It seems to me fitting that these are the first words that come into mind when one considers the life and legacy of Rev Billy Graham. (I certainly wasn’t the only one for what it’s worth.)
As you all may know by now, Billy Graham fell asleep in the Lord yesterday. He was perhaps the greatest known and most widely-traveled evangelist in all of human history. That says a lot: we’re talking about one who approached the likes of the Apostle Paul and John Chrysostom. And like these two giants, there was never any stain associated with Graham, which to me says even more. When it came to religious leaders, he not only talked the talk, he walked the walk. That’s a rare thing if you ask me.
His crusades played a huge part in the growth of the civil rights movement in that he let it be known that he would only come to preach in a city if black people could sit next to whites. That was a huge thing back in the 1950s. In truth, this courageous demand probably paved the way for the eventual passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1965.
As an Orthodox Christian growing up as I did in Oklahoma, I felt a special kinship to Graham as he always made it a point to include all the Christian confessions by name at the end of his crusades. Just the fact that he would name us had a profound impact upon me. If nothing else, it stopped the other kids from asking me if I “still believed in Zeus”.
Moreover, his pilgrimage to Russia upon the millennium of the baptism of Holy Rus’ had a profound impact upon him and helped strengthen the ties between Evangelicalism and Orthodoxy. Today, this legacy of cooperation between these two bodies of Christendom has grown even stronger and his son and successor, Franklin Graham, regularly travels to Russia for high-level talks with Orthodox prelates.
More will be said about him in due time. In the meantime, please take a moment to watch this clip from The Crown, in which a younger Billy Graham is shown preaching at Windsor Castle. It signaled the start of a friendship between Graham and Queen Elizabeth II that would last throughout their lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruB6YNok1qI
Billy Graham had a profound impact on several of my friends. A priest in the GOA told me the story about the time he met Billy at a Greek festival. Billy addressed him as father and then went on to ask advice about spiritual struggles he was having. Humility?
Today while driving I noticed a billboard which had a picture of Reverend Billy Graham and it said … “Welcome Home” … how apropos. May he rest in peace and may his memory be eternal.
As a relatively new entrant into Orthodoxy, I have been perplexed by statements made by Orthodox that seems to limit God’s grace to those who are within the Orthodox fold.
My own experience, for what it is worth, is that I have witnessed or read about God gracing many people who are not Orthodox. This seems to me to be placing a limit on God on what He can or cannot do. Or as i often told people, “Don’t try to put God in a box.”
My take on this is that of St. Paul, who confessed that we see through a glass darkly. And that He has a plan which He is following that often doesn’t fit into our script.
I have no doubt that Billy Graham was used by God, and graced by God.
Lina:
I too am a recent convert to Orthodoxy and you have a good point, especially the mention of St. Paul and how we see through a glass darkly now in this life.
I was actually told by an Orthodox person that unless I was under a particular Bishop I was not in an Orthodox church that had God’s Grace in the Sacraments, etc.
I think God used Billy Graham and that He bestowed His Grace on him.
Hi Lina,
I agree and disagree with your post. It is shocking to see so many Orthodox Christians praising the “Protestant Pope,” the Reverend Billy Graham. He was a pompous, shameless self promoter who cozied up to people in power. To me, his preaching was pure Southern Baptist theology. I think he was a hick from the mountains of South Carolina.
Although I am no fan of Billy Graham, I share your belief that God’s grace can abound in the so called heterodox. God is not limited by man or his conceptions of Him.
Someone once said, ” The Orthodox Church has the right faith, but the wrong people.” I wonder what would happen if a group of African American Christians showed up at the Greek Orthodox Church and said they wanted to convert to Orthodoxy. The priest and the laity would probably be apoplectic. Their high falutin noises would be seriously beant out of shape.
I love people of all races and creeds be they African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, gays and lesbians, Arabs, Jews, Indians(from India), and Native Americans. I have a special burden for African Americans and Hispanics.
By the way, when he was campaigning for President, Donald Trump said he was going to build a wall and Mexico was going to pay for it. If that was the case, why is he asking Congress to pay for his wall. I am opposed to his wall. I welcome Mexican immigrants to this country. All immigrants to this country could be evangelized by the Orthodox Church. What a great opportunity for us.
