hmmmm.... and All-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful Being that G-d is supposed to be, now can't change everything? spidey- you don't speak for G-d, you don't know who G-d is, you have no understanding of G-d. You are barely human, let alone an interpreter of G-d's word.

Graham belongs to the set of people who are responsible for the mess the world is in right now. His father helped boost Bush's disastrous superstition, hallucinating that "god" (whoever he thought that may be, in realty a projection of his own megalomania) asked him to attack a country that has never attacked the US, and make up for the grievously felt incompetence in just about everything except his own greed.

Superstition, religion are the basic evils of our days. Unfortunately, it will take generations of education and development to eradicate it from the minds of the masses.

I think he slipped in the truth in second sentence: "the almighty dollar". Our Golden Calf from which Reaganomics offers us trickle down golden showers.

Franklin took in half a million dollars last year from his "family business". His anti-Semite Daddy still receives $400,000 per year in "salary" from their "Charity".

" worship our money rather than the one who endowed us with the ability to make money without serious repercussions?"

God "endowed us with the ability to make money without serious repercussions'? Maybe Franklin should Google "Libby, Montana", and concentrate more on Christ's teachings than Old Testament contradictions.

Jesus Christ I can believe in. Professional Christians are spawn of Satan.

God speaks to me. She says "vote Obama".

Sorry, but I am not going take the blame before God, the devil, or anyone else for this mess in Washington. For the past eight years, fundamentalist pastors such as Graham, Robertson, Falwell, and Hagee have been pimping themselves for the Republican Party, declaring God's support for GW Bush and his policies.

Now that this administration has collapsed in a tangle of incompetence and scandal, Graham wants us to take the blame for the wrongdoers that he promoted!

Franklin, I hope that God casts your demons into a pig, which then bites you on the rear end.

With respect to Mr. Graham, his religious conception nor any other, self evidently lack the ethical or moral content or force to affect markets, the environment, conflict or any of the big questions facing mankind and the earth itself. I am happy to put my faith in God, but never again in the all too human theological version of truth that tradition pretends to be from God. I'm no longer even sure that Christianity has even started yet?

God, through Christ, restores all the lost potential in an individuals life. For the cynical, this sounds aggravatingly foolish. However, to those who follow him, Jesus promises light (to understand) and life (to live eternally). If you don't like things that simple, join the club, we are all inclined to dismiss it. Christians aren't better than anybody else...we just know the unique mercy of God.

It begins with salvation--salvation from God's wrath. Such wrath being the ultimate in justice. If you doubt this, ask yourself when you ever cared a whit about what God commands. How often have you excused yourself of the same wrong with which you condemn someone else?

"He's an arrogant fool," you might say. Oh, and what about you? Or, "she's a cheat." Yes, and you are a gossip, or liar, or hater of what is good, or one who finds God's name only useful for office banter.

When Jesus prayed asking the Father to take away the "cup" (his own death), he also added, "your will be done." Unlike a hero who falls on a grenade to save a fellow soldier, Jesus took upon himself God's condemnation for all sin--yours and mine. Such a sacrifice has only been made once that promises an eternal solution to the problems that plague our lives. Reject it at your own peril.

World leaders make promises, but ultimately, they fail. Go ahead and vote--I will. But trust Christ and live.

Dear Rev. Graham,

Keeping in mind that this is a nation of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Unitarians, Agnostics, Atheists, etc., etc., you would do well to build your public discourse centered around the following tenants because they serve all the flavors of belief within this country equally and satisfy your own desire to follow the good book:

"Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged!"

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

That's all you need to say. Thinly veiled indictments of people outside the folds of one's personal beliefs is as much of an hypocrisy as Pharisees wrenching their garments in false piety. Stay out of politics (render unto Caesar . . .). Your job as a public man of God is to see to the poor of spirit, mind, and body, not judge the nation's worthiness of Gods' grace.

I assume that Rev. Graham doesn't pass the plate at his religious services, but just serves to do good. Oh, wait, that's not right? He and his father before him are filthy rich from the hands of the poor who feed his collections? Oh, never mind; I'm sure they must be among the few camels who can fit through the eye of a needle and get to heaven anyway.

Americans who claim to be Christians would do well just to focus on the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Stop the focus on hatred of others who differ by religion, sexual orientation or race and just try to get back to the LOVE that was Christ's only firm instruction. Focus on the least of these my brethren and not on the nonsense that comprises today's religious obsessions.

According to the memoirs of H R Haldeman, Nixon's chief of staff from 1968 - 1974, after the shooting of George Wallace during the Maryland primary, Billy Graham was enlisted by the Nixon campaign to convey to George Wallace the willingness of the Nixon campaign to pay off the campaign debts of the Wallace campaign, if Wallace would not run as an independent candidate in the 1972 election. Wallace accepted this enabling Nixon to be the primary beneficiary of the racist backlash to the civil right legislation of 1964 -1965. I post this without having read Mr Graham's essay since I do not believe his status as the heir of a family franchise built on a cultural reluctance to abandon old evils, warrant him being given a platform on the website of national newspaper.

