Snubbed by Pentagon, Graham leads National Day of Prayer event at Capital

I find it repellent that Franklin Graham was originally invited to bring his odd little cult beliefs into the Pentagon. This is the United States of America, not the western outpost of the Taliban.

graham is a preacher for the redneck agenda

Why, pray tell, does the media give this clown any credibility? A drunk, drug addict, and philanderer who "miraculously" found Jesus enroute to assuming his father's lucrative ministry and immediately after getting to old to score. Throw this money changer out of the temple, please!

Next thing we know the poor gays will get saddled with his sorry a''! He'll get caught with his hand in the cookie jar or with some meth head hustler's piece up his a'' and the "Oh, it's because I was gay for a moment before cuddling up to that sorry mess of a wife of mine but now I've found Jesus again and am not gay today" strategy will come out.

Note to Franklin Graham - get a real job!

Saddest thing of ALL . . .

Although Franklin Graham preaches that Jesus is God, he apparently believes that Jesus is a non-merciful, vindictive God! How can one believe in such a monster - let alone worship him?

Thank GOD (or whatever) - Franklin's vision of God is no more valid than ANY human Being's concept of God!

Posters here exhibit extreme Christianophobia. What a parallel universe we have become, where all things Christian are to be reviled and despised, and all things Islamic glorified. Looks as if the prophecies of 2000 years ago may have more to them than we thought....

While the previous posts come from persons hostile to evangelical Christianity, several of them expose great ignorance of facts.

Larry's reference to the "odd little cult" is contradicted by the fact that there are an estimated 420 million evangelicals in the world. And most evangelical are fully comfortable with the Nicene Creed which is the foundational creed of 2.1 billion Christians.

And his comparison of evangelicals to the Taliban demonstrates Larry's hatred makes him irrational. Evangelicals don't kill girls for going to school, don't commit honor killings, and don't become suicide bombers. Instead evangelicals build schools, hospitals, and orphanages. And they preach the Good News that God loves us so much that he sent His only Son, with the Son's full agreement and desire, to die for our sins.

I'm confused after reading the article. He was disinvited, yet he still preached a sermon??? I must be missing something here. These must be 2 completely separate events.

Mr. Graham's feigned outrage that Muslims have been allowed to celebrate their holidays at the Pentagon, while he, as an evangelical, has somehow been denied equality is an utter absurdity.

First of all, the National Day of Prayer is explicitly non-sectarian and the fact that members of the nattering, right-wing, 1-800-offering-plate crowd have bullied their way into "control" of the event, at least in their minds, does not change the law. Evangelicals have absolutely no special status or claim to the National Day of Prayer. I daresay that the overwhelming majority of the Founding Fathers would not kowtow to the tent-revival and minority-bashing fundamentalists.

With regard to Mr. Graham's attempt to use Ramadan as a straw-man/bogey-man (no doubt, his coffers are getting ever larger with each public appearance), there is absolutely no intellectual honesty in such a position. If the good "reverend" could provide any kind of proof (e.g., videotape, audio recordings, or even an anecdote) that the Pentagon had provided a forum to a Muslim cleric who preached of the "evils" of either of the other two Abrahamic religions or any other faith, then he might have an argument that the government had made a mistake.

Instead, he is trying to make a claim on the basis of true, but irrelevant facts. If the government is going to provide a religious forum, what should be the criteria for selecting the participants? Number of adherents; political clout; cash in the bank; length of time in existence....

Given the limitations of time and space, not every religion subscribed to by American citizens and soldiers can be represented in such an event, Mr. Graham's petulant carping about being "grounded for bad behavior" should serve as a reminder why government and religion should remain separated.

While the political pandering, particularly to the fundamentalists and evangelicals, means that we will not be able to make a clean break that is in our best interest, perhaps we should allow the standards for selection to include, at a minimum, only those persons who have not repeatedly denigrated other faiths (i.e., Mr. Graham).