I love them too” Costa. That’s not the issue.
Peter was a hick for sure, as were many of the Twelve.
Always fun to hear someone say how much they love the downtrodden and oppressed. Hope you do put your money where your mouth is!
Tim,
I have been laboring in the trenches for the poor and downtrodden for a long time. I put some of my wealth and much of my spare time helping those in need, probably not as much as some, but more than most. I’m a centi- multi- millionaire, but I’m still a selfish sinner. I don’t need a Rolex President watch or a brand new Chevy Corvette, but I own both. I’ve also worked extremely hard ever since I was twelve years old to get rich, and have more than achieved that goal. I believe a person like me who came from virtually nothing and has acquired vast wealth through sheer hard work and relentlessness can have compassion and sympathy for those who suffer.
I completely agree with you Costa. I don’t know you but I take you at your word; I believe that you have been merciful to the poor as the Lord has been merciful to you.
Constaninos,
I think you might find that your experience is shared by many of us in this group. In my own case, we took in teenagers and young adults who either had no parents or whose parents were not able to care for them. We had a kid who was Hispanic, another who was an American Indian, another who was the only child of a mentally disabled woman, another who was the son of a trucker, a young woman and her 5-year-old son and yet another who was a cage fighter of all things. We also took in a woman with 6 kids, a Hispanic family of 3 and probably others whom I am momentarily forgetting. I found a black kid standing on the corner in the rain and discovered he was from NY. He had signed up for a magazine scam that brought him all the way to CA. We rescued him, packed him up and sent him home. There are other stories I could share, but my point is there are many of us who, like you, work for the Lord to the degree that we are able. My greatest joy in making the income that I did was being in a position to help others. Because we don’t always know the individual stories of posters, it is often best not to assume anything and at least with me, it is not, never was, about skin color.
I also have to take exception with some of the things you and others have said about our parishes. At my home parish in CA, we have multiple races. Sometimes people misunderstand that when you come into an Orthodox Church, there isn’t a lot of chatting going on. Everyone is front center. At the coffee hour, families are always bringing in other family members and I can see where some people might feel a little lost for 5 to 10 minutes. However, I have NEVER seen racism in the Church. Are they cliquish sometimes? Yes. But that’s true everywhere and you’re hearing from a woman who was made a catechumen in a Greek monastery, baptised in an OCA parish and attended an Antiochian parish. I have also attended Greek and Romanian parishes in CA and ROCOR parishes in Seattle & AK. If you hear that someone had a bad experience somewhere, I would strongly encourage you to talk with the priest, as he is the only one who can do anything about it. But don’t assume you really know what’s going on. You can’t unless it happened to you. If there is a Matushka somewhere who doesn’t make it to Church or who is more sober minded than friendly, forgive her. She has a hard job and may be suffering from burnout. This isn’t specifically to you, Constaninos, but I am REALLY offended by those who trash the Church and the people in it because of something that might have happened to someone else, somewhere else. To take these half-baked stories on a public forum that is read by Inquirers is unforgivable, IMO. Unless you’re willing to name names so the problem can be resolved, it is a chicken #$%^ thing to do.
Those who don’t love the Church are feel free to move on, as far as I’m concerned. We’ll forgive you.
Gail,
The Embittered have found a home! Here on Monomakhos of all places! Careful with this particular embittered one, in that he not take you down places you would normally not go. Especially during Lent.
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”(Hebrews 10:24-25)
Dino,
It’s sad to see you slandering other people during this holy season. Your post is the epitome of embitterment, then you have the hypocrisy to end your calumny with a Bible quotation. You may apologize at any time for your reprehensible, shameful, hypocritical. disgusting post. You have no sense of decency at all.
Before you sit in judgment of others, try looking in the mirror. You can count on me to publicly correct your abysmally poor grammar and incoherent, convoluted writing, if you call that drool writing.
Constaninos,
Everything you said, and all you accuse me of is correct, please forgive me. Too bad you are not a priest, you would make for a great spiritual father. Anyway, so that I may not fall into anymore sin, I will refrain from commenting on your posts, and your previous name as well. Please extend the same courtesy to me as well. You may have the last word if it pleases you, but i will no longer respond to you, or your alias. A Blessed Lent to you.
