Posted on 05/19/2014 3:58:40 PM PDT by xzins
Franklin Graham: ‘At Every Turn, the Gay and Lesbian Agenda is Being Pushed by This Administration’ Rev. Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. (AP)
(CNSNews.com) – Rev. Franklin Graham, son of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, said that “true followers” of Jesus “cannot endorse same-sex marriage” regardless of what President Barack Obama, the Congress, the Supreme Court, or the media say about the issue, adding that marriage was “settled by God Himself” and cannot be modified by man.
“True followers of Jesus Christ, whose salvation is based entirely upon God’s Word, cannot endorse same-sex marriage, regardless of what our President, the Congress, the Supreme Court, the media or the latest Gallup poll says about the matter,” said Rev. Graham in his May 2014 column for Decision magazine.
“This moral issue has been settled by God Himself and is not subject to man-made revisions or modifications,” he said. “In the end, I would rather be on the wrong side of public opinion than on the wrong side of Almighty God who established the standard of living for the world He created. Marriage is a biblically moral issue, not a political or theological one.”
Rev. Graham made those remarks after first discussing how “pressure from the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community” on the A&E cable channel had tried to force Duck Dynasty off the air last year because its patriarch, Phil Robertson, had expressed his “biblically based convictions.”
Graham also noted how the restaurant and country store chain Cracker Barrel had initially given in to LGBT pressure and pulled all its Duck Dynasty products from its shelves, only to reverse itself after an uproar by millions of Americans who support the show.
“In both cases, the LGBT lost,” said Rev. Graham. “While many in the liberal and progressive media have deceived the public into thinking that this group makes up a large portion of our nation’s population, surveys support the fact that this small but boisterous movement consists of less than 2 percent of society.”
Rev. Graham went on to discuss how the international Christian aid group, World Vision, had also apparently given in to pressure in March, announcing that it would hire people in same-sex marriages. That decision also caused an uproar from donors and other evangelical groups, and World Vision subsequently reversed its decision within two days.
At the time, Rev. Graham, who is head of the international Christian aid group Samaritan’s Purse, said, “In our country today, there is tremendous pressure on Christians, churches, and Christian organizations to lower our moral standards. God is clear in His Word, and His standards never change. I’m thankful that Christians across the country urged World Vision to reverse their decision, and prayed fervently that they would do so. Three cheers.”
Rev. Graham: ‘True Followers of Jesus … Cannot Endorse Same-Sex Marriage’ Regardless What the President, Media, Supreme Court Say
After commenting on Duck Dynasty and the World Vision scandal, Rev. Graham said he was grateful about how things concluded but hoped the fundamental issue would “cause a depth of soul-searching” because, as he understands it, there is no compromise on marriage.
“This debate is ultimately about something much more important than the question of same-sex marriage,” said Rev. Graham. “It is about the great compromise, calling into question the authority of Scripture. If Christians do not agree concerning the authority of Scripture, we will eventually disagree about all sorts of things.”
He continued, “The church is on dangerous ground when it departs from the teaching of Christ and attempts to redefine His commands and compromise His truth. There are many things in Scripture that Christians disagree on, but the Bible is crystal clear about the sanctity of life and marriage. It is also clear that homosexuality is spelled out as sin—there are no ifs, ands or buts.”
Rev. Graham ended his commentary by telling those in “the LGBT community” that God “loves you and will forgive you,” and that God “is eager to forgive all sinners,” including Graham himself.
Franklin Graham, 61, is married, has five children, and lives in Boone, N.C. He is the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Samaritan’s Purse.
I disagree, again. Gay marriage is wrong. A biblical Christian would cite these words of Jesus:
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ?
Exactly right. A while back, someone posted a link to an article in which a homosexual described, in detail, the filthy things they do, and then laughed about it and said, “So what? We LOVE it.”
When people glory in their filth and perversion, it’s very hard, if not impossible, to replace that comfortable little veil of normalcy they’ve covered themselves with.
I can’t remember who posted it, but I wish I had bookmarked it for future use.
You are dealing in philosophy and word smithing. Jesus said to follow Him. That settles it. There is nothing at all wrong with Jesus' own words.
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Yes but for every one of us that does oppose it, there are about three apostates that endorse it. Anybody who voted Obama isn’t a Christian by any stretch of the word.
Very few other websites even ALLOW you to post articles for discussion.
This is one of the ONLY that would permit you to post such an article as this for discussion.
I sincerely believe that Free Republic is worthy of our support. A dollar, a five, a ten, a hundred, a thousand....whatever....It ENCOURAGES Christian participation.
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But my point goes deeper than marriage. A relationship based on sin is an abomination to the Lord...and a Godly sacrament or rite or other blessing to somehow approve such a relationship isn't even within the realm of consideration...whether such is marriage, friendship, or civil partnership.
I think you and I differ only in semantics.
Aren't you filled with the Holy Spirit?
John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
You are both right...rooster describes what happens to the individual in the process of following him and Rooster, we do “follow him”.
Again I ask, are you filled with the Holy Spirit?
If not, He calls on you tonight to invite Him into your heart and soul and body.
I do not intend any insult.
But your hardness of heart (your argumentativeness) begs the question.
If you have given your heart of Jesus, you would be trying to share Him with me, not engaging in a Biblical wee-wee contest (sorry about that poor reference, but I know you'll forgive me).
But instead, you are arguing over fine details of the Bible when eternity hangs in the balance.
He came as Messiah, the timing of when he declared himself so has no bearing on the quotes he gave about following him. We are his sheep, he is our Shepherd, we know his voice, we follow him, we are a part of his sheep fold. Who was the shepherd David spoke of, in his 23rd Pslam? None other than Christ himself!
“Rev. Franklin Graham, son of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, said that “true followers” of Jesus “cannot endorse same-sex marriage” regardless of what President Barack Obama, the Congress, the Supreme Court, or the media say about the issue, adding that marriage was “settled by God Himself” and cannot be modified by man.”
I know it seems flippant, but the only reply I can think of is, “Well, duh.”
Sky is blue, water is wet, fire is hot...how can we be debating this?
Evil should never be allowed to masquerade as a “responsible opposing viewpoint” to good, in any of its manifestations.
We die so that He may live within us. Is that follow?
No, there is no us left to follow Him. We die and are transformed into His likeness.
That leaves nothing of us left to follow Him.
Please, we don't need to argue or disagree.
I have answered you with the word of God.
The Holy Spirit has recalled to me the words of Jesus, as was promised.
Jesus said to follow Him. He did not say, “You won’t really follow me.”
Jesus said marriage is between a man and a woman. He didn’t say, “Homosexual marriage isn’t what’s wrong.”
Sophistry is not the Word of God.
Please forgive me if I have offended you.
Give me a list of 10 other major Christian leaders who have spoken this explicitly on the subject.
“32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
Quite a difference between the KJV and the Douay.
1:32. Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death: and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them.
You have not offended me; this is all part of a day’s work with a pastor/chaplain. However, Forgiveness for misusing the word of God comes from God. Talk to Him about that part.
“Give me a list of 10 other major Christian leaders who have spoken this explicitly on the subject.”
Did you read the rest of the note, or were you just so eager to attack that you couldn’t wait?
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