June 8th, 2015
Until he was into his 90’s, famous evangelist Billy Graham was known for his acceptance and inclusion of people of all walks of life. Never an advocate for gay people, he also made a point of avoiding hostility and a demeaning attitude. And he avoided political advocacy or lending his name to commercial ventures.
But Graham is now in his mid-90’s and suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. And in his twilight years, as his son Franklin took more and more control over the evangelist and his organization, suddenly statements attributed to Billy Graham have become the center of anti-gay political campaigns. His picture was used in full page ads asking people to go to the polls to restrict the rights of gay people. And the tone of “Billy Graham” is harsh and condemnatory.
While many of those who know and have worked with Billy Graham find these statements to appear inconsistent with his history, they were right in line with Franklin Graham, now the head of the Billy Graham Evangelical Association.
And irrespective of the extent to which Billy Graham endorses (or knows about) these actions, the organization carrying his name is now becoming one of the more prominent protestant Christian voices in opposition to gay rights and equality. Lacking his father’s compassion and charisma and recognizing that he will never inherit his father’s position as the Nation’s Pastor, Franklin has chosen to seek relevancy instead by being the Nation’s Scold.
While many conservative Christian denominations have been walking back from anti-gay political advocacy and turning their attention inward, Franklin has been ratcheting up his fiery denunciations against gay people and marriage equality and seeking to influence the public sphere. And each of his rants seems more shrill than the last, revealing a Graham that is confident of his superiority and tone deaf as to how those outside his isolated circle live.
But Franklin’s latest wild-eyed nonsense is truly laughable.
Have you ever asked yourself–how can we fight the tide of moral decay that is being crammed down our throats by big business, the media, and the gay & lesbian community? Every day it is something else! Tiffany’s started advertising wedding rings for gay couples. Wells Fargo bank is using a same-sex couple in their advertising. And there are more. But it has dawned on me that we don’t have to do business with them. At the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, we are moving our accounts from Wells Fargo to another bank. And guess what—we don’t have to shop at Tiffany & Co., there are plenty of other jewelry stores. This is one way we as Christians can speak out—we have the power of choice. Let’s just stop doing business with those who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards. Maybe if enough of us do this, it will get their attention. Share this if you agree.
Ironically, Franklin posted this rant on Facebook, a very vocal supporter of gay rights. And it was likely written either on an Apple product or a computer using Microsoft software, both of which are contributors and advocates for marriage equality.
So I wonder exactly what this boycott of “those who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards” would look like.
Perhaps Franklin can start his boycott by consulting with the Human Rights Campaign’s Buyers Guide so as to know what companies to avoid.
He could start his day by not using his Keurig coffee machine. Or, if old school, he can avoid his Mr. Coffee or Black and Decker coffee brewer into which he will not load Folgers, Maxwell House, or Seattle’s Best coffee grounds. Or he could just save himself time by not going to Starbucks or McDonalds for his morning joe.
And for breakfast he can enjoy an nice bowl of nothing from Kellogg or General Mills. Nor will he have good ol’ fashioned Quaker Oats with a Hormel meat product and a Pillsbury croissant. But maybe he’d like to toast a slice of bread which he didn’t buy from any of the Kroger (Ralphs, Food 4 Less), Safeway (Von’s, Pavilions), Supervalu (Lucky’s), Mal-Mart, Target, or CostCo stores without I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter nor Smuckers‘ Jam.
Then he’s off to his office in his car which is not a Ford, Lincoln, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Dodge, FIAT, Jeep, Ram, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Nissan, Infiniti, Tesla, Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Volkswagen, Subaru, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, or Hyundai. Of course, his tires are not Bridgestone or Firestone and he doesn’t get gas at Chevron, Shell, BP, Texaco, 76, or Phillips 66.
As he’s out and about, Franklin will likely stop at whatever bank he’s moved to from Wells Fargo. Because unless it’s some regional or local bank, the Billy Graham Evangelical Association can’t bank there. I think a shoebox might be best.