“If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong, or clanging cymbal.”(1 Corinthians 13:1)
Dino,
I don’t know what you are talking about when you refer to aliases or previous names. Seems like more innuendo to me , however, I am happy to agree not to comment on your posts and for you not to comment on mine.
One final point: You really may find it helpful to check out Dr. Jeff Halper, founder of the International Committee Against Housing Demolitions, Rabbis for Human Rights, and Jewish Voices for Peace. Until I did a great amount of investigating, research and study, I was once a staunch Zionist, for which I have repented.
Well said, Dino. Thank you for caring. I appreciate the reminder and I promise to behave (at least until Lent is over)!
Gail, We have a long way to go until Pascha! I will try to behave as well. Stepping back, or away, and taking the high road is the best remedy. For what it’s worth, I do care, you, and all the regulars here are always in my prayers. I group you all as my social media, internet brothers and sisters. Please pray for me as well, if it comes to mind, in your daily prayers. We don’t really know each other, but we are connected spiritually in ways that you will not find with face to face, brothers, and sisters.
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”(Philippians 1:9-11)
Gail,
Your post is virtually incoherent to me. You rightly suggest forgiving people, but then you say something is unforgivable. If you believe that Orthodoxy is the true faith, is it right for you to invite anyone to leave it?
This is one of my innumerable faults. I form opinions about people based on their writings when I really don’t know them at all. At first, I thought you were a saintly person that I should emulate, but I really don’t know the first thing about you. How stupid of me!
For me to say that I’m disappointed in you is silly because I don’t know you at all. The take away from it? You can’t form an opinion about anyone on the internet. You have to know that person in reality, and you have to know them for a very long time. I have to keep telling myself this is only the internet, and to cease all criticism and praise.
Good to know. I’ve heard so many talk about their compassion and really not lift a finger… or not much.
Tim,
I could do much more, but I’m plagued by the sins of selfishness, covetousness, and greed. These sins have plagued me since I was a little boy. Please pray for me a sinner.
Likewise for me.
Is a centi- multi- millionaire one who has just $100 million, or one who has multiples of a hundred million bucks? I suppose the latter would be a multi- centi- millionaire, come to think about it…..
Constantinos as the son of an immigrant family I too welcome immigrants. Legal ones. Those who go through the legal process, and demonstrate that they have something to offer America and want to assimilate into the American Melting Pot. My great grandmother came in 1910 from Lipsoi and one of our treasured family heirlooms is the thick old notebook that she filled front to back as she learned English to become a naturalized citizen. My great grandfather (who came from Fourni) worked double shifts in the steel mill and although my great grand mother was deathly afraid of water she rowed him on a small boat to the mill every morning to save a nickel street car fare. When she got home he took in sewing to make money as well as taking in boarders who worked with my great grandfather at the steel mill. The mill workers worked in shifts and there was always workers sleeping in their house to make ends meet. And each worker had clean linens every day before washing machines and dryers. In addition to that she made the koliva for her church. Their son my grandfather joined the Navy and was a Pearl Harbor survivor and made the Navy a lifelong career on a 6th grade education. This was the mettle of our people. My great grandparents were my heroes and those are the types of immigrants I welcome. Not the ones who come illegally, get right on the dole, never learn English and want everything put in Spanish for them. What President Trump wants, and what I want, are to bring in immigrants who will add to the greatness and wealth and prosperity of America. We are pro legal immigration based on what America needs and what the immigrants have and are willing to offer. We are not xenophobia or racists as the Democrats would portray us. And we can’t wait to vote for Trump again. My 95 year old great aunt (daughter of my great grandparents) prays every day God will give her three years to vote one more time for President Trump.
I’m the son and grandson of immigrants. My wife, both of whose maternal grandparents were born in Croatia, always tells me, though, that British Columbia doesn’t count!
Calling him a hick is uncalled for. Many here don’t know but at one time Graham supported the liberal evangelical Mark Hatfield to be Nixon Vice President. Hatfield was pretty anti-war since he saw the bomb dropped in Japan. I think that most people here don’t know that Rev Graham was less of a conservative than his son Franklin.