To all those who mistakenly claim that this is "Christianophobia," ask yourselves what standards for inclusion you would propose. The divine right of kings, a right long supported by the Christian church, has been abolished and Mr. Graham should not attempt to bully his way into a modern-day version of this antiquated notion.

The national day of prayer is nothing but political showboating and flagrant self-dealing. It has no place in our public discourse. Same is true for the truly slimy annual prayer breakfast.

All these yahooos, esp. Graham, need to get their butts back into their churches and stay there.

We're not going to pray our way out of any of our troubles. It will take intelligence and a lot of very hard work and sacrifice. God, if she exists, has nothing -- nada -- to do with it, and only fools and shysters would disagree.

It's ok if they prey, as long as they do it on their lunch hour. I'm not paying them to goof off.

the purpose of prayer is to praise God and give thanks. Not to showboat and show how important "you" are. It would be more appropriate to have a random enlisted man or a congressional intern to lead the prayer on National Prayer Day. the idea of having celebrity preachers hosting the event makes it a farce.

I find it outrageous that Graham was disinvited. The muslims win yet another one. I am outraged that Graham, an American citizen and man of God was left by the wayside while the murderous muslims were INVITED. This political correctness must stop.

I have a hard time hating Graham. He seems like a well-intentioned guy, but he's just a bit hazy on exactly what Islam teaches and he's not very good with words. Obviously, the Pentagon had to disinvite him to avert the risk of marring their Day of Prayer with another gaffe, but he seems more reasonable man than the average WaPo commenter... for what it's worth.

"Evangelicals don't kill girls for going to school, don't commit honor killings, and don't become suicide bombers. Instead evangelicals build schools, hospitals, and orphanages. And they preach the Good News that God loves us so much that he sent His only Son, with the Son's full agreement and desire, to die for our sins."

No kidding. But the fact that we believe in a God who expects people to worship only Him (and no other supposed variation of Him) is apparently equivalent to bigotry and hatred.

What a lame farce

--Satan

Obama is a Muslim sympathizer. He snubbed the traditional national day of prayer a year ago on May 7, 2009 with no activities or celebration. Then on September 25, 2009, he held a day of prayer for Muslims at the White House where thousands of Muslims attended. Now he snubs the Christian prayer day again. His attendance at Wrights church was in accord with his and Wrights negative view of America. He’s the most asinine, crass, and fraudulent freak this country has ever known.
.

How nice it would be if people would keep their relationship with their "higher power" to themselves. How many wars and violent deaths could have been averted over the last couple of thousand years? Suppose all that energy had been focused on constructive endeavors. The waste is almost unbearable to contemplate.

Graham and the rest of the Christians should keep their prayers to themselves. Nobody prevents them from praying silently to themselves whenever they want. To pray loudly and publicly is nothing but arrogance. Go away, Graham. Nobody wants you but your cult followers.

I am pleased that Graham and his bigoted views were left on the sidewalk outside the Pentagon. There is some insane notion entertained by certain groups that this is a Christian nation. Graham, in an interview with Jon Meacham of Newsweek stated that "only" the 20% of us who are not Christian would be offended by that notion. (Meacham, a Christian, said he was offended.) It is interesting that virtually none of the Founding Fathers (except, perhaps Adams) would agree with either of Graham's positions or their basis.

The fact that several comments on this thread even imply that the ethnic provenance of our President makes him somehow less worthy illustrates the venomous level of Graham's orientation and how damaging it is to all of us, collectively.

Last I heard, we're all in this together...except for Graham and his latter-day Crusaders.

I am not sure I understand how the Muslims are winning wih this. First of all, the Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. It is called Separation of Church and State, something the Founding Fathers believed in. I know the right wing likes to think that the Founding Fathers were these uber Christians but if you have EVER read a true history book, that is not the case. And they surely believed in had no place in politics. Also, the Day of Prayer is not only for the Christians. It is for anybody who prays to whatever mythological deity that they believe in. Get over yourselves and worry about governing our conutry not trying to find offense around every corner. That goes for both sides, right and left.

