Spiritual Implications of Franklin Graham and his Catholic Connections
The following are the notes to the discussion found at this link (https://www.facebook.com/tammy.cheetham.77/videos/406510959848618/) for anyone who would like to study the subject more in depth.
Today we’re going to be sharing with you about Franklin Graham and a recent post on his Facebook page appreciating Pope Francis speaking out against abortion.
From Graham’s Facebook post on June 18, 2018:
“I appreciate Pope Francis boldly speaking out for the unborn. The Pope denounced abortion, calling it the “white glove” equivalent of the Nazi-era eugenics program. He also encouraged families to accept children "as God gives them to us.” He’s right, and our society needs to hear this message now more than ever. God’s Word says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3). We can never stop praying for an end to abortion—will you pray that our nation would wake up and protect the most vulnerable among us?”
The following is the pope’s main statement from an article in USA Today that Franklin Graham posted with his comment: “It is fashionable, or at least usual, that when in the first few months of a pregnancy doctors do studies to see if the child is healthy or has something, the first idea is: ‘Let’s send it away,’” the pope said. “We do the same as the Nazis to maintain the purity of the race, but with white gloves on.”
And, then this information from the article: Alex Barry, a volunteer coordinator and mother of three visiting the Vatican from Newton, Mass., said she was not put off by the pope’s mention of Nazis in this context.
“You have to state things strongly these days or nobody will ever listen,” Barry said, speaking as Vatican workers were setting up seats in St. Peter’s Square ahead of Sunday’s mass. “I hope world leaders are listening. The world needs moral leadership now more than ever.” (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/06/16/pope-francis-abortion-equivalent-nazi-eugenics-crimes/707661002/) (Many people are so excited to see well-known figures speak out against abortion. But, how odd that neither Graham nor the pope mentioned that abortion is sin and that people can repent and be forgiven. Neither mentioned Jesus Christ paying the sin debt or people needing to hear the gospel of salvation).
I wanted to give a few examples of Franklin Graham’s ecumenism in the past, but before I do I would like to read this passage from "The Evangelical Counter-Reformation":
"Ecumenism is the drug of choice in the Church today. It can be rolled up neatly, with a little Scripture twisted around it, and passed on to the next person to intoxicate themselves with. There are many change agents working against the Gospel in the Church. They creep in unawares–they’re very sly and deceitful with their tactics. One-hundred years ago, it would have been unthinkable to have a Protestant leader travel to the Vatican to work with the Church of Rome on cultural issues. Protestants knew that the Church of Rome was their enemy, and any of whom sought common ground with this apostate system would have been seen as a traitor. But, through the endless efforts and sly disposition of these change agents, so many have changed their minds. People have been conditioned to believe that joining hands with Rome is a great stride towards unification of the Church."(And, then we have so many saying we must strive toward the unity Jesus prays for in John 17 so we can save the nation, save the planet, and so forth. Never once thinking mankind isn’t going to save anything; isn’t going to achieve peace; isn’t going to achieve true unity. People must stop listening to man and look only to Jesus Christ).
But, here is the first example of ecumenism I wanted to share:
In a 1999 newspaper interview with the Indianapolis Star, Franklin Graham said that his father's decision early in his ministry to cultivate broad ecumenical participation in his crusades, including the Roman Catholic church, was "the best thing he ever did." He went on to say, "In the early years, up in Boston, the Catholic church got behind my father's crusade. That was a first. It took back many Protestants. They didn't know how to handle it. But it set the example. 'If Billy Graham is willing to work with everybody, then maybe we should too' " (The Indianapolis Star, June 3, 1999). (But, this was not an example any evangelical should have set. And, we have mentioned the fact that at Billy Graham’s crusades decision cards filled out by those who came forward for altar calls were given to Catholic churches if the person mentioned a previous association with Catholicism. But, I just recently learned something concerning what Catholics would think when they heard the phrase come forward to “receive Christ” or “make a decision for Christ” at one of Billy Graham’s crusades or Franklin Graham’s festivals. And, that is, they do not think interms of the once-for-all act spoken of in passages such as John 1:12 and Acts 16:31. For a Catholic, "receiving Christ" is something that is done continually through the sacrament of the mass, because (as Rome teaches it) one must continually depend on the Catholicchurch for salvation. So, just how sad is that? (http://www.teachingtheword.org/apps/articles/?articleid=59680&columnid=5787)
Then, in an April 2, 2005 interview with Katie Couric on NBC's Today show, Franklin Graham praised the late Pope John Paul II and said that they preached the same gospel: "We disagree on a lot of doctrinal issues and I guess those disagreements will always be there. At the same time we did agree on the fundamentals that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God who came to this earth to die for our sins and when he died on that cross and shed his blood he took the sins of the world with him on the cross; and if we confess our sins and repent and by faith receive Christ into our hearts God will forgive us and cleanse us. These are fundamentals of the faith we agreed on and support and we appreciate this man and the stand he has taken on so many of these moral issues." (Graham can say this all he wants, but the truth is Catholics do not believe in justification by faith alone. They do not believe in the sufficiency of Christ’s death on the cross, plain and simple. If they did, they would renounce the sacraments; renounce their belief in purgatory, in indulgences, and so forth).
