U.S. evangelist Billy Graham, preacher to millions, adviser to U.S. presidents, dies at 99

While I personally take a different stand in regards to some of his beliefs, there is no argument in my mind that the man was a moral guide for millions.

Rest in peace.

the man was a moral guide for millions.

Best not to judge a book by its cover. Wonder how many skeletons are tucked away in that closet.

Best not to judge a book by its cover. Wonder how many skeletons are tucked away in that closet.

Why spit on a dead man's grave when all you are doing is speculating or assuming that he was something other than what we have seen and heard for literally more than a generation?

For the Gods sake, an evangelical zealot who was in the ear of Presidents it's no wonder things are as messed up as they are. 99 years old and 99 years of disaster. Who's the next prophet.?

@wallacefred Wonder how many skeletons 

Certainly possible, but are you projecting based on your knowledge of Russian Orthodox priests, and/or just once again pot stirring, doing your job trying to further divide 'westerners' to keep them at each other's throats?

We don't need to speculate in many cases.

Anti-Homosexual

Bizarre views on Climate Change

Was part of the establishment of the evangelical influence on american politics.

There are disgusting answers to questions about atheists and homosexuality on website...

And should someone be celebrated for taking part in the potentially biggest ongoing "fake news" of the human species?

What I will say is at least he seemed to be against segregation and didn't shiny teeth mansion and jet airplane it like some of the evangelical of late, one of the better of a bad bunch??

A fundamentalist charlatan who claimed every word of the Bible was true and is largely responsible for the marriage of the Republican Party to extreme right wing "Christianity" in the US. Mr. Graham must bear great responsibility for the current state of "Christianity" in the US. Not much of a legacy.

Whatever Bill Graham was or wasn't in his private life, as an evangelical he was a propagandist of ignorance that now supports Donald Trump and fake news. His children are right-wing extremists.

I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Graham (and his wife) more than once. An incredibly gracious and decent man, whatever anyone here may think of him.

While I admire Mr. Graham for his work and particularly his reaching out to Catholics, my admiration is tempered by three things. First, he let partisan politics enter into what should be a non partisan endeavor. Issues like being pro life are one thing but endorsing one politician is just wrong. Second, I have to question his legacy and his leadership when he turned over his mission to his son, a man who embodies anti-Christian sentiments and has made the mission even more political. Franklin is destroying Billy’s legacy and it’s sad. Finally, it is hard for me to reconcile the teaching of the word of Christ with the personal wealth amassed by the Graham family. Christianity should not be a corporation.

Its actually surprising to see a few measured responses here, even respectful.

Then of course you get the angry spiteful comments from the likes Wallace Fred, who without any evidence at all suggests "skeletons". (none in your closet, Fred?)

As for Graham, 99 years of pushing Christian Conservative values, the most successful, enlightened values there are in the history of mankind. RIP.

A lot of hateful anti-Christian bigotry from JT forum members today. I am not religious myself but Graham has undeniably had a hugely positive impact in the lives of literally millions of people. Many people turned their lives around from all manner of self destructive behavior due to Graham’s ministry. No one is perfect but he seemed willing to reflect on his past mistakes and sought to better himself. He was a historic figure who will be long remembered by his fellow Christians.

He certainly made plenty of money. These types often do.

If he’d been born in a country which has less time for these types, he’d probably still have made money other ways.

A clever salesman. Christianity is a good business in the US. Thankfully, it seems the younger generation are less impressed with it and these types will have to find new ways of filling their pockets.

"From Farm to pulprit" "Reputation" parts are not neccesary as we can read the same on wikipedia.

Just give us the NEWS!JT

WolfpackToday  08:37 am JST

A lot of hateful anti-Christian bigotry 

I don't see anyone attacking Christians as a whole, though you may notice your post crying wolf immediately comes after a post by clamenza expressing implied bigotry against all non-Christians:

clamenzaToday  08:37 am JST

Christian Conservative values, the most successful, enlightened values there are in the history of mankind.

Remember, bigotry is not criticizing a person for their choices, it's attacking a group of people for their identity. Most people here are criticizing Graham's choices. And though I wish nothing but comfort and solace to the loved ones of Graham who certainly aren't even reading this post, for such a public figure it is natural that people in the public affected by the figure's influence to analyze the figure's choices, yes, even soon after their death.

At best, I suspect Graham qualifies as one of the people Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. criticized when he said, "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict." Graham stuck his neck out on comparatively safe issues, like criticizing communism as an American. And though he no doubt took some risks with his sermonizing on the other side of the Iron Curtain, the fact that he could not find it in his heart or his morals to help out people of color suffering discrimination and hate in his own country during the civil rights movement tells us a lot about his approach to Christianity. He bragged that he knew with certainty that he was going to heaven, but he adopted more neutral political positions not because he knew in his heart they were the moral right choice, but because he wanted to be more popular.

And in that light, I think it is very fair to say Billy Graham was not a good man. He did some good things, he did some bad things, but mostly by being in a position of power and turning a blind eye toward people suffering, he allowed worse things to happen. It's fair to criticize that, and it's totally unfair for you to call such criticism bigotry.

@Katsu78

Good post. I’m not a Christian, and to be honest, I don’t particularly like religion of any stripe, but I can see that some some Christians do good things. My best friend in the UK, a practicing Christian, does a lot to help out the needy with his group and invests a lot of time and money into good work.