Lina and Anna, there are few within Orthodoxy who make the bombastic claim that grace only exists in the Orthodox Church. In fact, I think most of them post on this blog. Those who claim you must be under a particular bishop are in in fact Protestants(protestors), outside the boundaries of the canonical Church.
Lina, God’s grace is every where but it comes through His Church. The Cup is filled within the Church and over flows. The grace outside the Church is to draw all men to Himself on the Cross. Jesus also calls people directly to Himself but that is also the Church. It takes many people a long time to find their way and we often do not make it easy but God uses that too.
We are called to be one with Him and each other. The Sacramental reality of that union only exists in its fullness and can only be consumated in the Church, i.e. the Orthodox Church.
That does not mean “that everyone not in the Church is damned” although some zealots present it that way. Ephesians 4 says it pretty well.
The way to salvation is narrow and there is only one way. God is merciful but not egalitarian.
Michael I think it is very dangerous to say what God is not. He is who He is, and He shall do what he shall do. We can’t pretend in our wildest dreams to understand that and instead of trying to should just focus on God have mercy on me a sinner, and the chief among them.
Michael, I am not saying anything about what God is not, although there are many things that are quite appropriate and easy to say God is not. Neither am I saying anything about where God is not. That is much more difficult if not impossible. Not only do we proclaim that He is “everywhere present and fills all things”; I have experienced him too many places in too many people that seem strange and bizarre to think other wise.
He has been with me constantly all of my life most of which even now I spent outside the Orthodox Church. He goes out after His sheep and those that hear His voice but He calls His sheep to His sheepfold. As Ephesians 4 and many other places say, there is only one calling; there is only one Church. I am affirming the Holy Scripture, The Creed and what was announced from our altars this day.
Michael I was responding specifically to your comment that God is not egalitarian. Of course you could mean many things by that statement but in the context used, I think it is fairly clear that you are saying while God may be merciful and save people who have never heard the divine name of Jesus Christ, they can not have the same special relationship with him as those who have sacramental communion with him in the Orthodox Church.
If that is what you mean I think you are incorrect. You are using our limited human minds and understanding to try to interpret how God relates to and with and reveals himself to all humankind.
I believe God may very well be egalitarian and not only believe, but know to a certainty, that all the myriad ways in which God chooses to reveal himself and how he extends his friendship to everyone whom he has created is a greater mystery than I will ever comprehend.
I think you draw a false dichotomy by implying you are either saved in the mysteries as offered by the Orthodox Church or if you don’t have access to them you may still not be damned it only by the mercy of God.
The sacramental life of our Church is vital to us, but I do not presume that God cannot offer the same rich fullness and communion with Himself outside of the Church. He is who He is and does as it pleases Him. We will never while breathing on this earth comprehend even a fraction of that wonder.
Michael egalitarianism is a leveling philosophy which denies all hierarchy and is willing to create all kinds of Procrustean beds to make it so. For instance, there is no male or female and so it is a virtue to mutilate folks to make it so. God makes distinctions, not our distinctions, but distinctions nonetheless. There is judgement.
God is no respector of persons but there are borders and ecclesiology is important. Orthodox theology leads people to salvation, RCCs and Protestants are saved in spite of their theology. We may be the ones who have born the heat of the day but having seen the effect of heresy I would not be any where else nor would I want to be outside tempting God. Better that, however, than inside and denying Him.
There is a fullness and a presence that exists in the Church that is no where else. If we take advantage. Otherwise why be Orthodox? Why be anything?
I am truly unworthy and the least in my parish, but He wants me here after being forty years in the desert…and it is a desert out there. Only someone who has never been in it would say otherwise.
Michael I think it is very dangerous to say what God is not. He is who He is, and He shall do what he shall do. We can’t pretend in our wildest dreams to understand that and instead of trying to should just focus on God have mercy on me a sinner, and the chief among them. Hope your day is going well.
Indeed. This is why I joined the Orthodox Church.
I wonder why the only Orthodox church in my city, the bearer and keeper of these holy treasures, calls itself the Greek church. Right on its big sign on the outside. Why place such an obstacle in the way of seekers of the Truth?
Oh, sure, I “understand”. But truly, I don’t understand, and never will. Frankly, it makes me glad I joined at 66, rather than 30 years before, when I knew enough to know I should. Saved me a lot of frustration, and I’m thankful for that!
