Gee, I apologize if it offends you that I think Billy Graham and his "Christians" are a bunch of hateful, intolerant, redneck Huckabees who pimp poor old Jesus for a buck. I apologize if the truth offends you, amen.

See also Rabbi Wolpe's views about the Torah in his own words at

An excerpt:

"Did the Exodus Really Happen?

Knowing the Exodus is not a literal historical account does not ultimately change our connection to each other or to God.

Three years ago on Passover, I explained to my congregation that according to archeologists, there was no reliable evidence that the Exodus took place--and that it almost certainly did not take place the way the Bible recounts it. Finally, I emphasized: It didn't matter.
Some argue that there is no evidence to back my assertion. Endlessly reiterated is the mantra "absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence." In other words, the fact that we have never found a single shred of evidence in the Sinai does not mean the Israelites were not there. "

"We stood at Mount Sinai to receive G-d's Torah. "

Not according to Rabbi David Wolpe, an On Faith panelist:

New York Times
ARTS & IDEAS/CULTURAL DESK | March 9, 2002
New Torah For Modern Minds

By MICHAEL MASSING (NYT)

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E1EFE35540C7A8CDDAA0894DA404482

New Torah For Modern Minds

Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, probably never existed. Nor did Moses. The entire Exodus story as recounted in the Bible probably never occurred. The same is true of the tumbling of the walls of Jericho. And David, far from being the fearless king who built Jerusalem into a mighty capital, was more likely a provincial leader whose reputation was later magnified to provide a rallying point for a fledgling nation.

Such startling propositions -- the product of findings by archaeologists digging in Israel and its environs over the last 25 years -- have gained wide acceptance among non-Orthodox rabbis. But there has been no attempt to disseminate these ideas or to discuss them with the laity -- until now.

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, which represents the 1.5 million Conservative Jews in the United States, has just issued a new Torah and commentary, the first for Conservatives in more than 60 years. Called ''Etz Hayim'' (''Tree of Life'' in Hebrew), it offers an interpretation that incorporates the latest findings from archaeology, philology, anthropology and the study of ancient cultures. To the editors who worked on the book, it represents one of the boldest efforts ever to introduce into the religious mainstream a view of the Bible as a human rather than divine document.

The notion that the Bible is not literally true ''is more or less settled and understood among most Conservative rabbis,'' observed David Wolpe, a rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and a contributor to ''Etz Hayim.'' But some congregants, he said, ''may not like the stark airing of it.'' Last Passover, in a sermon to 2,200 congregants at his synagogue, Rabbi Wolpe frankly said that ''virtually every modern archaeologist'' agrees ''that the way the Bible describes the Exodus is not the way that it happened, if it happened at all.'' The rabbi offered what he called a ''litany of disillusion'' about the narrative, including contradictions, improbabilities, chronological lapses and the absence of corroborating evidence. In fact, he said, archaeologists digging in the Sinai have ''found no trace of the tribes of Israel -- not one shard of pottery.''

Christians should not be telling Jews what their Bible means either. We stood at Mount Sinai to receive G-d's Torah. The Jewish people lived at the time of Jesus and know what the creator promised us the Messiah would accomplish during his reign.

Taking a cue from the author of Revelations--I would ask those who "pretend" to be Christians to account for the actions of their religious forebearers and make atonement for the Crusades, the inquisition, the pogroms of Eastern Europe, the expulsions, the Blood Libel, and the Holocaust. All of these were based on upon Anti-Jewish fervor that came directly from the Gospels.

It is no surprise to me Rev. Graham would make such hateful statements about Jews--it has long been a part of Christian tradition.

It is a part of Jewish tradition to recognize, atone, and promise to never repeat your transgressions. I would hope that those such as Rev. Graham would be willing to follow that path and make the world a place where all can worship G-d in a manner of their choosing.

Billy, Franklin and all the rest of their sort:They are shills and servants to the worst of us and suffer from selective amnesia. They forget what they remember to forget.

I pray every day that, through the grace of God, Billy and Franklin Graham may find their way to Christianity.

If you go to Beliefnet.com you will see Graham's exact quote. When the well-known get 'caught' in a foolish statement, they frequently "have no memory of the occasion." But, of course, Graham claimed then (when 'caught') that "[those words] do not reflect my views and I sincerely apologize for any offense caused by the remarks." Any wordsmith can recognize that Graham is simply squirming out of the tight bind created by his outrageous attitudes and remarks. Most assuredly, in response to an earlier comment, he did NOT say he was wrong. All the attitudes and behaviors of the remarkably dangerous "Christian Right" are quite transparent. They are bound and determined to defy anyone who does not agree with their twisted views of the world and their determination to diminish power of any group except their own. We must continue our vigilance against all dimensions of their agendae.

Lambie1 - how could Rev. Graham apologize in 1972 for comments that were on "newly released tapes from the Nixon Library"? And how do you know that Mr. Hirschfield was citing that 1972 apology?

Brad Hirschfield might want to do better research. He claims that Billy Graham, in apologizing in 1972, took an attitude of "I am willing to offer you an apology even though I don't think that I have done anything wrong". Balderdash. Check more carefully, Brad. Mr. Graham said, "I was wrong ..."

More specifically, he said "I cannot imagine what caused me to make those comments. ... I was wrong ... " That's not at all the tone you portray.