Franklin Graham's comments are as irrelevant as many of his father's pronouncements were in years past.

Ken Cauthen, a Baptist Minister like Franklin

One change nobody noticed was the buying up of shares in America's financial institutions by foreign companies at a discount price insuring that globalization will rule the world thanks in part to the democratic party...

I'd rather live in the chaotic imperfect world we have today where we try our best to find optimal solutions to problems than live in Franklin Graham's world where people's lives and choices are biblically ordained, not by an omnipotent God, but by him. American doesn't need a theocracy. We have enough ignorance, petty injustices, and division as it is.

Well, god's son didn't really die, did he? According to your moronic little bronze-age book, he resurrected, and he KNEW he was going to resurrect. That's not dying. Why am I meant to be impressed by this non-death? If I gave all my possessions to a charity, and three days later said charity gave me everything back and then tripled it, would you allow me to go around saying I should be a saint because at one point I gave everything I owned to charity? Of course not, it would be ridiculous, since my act of giving was very brief and I actually profited from it. Same for Jesus' "death". Not impressed by it.

" America needs change "......
Could it be some of us are praying the wrong God? or do we need to remanufacture the One we created 2000 years ago with the help of Jesus of Nazareth crucified by the rabbis demand for telling them God, his Father, is the God for everybody Hebrew and non Hebrew?

Bigotry runs in this man's family. Let's hear from somebody whose solutions apply to everyone.

After the disastrous reign of George Bush and the malfeasance of Wall Street, I suppose it's not a surprise that Mr. Graham now wants us all to move along from the disasters he and his co-religionists have in large part foisted on us. It bears remembering that the election in 2000 was all about what to do with the coming budget surpluses. Now, were down to wondering whether there'll be a depression or just a very severe recession, and whether the currency will become like the Mexican Peso in light of tremedous deficits as far as the eye can see.

And it is going to probably culminate in a tax-and-spend democratic congress and president. Whatever vestiges of libertarianism not snuffed out by the social conservatives will now be extinguished by the liberals.

Does anyone think we need a BOSTON TEA PARTY?

The Self righteous extremist christian ideology that projects society as the evil and their narrow belief alone as the fantasy moral high ground answer, is the devil in the deeds.

Christian's willful inability to co-exist in the Untied States of America unless all that lives is christian, is insane and only results in deeper divides as they continue to teach an extremist ideology to justify intolerance, discrimination with claims that their scripture allows as just, is a disgusting outrage.

Extremist Christian's secret war against everyday Americans have worked to destroy our democratic government and the freedoms it provides, divided neighbors, communities and States and now they wish us all to unite and find hope under their extremist ideology, get real.

America isn't the one needing change from God. Americans are -- because they are people, the ones for whom Christ died for their redemption. The persecuted church seems generally to get this, but the advantaged church often seeks its own agenda which it finds more appealing.

first America have to decide which values they stand for...
then they have to make choices to balance our ecosystem like:
-are there enough jobs for all our citizens?
-if not have we suspended the labor import programs?
-is everyone making a fair wage for the work they do?
-is our education system educating our children or making it easier for foreign labor to be imported...
-if we are at a 0 population increase level, why are we aborting babies?
-Are American globalized companies giving the USA preference as far as prices over goods and oil?
-workers are not global goods and should be considered slavery...
You all get what I am saying...todays politicans don't get it and that has to change...

America isn't the one needing change from God. Americans are -- because they are people, the ones for whom Christ died for their redemption. The persecuted church seems generally to get this, but the advantaged church often seeks its own agenda which it finds more appealing.

Solid message. Makes sense.

Now, for the usual secular, atheistic, pagan self-worshiping God-haters (aka--typical Wash. Post readers) see the posts below this one.....

(You libs are so sweet & cuddly!!)

The Bible also says to kill rape victims and stone disobedient sons. Any extended reading of the Bible reveals that, if god actually existed, he'd be a real pr*ck. Drowning entire populations like sewer rats and designing an everlasting wok in which to stir-fry those who fall short.

That said, the liberals have ruined the school system, and the conservatives have ruined the economy for the foreseeable future. Why I need a Bible written by ancient goat herders to see that escapes me.

"How long do we think we can selectively take life, marry within our sex and have random sex apart from marriage, take what doesn't belong to us, neglect our neighbor and the responsibility to care for His creation, and worship our money rather than the one who endowed us with the ability to make money without serious repercussions? "

I like the moral message. But does it HAVE to be mixed with Christian beliefs? Why can't you see that many non-Christians and even many atheists share your moral concerns, which are weakened by prosetyzing?

I thought that God had given us George W. Bush. Perhaps a more secular solution to our problems is in order.

Sounds like Mr.Graham shares much of his narrow "moral view" with Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The problem with involving god in national and international policy decisions is: Which one? Even in the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) there are differing opinions about what god supports. There are even factions in all three religions that ignore the most basic requirements of human existence: take care of the world and each other. If we continue to pollute the world, we all die. If we don't start to take care of each other, some of god's children will continue to live in misery while others live in comfort.

