Quotes and Beliefs of Dr. Billy GrahamHere is a Video Clip of The Larry King interview mentioned in this post: Larry King interviewIn our first installment, we'll be looking at some ofthe teachings, opinions and quotes of Dr. BillyGraham, evangelist extraordinaire and member of theSouthern Baptist Convention. For years, Dr. BillyGraham has been probably the most popular Protestantpersonality in the world. In the below expose, takenfrom many documented magazines, television programs,interviews, etc., Graham has many interesting thingsto say about many different subjects. One has toconclude, from his own words, that Dr. Billy Grahamholds many views and beliefs that are not a part offundamental Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ andthe Apostles. So, let's start our study.SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRISTBilly Says:"I used to believe that pagans in far-off countrieswere lost--were going to hell. I no longer believethat. I believe that there are other ways ofrecognizing the existence of God--through nature, forinstance." (Billy Graham, McCall Magazine Jan. 1987)."I respect other paths to God," (Billy Graham, ParadeMagazine, Oct 20th 1996)Jesus Says:John 14:6-7...Jesus answered, "I am the way and thetruth and the life. No one comes to the Father exceptthrough me. If you really knew me, you would know myFather as well. From now on, you do know him and haveseen him."CREATION & EVOLUTIONBilly Says:"How you believe doesn't affect the doctrine. Eitherat a certain moment in evolution God breathed into oneparticular ape-man who was Adam, or God could havetaken a handful of dust and blowed and created a manjust like that" (Billy Graham, 'United ChurchObserver' 'Sunday Magazine' June 1966).God Says:Genesis 1:26-27...Then God said, "Let us make man inour image, in our likeness, and let them rule over thefish of the sea and the birds of the air, over thelivestock, over all the earth, and over all thecreatures that move along the ground." So God createdman in his own image, in the image of God he createdhim; male and female he created them.Genesis 2:7... The LORD God formed the man from thedustof the ground and breathed into his nostrils thebreath of life, and the man became a living being.HOMOSEXUALITYBilly Says:“I find it is emotional, with strong arguments on bothsides of the issue. I intend to stay out of nationaland local politics while here. God loves all peoplewhatever their ethnic or political background or theirsocial orientation. ... I never speak against othergroups" (Billy Graham regarding his position onhomosexuals, 22 September 1992 The Statesman Journal)“sodomites are born sodomites, it is in their genes”(Billy Graham, December 1994 on the Larry King Live).God's Word Says:I Corinthians 6:9-11...Do you not know that the wickedwill not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not bedeceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolatersnor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexualoffenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards norslanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom ofGod. And that is what some of you were. But you werewashed, you were sanctified, you were justified in thename of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of ourGod.Romans 1:27.. In the same way the men also abandonednatural relations with women and were inflamed withlust for one another. Men committed indecent acts withother men, and received in themselves the due penaltyfor their perversion.QUOTES ON THE POPEBilly Says:“John Paul II is almost an evangelist because he callsto people to turn to Christ, to turn to Christianity"(The Star, June 26, 1979, reprinted in the AustralianBeacon, August 1979, p. 1)."The pope came as a statesman and a pastor, but Ibelieve he also sees himself coming as anevangelist... The pope sought to speak to thespiritual hunger of our age in the same way Christiansthroughout the centuries have spoken to the spiritualyearnings of every age--by pointing people to Christ."(Billy Graham, in an interview with The SaturdayEvening Post Jan-Feb. 1980)"We had a spiritual time" (Graham visiting with thePope in 1981, Christianity Today, Feb. 6, 1981, p.88).“John Paul II is the moral leader of the world" (BillyGraham, Religious News Service, Sept. 27, 1979)."The Pope is a bridge builder…Pope John Paul II hasemerged as the greatest religious leader of the modernworld, and one of the greatest moral and spiritualleaders of the century" (Billy Graham Saturday EveningPost, Jan.