I note you Obama sympathizers ignore that on September 25, 2009, Obama held a day of prayer for Muslims at the White House where thousands of Muslims attended. Instead you hoot agains Christianity, like the goofballs you are.
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It is telling that those who believe Franklin Graham is an honest broker, feel compelled to lie about our country's President and call him vile names, even accusing him of preferring muslims. And these fools align themselves with "God".
Who"s God? Surely not the Christian God, for He would have taught them otherwise. Graham's supporters are just like those who have tortured and harassed, slandered and cursed Obama. These jerks aren't no where near living as the God of the Bible tells them to. They are just political hounds who are mad as hell that our country's President is black. That is their bottom line.What they won't admit, is that the God of the Bible whom they claim to revere, is probably blacker than our President. They all think He is blonde haired and blue eyed. Saving Grace comes on this board and tells outright lies and BillW is obviously a man with a much damaged brain. Bill you are besieged with hatred, purge yourself or lay off the sauce. fritz

59 years and now a few people want to deny America the basic unalienable right to pray. As if we need to shove it in a closet...whereas the lifestyles of shame are forced on even the children of this nation.

I don't think "snub" and "disinvite" mean the same thing. Franklin was definitely disinvited from the event - but it is wrong to say that he was "snubbed" - unless, of course, one is trying to portray him as a martyr of some sort, which the WaPost seems to be wanting to do.

I applaud the Pentagon for it's reversal. This Graham clown reminds me of Jesse and Al in his attempt to arouse the(dumb)masses. This trio likes to start trouble, not improve situations. TFL, Ken

F.uck off you stupid hypocrite!

I applaud the Pentagon for it's reversal. This Graham clown reminds me of Al and Jesse in his attempt to arouse the masses. This trio cause trouble, not improve situations. TFL, Ken

Dear Sirs,
What Bible is Franklin Graham talking about?
It cannot be Reagan's Bible of eleven commandments because there are only ten.
The entire Book of Mormon was written well after 1776.
What Bible is it?
Clifford Spencer

SavingGrace

I dont think people are as much phobic to Christianity as they are cynical to the people who preach the gospel and use faith to help their political, social and financial agendas under hypocritical pretense. In other words phony preachers using the bible for profit,self promotion and power. We are tired of faith and politics overlapping for financial gain. I dont think that is what God intends us to use our faith for. No more than the Koran should be used for power hungry leaders to promote extreme views just to be leaders.

Narcissism at its finest. - the Xtian sense that everyone has a right to be an Xtian - whether they want to or not.

We're not all xtians, and to pursue the prayer beyond the limits set by the state is just grandstanding- getting headlines - but for the reasons that he cares not about the outcome that he is in direct defiance of government orders.

I didn't see this as a good Xtian, doing what the bible says, and "turning the other cheek".

No it's more about free and public advertising for Graham's empire of lost souls than it is actually about Xtianity.

It's folks like (graham) these that give religion - any religion - a bad rap.

Talk about arrogance. This is NOT a display of humility.

Humility would have put a happy Graham in his home, or some other venue to pray.

Therefore, he is not following (his Xtian-based) God's law.

An imposter, you could say. A wolf in Sheep's clothing...

End of story.

the decline and fall of the obama regime
may 6, 2010

obama adopts an increasingly harsh public antagonism against israel. even chuck schumer, a staunch ally of the obama regime, publicly attacked obama this week over its hostility to israel. perhaps just another ploy by schumer to placate his base which strongly supports israel, but it could be genuine.

obama’s hostility against israel is compelled by obama islamic worldview ideology.

obama’s islamic worldview was affirmed by the recent public “disinvitation” of rev franklin graham, purportedly over theological statement regarding islam, but pointed at the evangelical christians led by graham who widely support israel, and particularly its right to jerusalem.

many evangelical christians not previous politically active, seek an appropriate opportunity to demonstrate support for israel. former nyc mayor koch’s speech resonated.

meanwhile, islamic terrorists from ny publicly threaten (via a website) a cable tv show “southpark” with death if a cartoon on islam is not redacted–southpark complied and

of course

no action by the obama regime.

obama regime’s attack on free speech
and freedom of religion

the obama regime’s attack on christianity is just the latest proof of obaama isalmic worldview:

A. obama is the first president EVER to solicit “informers” of those critical of his policies. what is most ominous about this open solicitation on the official white house website is team obama saw no difficulty with publicly doing this–which is consistent with an islamic worldview and inapposite to the traditional judeo-christian worldview.