Good article Mr Graham. But, you lost me when you said that the Pastor's of this country to lead us forward. I think that group is rotten to the core as well. With a very few exceptions, I guess you are one of them. God bless.

mbus wrote " By my view, regardless of what's written anywhere by anybody in any book, a God that is willing to burn others is not worthy of being God."

That might be pleasing to our ears, but the fact is, we are not God. And another hard fact is, there are things that God can't change. He let Himself be crucified at the cross desiring that nobody will perish if they would only listen.

For what reason they don't want to listen, that I don't understand.

LOL GODS the answer. It's always the weak the resort to a make believe superior being. SAD

These discussions always return to the perennial argument: is God's sense of Justice greater than His sense of Compassion?

By my view, regardless of what's written anywhere by anybody in any book, a God that is willing to burn others is not worthy of being God.

A tempestuous, peevish, vindictive, hurt little child, yes. But a God of infinite Love and Compassion, no.

How strange that we see, and experience God so differently?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibit the free exercise thereof..."

That law was established upon the prodding of persecuted Baptists and their belief in "Freedom of Conscience" as their major principle.

Franklin Graham has made comments in the past that reveal his bigotry. That should disqualify him from inclusion in this or any other section. In fact, the way the section is edited further injects religion into the political sphere--exactly where it doesn't belong.

Sparrow wrote "the man who thumps his chest over his "christianity" agrees with those arabs who call America the great Satan?"

Not all of America but the ultra liberal blue states. And that's the main reason why God will allow the ultra liberal parts of America (abortionists and gay marriage parts) to burn. God won't protect these parts of America anymore.

Sad but it's true. The patience of God has been exhausted already.

The danger does not come from outside forces. It's from within. America is rotting from the inside.

"And I will kill her children with death;" . Does is sound like coming from an Islamic extremist? Nope. Those are the words of God and it's directed at the liberal Democratic parts of America.

"And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts:"

What Mr. Graham seems to be forgetting (as most of America does) is that the United States is NOT a "christian" nation and never has been, all appearances to the contrary; "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibit the free exercise thereof..."

So, regardless of my atheistic views, I cannot impose these beliefs upon Mr. Graham, nor may he impose his upon me. Sounds simple.

What this country needs is competent (there's that word again) leadership, an informed population, decent newspapers, a commitment to reason and for all of us to stay out of each others spiritual lives.

spidey2 wrote:"

Thopaine wrote "What does a Democrat have to do to get their endorsement?"

Renounce abortion, gay marriage, liberalism, and all leftist agenda. How? Just read the Bible and UNDERSTAND it.

Why? Because God will burn who adopts them. The democrats' future is bleak. Blue states are marked for destruction.

Most Arabs see America as the "Great Satan". Ask them why. More or less, it's all about what I've stated above."

Gee- I love starting my morning off with a good laugh. I doubt spidey even knows what "liberalism" is. When you don't have a heart, it's impossible to understand those who do. But isn't it interesting- the man who thumps his chest over his "christianity" agrees with those aabs who call America the great Satan? I bet if you ask, spidey will even say that 9/11 was our own fault.

I wouldn't want to earn the vote of republicans like spidey (thank goodness there are many who aren't) because that would mean I was like him. And there's a really horrible thought.

Thopaine wrote "What does a Democrat have to do to get their endorsement?"

Renounce abortion, gay marriage, liberalism, and all leftist agenda. How? Just read the Bible and UNDERSTAND it.

Why? Because God will burn who adopts them. The democrats' future is bleak. Blue states are marked for destruction.

Most Arabs see America as the "Great Satan". Ask them why. More or less, it's all about what I've stated above.

"Let's return to the God of our fathers"

Great Advice!

I hope that Mr. Graham recognizes that "the god of our fathers" include not merely the god of the evangelical Christians but also the Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists, Agnostics and atheists, too.

We're living in a religiously diverse nation and we should thank God for that ... even when the economy is collapsing and the empire is failing and Americans are going to lose everything because we squandered everything shopping for luxuries and feeding our own greedy bellies.

If God loves the Christians, God loves everyone. God isn't a patriot nor is He an American citizen. You'll find God everywhere and He loves everyone ... religion is a trivial matter from God's perspective, so let's love and accept everyone.

http://www.flickr.com/dmathew1

Obama leads the Christian life that religious people preach.
Why are the religious right going for the republican sinner whose personal life is an excrement.

What does a Democrat have to do to get their endorsement? Nothing...the right will ALWAYS go republican.

They like to think they are independent and vote the man, or the issue, etc.

BULL SH+T..They are and always will be republican.That is to say, they always will be phoney.

Spidey:

What makes you think that man evolves from apes. You have it all wrong.Apes are the higher species,and they evolved from us.

They are a wonderful, peaceful people. They have no religious hate.They are peaceful.They are gentle on the environment. They don't have a god, and so have constructed a UNIFIED society.They are superior to homo sapiens in numerous ways.