-Feb. 1980).A Word from Pastor Paul Separk ,Jr.The kind words that Dr. Billy Graham has for the Popeare quite suspicious. He makes the Pope sound like aregular ol' southern "pastor" or "evangelist." Infuture articles in this APOLOGETICS forum, I'lldiscuss the beliefs and doctrines of the RomanCatholic Church, but for the topic at hand, it will beenough to say that the Roman Catholic Church says thePope is practically Jesus Christ on earth holding thekeys of heaven and hell and deciding who gets out ofthe mythical place called purgatory. The Pope alsoboasts the power to hear confessions and forgive sins.In addition, the Pope and the Roman Catholic Churchsupport praying to Mary (in the false Roman CatholicDoctrine, Mary is co-equal with Jesus and a mediatoras the "Mother of God") and dead saints, Celebacy ofthe priesthood ( a "priest" is a mediator. There isonly ONE priest JESUS CHRIST), repetitious prayer (therosary) and many other unbiblical teachings.CONVERTING CATHOLICS AND JEWSBilly & Company Says:"Anyone who makes a decision at our meetings is seenlater and referred to a local clergyman, Protestant,Catholic, or Jewish." (Billy Graham, Sept. 21, 1957,in an interview with the San Francisco News)."Names of Catholics who had made decisions for Christwere provided at that meeting by Rick Marshall of theGraham organization." (Sept. 2, 1983, The FloridaCatholic)"If Catholic step forward there will be no attempt toconvert them and their names will be given to theCatholic church nearest their homes" (David Cline ofBringhouse United Church Vancouver Sun, Oct. 5, 1984).A NOTE FROM PASTOR PAUL SEPARK, JR.It is unreal that a so called "evangelistic" crusadewould not encourage a person to a belief infundamental Christianity but, if they were of a tokenCatholic or Jewish background, would send them to aCatholic church or Jewish synagogue. Jesus isuniversal and it is impossible for anyone to be savedthrough any other system except Jesus Christ.MORE ON THE POPE AND CATHOLIC CHURCHBilly Says:"The gospel that built this school [Roman Catholicism]and the gospel that brings me here tonight is stillthe way of salvation." "The gospel that built thisschool and the gospel that brings me here tonight isstill the way of salvation." (Billy Graham, TheGastonian Gazette of November 22, 1967 addressingBelmont Abbey’s Roman Catholic college)1966: "I find myself closer to Catholics than theradical Protestants. I think the Roman Catholic Churchtoday is going through a second Reformation" (EveningBulletin, Philadelphia, May 24, 1966)."We have received wondrous support from the CatholicChurch" (Billy Graham, Christianity Today, Dec. 30,1977 sermon in Manila, Philippines)."I found that my beliefs are essentially the same asthose of orthodox Catholics we only differ on somematters of later church tradition. I find that mybeliefs are essentially the same as those of orthodoxRoman Catholics" (McCall's, Jan. 1978)."There was a pause in the conversation, suddenly thePope's arm shot out and he grabbed the lapels of mycoat, he pulled me forward within inches of his ownface. He fixed his eye on me and said, `Listen,Graham, we are brothers.'" We are brothers! Grahamsaid that was a great happening in his life, when thePope took him by the lapels, pulled him into his cheekand said, "We are brothers." (Billy Graham, The Todaynewspaper, June 8, 1989)"This past week I preached in the great CatholicCathedral a funeral sermon for a close friend of minewho was a Catholic, and they had several Bishops andArchbishops to participate, and as I sat there goingthrough the funeral Mass that was a very beautifulthing, and certainly straight and clear in the gospel.There was a wonderful little priest that would tell mewhen to stand and when to kneel and what to do."(Billy Graham, kneeling before the Mass wafer inMilwaukee October 21, 1973)A NOTE FROM PASTOR PAUL SEPARK, JR.There isn't much I can add other than it is quiteapparent that Billy Graham has quite a bit in commonwith the Roman Catholic Church. I guess it is prettyfair to say that Graham is a closet Catholic andcertainly a major Catholic apologist pushing for theunity of the Protestantism and Catholicism.***For the sake of time, I am going to let the rest ofthe quotes from Dr. Billy Graham speak for themselves.Needless to say, any novice Bible student to counterany of the erroneous statements that Graham has putforth below.***INFANT BAPTISMBilly Says:"I have some difficulty in accepting theindiscriminate baptism of infants without a carefulregard as to whether the parents have any intention offulfilling the promise they make. But I do believethat something happens at the baptism of an infant,particularly if the parents are Christians and teachtheir children Christian Truths from childhood. Wecannot fully understand the miracles of God, but Ibelieve that a miracle can happen in these children sothat they are regenerated, that is, made Christian,through infant baptism. If you want to call thatbaptismal regeneration, that’s all right with me"(Graham, interview with Wilfred Bockelman, associateeditor of the Lutheran Standard, American LutheranChurch, Lutheran Standard, October 10, 1961).God's Word Says:Acts 12:13...Simon himself believed and was baptized.HELLBilly Says:"I know that God has a fire which burns but does notconsume; one example is the fire of the burning bushwhich Moses saw. I know also, however, that in manyplaces