B. obama publicly attacks Fox and Limbaugh not just on content–but on their very existence. again consistent with an islamic worldview where press freedom and dissent is stiffled.

C. obama orchestrates a “deem and pass” congressional bypass on obamacare, then withdraws it to sek financial regulation. again, let me be clear, the real significance is not that he orchestrated this unconstitutional attack–the significance is that obama could care less if it was publicly pronounced by pelosi to cram obamacare through. this again is consistent with an islamic worldview idealogy.

D. obama verbally attacks and undermines israel as iran literally threatens to annihilate israel daily and brags about acquiring nukes to do so. obama’s petulant and petty slights to netanyahu are a disgrace. this was all foreseen based upon obama’s worldview which is consistent with the islamic worldview.

E. obama coordinates and directs the free speech pogrom against ATT Caterpillar and John Deere–large american companies who publicly announced the huge cost of obamacare this week. again, consistent with an islamic worldview, these corporations are summonsed to the congress and pogrom chair
waxman to “show your papers” in the best totalitarian tradition of team obama.

this is open intimidation against free speech–again consistent with an islamic worldview in which rulers can not be criticized.

Is this guy referring to the same country that George Washington said is not founded on Christian principles?

He's not very Christian like.

why has obama failed so miserably?????

Consider that Obama mocked the Bible books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus by name. Obama’s speech is still on You-Tube. These books are in the Jewish part of the Bible, the Old Testament , which is also part of the Christian Bible.

Note that Obama has never even CRITICIZED the Koran, much less MOCKED it.

Deuteronomy 28, in the very book Obama mocked by name, pronounces specific curses:

15 However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you

team obama confusion and stupidity??

20 The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him

ineffective failed stimulus billions–unable to produce any jobs???

38 You will sow much seed in the field but you will harvest little, because locusts will devour it. 39 You will plant vineyards and cultivate them but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. 40 You will have olive trees throughout your country but you will not use the oil, because the olives will drop off.

foreign debt–loss of national sovereignty???

43 The alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. 44 He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, but you will be the tail.

Sources:

Obama mocking Deuteronomy and Leviticus by name
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi-V_ilJu0w

The Bible: http://www.biblegateway.com/

Like a stinking Goebbels nazi type spewing hatred predicated upon stereotype. The wackos have done enough to give every straight thinking person a good idea of the lay of the land without this bigot inciting hateful passion.

I'm a Christian, but I don't pray on the street corner as the hypocrites do.

Don't pay any attention to them Franklin, our US Government likes to invite everything and every friggin terrorist in the world into our country so they can start recruiting terrorists and making car bombs and other forms of killing objects to murder and maim as many Americans as they can, because god help us if the USA is not politically correct, after all we don't want to deny any of the friggin Muslim terrorists access to our country.

nothing

endorses a christian leader

quite as much

as being mocked ridiculed and embarrassed

by the obama regime

obama has UNITED opposition to his islamic regime

in ways obama will NEVER understand

obama--compelled by his islamic worldview

First of all, I thought that church and state should be separate. If that is so, why have a national prayer day? When I was a kid we said the Lord's Prayer in school every morning - not anymore, IT MAY OFFEND some.

It offends my senses that the MESSIAH can hold a muslim prayer day; yet Graham is dis-invited to a national prayer meeting. The muslims are trying to kill us daily, yet our Prez gives them total respect. What is wrong with this picture?

So Franklin Graham is hanging out with James Dobson? That tells you everything you need to know about Graham and what he's all about.

Meanwhile, in Britain, a major candidate for Prime Minister can freely mention that he is an atheist, with no adverse electoral consequences.