I have a clip which I will put in the comments when you post this discussion, sis Tammy, in which Franklin Graham says Rick Santorum is a Christian because his values are clear on moral issues. First of all, Rick Santorum is a Catholic and second of all, even atheists can have good morals. So, Rick Santorum cannot be described as a Christian based on either of these descriptions. Then, at the end of the clip, Graham says he thinks Newt Gingrich is a Christian, but Newt Gingrich is also a Catholic. I would have to say it is quite a serious matter that one of the best known evangelical leaders in this nation doesn’t know that Catholicism is a religion based on the traditions of men. And, we’ve shared this many times, but I am going to do so again: even a cursory reading of the New Testament will reveal that the Catholic Church does not have its origin in the teachings of Jesus or His apostles. In the New Testament, there is no mention of the papacy, worship/adoration of Mary (or the immaculate conception of Mary, the perpetual virginity of Mary, the assumption of Mary, or Mary as co-redemptrix and mediatrix), petitioning saints in heaven for their prayers, apostolic succession, the ordinances of the church functioning as sacraments, infant baptism, confession of sin to a priest, or the office of priest at all, purgatory, indulgences, or the equal authority of church tradition and Scripture.) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfD-i5T2QQk&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHfD-i5T2QQk&has_verified=1 start to 1:05)
Now, from an article at Lighthouse Trails we learn that at the August 15-17, 2014 gathering called “Three Rivers Festival of Hope” in Pittsburgh, PA, Franklin Graham brought in Catholic Bishop David Zubik to give the opening prayer in front of 26,000 attendees. I will post the clip of this as well.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UuY9DgXFgU)
APOSTASY ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP PRAYS AT FRANKLIN GRAHAM EVENT
In the clip we hear this priest say, “Orthodox, Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic. Despite our differences, what draws us here is Your Son, Jesus Christ.” (It is such a tragedy for the people at this event to be led to think Catholics are essentially another denomination within Christianity, but this type of brainwashing is occurring all over the modern church world).
Continuing with the Lighthouse Trails article: A newspaper article advertising the Franklin Graham event states: Bishop David Zubik said the festival dovetails with calls by recent popes to a “new evangelization,” bringing back cradle-Catholics who drifted or became estranged from the faith. “We felt as long as there was a Catholic component to this particular crusade, we wanted to be a part of it.”
Those who respond to Rev. Graham’s invitation to make a decision for Christ, and who identify as Catholic, will be given the opportunity to go to Epiphany Church — adjacent to the Consol Energy Center — for the sacrament of reconciliation, or confession. “We’re right next door,” Bishop Zubik said.(Oh, you’re right next door? Well, isn’t that lovely? NOT! But, I think with these few examples (and there are plenty more) we can easily see that Franklin Graham is every bit as ecumenical and every bit as dangerous as his father.
Now, I wanted to mention that Franklin Graham’s statement on his Facebook page was shared at a discernment ministry’s Facebook page and some of the conversation that resulted:
These were the comments by the person who shared Graham’s post: “I am disgusted that Franklin Graham would give any FB time to supporting the pope with this comment and link. Shame on him. It’s the same mistake his dad made.Truly irresponsible and potentially leading many astray.” (I didn’t think anything was wrong with these statements considering the magnitude of the deception carried on by Franklin Graham and many others. The number of people who are going to end up in hell because they followed the one world religion is just heartbreaking).