Maybe someday you too, spidey, can aspire to be an ape !

Let's have a full discussion of the lack of authenticity, fraud and inaccuracies in that word of god, the BIBLE.
If more people knew the phoniness of what they have been told is the word of god,we all would be a better country.

The bible is poppycock, and real scholars know this, but won't tell the sheep,else they break their very capacious rice bowls.

The religious right thinks we can all be healed if only those nasty" baby boomers" would disappear.

The facist right in America needs to move left, not the other way around.

Some preacher says we need to get evil out of our hearts and minds, and atheists come out of the woodwork to fault him. This reflects more on the mindset and agenda of the detractors than the theology of the preacher.

The history of it all---

1. Abraham founder/father of three major religions was either the embellishment of the lives of three different men or a
mythical character as was mythical Moses, the "Tablet-Man" who talked to burning bushes and made much magic in Egypt.

Many of the 1.5 million Conservative Jews and many of their rabbis have relegated Abraham to the myth pile along with most if not all the OT.

Current crisis:

Realization that the Jews are not god's not chosen people.
www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/ConservativeTorah.htm

2. Jesus was an illiterate Jewish peasant/carpenter/simple preacher man who suffered from hallucinations and who has been characterized anywhere from the Messiah from Nazareth to a mythical character from mythical Nazareth to a mamzer from Nazareth (Professor Bruce Chilton, in his book Rabbi Jesus). Analyses of Jesus’ life by many contemporary NT scholars (e.g. Professors Crossan, Borg and Fredriksen, On Faith panelists) via the NT and related documents have concluded that only about 30% of Jesus' sayings and ways noted in the NT were authentic. The rest being embellishments (e.g. miracles)/hallucinations made/had by the NT authors to impress various Christian, Jewish and Pagan sects.

The 30% of the NT that is "authentic Jesus" like everything in life was borrowed/plagiarized and/or improved from those who came before. In Jesus' case, it was the ways and sayings of the Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, OT, John the Baptizer and possibly the ways and sayings of traveling Greek Cynics. www. earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

For added "pizzazz", Catholic/Christian theologians divided god the singularity into three persons and invented atonement as an added guilt trip for the "pew people" to go along with this trinity of overseers. By doing so, they made god the padre into god the "filicider".

Current crises:

Pedophiliac priests, atonement theology and original sin!!!!

3. Luther, Calvin, Smith, Henry VIII, Wesley et al, founders of Christian-based religions, also suffered from the belief in/hallucinations of "pretty wingie thingie" visits and "prophecies" for profits analogous to the myths of Catholicism (resurrections, apparitions, ascensions and immaculate conceptions).

Current crises:

Adulterous preachers, "propheteering/ profiteering" evangelicals (e.g. Dr. Graham) and atonement theology. .

4. Mohammed was an illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering, hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/hallucinating/plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" and flying chariots to the koran but also a militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands of non-believers.

This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists, the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering, Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.

Current crises:

The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11 wives), hallucinating founder.

5. Hinduism (from an online Hindu site) - "Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. It is not founded by any individual. Hinduism is God centered and therefore one can call Hinduism as founded by God, because the answer to the question ‘Who is behind the eternal principles and who makes them work?’ will have to be ‘Cosmic power, Divine power, God’."

The caste/laborer system and cow worship/reverence are problems when saying a fair and rational God founded Hinduism.

Current crises:

The caste system and cow worship/reverence.

6. Buddhism- "Buddhism began in India about 500 years before the birth of Christ. The people living at that time had become disillusioned with certain beliefs of Hinduism including the caste system, which had grown extremely complex. The number of outcasts (those who did not belong to any particular caste) was continuing to grow."
"However, in Buddhism, like so many other religions, fanciful stories arose concerning events in the life of the founder, Siddhartha Gautama (fifth century B.C.):"

Archaeological discoveries have proved, beyond a doubt, his historical character, but apart from the legends we know very little about the circumstances of his life. e.g. Buddha by one legend was supposedly talking when he came out of his mother's womb.

Bottom line: There are many good ways of living but be aware of the hallucinations, embellishments, lies, and myths surrounding the founders and foundations of said rules of life.

Yes, Mr. Graham. I agree with you.

Eh, at this point, for right-wing preachers, it's about deniably justifying the scorched-earth tactics of the current GOP ticket. They aren't running to govern, they're running to try and make the country ungovernable. Whoever it hurts.

Franklin Graham is allowed to spew his discredited flummery in this "On Faith" forum? If I had only thought of it, he'd have been given a prominent place in my pantheon of shame:

http://missionmeeting.org/spandau/

This is the man who saw the ill-considered conquest of Iraq (to put it as nicely as I can) as an opportunity for advancing his theocratic vision of Christianity. He is nothing more than a modern-day Crusader and, given the chance, likely a modern-day inquisitor (Abu Ghraib style). Billy Graham must be contemplating his grave-spin now...

paganplace- logic is not spidey's forte. I doubt he can even understand what you're saying because it is very obvious he has no real thinking capacity. that's why no matter what you say, he ignores it while he clings to his "prophecy". I mean what can you say about a guy who is looking forward to the deaths of billions while he thinks he will survive and be blessed by some very strange version of Christ who bears no resemblance to any Christ I ever heard of?

