As John Becker wrote earlier today, onetime anti-Semite Billy Graham has come out in support of Amendment 1, the constitutional marriage discrimination amendment being put before North Carolina voters next Tuesday. In 14 North Carolina newspapers this weekend, Graham will talk to North Carolina voters in this ad:
I’m a little confused here, because I thought we lived in America. Yet, Graham is now trying to jam his own church’s rules and doctrine down my throat. The last time I checked, I never signed up for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. (BGEA). I don’t even like his church, yet he thinks I should be forced against my will to live by its rules.
Do we now make our civil laws based upon Christian Sharia? Do we all have to follow his version of the Bible or be punished by government? And if this is the case, are we really a free country? Are we really much different than Iran, or is it only by a matter of degrees or a matter of time until these so-called “Christian Supremacists” get their paws on all of our laws?
“The Bible is clear,” Graham says in his ad? Just like it was, I suppose, when he spouted Anti-Semitic trash to Richard Nixon at the expense of America?
Aside from Graham being dead wrong about the Bible being clear, who gives a shit if it is?
If I wanted to join his church, I’d have a membership card. I never signed up, never walked in the doors, never sat in a pew, never prayed at one of his revivals, never wasted a dime supporting this fraud — yet I still can’t escape his ubiquitous grasp. Shouldn’t it be enough for Graham and others of his ilk to dictate the rules of their own followers without controlling those who reject their worldview?
I guess not.
It is time for the American majority to rebel. It is time that we stop humoring these totalitarian preachers and pretending we respect them. It is time we tell them that we are not under their control or purview.
This spirit of rebellion should begin with mainstream Christians who should be absolutely livid and incensed. The fundies don’t consider you Christians at all. They laugh in your faces and pass unconstitutional laws in the name of your religion that essentially outlaws your own religious faith and freedom. I applaud those of you who have stood up — but you are too few in number. It is time to expand your ranks.
I’m not sure who Billy Graham thinks he is. But it seems like he believes he is superior and his followers have a mandate to hijack civil law and decide for the rest of us how we live.
Apparently, America is now Graham’s church and we are all card-carrying members — whether we signed up or not.
I’m afraid states like NC will be a lost cause for us for the foreseeable future. They’re still smarting over the 1964 Civil Rights Act and their hatred of Obama is palpable.
Exactly my thoughts on this, even if I’m sitting quite safely in Sweden, we are, of course affected by what’s happening “over there”. In a way, I think it is good that they speak without impediment (I refer to Reverend Harris), so we know what is in their hearts. “What the heart is full of, so speaks your mouth”, or whatever the saying goes. Check my site for more writings. Thank again for being so passionate in this cause.
This is likely to be the most important election of our likes. It is incumbent upon all of us to make sure that Barack Obam gets a second term. Romeny will sell us down the river so fast that it will set a new speed record. Yes we need to hold the Democrats accountable for their promises. But the ousting of Richard Grinell by conservative Republicans is a canary in the coal mine. Does anybody really believe that Mitt Romney will stand up to the base in their desire to go after LGBT rights?
Testify, brother!
“It is time for the American majority to rebel. It is time that we stop humoring these totalitarian preachers and pretending we respect them.”
Amen to that! This is a democratic society, not a theocracy, and citizens needs to make sure that it stays that way.
“It is time for the American majority to rebel. It is time that we stop humoring these totalitarian preachers and pretending we respect them.”
I, too, agree. Haven’t we learned from Neville Chamberlain that a policy of appeasement is ultimately at our own peril?
Nice of him to demand we be forced by law to obey his Bible. Since when is this a theocracy?
I agree with you entirely, Wayne…except you seem to imply that “mainstream Christians” aren’t livid and incensed. We are. And messages of support for glbt people and against anti-gay religious bigotry are preached forcefully from mainstream pulpits every Sunday. Unfortunately, “mainstream” glbt activists ignore us because of anti-religious bias. I’ve seen nothing but outrage in my Facebook newsfeed over yesterdays ridiculous retrenchment by the United Methodist governing body – from UMC pastors and laity. From Episcopal priests and laity. From UCC (my denomination) pastors and laity. But you’re right…the Billy Grahams of the world don’t think we’re Christian…and the gay community doesn’t think we matter and ignore us. As a result, you witness the illusion of us not being incensed by the Billy Grahams of the world and their bigotry. But we are. And we are doing something about it. How else do you think so many of the mainstream Christian denominations are increasingly moving in the right direction on glbt issues? It’s not because the bigots are finding a heart. It’s because the rest of us are livid and incensed and are doing something about it.
Jonathan Edwards, this is the first I’ve heard about this. Is anyone trying to publicize the mainstream Christian anger beyond putting it on Facebook? I mean, it’s great that they’re on the right side of this but if no one knows what difference does it make?
“Unfortunately, ‘mainstream’ glbt activists ignore us because of anti-religious bias.”