There was one woman who wanted to attack the messenger, however, and said the following: “You cannot be a light in the darkness if you insist on putting out every little flame. Do you pray for these ministers as much as you run them down into the dirt?” (And, how often do we see the comment about praying for people instead of warning about them? We see it all the time when we post, or read other posts, about Donald Trump, for example. And, the answer is the same for both. Yes, we pray. We pray for people to get saved; we pray for them to stop deceiving the masses. We just find it so troubling that people would rather protect the wolves than the sheep).
And, I also wanted to mention that Franklin Graham conducted the Decision America Tour during 2016. The following is his statement concerning the Tour: There is no hope for this nation from any political party: Republican, Democrat, tea party, independent, or any other. The only hope for America is God, and that’s why I’ll be going to all 50 states in 2016—to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to call on the church to take a stand, to urge Christians to vote and to run for public office at every level, and to call the people of our nation to prayer and repentance.” (Now, of course, evangelicals were all excited about this because they heard the part about declaring the gospel and calling people of our nation to prayer and repentance. Something most people don’t think about is that this tour was most assuredly an ecumenical event and also when people like Franklin Graham sponsor such events their hope is that prayer and repentance will move God to bless America again. But, repenting so God will bless America again is not the gospel. Additionally, “urging Christians to vote and to run for public office at every level” sounds great to all the patriotic dominionists out there, but it is not a Biblical concept. Running for public office is part of the Seven Mountain Mandate which is, in turn, part of Dominion Theology. The gist of Dominion Theology is that Christians have to “Christianize” society in order for Christ to return. Now, one irony of having Christians vote and get involved in politics is this. Most conservatives would say we must vote for Republicans; they would say Republicans are the only ones who will do something about abortion and gay rights, for example. Well, something people need to know is when Roe v. Wade was decided, 6 of the justices were Republican-appointed. And, for the last 40 years Republican-appointed justices have outnumbered Democrat-appointed justices. And, Roe v. Wade still stands.
Well, that is all I have to say for this discussion, sister Tammy. We just pray for people to not get entangled in all the false unity.
The following are the notes to the discussion found at this link (https://www.facebook.com/tammy.cheetham.77/videos/406510959848618/) for anyone who would like to study the subject more in depth.
Today we’re going to be sharing with you about Franklin Graham and a recent post on his Facebook page appreciating Pope Francis speaking out against abortion.
From Graham’s Facebook post on June 18, 2018:
“I appreciate Pope Francis boldly speaking out for the unborn. The Pope denounced abortion, calling it the “white glove” equivalent of the Nazi-era eugenics program. He also encouraged families to accept children "as God gives them to us.” He’s right, and our society needs to hear this message now more than ever. God’s Word says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3). We can never stop praying for an end to abortion—will you pray that our nation would wake up and protect the most vulnerable among us?”
The following is the pope’s main statement from an article in USA Today that Franklin Graham posted with his comment: “It is fashionable, or at least usual, that when in the first few months of a pregnancy doctors do studies to see if the child is healthy or has something, the first idea is: ‘Let’s send it away,’” the pope said. “We do the same as the Nazis to maintain the purity of the race, but with white gloves on.”
And, then this information from the article: Alex Barry, a volunteer coordinator and mother of three visiting the Vatican from Newton, Mass., said she was not put off by the pope’s mention of Nazis in this context.
“You have to state things strongly these days or nobody will ever listen,” Barry said, speaking as Vatican workers were setting up seats in St. Peter’s Square ahead of Sunday’s mass. “I hope world leaders are listening. The world needs moral leadership now more than ever.” (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/06/16/pope-francis-abortion-equivalent-nazi-eugenics-crimes/707661002/) (Many people are so excited to see well-known figures speak out against abortion. But, how odd that neither Graham nor the pope mentioned that abortion is sin and that people can repent and be forgiven. Neither mentioned Jesus Christ paying the sin debt or people needing to hear the gospel of salvation).