All spidey ever does is quote scripture- it's all he knows. He claims to be an engineer- I hope i never have to cross a bridge he built or trust a dam he's designed. His main flaw- he really doesn't know who G-d is. He just appointed himself His mouthpiece.

Has it ever occurred to you, Spidey, that you're taught to get irrationally indignant about the possibility you're an ape because those are *precisely* the instincts those institutions want to manipulate in you?

Paganplace wrote "That clock was about to strike when *I* was a kid."

That's because scientists are NOT that accurate. But the prophecy is. According to my calculations (it may not be accurate as well), Doomsday is just a few years from now.

America was spared during the two world wars. The third won't escape America because too many Americans have become too liberal.

Ironically, those who don't believe in the prophecy are the ones fulfilling it. The ones who believe they won't burn, are building their homes with hays and matches.

" spidermean2
Paganplace, if you believe in evolution and "previous life", does it make sense that in your previous life, you were an ape?"

Could have been, but given all present are *apes right now* I see no particular reason to say more than that you're a frustrated would-be-alpha-male screeching and throwing poop?

"Haven't you heard of the Doomsday clock? Scientists are the ones setting the time, just in case you don't know."

I lived through when that 'clock' was about to run *out.* But it was and still *is* about probability, not prophecy.

In case you ever learn the difference.

I dunno about *your* God, but I don't care if the odds are a thousand to one against not dying over something stupid, ...we take that one chance, not crow sadistically about how doomed you think people happier than you are.

That clock was about to strike when *I* was a kid.

F me if I'll let the likes of you skunk our chances.

Anyway, the only thing that's 'Straight Talk' about Mccain is that he's superstitious about anyone being queer.

Anyway, now that everyone's hopefully reassured that those claiming a majority that is not-to-be-questioned-or-God-Will-Hurt-You.... isn't a
persecuted minority' being unfairly chastized when the policies they *have been insisting on for years* are in fact *blowing up in our faces* as we 'librul elites' without enough dimes to rub together have warned all along.....

Well.

Really.

We back to saying, 'Well, we insisted on this dishonest eedjit in office, so if 9/11 happened, or any number of common-people-screwing-inevitable results of what -were-told-by-televangelists-to-vote for *come home to roost....*

Obviously we aren't unjustly hurting gay people enough to make this demonstrably counterproductive ideaology magically turn out *peachy!*

That's it!

Paganplace, if you believe in evolution and "previous life", does it make sense that in your previous life, you were an ape?

Haven't you heard of the Doomsday clock? Scientists are the ones setting the time, just in case you don't know.

Even the election of Obama and other liberal democrats are part of the prophecy. Th eprophecy says that a big part of America will burn because of very liberal values depite its charity.

And, Spidey, your idea of 'science' would underwhelm a spud-digging monk of the Middle Ages.

Particularly as regards your idea what a fact is.

Mind you, I think I actually *was* one of the very same in a previous life. File under 'Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time.'

You ready to say what that link was about, and why you brought it up, since I 'gotcha' ?

That wot you called me a 'hater' over asking about, but still haven't answered the question.

Seriously. I just cleaned my system. What was this for?

sparrow wrote "I do not like being told if I don't accept their faith I will burn in hell, Or that my religion is wrong because I don't believe in Jesus."

Jesus said that "whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life".

What God says, IT HAPPENS. Whether we like it or not, THAT'S A FACT. Doomsday will happen and that's a fact. Even scientist rate it at 99.6 PERCENT ACCURATE.

You got me, I'm a sexist (I tell everyone I'm a feminist), but for the left.

Just your tone about Christianity and baggage we carry, I mean I, I mean all of us...

" FRIENDENEMY

"Paganplace:

"Peace, brother."

That'd be 'sister,' actually. You want peace, ...not attacking would be a start. I assure you, you have nothing I want.

"I was speaking for myself and as a representive of humanity, speaking for us all."

"Hate is not the way regardless of the persecution we suffer."

I wasn't *hating,* I was *asking* what that Youtube link you wanted me to pull your finger over was supposed to be apropos of.

Youtube tends to break my browser, and in terms of discussion here, you should say what it is and what you think it means, or you're just another bigot with a tract and a lotta contempt.

I don't *hate* you, I don't even know what you're trying to *say.*

Paganplace:

Peace, brother.

I was speaking for myself and as a representive of humanity, speaking for us all.

Hate is not the way regardless of the persecution we suffer.

sparrow4:

Let's not let anyone change that universal creed.

The calls of damnation remind of an athiests call of eternal ignorance.

