Read on Twitter
1/ Thread on Franklin Graham's ethics in response to his post about the Ten Commandments
2/ Franklin Graham's posts are typically among the top 10 viewed posts on Facebook in the United States in a given week. For example, during the week of August 17th, one of his posts was number #1. https://twitter.com/FacebooksTop10/status/1295405316146782208
3/ And I think it is quite likely this one below will be the #1 post of the week. https://twitter.com/Franklin_Graham/status/1296637223962578945
4/ His post begins with a flagrant lie that the Democratic convention did not mention God often. https://twitter.com/Franklin_Graham/status/1296637223962578945 Any research on the topic would indicate this is demonstrably false. For example, both Harris's and Biden's speeches ended with references to God.
5/ But I dislike getting in an argument about this because the important issue is not how often a politician or convention mentions God but to what extent the policies of the party and the behavior of the politicians are in keeping with God's priorities.
6/ But since Franklin Graham mentions the Ten Commandments, I think it is worth noting that Franklin Graham has tainted his integrity over the years.
7/ When last disclosed, Graham was being paid 40 hour per week by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association AND 40 hours per week by Samaritan's Purse, making a total of $1.2 million a year. https://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/religion/article30505932.html
8/ Franklin was paid $636,451 + $59,742 in other compensation from Samaritan's Purse in 2018; and $205,999 + $52,678 from BGEA in 2014. Since 2014, he has not had to disclose his BGEA income because it is designated for tax purposes as an "association of churches."
9/ Note that though designated an "association of churches" for tax purposes, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association "exists to support and extend the evangelistic calling and ministry of Franklin Graham."
10/ All four of Franklin Graham's children work for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and / or Samaritan's Purse. Jane Cissie and Roy: https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1176197176558419968J Will: https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1176202359774429184 Edward: https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1198363897108910080
11/ Graham has liked Trump since 2011 https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1188186826197962754 when both questioned the birthplace of Barack Obama. https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/157589-wh-smacks-rev-graham-for-birther-talk-
12/ Franklin Graham met alone with Putin in Nov 2015 and featured him on the cover of Decision magazine that month. https://twitter.com/Franklin_Graham/status/849245272991559680
13/ Graham also met with the US-sanctioned Vyacheslav Volodin in March 2019 who is trying to have the Magnitsky Act (which withholds money from those who murder Putin's opponents). https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1133159006644592640
14/ Graham has no theological education.
15/ Operation Christmas Child (shoeboxes program in churches) is not an effective development or missions or evangelism program. https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1176213588387586048
16/ Franklin has moved the Billy Graham archives from Wheaton College to storage at the Billy Graham Library (which is not a library but a tourist attraction) in Charlotte and there is no archivist there. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2019/june/billy-graham-archives-franklin-move-charlotte-library-wheat.html
17/ Graham also made sure his mother was buried there against her wishes. https://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Burial-site-leaves-family-at-crossroads-1652652.php
18/ A lot of people view Franklin Graham as a respected voice on behalf of Christians but I don't see him that way.
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My Facebook version of this post about Franklin Graham's ethics is at:
https://www.facebook.com/andy.rowell/posts/10100533432735113
https://www.facebook.com/andy.rowell/posts/10100533432735113
Yes, this was the most watched Facebook page of the day today. https://twitter.com/FacebooksTop10/status/1296874333109809153
