I'm assuming it's his belief in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ that gives Franklin Graham, son of Billy, a sense of optimism so strong (or blind) that he agrees to go on the BBC only to be repeatedly 'monstered' by BBC interviewers for his "inflammatory" and "offensive" views about Islam and same-sex marriage, and his 'closeness' to President Trump.
Edward Stourton's interview with this 'wrong-thinker' on today's Sunday was pretty much a carbon copy of Martin Bashir's interview with him on Sunday two years ago - an interview I described at the time as "a very chilly grilling".
Back then Martin Bashir went after Mr. Graham in the manner of a prosecution barrister, constantly invoking the "offence" Mr. Graham's words have caused to Muslims and LGBTQ people.
Franklin Graham was back in the BBC dock today, with Ed Stourton covering exactly the same ground: Does he stand by his post 9/11 statement that Islam is evil? Doesn't he realise how "inflammatory" that is? Does he understand the hurt caused by his view that same-sex marriage is Satanic in origin? Isn't he wrong to be so close to Donald Trump?
Ed interrupted the sinner at least 12 times, sprang 'gotchas' on him, and tried to get him to see the error of his ways and repent his past words.
Nonetheless, I bet Sunday are thinking themselves 'brave' to have interviewed him in the first place, as quite a few people didn't want the programme to 'platform' him at all.
The Bible is clear on marriage being only between and a woman and that sex outside the marriage of a man and a woman is sinful... whether hetero- or homo-sexual. To question Franklin Graham on basic theology is nasty because he can only answer what the Bible says and smearing him for offending people who disagree with the Bible is pandering to those who have an agenda which is to silence Christians. The BBC wants to silence the Truth as revealed in the Bible, and tries to do so continually as it promotes values that are antagonistic to Christianity and its high moral standards of behaviour.
ReplyDeleteI heard that and I wondered what had got into the normally mild Stourton. On and on and on he went at him like a dog with a bone. I liked the way Graham finally turned his 'inflammatory' argument back on him - killing a couple of thousand people is pretty inflammatory. There's your inflammatory actuality, Ed.
ReplyDeleteThis is what the BBC does when it parts from reality and from impartial public service journalism. As with Marr descending into heckling rather than interviewing the PM, this is a real low point for Ed and the ed itor who put him up to it, assuming one did.
It is only the Christian faith that the BBC seeks to attack in this way, when in fact Islam has plenty of history in the denouncement of LGBT people. The difference is that Stourton or anyone else at the BBC would never dare challenge a Muslim guest over the issue, let alone more serious issues of extremism, grooming or terrorism. Here, 'braveness' evaporates like snow in a fire.
ReplyDeleteYes agreed. Along with MB, I mentioned their cowardice on a previous thread.
Delete... Here, 'braveness' evaporates like snow in a fire....
Deletetry ... Here, 'braveness' evaporates like snowflakes in a fire...
The interview sounds absolutely appalling. Stourton is an appeaser-in-chief.
ReplyDeleteHe has the Pope he wants it seems, a Pope who argues approvingly (in reference to the appalling Charlie Hebdo massacre) that just as those who insult someone's mother can expect a biff on the nose from her family, so anyone who insults Islam can expect a violent response. Just in case you've forgotten (since the BBC won't remind you):
https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2015/01/pope-francis-explains-his-charlie-hebdo-remarks
Pope Francis specifically lays the guilt on the Charlie Hebdo staff who "provoked" the response.