This article originally appeared on WND.com
Guest by post by Bob Unruh
Franklin Graham: ‘Maybe they don’t know my father was a firm supporter of President Trump.’
Famed Christian evangelist Billy Graham, one of the best-recognized names literally around the globe, also is known for his offering advice to a long list of presidents of both parties.
Those private conversations almost never made it into the public arena, but the public record shows every U.S. president since World War II met with him.
He was offered government posts by Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, and politely said no.
Harry S. Truman not only met with Graham, he received him as his Independence, Missouri, home. Dwight Eisenhower asked him about sending troops into Little Rock during a time of civil unrest. John F. Kennedy met with Graham before he was inaugurated.
Graham was invited to the Johnson family ranch multiple times, and spent more than 20 nights in the White House during his presidency. Graham had known Nixon for years, and the president often asked Graham to pray with him. Gerald Ford explained, “I’ve heard the comments from some sources that Billy mixes politics with religion. I never felt that and I don’t think that thousands and thousands of people who listen to him felt that.”
Jimmy Carter was an honorary chair of an Atlanta Crusade by Billy Graham back in his day, Ronald Reagan once said, “It was through Billy Graham that I found myself praying even more than on a daily basis … and that in the position I held, that my prayers more and more were to give me the wisdom to make decisions that would serve God and be pleasing to Him.” George H. W. Bush called Graham “an inspiration in my life.”
Bill Clinton credited Billy Graham with refusing to racially segregate a crusade audience. George W. Bush said a turning point in his faith came during a private talk with Billy Graham in 1985. Graham said he was pleased to have had Barack Obama visit in his home,
Now a leftist organization called EvangelicalsforHarris is using an image of Billy Graham in an ad supporting the leftist candidate being supported by Democrats.
Which drew a pointed response from Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son and now chief of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as well as Samaritan’s Purse.
He said, “The liberals are using anything and everything they can to promote candidate Harris. They even developed a political ad trying to use my father Billy Graham’s image to help promote her—or rather to try to make Donald J. Trump look bad.
“They are trying to mislead people. Maybe they don’t know that my father was a firm supporter of President Trump in 2016. He appreciated the conservative values and policies of President Trump, and if he were alive today, my father’s views and opinions would not have changed.
“President Trump isn’t perfect—none of us are—but I believe he has changed over the years. This recent assassination attempt has had a huge impact on him—and I thank God that his life was spared.”
A report by Fox News said a statue of Billy Graham was installed in the U.S. Capitol just months ago.
The ad juxtaposes footage of Billy Graham with Trump’s own comments.
Copyright 2024 WND News Center