Franklin’s a busy man so he might want to drop in at lunch time for a quick bite at Chick-Fil-A, which his organization recently endorsed. But you can’t eat there everyday, so maybe instead he’ll try a fast food place that isn’t McDonalds, Burger King, Umami Burger, KFC, Taco Bell, Chili’s or TGI Friday’s. Perhaps Carl’s Jr might work for him. But wherever he eats, I’m sure he won’t want Coca-Cola, Pepsi, A&W Root Beer, or Dr. Pepper. Nor will he choose Snapple, 7-Up or Country Time lemonade.
During the afternoon, Franklin will get some work done on his computer which does not use Microsoft products, does not include an Intel chip, and isn’t from Apple. He’ll want to check his email so he’ll connect to the internet without a Motorola router and through an ISP which is neither Comcast, AT&T, Time-Warner, Comcast, AOL, or T-Mobil. He might print something out but not on an HP or Xerox printer.
And if Franklin gets hungry mid day, he can boycott Hershey’s, Reeses, and Healthy Valley products. He also won’t have any Honey Maid Graham Crackers (irony there) nor Famous Amos cookies.
Careful that he doesn’t accidentally support those who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards by eating at Outback Steakhouse, Franklin with probably have a fresh salad from his own garden at home. But, of course, it won’t be with Hidden Valley dressing.
Then, after a long day of not shopping at Macy’s, Gap, Nordstrom, Sears, Penney’s, Target, Crate & Barrel, or John Deer, he might read a book that he didn’t get at Barnes & Noble or through Amazon or have shipped by UPS or FedEx. Then maybe catch a movie (at home, not AMC Theaters) on his not-Sony TV, provided that it isn’t Disney, Hallmark, CBS, NBC, ABC, Showtime, Bravo, Netflix, HBO, Columbia, Cinemax, CNN, Turner, History Channel, Nickelodeon, Lifetime, New Line, Paramount, or ESPN. Well, maybe he should just stick to Fox News and the Oprah Winfrey Show.
Finally, after a long exhausting day of not promoting sin, it’s time for bed. Gotta get up in the morning and get a fresh start on boycotting more of the companies who “promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards”. Tomorrow he’s planning on tackling the 300 or so companies that signed an amicus brief supporting marriage equality in the Windsor case. And then on to the 379 companies who signed a brief in Obergefell, just to be sure.
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MattNYC
June 8th, 2015
If all of the televangelists stop shopping at Tiffany’s, they MAY indeed face bankruptcy… ;)
I’d expect that those who are sending every last cent of theirs to his ministry probably don’t do much shopping at ANY jewelry stores, let alone one of the “luxury” brands (not sure they aren’t considered “mass market” these days).
But really, that’s what jumped out at me first.
BTW, since NASCAR opposed the Indiana Religious “Freedom” law, I guess he’s going to be advising his rubes–er, congregation–to stay away from auto racing, too.
Richard Rush
June 9th, 2015
If AFA’s pleadings for boycotts were ineffective in earlier years, Graham’s bluster in 2015 is completely hopeless, as this post illustrates. But he still has one option to verify his sincerity:
If Graham were willing to set a real TrueChristianâ„¢ example for his followers, he would boycott the United States by moving to a higher quality country such as Russia or Uganda.
Nathaniel
June 9th, 2015
My now-husband and I put together a shoe box for Operation: Christmas Child, a program run by Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse) our first Christmas together. We enjoyed it so much, we made it something of a tradition. But, last year I couldn’t be bothered. I try very hard to distinguish the politics from the good works of people and the organizations they help run. But between his vitriolic politics and rumors that most of the O:CC money was going into his pocket, I could no longer bear to keep contributing. I don’t mind people profiting off of aid to others (so long as those they are aiding are treated fairly, unlike employees of many big-name thrift shops), but I refuse to have my financial contribution go to someone who wants to make life difficult for certain people, even if it is in the name of providing assistance for the less fortunate. The right does not always offset the wrong.
That said, does anybody know any LGBT-friendly organizations that provide aid comparable to Samaritan’s Purse? Graham might not have a chance at launching a successful boycott*, but we can certainly encourage a shift away from his organization.