There is the grace of the Holy Mysteries, and there is grace in general, and the Holy Spirit. The grace of the Holy Mysteries only operate within the Church. But it is clear from scripture and tradition that other graces abound and that the Holy Spirit may even work among the heterodox. We do not presume to limit God, whom He might choose to use to accomplish His purposes. Recall that even under the Old Covenant, Cyrus of Persia was called “anointed”.
I will pray for Billy Graham’s soul. I assume he is destined for the toll houses and that all his issues will get worked out to God’s satisfaction there. There are limits beyond which we should not praise the heterodox, but to the extent it is permitted by Tradition, this man should be praised.
Indeed, Franklin Graham is engaged with the Orthodox in Russia. I wrote an article about the phenomenon last year. It is promising.
Mishap I think you have hit the nail on the head. The grace of the Holy Mysteries operates only within the Church. But they are not an end in and of themselves. They are a way to find and obtain the grace of the Holy Spirit. But far be it from us to limit God’s ability to find, reach and save. Otherwise you are getting into the Latin silliness of no salvation outside the Church. I will leave it to my great and loving God, who I cannot presume to understand or limit, to decide who He will save or when or why. All I can do is hope that I, unworthy as I am, make the list and never presume about who else might or might not be on it.
George, I feel the need to make a couple of last points before I go for good. They say Billy Graham’s body is going to lie in the US Capitol Rotunda. Why!!? Why all the accolades from Orthodox Christians? They called him ” America’s pastor.” Says whom?
As far as scandal goes, don’t remember his anti- semitic conversation with the nefarious Richard Nixon. My, how Billy Graham loved the limelight! He also loved befriending people in high places. He endorsed the disgraceful Mitt Romney in 2012.
You can take Billy Graham and I’ll take Dr. Martin Luther King every day of the week. Martin Luther King had courage- and was a true prophet of God. The US and the world is a better place because Martin Luther King was in it. I have all the respect for the brilliant Dr. Martin Luther King- not the self promoting Billy Graham. Was Billy Graham one of the clergy marching with Dr. Martin Luther King when he led the civil rights movement? No, he couldn’t afford to risk his popularity. To me. Billy Graham’s passing is uneventful and unimportant.
One final point: guns in the US are phallic symbols for impotent white boys and men.
Costa, MLK was no “saint”. Indeed, he was a very flawed man. When JFK’s body was lying in state at the Rotunda and his widow knelt to kiss his coffin one last time he made an exceedingly crude remark about the nature and location of that kiss. (I don’t think I need to draw you a picture.)
And he certainly was no “orthodox” Christian, doubting all the cardinal points of orthodoxy (virgin birth, bodily resurrection, etc.) Having said that, I do believe he had a place in God’s plan and I don’t worry about him getting to heaven. (I worry too much about myself in that regard.)
As for Graham’s “anti-Semitic remarks” spoken in private to Nixon, those were largely unobjectionable in elite society at the time. Indeed, even within ultra-orthodox Hasidic circles, the belief that Judaism has been hijacked by a nefarious sect (sometimes known as Sabbateanism and/or Frankism) that has actually persecuted the traditionalists is par for the course.
Costa, and gun control is part of the anti-msle agenda. All men should be neutered and subdued. All men are broken and need female supervision to control our toxic masculinity.
Constantine, read the anti-semitic statements of St Chrysostom.
Again, ahistorical and thus invalid. Back in Classical times Jews were looked in the same light that we view Moslems today: a retrograde, exclusivist and tribalist sect ever prone to violence.
Read Gibbon for instance.
“Ahistorical”? Perhaps you mean anachronistic. Surely they were historical.
Why George Michalopoulos! You wrote this: “Back in Classical times Jews were looked in the same light that we view Moslems today: a retrograde, exclusivist and tribalist sect ever prone to violence.” You should pay more attention to Holy Scripture! Far from being “exclusivist,” the Jews in classical times were missionaries! Why, George! St. Paul tells us the great LENGTHS Jews went to make even ONE convert! Gibbon? He didn’t live in classical times at all—St Paul did, though! Who’s a greater authority in your book?
