Billy Graham

[swingline]

Billy Graham, the Elvis of televangelism, dead at 99.

I'm no fan of organized religion, or televangelism especially, but you can't deny the reach the man had.

Billy Graham, 99, Dies; Pastor Filled Stadiums and Counseled Presidents

 

[BTExpress]

I know a shop that has been doing --- and updating --- Billy Graham obit pages for the past 5 years. Pretty much a whole special section. Probably just a little tinkering, and they'll be good to go.

 

[heyabbott]

Thoughts and prayers

 

[Azrael]

In the middle of the American Century - for good and ill - he was as influential as anyone alive.

 

[Songbird]

I wonder what Billy thought of this song.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Unlike the Jimmy Swaggarts and Jerry Falwells of the world, he appeared not to be a hypocrite and actually walked the walk.

He also was pretty progressive in some ways, holding integrated services as early as 1953. And when he did say something controversial, most times he apologized.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Today's crop of televangelists hawking the prosperity gospel and cozying up to just one political party are weak successors to Graham's legacy (his son included).

 

[Guy_Incognito]

I wonder what Billy thought of this song.

Of the genre, it's pretty thoughtful. I'd put it alongside No One Laughs at God by Regina Spektor and light-years ahead of the silly What if God Were One of Us by Joan Osborne. I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones that come to mind.

 

[heyabbott]

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25:34-36
The next huckster for Christ that quotes this will be the first one to do so.

 

[Steak Snabler]

I love it when this happens.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

An American Titan.
Not a big religion fan, but Graham stood out.
Unfortunately, his kids are trying hard to undo much of what their father established and built.

 

[DanOregon]

I do wonder if Graham's inclusiveness would be as successful today. He was the Sears of evangelism and preached in a manner that everyone would find something useful for their lives. Seems like ministers today are better known for what they oppose and speak out against, than anything else.

 

[Azrael]

Let us not forget he was a man of his times. Pretty good on civil rights and racism, but not super inclusive when it came to gay folks. And - while a firm friend of Israel - not nuts about Jews.

 

[heyabbott]

Not dead.

 

[heyabbott]

Let us not forget he was a man of his times. Pretty good on civil rights and racism, but not super inclusive when it came to gay folks. And - while a firm friend of Israel - not nuts about Jews.

In President Richard M. Nixon's Oval Office, the Rev. Billy Graham did not mince words in describing his feelings about Jewish people and the news media: ''This stranglehold has got to be broken or this country's going down the drain.''

 

[WriteThinking]

My mother went to one of his stadium sermons/presentations, at the Rose Bowl, not all that long ago, with a church group.

The way she talked about it then, and today, makes me envious that I did not get to attend. She called it awe-inspiring, and real. Near the end, he actually told/admitted to the assembled 90,000 people, "If you would please excuse me now, I have to go sit down for a few minutes." He was in his 90s.

His mission was to call people to come to Christ, and he did what he could to turn them in His direction as much as he could, for as long as he could. I remember once reading (or hearing, I'm not sure which, anymore) that Graham hoped, when he got to Heaven, that God would just say to him, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant..." (Matthew 25:21).

I hope so too. It's what he deserves.

 

[User 149557]

a firm friend of Israel - not nuts about Jews.

Growing up in the evangelical movement, the unsaid but understood teaching was always that Jews were pawn pieces to be used as a sort of way of ingratiating the movement to God. Israel was to be supported no matter what. Not because the movement liked or believed in their causes or their best interest, but because they were necessary players to get Christians where they needed to get. To get the temple built. To bring about the end times.

Oh, and as a consolation to the Jews, some of them would become Team Jesus. The very lucky ones.

I'm sure many, many others heard the same messages on Israel and would find how I interpreted their motives offensive. But it's where I find their teachings lead.

 

[SnarkShark]

 

[Baron Scicluna]

View attachment 3840

Not dead.

Beat me to it.