I wanted to give a few examples of Franklin Graham’s ecumenism in the past, but before I do I would like to read this passage from "The Evangelical Counter-Reformation":
"Ecumenism is the drug of choice in the Church today. It can be rolled up neatly, with a little Scripture twisted around it, and passed on to the next person to intoxicate themselves with. There are many change agents working against the Gospel in the Church. They creep in unawares–they’re very sly and deceitful with their tactics. One-hundred years ago, it would have been unthinkable to have a Protestant leader travel to the Vatican to work with the Church of Rome on cultural issues. Protestants knew that the Church of Rome was their enemy, and any of whom sought common ground with this apostate system would have been seen as a traitor. But, through the endless efforts and sly disposition of these change agents, so many have changed their minds. People have been conditioned to believe that joining hands with Rome is a great stride towards unification of the Church."(And, then we have so many saying we must strive toward the unity Jesus prays for in John 17 so we can save the nation, save the planet, and so forth. Never once thinking mankind isn’t going to save anything; isn’t going to achieve peace; isn’t going to achieve true unity. People must stop listening to man and look only to Jesus Christ).
But, here is the first example of ecumenism I wanted to share:
In a 1999 newspaper interview with the Indianapolis Star, Franklin Graham said that his father's decision early in his ministry to cultivate broad ecumenical participation in his crusades, including the Roman Catholic church, was "the best thing he ever did." He went on to say, "In the early years, up in Boston, the Catholic church got behind my father's crusade. That was a first. It took back many Protestants. They didn't know how to handle it. But it set the example. 'If Billy Graham is willing to work with everybody, then maybe we should too' " (The Indianapolis Star, June 3, 1999). (But, this was not an example any evangelical should have set. And, we have mentioned the fact that at Billy Graham’s crusades decision cards filled out by those who came forward for altar calls were given to Catholic churches if the person mentioned a previous association with Catholicism. But, I just recently learned something concerning what Catholics would think when they heard the phrase come forward to “receive Christ” or “make a decision for Christ” at one of Billy Graham’s crusades or Franklin Graham’s festivals. And, that is, they do not think interms of the once-for-all act spoken of in passages such as John 1:12 and Acts 16:31. For a Catholic, "receiving Christ" is something that is done continually through the sacrament of the mass, because (as Rome teaches it) one must continually depend on the Catholicchurch for salvation. So, just how sad is that? (http://www.teachingtheword.org/apps/articles/?articleid=59680&columnid=5787)
Then, in an April 2, 2005 interview with Katie Couric on NBC's Today show, Franklin Graham praised the late Pope John Paul II and said that they preached the same gospel: "We disagree on a lot of doctrinal issues and I guess those disagreements will always be there. At the same time we did agree on the fundamentals that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God who came to this earth to die for our sins and when he died on that cross and shed his blood he took the sins of the world with him on the cross; and if we confess our sins and repent and by faith receive Christ into our hearts God will forgive us and cleanse us. These are fundamentals of the faith we agreed on and support and we appreciate this man and the stand he has taken on so many of these moral issues." (Graham can say this all he wants, but the truth is Catholics do not believe in justification by faith alone. They do not believe in the sufficiency of Christ’s death on the cross, plain and simple. If they did, they would renounce the sacraments; renounce their belief in purgatory, in indulgences, and so forth).
I have a clip which I will put in the comments when you post this discussion, sis Tammy, in which Franklin Graham says Rick Santorum is a Christian because his values are clear on moral issues. First of all, Rick Santorum is a Catholic and second of all, even atheists can have good morals. So, Rick Santorum cannot be described as a Christian based on either of these descriptions. Then, at the end of the clip, Graham says he thinks Newt Gingrich is a Christian, but Newt Gingrich is also a Catholic. I would have to say it is quite a serious matter that one of the best known evangelical leaders in this nation doesn’t know that Catholicism is a religion based on the traditions of men. And, we’ve shared this many times, but I am going to do so again: even a cursory reading of the New Testament will reveal that the Catholic Church does not have its origin in the teachings of Jesus or His apostles. In the New Testament, there is no mention of the papacy, worship/adoration of Mary (or the immaculate conception of Mary, the perpetual virginity of Mary, the assumption of Mary, or Mary as co-redemptrix and mediatrix), petitioning saints in heaven for their prayers, apostolic succession, the ordinances of the church functioning as sacraments, infant baptism, confession of sin to a priest, or the office of priest at all, purgatory, indulgences, or the equal authority of church tradition and Scripture.) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfD-i5T2QQk&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHfD-i5T2QQk&has_verified=1 start to 1:05)
Now, from an article at Lighthouse Trails we learn that at the August 15-17, 2014 gathering called “Three Rivers Festival of Hope” in Pittsburgh, PA, Franklin Graham brought in Catholic Bishop David Zubik to give the opening prayer in front of 26,000 attendees. I will post the clip of this as well.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UuY9DgXFgU)
APOSTASY ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP PRAYS AT FRANKLIN GRAHAM EVENT
In the clip we hear this priest say, “Orthodox, Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic. Despite our differences, what draws us here is Your Son, Jesus Christ.” (It is such a tragedy for the people at this event to be led to think Catholics are essentially another denomination within Christianity, but this type of brainwashing is occurring all over the modern church world).