Really? Because all of the mainstream LGBT groups, HRC, GLAAD, the Task Force have have faith programs. They partner with faith groups every day. Even groups that are not religious, like Truth Wins Out, speak at churches and partner with people of faith regularly.
Sorry, the facts do not support your assumption. Maybe 25 years ago. But not anymore.
Furthermore, if there is any bias against religion (hint: defense against it isn’t bias, no matter how you try to spin it), where do you think it came from (hint: major religious groups have made their support for anti-gay legislation painfully obvious, where outrage over said support may have increased slightly over the years, but is still drowned out by the blaring anti-gay rhetoric of the more public voices)
I really do suspect it is his miserable children who are speaking through him. I think he is a feeble and credulous old man who may have dementia. I sincerely doubt he is the instigator or initiator of this whole thing.
Then again, I could be wrong.
Wayne…the mainstream glbt orgs that have “faith based” wings use us as political tools. They tell us what to say. Give us our talking points. And completely ignore our input in any substantive way. This is why they keep countering religious arguments with secular arguments. Over and over and over again. They trot out us “collars” to mimic back their talking points. They are learning…after we lost Prop 8 because of this problem, people sat up and took notice, but it’s still the norm. Which shows up in your implication.
Daniel – the reason you haven’t heard of this is because it is surpressed in the “mainstream” glbt media/blogosphere. It is an uncomfortable truth for us that religions don’t universally condemn us. Anything that suggests otherwise is glbt movement heresy.
Aulton: I understand very well where the bias comes from. I was away from Christianity for about 15 years because of it and would have told you, then, that Christianity was abomination. Until I stopped buying the lies that “Christianity” was what Pat Robertson sells. He doesn’t. Once I corrected that error in my thinking, it looked very different.
Jonathon said “It is an uncomfortable truth for us that religions don’t universally condemn us. Anything that suggests otherwise is glbt movement heresy.”.
Nonsense. 70% of american LGBTs are christian and most of the rest (such as myself) are happy to acknowledge that many christians are pro-LGBT. Those who try to characterize all christians as anti-gay are a very small minority.
Priya: not sure how you think what I said is nonsense, then. My statement itself agrees with you. “it is an uncomfortable truth that religions DON’T universally condemn us.” Reading is fundamental in a text based universe.
Jonathan, that we don’t hear these things has nothing to do with the “mainstream” GLBT media. These places are the only time we hear about these alleged supportive christians most of the time. How many times have any of you publicly called out the people claiming to speak for you? How many times have you gone on mainstream news networks to say that those christians don’t speak for you? Blogs like this seem like the only places you’ll say that. So blame the so-called mainstream media for not showing the real variety in christianity. Blame yourselves for not speaking up except in places like this where people don’t actually need to hear it. But don’t blame us.
Jonathon, its nonsense in that its NOT an uncomfortable truth that religions don’t universally condemn gays – virtually no gays are uncomfortable with the idea that religion does not universally condemn them. It is a lie that “anything that suggests otherwise is glbt movement heresy”. You’re the one that needs to work on your reading comprehension.
If Christianity is suffering from an image problem, I think the solution needs to come from within the Christian community. While most of us acknowledge that many (most?) Christians are supportive of LGBT equality, the fact remains that
virtually100% of the organized persecution of LGBT people is driven and/or justified by Christian beliefs. And because the persecuting wing of Christianity is loud, aggressive, motivated, and well funded, they are increasingly becoming the public face of Christianity in America.Richard, i’ve just written something very extensive on that subject. I may post it later, if I hear or don’t) from the person to hwom it is addressed. but here’s a portion of it.
You write as if Phelps and his ilk are merely a few people on the fringe. They are not an aberration. There is a lot of ilk there. They are a large, loud, organized, and well-funded plurality that is allowed to flourish rather than be flushed in large part, I believe, due to the silence (at worst), obtuseness (at middle), and moral wishy-washiness (at best) of well-intentioned religious moderates like yourself. Religious moderates enable the anti-gay religious bigots first by either failing to see them for who they are, or preferring to excuse them rather than offend them.
The second failure lies here: failure to reconcile and resolve what their religion says, what their own issues on this durable prejudice might be, and what basic humanity, common sense, compassion and morality say. You see, frankly, I don’t think you even believe your own religion on this subject, because one of those Levitical passages clearly prescribes the death penalty for what you are calling homosexuality. You have rejected that little tidbit, clearly elevating your basic decency over the religious beliefs you claim, and by extension, the God you serve. I mean no blasphemy here, but if this is indeed the case, you’re demonstrating that you are far more a moral being than He is.
I don’t care at all about protecting a religion. It’s just an institutionalized belief system, and without people, it’s nothing. I think people who feel a need to ‘protect’ Christianity against people who are against it need to realize that people who are against it aren’t attacking Christians themselves. Gay-bashing Christians, on the other hand, are in an ideology-vs.-people conflict and taking the side of ideology. That’s what you culture warriors are doing, you’re valuing ideology over people. LGBT isn’t just a label, the fight for LGBT rights is about human beings. My disbelief in Jesus isn’t gonna hurt anybody.
