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Sunday, November 22, 2009
On the Menu at Montreat: Turkey Hash
Sarah Palin is having dinner with Franklin Graham and his father Billy tonight in western North Carolina.
Back-up to be provided by The Angel Chorus.
Back-up to be provided by The Angel Chorus.
Labels: Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Sarah Palin
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Righteousness Has Gotten More Expensive
[Franklin] Graham acknowledged last week that his compensation total "looks terrible" and that "people won't understand it."
Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2009
The Charlotte Observer has found that Franklin Graham is getting two CEO salaries, as head of both Samaritan's Purse, headquartered in Boone, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, headquartered in Charlotte. Together, that compensation amounted to $1.2 million last year, which makes Graham the highest paid leader of a US-based international relief agency.
Jesus made such a point about the corruption of riches that his parable of a camel getting through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man getting into heaven made it into three of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Only the Gospel of John goes easy on rich men (and even throws in that off-hand little hint, "The poor always ye have with you," which has sanctioned a good deal of Christian complacency over the years).
Mr. Graham's reaction (quoted above) to this news coming out in the Charlotte Observer speaks to the political context of today's public Christians. It's all about appearances. The underlying substance does not change, and we wouldn't look for the good reverend to be donning sackcloth any time soon.
Labels: Franklin Graham, religion and politics
Monday, June 15, 2009
Holy Association
Photos of Boone mover-and-shaker Franklin Graham, posing with new NCGOP Chair Tom Fetzer and Franklin's father Billy Graham, were used by Fetzer at the Republican State Convention on Saturday to convey the unmistakable impression that he was endorsed by the Graham family.
Labels: Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Tom Fetzer
Sunday, June 29, 2008
McCain Kissing Some Rings in WNC
Senator John is outside Asheville today paying fealty to one branch of American churchiness represented by Billy Graham and his son Franklin.
McCain's denial that the visit has anything to do with politics is hilarious (and logic-defying):
McCain has been trying to convince Christian conservatives that he's one of them, and hanging out with the Grahams might help.
Plus McCain and Franklin Graham have a lot of mutual Middle Eastern war-lovin' to discuss. Franklin seemed to welcome the Iraq War as an expansion opportunity for his brand of evangelistic Christianity.
McCain's denial that the visit has anything to do with politics is hilarious (and logic-defying):
"I think the Graham family really transcends politics in America. Billy Graham was an adviser to every president and so I'm not sure that there is any -- there certainly is no political aspect to the meeting that I will have."
McCain has been trying to convince Christian conservatives that he's one of them, and hanging out with the Grahams might help.
Plus McCain and Franklin Graham have a lot of mutual Middle Eastern war-lovin' to discuss. Franklin seemed to welcome the Iraq War as an expansion opportunity for his brand of evangelistic Christianity.
Labels: Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, John McCain