*P.S. I am struck by the image of a king in his castle. I doubt Graham would give up computers or Facebook, but he might argue it is a necessary evil to get his massage out to his followers. He certainly wouldn’t mind causing his followers inconvenience, if not out-right harm, to maintain his own sense of personal righteousness. This man is not careful with his words, and I hope he gets to see what harm he has caused.
Ben in Oakland
June 9th, 2015
Toys for tots. Often the gay community does a bunch of this sort of thing.
SharonB
June 9th, 2015
At what point do you think Franklin ‘s deconversions will surpass Billy ‘s conversions?
Markanthony
June 9th, 2015
I think this calls for an update :
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/franklin-graham-drops-bank-over-lgbt-rights-stance-joins-bank-thats-sponsoring-pride-event
Des Moines
June 9th, 2015
‘Nation’s Scold’?
I think you misspelled the word ‘Asshole’ there.
Pat Robertson won’t be around forever and someone will have to take over that hate-money factory.
Timothy Kincaid
June 9th, 2015
Markanthony,
So far I have not been able to confirm that BB&T is the primary sponsor of Miami Pride.
They seem to have an entry in the parade, but that isn’t the same thing. They also sponsored an event at a branch honoring long-term couples and are listed on the sponsors page in a lesser capacity.
But those claiming that BB&T it “the sponsor of the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade” seem – at the moment – to be mistaken.
Richard Rush
June 9th, 2015
From Markanthony’s link to RightWingWatch which noted that Graham has moved his outfit’s account to another bank . . . which turns out to be fairly gay friendly:
“. . . BB&T has received an 80 percent score in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index . . . “
In his search for another bank, Graham may have discovered that finding one with an HRC score of 80% is the “best” he could do. With his dramatic pleading for boycotts, Graham seems to be in a time-warp. . . We’re not in Kansas anymore.
Ben in Oakland
June 9th, 2015
Gawsamighty, does Graham look like a smarmy crook in that photo.
MattNYC
June 9th, 2015
@Nathaniel
Rainbow World Fund (http://rainbowworldfund.org/) bundles LGBT donations through CARE–100% of your donations go to CARE which has an “A” Rating from CharityWatch.org.
I give to them monthly and also send all of my disaster relief donations to them.
Timothy Kincaid
June 9th, 2015
Richard,
You aren’t kidding.
MattNYC
June 9th, 2015
Just to clarify that “100%” number…
From http://www.rainbowfund.org/donate/ :
How We Are Funded:
Most of RWF’s administrative and fundraising expenses are covered by Board of Director contributions, by donations that were specified for operational costs, and small grants.
This allows LGBT-and-friends funds to have maximum positive impact helping those most in need.
By utilizing our partners’ established and effective service-delivery networks, we are able to quickly and efficiently get aid to the most remote regions in the world.
Nathaniel
June 9th, 2015
Thanks, Matt. I once watched a TED talk the demonstrated the ineffectiveness of keeping non-profit organizations from being able to hire staff and fund-raise. So I don’t oppose those practices per se. But it is good to know how money is being spent. If the organization is open, you can be sure they are doing the best with what they can. I will certainly put this info to good use.
MattNYC
June 9th, 2015
What I love about RWF is that they piggy-back onto an established, well-run non-profit, so there are essentially no added costs to fundraise. There are enough aid delivery organizations out there, already–why bother creating new infrastructure and overhead costs for the sake of it?
They spend very little on their own promotion outside of the Bay area–relying on word-of-mouth–and that comes from directed funds (not the pass-through funds from people like us).
Even better, the money to CARE is bundled as “Gay” money and I believe that several of the projects funded specifically advertise our community sponsorship, even in less-than-gay-friendly territory.
Paul Douglas
June 10th, 2015
I think YUM brands (KFC/Taco Bell etc.) is a pretty despicable company and am sure Frankenstein Graham will find them to be compatible right-wing bedfellows in many ways.
I actually applaud Graham’s crazy-talk. It just further isolates conservative christianists from the mainstream population and makes religion less appealing to the young.
Keep it up Frankster!
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