[Western Christians: Nobody's. Persecuting. You. Period. End. Of. Story!]
A Christian’s disbelief in my right not to be fired for being a lesbian, however, actually affects me. I don’t care about what mythology you choose to live by, I care about people, including children. If you hate gay people, you hate gay children too. There’s no excuse for that. Human beings are more important than Belief.
Jonathan, I don’t just read GLBT mainstream blogs and newspapers–I read all kinds of stuff, mainstream and non-mainstream. And I see a lot of stuff on these sites when Christians express support. I really don’t think there’s any suppression going on. Even on this website when religious people express support for gay people it’s pretty much celebrated (even if some atheists will come on and say that all religion is b.s.). If you put yourself out there someone will report it.
Dearest Mr Becker,
It is my opinion that The Rev. Billy Graham deserves your respect as it is his right to speak freely and express his views just as you do. I am outraged that you would disrespect such a honorable man of God. Your comments are unjustified. I feel it is in my best interest not to read your articles anymore. May God bless you.
The fraud Billy Graham will recieve respect when he starts showing it Kimberly. Why should he get special treatment?
There is nothing honorable about being a man of god. He deserves no respect, as he furthers the agenda of his depraved cult.
In fact, I gave him more respect than he deserved by even acknowledgeing that he was a man, instead of the overgrown child he is, clinging desperately to his delusion that he deserves total control over everyone else’s lives.
Kimberly, Billy Graham certainly has the “right to speak freely and express his views.” And everyone else has the same right. But Graham is not entitled to respect and/or immunity from criticism simply because he is a “man of God.” That’s not to say that a “man of God” could not possibly be honorable and respectable, but honestly, when I hear of someone with that label attached, the first thing I think is that he is a man of superstition.
Yeah, and many child molesting catholic priests are men of god, specially called by god himself to the priesthood, so that they could then be child molesting priests?
I respect Billy Graham as a fellow human, but not as an “honorable man of God.” If there is a god, we are all god’s children, not just Billy Graham. He has no more privy to the truth than any one of us does, just because he calls himself a minister and says that his god called him to preach. He can claim to preach his god’s word, but just because he says it is god’s word doesn’t mean it is. His assertions have to stand up in the market of ideas. They are not off limit to criticism and rejection. I used to see cars with the bumper sticker that read: “God said it, I believe it and that settles it.” When I saw such cars on parking lots, I wrote out a little note which I put under the windshield wiper which read: “Your sign should read: ‘I believe God said it, and that settles it.”
I would also add that Billy Graham is not an expert on LGBT people and our lives. We are the experts, since it is our lives about which he preaches. This rich “man of god” certainly has the right to speak from behind the walls of his gated and guarded estate, but he is railing on about something which he does not understand. His ignorance is showing.
Kimberly said “It is my opinion that The Rev. Billy Graham deserves your respect as it is his right to speak freely and express his views just as you do.”.
He has that right but that doesn’t entitle him to any respect. His bigoted actions show he deserves no more respect than any garden variety racist gets these days.
I used to love and admire Billy Graham as the nation’s ceremonial pastor, especially since I was a Christian then. This is a profoundly sad occurrence. It has always jolted me when I see so-called “men of God” never actually become true men of God, especially in their older years when any truly moral person would have reflected upon his life and decided to make certain things right while there was still time.
The truth is simple…
You cannot attack LGBT people and be a true Christian. It is not possible. Those who do so do not believe in Jesus, despite their public pronouncements. If they actually did, they would embrace his words. It is sad that I need to remind them that he said, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” and “That which you do to these the least my children, you do to me,” and “Love is the fulfillment of the law.”
You cannot marginalize gay persons by railing against their desire to simply receive a right that heterosexual people take for granted (and often dispose of all to casually): the right to marry the person you fell in love with and have that relationship affirmed in the eyes of the law, with all of its benefits, obligations and responsibilities that comes with what the United Supreme Court has repeatedly declared a “fundamental right.
Marriage is not a “union between a man and a woman.” What is it REALLY? Not just some right-winger’s discriminatory interpretation, but what is it really? How does marriage manifest itself in society?
It manifests itself as unions between two adult persons, gay or heterosexual, people who build households and share all of life’s many joys and sorrows together.
You can work to deny gay people and their partners the right to legal recognition, but they are still married, even if society refuses to call it marriage. If you simply examine marriages based upon the psychological dynamics that exist between a couple, you would not be able to tell the difference between the same-sex couple and the heterosexual couple.
These ministers have awesome responsibilities. Multitudinous millions of people believe that they speak for God. Instead of using that sacred mantle to do what Jesus commanded them to do, they build lives and “ministries” that bear no resemblance to the earthly ministry of the one they so loudly and piously claim to adore. They exploit it for political power, money and prestige.
They default upon their responsibility in spectacular fashion. It is a profound abdication of the calling they claim to have received.
Well said, Christopher. Well said.