We can do what Jesus did, keep our love for humanity, despite the bitter judgement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY1Bl4nfpdA&feature=PlayList&p=FD0EA618CF575F6C&index=1

You'll have to speak for yourself, Friendenemy. Or at least tell me what argument I should click a Youtube link in support of.

friendenemy- true but somehow I think christian doctirne has been changed to mean "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you so long as they accept the truth of what I say." Christians don't feel proselytizing is insulting or offensive because they think it's good. But ask them if they would like to be forced to accept another religion- they'll say no in a heartbeat.

I have no problem with a religious person explaining their faith to me. I'm always interested in learning. I do not like being told if I don't accept their faith I will burn in hell, or that their idea of life includes me bearing a child by rape or incest. Or that my religion is wrong because I don't believe in Jesus.

Paganplace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bby8FFN8C_Y&feature=related

Love.

"At their core, is the call to "do unto others as you would want done to you".

"A true creed we can call on in our discussions with them."

A weakness of this idea is when Christians too commonly think, 'Well, if I were different from me, I would want to be treated in whatever horrible manner it took to make me just like I am...'

Then it turns to an excuse for bad things.

Respect your *own* faith not to resort to trying to use government compulsion.

Other people actually exist.

Treat others as *they* want to be treated, and don't be so vain.

sparrow4 :

Yes, they good and bad, evil and good, deep and shallow, and damning and forgiving, like the rest of us.

At their core, is the call to "do unto others as you would want done to you".

A true creed we can call on in our discussions with them.

I'll add my amen to that, paganplace. everything else you said, onethought, was thoughtful but for that. I truly don't know where christians got the idea that they are being persecuted when those they have persecuted are simply pushing back and saying, enough.

"I do understand that the truth can sometimes be hard to swallow and that as a Christian you can expect persecution."

Well, when you get 'persecuted' beyond not having your way with holiday merchandising or other people's lives, give me a call. I know a thing or two about coping with the real thing.

I've never been a fan of televangelism however during the past few years I have been on a quest for knowledge, and I've, for the first time turned to the bible for study. I have to say that I can't argue with much of what he has to say. His history is accurate and his biblical knowledge is sound. I was going to comment - thanking him for his bravery in saying some things that I know many of us are thinking.

I was sidetracted however by the spiteful and angry comments left by others. I do understand that the truth can sometimes be hard to swallow and that as a Christian you can expect persecution. I am glad that those that are angry about certain things in the article, are at least reading and searching for answers or they would not be here. I encourage them to go to the original source and find there answers there. You do have to go with a willingness to hear the truth and the ability to let the holy spirit guide you in that quest.

Anyway...

In my opinion, this is not a time for allegance to a political party, Christians throwing stones at one another, or for sterotyping. People in this country are suffering. It is shortsighted to believe that our own individual choices, be they to react in anger or to sit back in laziness, have not contributed to bring this situation about.

I am not going to sit back in a country born with the ideas of religous freedom and persecute anyone for believing and worshipping as they choose, as a Christian I am called to love. I am also NOT ashamed of our Christian foundation and the belief systems of my forefathers.

some of Mr. graham's more "Christian remarks:
"“…we’ll make a great mistake if we hold back our technology and hold back our weapons and put young men and women in there and sacrifice them because we’re scared to use some of our major weapons. And I think we’re going to have to use every — and I hate to say it, hellish weapon in our inventory, if need be, to defeat these people.” (CNN, September 14, 2001)"

Yes folks- Mr. Graham thinks we should use nuclear weapons- no matter the vast amount of collateral damage these weapons inflict. I'm Jewish and I DON"T THINK a real Christian, let alone a human being says this stuff.
-------------------
""There's been satanic worship. There's been sexual perversion. God is going to use that storm to bring revival. God has a plan. God has a purpose."
This after hurricane Katrina- yes the very illustration of a Loving G-d. as defined by Franklin Graham.

"How long do we think we can selectively take life, marry within our sex and have random sex apart from marriage, take what doesn't belong to us, neglect our neighbor and the responsibility to care for His creation, and worship our money rather than the one who endowed us with the ability to make money without serious repercussions?"

How long, Reverend, do you think America can get away with continuing to elect greedy, irresponsible, and incompetent deregulators in the name of 'God,' heedless of all practicality and the effects of the actions of these 'Godly' pols, blame gay people for the results of these very actions, and still expect everything to magically turn out OK?

Oh, yeah, and blame the 'gay lifestyle' That'll really change what the GOP has been telling you is 'holy' to do.

No one's buying that anymore. Not anyone who reads, anyway.

If God is all-knowing, merciful, and loving, then God has the abilitiy to make the whole earth a peaceful, healthy place, where all live in good health and prosperity. If God is all-knowing, God would have no reason to "test" us, he already knows the outcome, and can alter the results to suit God's wishes. It seems more logical that, either God has no such power, or God gets some sort of fun out of playing "board games" with the earth and the creatures of God's creation.
If God is really in control, God permitted the founders of this country to own other humans in the bondage of slavery and making females second-class citizens until the 1900's. Preachers on TV tell us to send money for them to spend and we will be assured of something or another by God. If God is in control, God should take notice of the suffering and early death of millions of the earth's inhabitants, and the destruction of the earth's resources by God's creatures. I think that it time for all to reconsider the powers, duties and obligations, if any, of God and to ask that God consider changing the playbook to more reflect the love for the millions of innocents who are always crushed and destroyed by the rules of the game, which they cannot control.