Your Grace, it is true that many Jews in Classical times undertook missionary efforts among the pagans. However, this was controversial within Yahwism itself. It was by no means universally accepted or even desired by the Jewish religious leaders as a whole. While this does show an inclusivist spirit of a sort, it was by no means normative.
The early Church itself was hobbled by this ambivalence and it was only by the efforts of St Paul and the Council of Jerusalem that the Church threw off this racialist shackle and became truly universalist. (BTW, I prefer the term “Yahwism” as opposed to “Judaism” because the latter implies a people rather than a belief.)
Subsequently –and to this very day even–the missionary impulse and gentile conversion to Rabbinicism is most decidedly not the norm.
Graham also supported Mark Hatifield who also opposed Nixon. I have read a biography on Graham. He was more complex than you mention here.
Constaninos,
Bet you don’t have to kill, field dress and butcher your own meat or defend your livestock. Firearms are tools. The purpose of axes and saws are to cut down trees, the purpose of firearms is to kill deer, elk antelope, and bears, wolves or coyotes if they are harassing livestock, or God forbid, an enemy combatant or armed intruder. Sometimes a gun is just a gun.
Brilliant, Linda. A gun is just a tool. So is a knife, a scalpel, a torch or an axe.
Prediction: the left and the Dems are overplaying this hand and will reap the whirlwind in November. I saw on Drudge this morning that the largest gun show in Florida had broken all previous attendance records.
It’s little things like that, which fly under the radar, which should be paid attention to; not the flashy razzmatazz boycotts and social-justice events that garner official media attention. A good rule of thumb in all things is: don’t listen to what people say, watch what they do.
http://orthochristian.com/111035.html
Didn’t know where to put this, ISIS has its sights on Pres. Putin and Pat. Kirill.
I get tickled by the antics of the boys in the sandbox over there. Where do they find the time? At the end of the story is a report that FEMEN used a similar propaganda photo to the one the ISIS is using involving Big Ben.
At least we’re all on the same page as to who the enemies of Christ are.
I have to admit that when George first put this up, I was absolutely dreading the comments I thought would surely follow – comments such as, “But he was a heretic” or “He was a money-grubbing evangelist who made millions” (which isn’t true, by the way. He himself lived modestly).
I am so relieved and grateful to see that no such comments have been made. Sure it’s true that he didn’t have some things quite right, but he preached Christ with integrity in accordance with what he knew, all while living a humble and blameless life himself. Or to put it another way, he traded in the “talents” he was given, meager though they may have been by comparison to what has been entrusted to us, and increased them for his Lord in a manner that is more than worthy of imitation and admiration.
Brian, your enconium of the late Billy Graham is very profound.
Brian, I had the same concern.
Hear hear Brian! We should always look to find the good in someone and what they achieved. We are all imperfect people and Dr. Graham accomplished much for which he should be praised. I believe he is now hearin, “good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Speaking of trading in talents, and our treasurehouses, where are our Billy Grahams?
I am ambivalent about Billy Graham. Like his son much better.
Graham was a good man. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has tremendous power. Perhaps not everything Graham preached was the truth, but he obtained much truth about God from the Gospels. May God have mercy on his soul.
If we Orthodox are going to continue to close ourselves off by putting up barriers of ethnicity and language, then I guess the world needs a few Billy Grahams to get out the word of the Gospel.
Agreed. The power of the Gospel is profound.
How could any Christian not like Pastor Billy?
Props to Billy Graham
He had a profound positive impact on my family before I was even born
At this time, I would like to give a few more shout outs to some worthy Protestants/Evangelicals:
Keith Green
Carman
Creators of Veggie Tales
Newsboys
C.S. Lewis
Charles Swindoll
Frank Peretti
Leif Moi
Jack Whitecell
Thanks, guys
Good Point.
Billy Jack Sunday,
What about David Wilkerson, the founder of Teen Challenge?
Constaninos
Not on my personal list (as no specific influence in my life or family), but I can say that Teen Challenge has helped a lot of guys
I knew a kid who was tossed out of his Vietnamese Buddhist home by his dad for becoming a Christian. He was told to deny his Christian faith and re-embrace Buddhism, or get out.
The kid hit the streets and was subsequently taken in by an elderly Teen Challenge couple.
