Franklin Graham draws flak after promoting vaccine and saying he thinks Jesus would too Peter Kenny Friday, March 26 2021 Like Us Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it. The latest tweets from @FranklinGraham.
Apologist Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis and the Ark Encounter defended Evangelist Franklin Graham after the Seattle police chief rescinded his dinner invitation, due to what the officer believed were the reverend’s alleged views of the LGBTQ community.
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In his Facebook post, reacting to The Seattle Times article, Mr. Ham denounced the statement of the head of Seattle Police Department (SPD) against Mr. Graham's moral stance.
'What this police chief is really saying is that if a sincere Christian like Franklin Graham believes God's Word concerning gender and marriage, that this is hate speech,' the apologist began.
In the article, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) invited the enforcement officers of SPD for a dinner at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue as an act of appreciation for their service. The invitation was emailed to the employees on Wednesday.
But on Friday, police Chief Adrian Diaz revoked the invitation on the premise that it was hosted by the BGEA, which is headed by Mr. Graham. The police chief opposed the evangelist's Biblical belief on marriage.
In an email to SPD employees, Diaz claimed that the department 'supports the equity and just treatment of all people.'
'The SPD did not sponsor this event and is not connected in any way to its hosts. This email is meant to rescind the invitation sent through department email because the event's hosts do not share the inclusive values of the SPD,' he further stated in the email.
Mr. Ham pointed out that believing the Bible's definition of marriage is not hate speech.
'In other words, Christians are not free to believe the Bible, and they have to reject what God clearly teaches. But believing God's Word concerning marriage and calling adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, gay 'marriage,' and transgender sin is not being hateful!' he said.
The apologist further stated that though the Biblical worldview contradicts the LGBTQ's, it does not mean that Christians hate the members of the LGBT community, adding that Mr. Graham actually preaches about the love of God.
'Certainly the LGBTQ worldview and the biblical worldview clash. But just because worldviews differ doesn't mean Christians therefore hate. Franklin preaches the love of God (not hate) and the message of the saving gospel-God's Son died on the cross so those who repent of sin and put their faith and trust in Him will spend eternity with the Lord,' Mr. Ham concluded.
BGEA, through its Graham Rapid Response Team, reportedly organized appreciation dinners for enforcement officers as part of its National Law Enforcement Ministry. They have also scheduled dinners for other areas such as Vancouver-Portland and Asheville, North Carolina.
In response to SPD, Mr. Graham released a statement.
He reiterated his appreciation for the service of the enforcement officers 'regardless of their beliefs, sexual orientation, or the color of their skin.' He added that they deserve the support of the organization and 'to know how much they are appreciated.'
Franklin Graham In The News
Mr. Graham further stated that though Diaz rescinded the announcement of the event, the invitation still stands. The evangelist also hoped that many of the officers in the nearby areas will join the event.
U.S. evangelist Franklin Graham drew some sizzling flak from fellow evangelicals after he encouraged people to take the COVID-19 vaccine, and he revealed he and his wife had already been inoculated.
The evangelist, the son of Billy Graham, posted on his Facebook page that he is an advocate for taking the vaccine to fight the novel coronavirus that has claimed 2.75 million lives worldwide and 546,825 in the United States as of March 26.
'I have even been asked, if Jesus were physically walking on earth now, would He be an advocate for vaccines?
'My answer was that based on the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Bible, I would have to say - yes. I think Jesus Christ would advocate for people using vaccines and medicines to treat suffering and save lives,' Graham said.
TRUMP ASLO ADVOCATES THE JAB
Graham, a staunch supporter of former U.S. president, Donald Trump, said he believes Jesus would have done the same. He posted also after former vice-president Mike Pence had visited Samaritan's Purse with him.
He posted his message days after Trump had urged his Republican Party supporters to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying he would recommend it.
In a TV interview, Trump said the vaccine is 'safe' and 'something that works,' the BBC reported on March 17.
Graham spoke of the work of the charity, Samaritan's Purse, in working with COVID-19 hospital wards and said it allowed him to see first-hand the suffering brought by the pandemic.
'I also have staff and their family members who contracted the virus and spent weeks on a ventilator and months hospitalized as a result,' he said.
'I don't want anyone to have to go through that. Vaccines have worked for polio, smallpox, measles, the flu, and so many other deadly illnesses - why not for this virus?' Graham said.
'Since there are different vaccines available, my recommendation is that people do their research, talk to their doctor, and pray about it to determine which vaccine, if any, is right for them,' said Graham.
'My wife and I have both had the vaccine, and at 68 years old, I want to get as many more miles out of these old bones as possible!' Graham noted.
Many comments applauded Graham for his post, with one writer saying, 'Thank you for posting this. So many Christians worried about getting vaccinated.'
But not everybody was behind Graham after he spoke.
In just one day, the Facebook post received over 18,000 comments—many of which were angry, upset, and confused by the evangelist's stance, Newsweek reported.
'Wow!! This is so sad! You trust big phantoms and all their LOVE OF MONEY over how God made the immune system? I feel sickened by this,' wrote one Facebook user.
Several users also shared unfounded claims that the vaccines are harmful and disagreed with Graham's statement that Jesus would have supported it.
Others rebuked him for using his high-profile platform to encourage people to get inoculated.
One Facebook user wrote: 'Jesus, you know the son of the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE would most certainly have NOT taken a man-made vaccine... You are a wolf in sheep's clothing.'
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'THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE'
Another wrote, 'Wrong Franklin, the shot IS NOT a vaccine! You will know the truth and the truth, and the truth will set you FREE, thus says the Word of God! We're being LIED to by an EVIL government! Really Franklin?!?!?.'
'You're so lost, and I'm disgusted with you because your words are going to kill many Americans and you will have to answer to God for telling people to not let their immune system keep them healthy the way God made us.....you disgust me!' another person posted.
Franklin Graham And Twitter
U.S. polls have shown that white evangelicals have some of the highest vaccine skepticism levels in the United States and are more likely to follow conspiracy theories than those belonging to other traditions.
Latest Tweets By Franklin Graham
In January, 44 percent of white evangelicals said they would probably or definitely not get vaccinated, compared with just under a third of other U.S. adults who said the same, according to a Washington-Post-ABC News poll.