Makes the USA look like a superstitious cultural anachronism in the 21st Century.

"Posters here exhibit extreme Christianophobia."

Heck, no. I just refuse to accept that Franklin Graham deserves to speak for any member of the holy trinity. Franklin Graham speaks for Franklin Graham, Inc. Perhaps Obama is better acquainted of the teachings of the Bible than some posters here:

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
– Matthew 21:12-13

Unfettered egotism. Egovangelicals on the rampage. The passed over girls conferred, and decided to crash the party. It's like calling the Pope the Holy Father. Excuse me.

How long do we have to put up with the stupid masses who insist on praying to a nonexistent god? This just shows how terribly uneducated the US really is. If there was a god, he would already have done away with the evangelicals and all the others who talk themselves. It is high time that we ignore all those who believe in god so that real human progress can begin.

Mr. Graham is a hateful hypocrite. He believes in religious wars and is fanatic religious extremist with a Taliban mindset.

Unfettered egotism. Egovangelicals on the rampage. The passed over girls conferred, and decided to crash the party. Prayer as an ego weapon. Unbelievable.

Did Dobson invite his male prostitute- hiring buddy George Rekers to attend? These people are laughably ridiculous!

As a species we are still so very, very primative. But we have progressed. We no longer have human sacrifice to the god(s). Hmmm, maybe not.

I am not religious at all, yet I believe in a higher authority. I think that by Obama meeting with muslims, and ignoring Graham, he just gave us a peek into his true agenda. Obama will destroy this nation. And the fools that you all are will allow this to happen.

papafritz571 plays the race card:
"They are just political hounds who are mad as hell that our country's President is black."

Then papafritz571 goes ad hominem:
"Saving Grace comes on this board and tells outright lies and BillW is obviously a man with a much damaged brain. Bill you are besieged with hatred, purge yourself or lay off the sauce."

papafritz571 can't dispute my point so he does the best he can. Too bad.
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Graham may be praying for God to provide wholeness, but Graham is a splitter.

Looks to me like he's serving two houses; therefore, he's just another evil doer

"The Muslims have their holidays that they celebrate at the Pentagon. They celebrated Ramadan. They have prayer services there. But for us Christians to have prayer services, and for them to object and for the Army to give in to their objections is something that I just don't understand."

While I agree that Islam is a religion of hate, actually, they objected to Graham, not the prayer service. Let's try to keep it real.

Pres. Obama wants to be re-elected, so he's courting the Muslim votes. He knows that the majority of the Christian fundies will vote for the GOP just as they did for G. W. who send us to war in Iraq under false informations. The same G. W. that neglected to reform of banking system and send us in a deep depression.

You Obama sympathizers still ignore that on September 25, 2009, Obama held a day of prayer for Muslims at the White House where thousands of Muslims attended. Instead you hoot against Christianity, like the goofballs you are.
Obamais the most asinine, crass, and fraudulent freak this country has ever known
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"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers." An Ideal Husband, Wilde stuff. Man proposes and God disposes. The bomb disposal crew is busy and the economy is shot. Washington is rewarding the incompetents so you can chase disappearing dollars. 6-9 months and we'll look like Greece without fishing boats in the Gulf standing in bread lines. It's been decided that I have no rights, so screw your rights. You have the right to go bankrupt. I propose that you do. Doing a job right still costs less. At least you see it coming and aren't blindsided. You'll be broadsided. High grade work is high return work. What a nation of bamboozlers.

1. Separation of church and state.
2. Graham wasn't snubbed. He was invited until he made some nasty remarks against the Muslim religion, and was uninvited.
3. How would it look if a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Hindu said something derogatory about Christians? I can't imagine the screaming.
4. Sorry, this nation is made up of MANY religions. It is NOT a christian nation.
5. All religions are a cult, and worship a imaginary being.

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

The question is : Which country in the world today holds the distinction to have freed the world from colonialism, tyranny and poverty?