"Evangelical christians make up an important and unique segment in America. They have helped the poor, sick, and unfortunate throughout our history as a country."

Yes they are- but no more so than any other denomination. The evangelicals are not the only ones who have helped the sick, the poor and the dispossessed. But for all their vaunted help, the evangelicals do their good work with the intent of converting people to their particular form of Christianity- in other words, it is not freely given with no expectation of a return.

as to the :christian" origins of our form of government, the biggest contribution christianity played was to create a reaction to the tyrannies the catholic and protestant churches exercised in the Old World, and which provided the impetus for thousands to come here to escape persecution. Or did you think the Pilgrims came here on a pleasant junket?

sad to say, those who came here to escape persecution brought their own with them- American history is filled with the stories of the genocide of native populations, and the killing of old women who did nothing more than own a black cat. Christianity is hardly an example of the milk of human kindness made into law. In fact, more inspiration for democracy came from an admiration of the governing organization of the Iroquois nation. And the separation of Church and state- well, that was a reaction to religious persecution, which at that time was mostly Christian on christian (documented by thousands of historical writings.)

Why do people have to explain everything that occurs in the universe in context of Quran & Bible?

Why do Church and Masjid decry scientific community as demented?

Why is it necessary for religious leadership to criticize people outside of its flock, to keep itself relevant?

I am a lay man in religious context, but even I know that the single most relevant preaching of Jesus Christ was "Forgiveness".

If Christianity began with Jesus Christ, is it not true to state that members and leaders of church cease to be Christians when they practice criticism and cannot rise above themselves to forgive others for their faults?

What did Jesus Christ tell us when he draped the woman himself and said something about the stone throwing?

You know people like Franklin Graham, have never touched mud in their life, and feel it is their damned business to preach Christianity the way they see it fit.

Franklin Graham, Please spare us your hypocrisy. Wall Street and Washington DC are very much relevant. Without Wall Street and Washington DC, there would not be much of America left for you to preach your false Christianity, given the amount of threat posed by Islamic fundamentalists.

Was George W. Bush being real christian when he deliberately changed the laws to constrict common people?

Is Christopher Cox being real christian when he changes laws to favor Wall Streets downfall?

Is John McCain being real christian when he preaches his version of economic plans that would favor so called christians over athiests, muslims, jews etc?

Think about it?

USA is secular and that what you should focus on Franklin Graham.

ravitchn :

He has a right to preach to us because he is a human American living on Earth. We should listen to his word and if we are critical of them, we should refute them with evidence.

Evangelical christians make up an important and unique segment in America. They have helped the poor, sick, and unfortunate thorughout our history as a country. We have all done wrong and I cannot cast stones at them without the knowledge that they can caste stones at secular citizens like you and I.

ThomasBaum:

A very thoughtful and visionary post.

FRANKLIN GRAHAM

You wrote, " I'd like to propose that the change we need is a change of the human heart--a moral and spiritual change--and we need some straight talk from the greatest manual on life ever written--God's Word, the Holy Bible."

According to the bible, the bible is not the "Word of God", it is about the "Word of God" considering that the bible says that "The Word became Flesh", well, Jesus became Flesh, the bible did not become Flesh, did it?

Then you wrote, " That sin separates us from a perfect God who loved us enough to send His Son to die for us and to save us from our sin."

I was wondering, do you believe what you wrote in the above sentence?

He either loved US and died for US and saved US or He didn't, if the US is not ALL OF US, then what kind of Plan do you think that God came up with?

Then you wrote, "Thomas Jefferson once said, "Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever."".

There is Divine Justice and there is Divine Mercy and they go hand in hand, we will all receive both.

Then you wrote, "With confidence and trust in our politicians and financial institutions at an all-time low and citizens crying out for leadership, this would be a good time for America's pastors to step forward and call a nation back to the very God who gave us life.".

Maybe it is time to "PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS".

Then you wrote, " Let's return to the God of our fathers and put our real hope in the One who made us in His image and blessed our nation far beyond anything we deserve. Let's humble ourselves and seek His forgiveness, rather than the approval of men. Let's look to God, rather than Wall Street or Pennsylvania Avenue, to heal our land."

Maybe we should set our eyes and hearts and minds on the Will of God as in "It is God's Will that ALL BE SAVED", rather than the temporal and twisted message of so many that try to suck the very life out of God's Love Letter to us.

There are many that know nothing of the bible and yet have a very Christian heart in the true sense of the word and also there seem to be many that know the bible cover to cover and word for word and yet know absolutely nothing about GOD.

ALL OF HUMANITY is made in the Image and Likeness of God not just Americans, don't you think that it is more Christian, so to speak, to pray for ALL rather than some?