This all happened in a world where people are quite unaware that the Orthodox Church really exists – so you gotta give props when appropriate. Props to DW on this point
A side note
You want to see the most entertaining thing to come out of the Protestant world ever (though indirectly)?
Robert Tilton doesn’t make the list either – but this song is awesome! My absolute all time favorite song ever
Watch it over and over. Turn it up, and let the beat pound
Type key words into YouTube: hoo baba kanda
[Song by an Australian artist named Pogo – who samples peoples sound bite/clips and arranges/rearranges them into a song]
Another good one by Pogo is Jaam. It is a song not by Will Smith but still constructed to be performed by Will Smith – made to sound like a Will Smith song because of sampling [Fresh Prince Bell-Air] and imitated style – although it is not – and yet – better than any Will Smith song ever done by Will Smith. It blows the mind!
There is a book “Billy Graham and His Friends” Dr. Cathy Burns.
All the “who’s who” of Marxist Socialist Globalists like Dulles Tanenbaum Templeton Rockefellers Carnegies Henry Luce Bernard Baruch Randolph Hearst list goes on and lets not forget Graham gave Bill Clinton a total free pass “young man tremendous personality young ladies go for him.”
Can anyone explain why the men in this picture attended Billy Graham’s funeral:
https://byztex.blogspot.com/2018/03/orthodoxy-represented-at-billy-grahams.html
I am trying not to be cynical, but did these men have a personal and/or ecclesiastical connection with Billy Graham or were they simply inserting themselves into the American religious and political scene?
Well, at least they went.
On the other hand Kenya’s Favorite Son, His Excellency Barack Hussein Abdul-Aziz Malik Obama, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of Chicago and Detroit chose not to go. I guess we’re not talking “birds of a feather” here.
George,
You may want to walk this post back. I will not impugn your motives for this post, but it is historically inaccurate. As you know, President Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, making him a US citizen. His real name is Barack Obama II period. I don’t know what these additional names are supposed to mean. Also, why should Obama attend Billy Graham’s funeral in view of the fact Graham all but endorsed Romney for President? Also, he’s not the custodian of any mosques anywhere in the world. By the way, he is a Christian, not a Muslim. Billy Graham was just a Southern Baptist evangelist who believed in dispensationalism with all the baggage that entails. It was totally wrong and unsciousnable that Graham’s body laid in state at the US Capitol Rotunda. He was only the fourth person so honored. That’s disgraceful.
Costa, I was being sarcastic. I must quibble however. As for his birthplace, one of his Kenyan half-brothers produced a Nairobi birth certificate. As for his religious affiliation, when he was interviewed by George Stephanopoulos back in 2008, he said “…my Muslim faith” and Steph hurriedly interjected.
Just sayin’.
karma pretty much means you are gonna misspeak and describe yourself as a homosexual in one of your vlogs and fail to catch it before you upload
I don’t know, Jake.
I know Mr. Tortiss! That site forces me to use some login method (I think AOL or some such) that I created years ago, apparently I put “Jake” in – or they did it for me. I have no idea how to change it…
I prefer Mr. Hare……;-)
My apologies Mr. Mortiss, I fat fingered your name!!
Below please find a video from the making of Reverend Billy Graham’s casket at Angola Prison in Louisiana.
Franklin Graham speaking:
Many people have asked me about my father’s casket. In this short video, my son Roy shares the story and we have footage of the casket being handmade by a convicted murderer named “Grasshopper” at Angola Prison in Louisiana.
https://youtu.be/VS90hMTyF_A
Thanks for posting this Saddened. I find Angola prison fascinating as it is a bit of a throwback in how we house/rehabilitate prisoners. If you ever get a chance, attend their famous rodeo. My wife and I have a chest we purchased from one of the prisoners there. We stayed in contact with him for a few years, but unfortunately that relationship fell by the way side…
Billy Graham in Romania in 1985
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVumMTXO1wo
Below please find an article from Friday on the World Religion News website.
SHOULD THERE BE A STATUE OF BILLY GRAHAM IN THE CAPITOL?
02 MAR 2018 POSTED BY COREY BARNETT
https://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/statue-billy-graham-capitol
No man can serve 2 masters, including Billy. Will he be able to say to Christ, Thy Will be done with total sincerity? What will he say to the Freemason God?