America, hands down. And that is because majority of the population embrace the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Pentagon has become a fool's tool when it burned the Bibles in Afghanistan. Those people won't be freed from tyranny and poverty if they continue to abhor the Holy Book of God. The Pentagon may pay dearly for its ignorance.

"And like the old soldier in that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the sight to see that duty." (General Douglas McArthur)

"I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within." (General Douglas McArthur)

Europe has embraced evolution and abandoned Christianity. After WW3, the continent won't be able to restore its former glory. The place will for so long be regarded as a wasteland. That's the prophecy.

Charles Darwin has done a great disservice to all Europeans. It will soon become a doomed continent.

Some portions of America (the liberal part) will be doomed too. They also should thank Darwin for their plight.

Franklin Graham proves that he a man of courage, strength, and true conviction. It is truly sad that anonymous posters on this discussion board feel so compelled to malign him for simply exercising his constitutional rights.

What is it that the secularists, humanists, and atheists fear so badly that brings out such seething shrill anger - especially when many of the prayers of this day (and every day for that matter) are uttered on their behalf?

May the God of all grace and truth bring you peace, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

During WW1 and WW2, America was left untouched. With all the crazy postings we hear against Christianity in America by Americans, it's impossible that some of the nukes won't reach it.

If they think life will be over after their death, they're in for the biggest surprise of their unending lives.

Eternal torture. So painful that they'll beg to God forever.

If they think God does not exist, they should start thinking why a mound of soil and water can turn into a brain and why the thoughts in their minds is invisible.

Franklin Graham should follow Matthew 6:6: Go into your room, close the door, and pray privately.

Mr. Graham preaches a very restricted version of Christianity which is not accepted by the Majority of religious in the world. While he may not be bigoted, he is not Christian. Jesus gave people the right of choice, and for Mr. Graham to insist that his interpretation of the Bible is the only one, is his right. But he is a fool to think that solely by insulting other religions -- and let's face it, in his View, Catholics, Episcopalians, Mormons, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians -- all of which believe in One God, are offensive to him. Fine. But don't tell me he has a RIGHT to insult these other confessions under a cloak of Government sponsorship. And that is the issue.

Telling the truth is not an insult. A wise person should even be thankful. It was for telling the truth that Jesus Christ was crucified. Jesus Christ has warned his followers to be careful coz the pearls that they teach would result to their being hated upon by pigs.

Mr. Graham, I can't understand how you can't understand why Muslims can have their prayer day at the Pentagon. DUH!

"The Muslims have their holidays that they celebrate at the Pentagon" implying the National Day of Prayer is a "Christian" holiday when it is supposed to include all faiths?

If I were Jesus, I would change my last name because of old, intolerant white Huckabees like Graham.

"May God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, be once again exalted in our halls of government...."

White, Huckabee code for:

- torture
- pre-emptive war
- denying women choice
- reversing civil rights for Blacks
- demonizing Mexicans as an Atwater/Rove "wedge issue"
- capital punishment
- anti-Semanticism
- hatred of Muslims
- education and health care are socialist
- Obama fails at all costs
- no Miranda rights for non-whites and non-Christiansn
- "abstinence" in lieu of education against life threatening STDs and unwanted pregnancies
- blind support of Israel at all costs
- discrimination against gays and government support of religious programs (including the Mormon's electroshock "therapy") to "cure" them
- Second Amendment rights for terrorists
- defense of Catholic pervert priests and their racketeering hiders
- unlimited corporate influence over elections
- Overthrowing the Constitution for their twisted, Leviticus cherry-picked version of "God's Standards"
- Trampling on First and Fourth Amendment rights

And the list goes on. Poor old Jesus.

Isn't it the most curious thing. Billy Graham was broadly respected all over the world. Why? Because he personified what it means to be civil, respectful and yet remain true to one's own faith. It is regrettable that his son did not seem to learn from his father.

