Billy Graham's Son Calls Islam "Evil Religion"

[Snapdragon]

DENVER (AP) -- A watchdog group objected Tuesday to an evangelist's invitation to speak at the Pentagon next month, saying his past description of Islam as "evil" offended Muslims who work for the Department of Defense and the appearance should be canceled.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DAY_OF_PRAYER_MILITARY?SITE=WHIZ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

I recognize from a previous article I read, that the watchdog group mentioned here has been very active in exposing an evangelical Christian bias within the military.

[Cielamara]

I really don't understand why people can't separate the religion from the open-faced asswad who's claiming to practice it.

[CuddleFish]

Probably because that asswad is part of a very mainstream part of the 'church'. He was (is?) a board member at my not so lamented former church. (They were going to excommunicate me if I divorced my ex because you can only divorce for adultery, not domestic violence. I left them both.)

No, I no longer hate all Christians, but a lot of them scare me. I remember their bookstore had a bumper sticker that said 'Jesus is returning and boy is he pissed!' or something along those lines. I agree, but not in the way they mean it. :fpatricks

[ninurta2008]

"He who is without sin cast the first stone"

That's what I have to say to him regarding his comment, because I smell irony. What's his message doing in africa? In specific, Uganda. Or where aids is on the rise due to the condemnation of condoms some of these people have.

Or more specific to the Bible, there are plenty of unsavory things we can point out. Do we really need to the pot to call the kettle black?

While have my dislikes of Islam, that's just because its not my religion, but seriously, don't have a religion not much different than Islam and start calling Islam evil. Its so stupid, and the irony is too much :lol:

[Phoenix Blue]

DENVER (AP) -- A watchdog group objected Tuesday to an evangelist's invitation to speak at the Pentagon next month, saying his past description of Islam as "evil" offended Muslims who work for the Department of Defense and the appearance should be canceled.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DAY_OF_PRAYER_MILITARY?SITE=WHIZ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

I recognize from a previous article I read, that the watchdog group mentioned here has been very active in exposing an evangelical Christian bias within the military.
Obviously the nut doesn't fall far from the nutcase.

[Toby Stimpson]

Is this really news?

[Twinkle]

So what? Billy Graham's thinks Islam is Evil. I think Billy Graham's son is a moron.

[Phoenix Blue]

It's news because the Pentagon has invited him to speak at their National Prayer Day event. This raises two important questions:

1) Why is the Pentagon in the business of celebrating, or even recognizing, National Prayer Day? The line about "no atheists in foxholes" is crap, so what's the justification?
2) Why is the Pentagon inviting a religious bigot to speak at their National Prayer Day event?

[Twinkle]

American society is Christianized. It is whether we want it to be or not, and it has always been that way.

Lincoln kind of jacked it up, but before that it was a day in which citizens of all faiths were asked to pray for their nation.

I don't have any problem praying on National Prayer Day. I just don't pray to the same God - and since America has religious freedom, and freedom of speech - it shouldn't be an issue. And that means even religious bigots get to have their say - although I would argue that stating your religious beliefs doesn't necessarily make you a bigot.

I do think the Constitutionality of it is questionable, though - but not so much of an issue that it really makes *that* much of a difference in stopping the Christianization of American Society.

There are bigger fish to fry.

[memnoch]

American society is Christianized. It is whether we want it to be or not, and it has always been that way.

Lincoln kind of jacked it up, but before that it was a day in which citizens of all faiths were asked to pray for their nation.

I don't have any problem praying on National Prayer Day. I just don't pray to the same God - and since America has religious freedom, and freedom of speech - it shouldn't be an issue. And that means even religious bigots get to have their say - although I would argue that stating your religious beliefs doesn't necessarily make you a bigot.

I do think the Constitutionality of it is questionable, though - but not so much of an issue that it really makes *that* much of a difference in stopping the Christianization of American Society.

There are bigger fish to fry.

yeah, that is what gets me..."how dare a christian give a prayer in a government building, that is against the constitution!!!" Yet the constitution conventions, and government business from day one were opened by prayer, from a christian minister. The flaw is in the interpretation of the 1st amendment. If the founding fathers had wanted a country that had freedom FROM religion, where religion was banned from anything related to the government, we would have seen that from the first meetings. Instead they chose their words carefully to give us freedom OF religion, and in doing so they said congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercize thereof.

In short they did not want a national religion, or congress favoring one religion over another. This was to prevent what had happened in England with the Church of England. Yet they still had open prayer in public, they had 10 commandments in courts, they had people swear in on a bible, they had prayer and religious speeches in congress and in the presidential inauguration.

Some people have such a hatred for religions other than their own (or religion in general for many atheists) that they start frothing at the mouth any time religion is brought up anywhere that can be seen by the public eye. What amuses me most is they are the same ones who get their panties in a wad when a christian says islam is evil, when they act the same way towards christians.

[memnoch]

Twinkle, let me also add it is awesome to see people like yourself who are comfortable with your faith, to the point you don't have to be uncomfortable by others. Because IMO that is what it boils down to. Those who are comfortable in their beliefs are not offended when another expresses their beliefs, no matter where they are.

[Twinkle]

Thank you. :thumbsup:

[Vampiel]

2) Why is the Pentagon inviting a religious bigot to speak at their National Prayer Day event?

This is my main issue with it. Not because a christian is speaking at the pentagon as a guest speaker but because it made news that this speaker called islam evil and our enemies can use this as propaganda potentially leading to recruits which can also potentially lead to soldier and civilian deaths.

The pentagon has strict regulations in Afghanistan against proselytizing for this reason.