Continuing with the Lighthouse Trails article: A newspaper article advertising the Franklin Graham event states: Bishop David Zubik said the festival dovetails with calls by recent popes to a “new evangelization,” bringing back cradle-Catholics who drifted or became estranged from the faith. “We felt as long as there was a Catholic component to this particular crusade, we wanted to be a part of it.”
Those who respond to Rev. Graham’s invitation to make a decision for Christ, and who identify as Catholic, will be given the opportunity to go to Epiphany Church — adjacent to the Consol Energy Center — for the sacrament of reconciliation, or confession. “We’re right next door,” Bishop Zubik said.(Oh, you’re right next door? Well, isn’t that lovely? NOT! But, I think with these few examples (and there are plenty more) we can easily see that Franklin Graham is every bit as ecumenical and every bit as dangerous as his father.
Now, I wanted to mention that Franklin Graham’s statement on his Facebook page was shared at a discernment ministry’s Facebook page and some of the conversation that resulted:
These were the comments by the person who shared Graham’s post: “I am disgusted that Franklin Graham would give any FB time to supporting the pope with this comment and link. Shame on him. It’s the same mistake his dad made.Truly irresponsible and potentially leading many astray.” (I didn’t think anything was wrong with these statements considering the magnitude of the deception carried on by Franklin Graham and many others. The number of people who are going to end up in hell because they followed the one world religion is just heartbreaking).
There was one woman who wanted to attack the messenger, however, and said the following: “You cannot be a light in the darkness if you insist on putting out every little flame. Do you pray for these ministers as much as you run them down into the dirt?” (And, how often do we see the comment about praying for people instead of warning about them? We see it all the time when we post, or read other posts, about Donald Trump, for example. And, the answer is the same for both. Yes, we pray. We pray for people to get saved; we pray for them to stop deceiving the masses. We just find it so troubling that people would rather protect the wolves than the sheep).
And, I also wanted to mention that Franklin Graham conducted the Decision America Tour during 2016. The following is his statement concerning the Tour: There is no hope for this nation from any political party: Republican, Democrat, tea party, independent, or any other. The only hope for America is God, and that’s why I’ll be going to all 50 states in 2016—to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to call on the church to take a stand, to urge Christians to vote and to run for public office at every level, and to call the people of our nation to prayer and repentance.” (Now, of course, evangelicals were all excited about this because they heard the part about declaring the gospel and calling people of our nation to prayer and repentance. Something most people don’t think about is that this tour was most assuredly an ecumenical event and also when people like Franklin Graham sponsor such events their hope is that prayer and repentance will move God to bless America again. But, repenting so God will bless America again is not the gospel. Additionally, “urging Christians to vote and to run for public office at every level” sounds great to all the patriotic dominionists out there, but it is not a Biblical concept. Running for public office is part of the Seven Mountain Mandate which is, in turn, part of Dominion Theology. The gist of Dominion Theology is that Christians have to “Christianize” society in order for Christ to return. Now, one irony of having Christians vote and get involved in politics is this. Most conservatives would say we must vote for Republicans; they would say Republicans are the only ones who will do something about abortion and gay rights, for example. Well, something people need to know is when Roe v. Wade was decided, 6 of the justices were Republican-appointed. And, for the last 40 years Republican-appointed justices have outnumbered Democrat-appointed justices. And, Roe v. Wade still stands.
Well, that is all I have to say for this discussion, sister Tammy. We just pray for people to not get entangled in all the false unity.