God's Plan is for ALL OF HUMANITY to be with Him in His Kingdom which is the new heavens and the new earth which will come on the seventh day and since it is God's Will that ALL BE SAVED then maybe we should pray for God's Will rather than our short-sighted, to put it mildly, will.

God is a searcher of hearts and minds, not of religious affiliations or lack thereof and it is important what one does and why one does it and what one knows.

God is a BEING OF PURE LOVE and He looks at the person not the label.

Take care, be ready.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

How can an evangelical have the nerve to preach to us? To be an evangelical you need to close your mind to science, historical studies, and common sense in order to believe the garbage that Christian evangelicals believe and teach. We have already had one Graham too many!

America has fear - thanks to your Rovian demagogues like Dobson.

America needs straight talk - sounds like you mean McCain since that's his slogan

American doesn't need change - sounds like you mean Obama since that's his slogan.

You need to go write in the Opinions pages instead of hiding behind the cross to perpetuate your political views.

lafleurkim:

I think that this country was founded on the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment, English Common Law, and Christainity.

I don't think it is political correctness to recognize that we aren't those brave settlers of a new land, a new country, but a post-Industrial, diverse nation-state with many ethnicities and religions.

A leader calling for us to understand and follow our forefathers advise is good, but it must have a vision that includes the 200 years of history that have occurred since, where change is happening at a blistering rate.

We should think deeply about what the founders of our country said and form a more perfect union:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

understand and lets make it very clear That this nation was founded on Christian beliefs. Do some research! Read thousands of historical documents. Those men and women were not concerned in being politicaly correct.They were NOT ashamed of who they were and they were not perfect, but they believed in Freedom and Liberty. Its never been a secret that God Blessed America and that America
Loved Her GOD. How sad that the very thing that this nations founders left their countries for, has now set camp here to destroy what is good.

kert1:"I am greatful that we still have men like Mr. Graham who are willing to lead us with Biblical wisdom. "

Yes he writes a nice article. Too bad it was one of his associated organizations that brought people to NYC after 9/11 who had the gall to tell us that those who died not believing in Jesus were burning in hell. And yes- I was one of the New Yorkers that comment was made to, a few weeks after and on the WTC site.

The Grahams have a lovely little history of antisemitism (recorded by the way in conversations with Nixon, I think it was)so make no mistake. Mr. Graham talks a good show but he's all about opportunism, and he and his followers feed like vultures on other people pain in times of disaster. This is not a man I look to for leadership or morals.

VSYLVESTRE:
Why spew this invective toward Mr. Graham? Are you so bitter that when someone offers a viable solution you feel necessary to belittle him just to make yourself look better? Did you know that Franklin Graham's organization, Samaritan's Purse, actually ministers primary to poor and sick children in other countries? You seem to speak on their behalf, yet I bet that you have never even met one of these people and have never so much as volunteered at places like shelters and relief organizations, while Mr. Graham has gone to extraordinary lengths to walk and talk among these same people and show that someone does care by their deeds more than their words. In closing, I'd like to paraphrase the words of my Savior: "Take care of the plank in your eye first before you try to remove the speck out of your brother's eye."

vsylvestre wrote " Have you been condemning our government torturing innocents? Have you been standing against an unprovoked war? "

So let's bring back Saddam on power and keep mum while he plans to wreck havoc around his neighbors. Also, why not also start asking questions why those tortures happen in the first place?

Mr Graham, too little too late. Where has your critisism of our government or our nation been these last 8 years? Have you been condemning our government torturing innocents? Have you been standing against an unprovoked war?
How sickening that when you list our 'sins' you lead with Republican issues like abortion and gay marriage! You may wear the sheeps clothing, but not so well that any normal American can't see the wolf underneath. Your kind loves power and money, and you pick political sides to further your ends.
Thanks but no thanks! Why don't you GET A REAL JOB rather than step into your daddy's shoes? Maybe helping the poor and the sick is beneath you. Maybe you're too good to get your hands dirty. Maybe it's easier to use your daddy's name to make a nice career for yourself, all the time selling salvation for money.
Better luck next time.

F. Graham wrote "So here's the kind of change I'm proposing this election season: Let's return to the God.."

With Obama seeming to win the presidency, TROUBLE for America, more problematic than Bush, would be the change we'll gonna have.

With the liberal Democrats in power (executive and legislative), Doomsday can be seen from my house.

These people have a different god. Not the God of our fathers. For a while, America will self destruct.

The troubles we have now are not exactly the making of George Bush. Democrats run Wall Street and the oil crisis was their creation by passing "green" laws.

America is not just a country of the Bible, but a country with many faiths and people of no faith.

While your words are inspirational, we need a vision that is non-sectarian.

While we should listen to the wisdom of the holy books of the world, we must remember that we are country of many religions and of no religion and of many ethnicities.

Love.

Wow, that is an amazing blog. This may be the first really biblically based solution I've seen on this site. I am greatful that we still have men like Mr. Graham who are willing to lead us with Biblical wisdom.

Hopefully America will take his advice.