People like the Jew-bashing Graham promoting hatred and division and making a fortune doing it impress me less. Wasn’t it another rolling-in-cash ‘preacher’ with a history of racism who said the US deserved the 9/11 attack for its acceptance of what he regarded as sinful behaviour?

These people shouldn’t impress thoughtful people, Christian or not.

They should only impress bank managers.

"No more than one or two popes, perhaps one or two other people, came close to what he achieved."

This may very well be so, but none of the Popes became multi-millionaires through their preaching.

He was worth 25 million on his death. I guess he forgot to buy some sandwiches for the poor before departing.

His comments about gays and Jews were very offensive.

Here is a pretty good article on the Reverend which provides perspectives from Jewish and Muslim people.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2018/02/21/billy-graham-leaves-a-positive-interfaith-legacy-with-a-few-blemishes/

Reverend Graham was not perfect but none of us are.

I am not so much into the Old Testament but I like the New Testament and some of Jesus' teachings, especially the Sermon on the Mount. I often feel if Jesus came down these days many church goers would throw him out and many conservatives would blast him as a flaming liberal. There is one part of the Sermon on the Mount which applies to all of us at times,

Matthew 7-3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

As for me, I hope the Reverend rests in peace. Yes he is an imperfect man (as he said on several occasions) but he did reach a lot of people.

Katsu: He did some good things, he did some bad things, but mostly by being in a position of power and turning a blind eye toward people suffering, he allowed worse things to happen. It's fair to criticize that, and it's totally unfair for you to call such criticism bigotry.

More anti-Christian hate mongering. No he wasn’t perfect. But somehow his entire life is so easily boiled down into a negative. He never participated in segregation but because he didn’t abandon his ministry and become the second coming of MLK he is accused of turning a blind eye. I get it. He was a conservative - no matter how he lived his life, no matter how much good he did, he can never be considered good enough. Sad.

WolfpackToday  11:31 am JST

Katsu: He did some good things, he did some bad things, but mostly by being in a position of power and turning a blind eye toward people suffering, he allowed worse things to happen. It's fair to criticize that, and it's totally unfair for you to call such criticism bigotry.

More anti-Christian hate mongering. 

Prove it. Prove that I said anything negative about Christians collectively or that I hate Graham.

Hypocrite

I read a book about a man who said things like give everything, yes everything, to the poor.

He also said take no thought for tomorrow.

He also said it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of god.

He was also a Jew.

I don’t remember this poor man who owned nothing preaching about setting up a family business and making millions in his name.

Don’t bother with imagery from parables about saving money - a disingenuous and slippery argument. Don’t bother with what others said in the Bible about eating and working - it wasn’t stated by a supposedly divine person.

Go on what the man Graham claimed to follow actually stated as his beliefs.

You’ll see hypocrisy in its purest form.

In the late 1950s, Graham integrated his revivals and seemed to support the burgeoning civil rights movement. This is the Graham most Americans remember.

But as the movement grew, expanded and became increasingly confrontational, the evangelist’s position changed

Once leaders like Martin Luther King Jr began practicing civil disobedience and asking for the federal government to guarantee African Americans’ rights, Graham’s support evaporated.

Within days of the publication of King’s famous 1963 Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Graham told reporters that the Baptist minister should “put the brakes on a little bit”.

He criticized civil rights activists for focusing on changing laws rather than hearts.

Well said oldman.

He never built the Church of Billy Graham, and while he lived comfortably, his house is a modest place. If he had wanted to get rich, he could have been many, many times over.”

He was rich many times over. I’d say tens of millions of dollars is rich. I’d say that’s more than living ‘comfortably’. I don’t have a million dollars but I live comfortably - a decent place to live, healthy food, decent clothes, holidays twice a year and money saved for retirement and money to donate to worthy causes ( money used exclusively to help people and not wasted on proselytizing for any religion).

He was a millionaire who his money name-dropping Jesus.

Success by some measure but it strikes me as hypocritical.

Christian Conservative values, the most successful, enlightened values there are in the history of mankind.

Especially with their values regarding loving everyone except homosexuals, etc. . . .

Jimizo - Graham walked the walk. You have no idea how much he gave away and you are projecting your own anger onto him.

Its not becoming.

Jimizo - Graham walked the walk. You have no idea how much he gave away and you are projecting your own anger onto him.

He certainly kept more than he needed. Doesn’t strike me as living the spiritual life and giving all you have to the poor and taking no thought for tomorrow.

There are Christians who truly walk the walk. Some orders live lives of poverty and spend their time in service of others. Many of them aren’t anti-Semites or bigots either.

Sitting on millions of dollars made by name-dropping Jesus is walking the walk?

Sounds like good business sense rather than living the spiritual life to me. Stick a shiny suit on a decent used-car salesman and give him a bible and he could probably do the same thing. I was a reasonable salesman and I could have a crack at this. I just couldn’t sleep at night. Morals, eh? They can get in the way of making cash.

Rest in peace, Billy. I'm sure all that antisemitism and homophobia was just a phase you were promoting, I mean, going through.

TH - his wild popularity and longevity are proof positive he was wonderful. Changed a lot of people's lives for the better.

I just have to shake my head that there are such angry, bitter people out there that can't find solace in that. smh....

his wild popularity and longevity are proof positive he was wonderful.

I see no proof that popularity or a long life makes someone wonderful. However, there is plenty of proof of his attitudes towards Jewish and LGBT people that would make him less wonderful.