While GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump campaigns to "Make America great again," Evangelist and social conservative Franklin Graham said he wants to make it Christian again. That's partly why Graham is taking his Decision America rallies to all 50 U.S. state capitols.
Graham, 63, told Religion News Service, he believes conservative believers are losing cultural clout in an article published Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, Graham posted another call to action online: "I'm calling for a truce! A time out. A halt to the insults, the back-stabbing, the dirty tricks, and the name-calling that has been spewing from most of the presidential candidates. #SuperTuesday is now over, but the campaign for the highest office in our land has stooped to a new low - and it's not something to be proud of. Seriously. I call on the candidates to drop the childish bickering and get back to the issues that can change America for the good, for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Otherwise America is ultimately the loser. It's obvious that this country is in trouble - spiritually, morally, and politically."
His March 2 post has received nearly 15,000 comments at the time this article was published. One person, Grace Buchanan Younan, agreed, posting: "Amen! So sick of the immature acts of those who are seeking to lead our nation. Not one of them deserve a vote, let alone lead our country. They are an embarrassment."
Stanley Harris posted that he thought Graham had a noble viewpoint, but that he "didn't think there are any candidates who are concerned about our country, but only themselves."
Not all people completely agree with Graham on social media, however. Lynne Smith posted: "The other candidates are trying to kick Trump out, but they are forgetting about We The People! We want change, not status quo."
Additionally, Carol Knight emphasized: "You mean the Republican candidates, don't you? Seems like
Bernie and Hillary are adults."
The son of famed religious leader Billy Graham has 3.4 million followers for his increasingly direct Facebook posts. He calls Islam a dead religion. As RNS points out, Franklin raises funds for "persecuted Christians" in the United States, such as business owners who feel it is a violation of their religious principles to service same-sex couples. He also boycotts businesses that use happy gay couples in their advertising. He also condemns "21st-century secularism as the godless successor to Cold War communism."
Lately, Graham has been urging Americans to pray first and then vote for Bible-believing evangelical candidates. He insists he is not running for the presidency role himself.
Instead, he told RNS he encourages people to run themselves for leadership roles, starting with local city and county offices. Imagine, he says at every tour stop, the impact on society if "the majority of the school boards were controlled by evangelical Christians."
Graham, who reportedly withdrew from the GOP last year, also emphasized he is not endorsing any person or political party. He said the Decision tour, a $10 million road show, is underwritten by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Graham routinely tells people during his tour stops "only prayer can save the nation."