throughout the Bible, the term 'fire' is usedfiguratively to connote great punishment or suffering.The Bible speaks of fire set by the tongue" (BillyGraham being questioned regarding a literal fire ofhell, News and Record, Greensboro, North Carolina,March 15, 1999).ON RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHESBilly Says:"Dear Philip: Your gracious and generous invitation tospeak twice in Vancouver was deeply appreciated. ... Ihave tried to juggle my schedule but it is just tooheavy at this late date for me to make the drasticchanges that would be necessary for me to be inVancouver. This will be only the second generalassembly of the WCC that I have had to miss. I willcertainly miss seeing you and many other old friendsand fellowshipping with those from all over theworld..." (telegram sent in 1983 by Graham to PhilipPotter, General Secretary of the World Council ofChurches Foundation, Vol. IV, Issue IV, LosOsos,Calif.: Fundamental Evangelistic Association,1983).'I have nothing but the warmest of relations with theWorld Council of Churches'. (Billy Graham, 1974,Lausanne Congress).A QUOTE FROM THE "GOOD OL' DAYS"Billy Says:“The three greatest menaces faced by orthodoxChristianity are Communism, Roman Catholicism andMohamedanism (Islam)'. (Graham, 1948 from PlainsBaptist Challenger, July 1977)COMMUNISM & THE TEN COMMANDMENTSBilly Says:“I think communism's appeal to youth is its structureand promise of a future utopia. Mao Tse-Tung's eightprecepts are basically the same as the TenCommandments. In fact if we can't have the TenCommandments read in the schools I'll settle for Mao'sprecepts'” (Billy Graham, May 28th 1978 in theJapanese newspaper 'Mainichi Daily News' from PlainsBaptist Challenger, July 1977).THE VIRGIN BIRTHQ. Do you think a literal belief in the Virginbirth--not just as a symbol of the incarnation or ofChrist's divinity--as an historic event is necessaryfor personal salvation?A. While I most certainly believe that Jesus Christwas born of a virgin, I do not find anywhere in theNew Testament that this particular belief is necessaryfor personal salvation ("Billy Graham Answers 26Provocative Questions," United Church of Observer,July 1, 1966).BIBLICAL INFALLIBILITYBilly Says:“I believe the Bible is the inspired, authoritativeword of God but I don’t use the word ‘inerrant’because it’s become a brittle divisive word.” (BillyGraham, Newsweek magazine, April 26, 1982, in a debateon the issue of biblical infallibility.)Jesus Says:II Timothy 3:16-17...All Scripture is God-breathed andis useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting andtraining in righteousness, so that the man of God maybe thoroughly equipped for every good work.II Peter 1:20-21... Above all, you must understandthat no prophecy of Scripture came about by theprophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never hadits origin in the will of man, but men spoke from Godas they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."World travel and getting to know clergy of alldenominations has helped mold me into an ecumenicalbeing. We’re separated by theology and, in someinstances, culture and race, but all that meansnothing to me any more" (Billy Graham, U.S. News &World Report, Dec. 19, 1988)."Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!for so did their fathers to the false prophets" (Luke6:26).Billy Graham is probably one of the world's mostpopular and admired men - along with his friend PopeJohn Paul II, but the true prophets of old were neverpopular.This is a word for word transcript from a 1997 TVbroadcast of Hour of Power. In the interview, Grahamtold Schuller: In this interview, which I have onvideo tape as well, the following is said:Graham: "I think that everybody that loves or knowsChrist, whether they are conscious of it or not, theyare members of the body of Christ. . . . [God] iscalling people out of the world for his name, whetherthey come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist worldor the non-believing world, they are members of theBody of Christ because they have been called by God.They may not know the name of Jesus but they know intheir hearts that they need something they do nothave, and they turn to the only light they have, and Ithink that they are saved and they are going to bewith us in heaven.Schuller: "What, what I hear you saying, that it'spossible for Jesus Christ to come into human heartsand soul and life, even if they have been born indarkness and have never had exposure to the Bible. Isthat a correct interpretation of what you are saying?"Graham: "Yes, it is."Schuller: "I'm so thrilled to hear you say this:'There's a wideness in God's mercy'," andGraham: "There is. There definitely is"--"BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS, WHICH COME TO YOU INSHEEP CLOTHING, BUT INWARDLY THEY ARE RAVENINGWOLVES." Mt. 7:15 --"BEHOLD, I AM SENDING YOU FORTH ASLAMBS AMONG WOLVES." Lk. 10:3 Graham Has Changed HisBeliefs in the Last 25 Years