Franklin Graham has shown himself to be combative, in-your-face and not unlike the present crop of political pundits on the right who see opponents of their particular beliefs as evil. In the final analysis, Billy Graham's charm was in his likability and his nonpartisan manner of explaining his faith. His son Franklin has no such charm. Indeed, he is a sanctimonious jerk, a zealot who uses Rush Limbaugh tactics in presenting an argument for his faith.

Has anyone heard of seperation of church and state????
Wow what a mess these phony religious people are

This is exactly why church and state should be separate, if everyone prayed in their own churchs we wouldn't need to hear anyone whinning about how they could pray but that group couldn't or whatever. The Soviet Union is dead, now we like the communists of China so whats the point of praying anyway,its time to end the cold war way of thinking.

Since we are at war, and two or our allies in the war are Islamic countries, can't Mr. Graham see that is is a conflict of interest for the Pentagon to host him in their prayer meeting? It is not credible to suppose that the military would bash its allies.

So much drivel here from a crowd of teabaggers! You're all the same: dumb, unread, not traveled, aloof and a goof.

Spidermean - don't speak of Europe unless you have been there. You haven't.

Procounsl and Praetorin (the same commenters with different names) - PLEASE GO AWAY and take up your teabagging again.

Graham was disinvited for his reactionary, unlearned remarks about a religion. The Pentagon did the right thing, no questions asked.

Here's an informative article about James Dobson and his ilk:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20004264-503544.html

I worship cats.

As a first grader in a school with few Jews I was force to sing the 'Jesus loves me' daily.... that was wrong and having a prayer with that bent is also wrong... God loves us all.... Jew, and gentile both...

fr freeparking:

>59 years and now a few people want to deny America the basic unalienable right to pray...

NOBODY is wanting to "deny America the basic unalienable right to pray". One can always pray, quietly, and SILENTLY, so as to not disturb those of other faiths/beliefs. franklin graham claims he was "snubbed", when nothing could be further from the truth. His father must be sooo proud of little frankie.

The wisest move by Jefferson was his attempt to deny Government sanction of ANY particular narrow minded religious cult. NO MATTER HOW MANY ZEALOTS IT CONTAINS.

Please God, don't let the Bible Belt Noah's Ark believing ignoramuses get a Choke-hold on OUR Government.

Can you Imagine the disaster of having Pat Robinson as President? Geeze! Worse than Palin!

Here is Obama's proclimation: I call upon the citizens of our Nation to pray, or otherwise give thanks, in accordance with their own faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and blessings, and I invite all people of faith to join me in asking for God's continued guidance, grace, and protection as we meet the challenges before us.
...It seems tht he DOES in fact supprt Americans' right to prayer or personal conscience. Hmmm, nothing scary there for Christians. The crux if the issue is having the Pentagon invite a known Bigot who preaches hatred of Islam. Please note that other Christian preachers/representatives where there who were a bit more moderate, you know the idea that religion is a personal choice about how we relate to a higher being, not an attempt to paint others as hell-bound. Note that while you can speak of the tradition of this day throught out the last 50+ years, the issue is WHO is co-opting it today and for what resons, namely Graham, Dobson, etc and derailing it's meaning for the evangelical movement only. If any of these evangelicals had made an honest attemp in the name of prayer to coordinate and collaborate with Jews, Muslims, Mormans, Sihks, etc instead of winking at teh intended effect of promoting their idea of religion soley, it would be more creidble. Col. Tom Collins, an Army spokesman, defended the Pentagon's decision to disinvite Graham from its National Day of Prayer event. "His past comments about Islam are not consistent with the multifaith emphasis and inclusiveness of this event at the Pentagon."

I found out that Spiderman lives in the Phillipines. He is a Protestant fanatic in a Catholic country, so I guess he has his problems.

These days where preachers get together to pray in public are puzzling. Wasn't it Jesus who told people to pray in private and to not make a show of one's perceived piety? Perhaps that was a different Jesus. Maybe it was a different time, a time before television and preaching conglomerates.

Franklin Graham is an angry, vicious man who sees "his" god as the only possible correct deity. Graham may not be the literal scum of the earth, but he will do until a lower form of life is found.