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Subscribe to RSSGOP candidate Rick Santorum's recent comments on President Obama's "theology" continue to generate conversation, and the Rev. Franklin Graham joins Morning Joe to discuss whether the president is a Christian, Christianity in the Middle East, government overreach with religious institutions, and why he thinks Santorum is a Christian.
Rev. Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham and a prominent evangelical leader in his own right, waded into contentious waters Tuesday when asked for his views on the religious beliefs of President Obama and the GOP hopefuls.
Graham, the CEO and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, told a Morning Joe panel he couldn't say for certain that Obama is a Christian.
“You have to ask him. I cannot answer that question for anybody. All I know is I’m a sinner, and that God has forgiven me of my sins," Graham said. "You have to ask every person. He has said he’s a Christian, so I just have to assume that he is.”
But Graham also said he couldn't "categorically" say Obama wasn't a Muslim, in part, because Islam has gotten a "free pass" under Obama. Graham also said the Muslim world sees Obama as a "son of Islam," because the president's father and grandfather were Muslim.
According to Edina Lekovic, director of policy at the Muslim Public Affairs Council, being born in a Muslim family doesn't make one a Muslim. A person has to make an active choice to become a Muslim, Lekovic said.
Obama has said again and again that he is a Christian, both as a presidential candidate and as president.
“I’m a Christian by choice,” Obama told a group of New Mexico voters last September, answering a question from a member of the audience. He said he has embraced his faith even though growing up, “my family didn’t, frankly. They weren’t folks who went to church every week.”
In Chicago, Obama was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ for years, but he quit in May 2008 after videos of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s racially-divisive sermons surfaced on the Web.
“Our relations with Trinity have been strained by the divisive statements of Reverend Wright, which sharply conflict with our own views,” Obama and his wife Michelle wrote at the time.
The debate over the president's faith was brought up again on the campaign trail this Saturday, when Rick Santorum told a Tea Party crowd in Columbus, Ohio, that Obama's agenda is "not about you. It's not about you. It's not about your quality of life. It's not about your job. It's about some phony ideal, some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, a different theology, but no less a theology."
Related: Santorum defends 'theology' remark, Hitler inference; blames media
When pressed by reporters after Saturday's comments, the former Pennsylvania senator said he did not imply the president is not a Christian, but said the president was trumping religious freedoms.
Graham told the Morning Joe panel that he and Santorum share the same moral beliefs, and that he's confident Santorum is a fellow Christian.
"His values are so clear on moral issues, no question about it," he told the Morning Joe panel.
Graham spoke with a little less confidence about Gingrich's faith, and cast doubt on whether Romney's Mormonism is compatible with Christianity.
"I think Newt is a Christian, at least he told me he is," Graham said. He added that Romney's Mormon faith is not recognized as part of the Christian faith by most Christians, but he wouldn't give his own view.
Romney has stood by his faith, saying Mormonism's values are "as American as motherhood and apple pie."
"I believe in my Mormon faith," Romney said in a 2007 speech, "and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers. I'll be true to them and to my beliefs."
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Religion = divisive. My beliefs are stronger than yours. Hogwash, you can say anything you want, it doesn't make it so.
God, save me from your followers.
This article is disingenuous at best. The Graham Empire was built on non-believers converting to Christianity. I am sure that the Graham Empire does not call all of the millions of converts Son of Atheism or Sons of Agnosticism or Sons of whatever their fathers and Grandfathers were. They just get called Christian. To say that President Obama is a Son of Islam does seem to be very political motivated. No one knows for sure that anyone is a Christian, as it is a private affair. We don't know for absolute certainty that either Mr. Graham or his father is a Christian or the Pope or anyone. Sure they SAY they are, but we can't know that for sure, so why pick on Mr. Obama and question him. Oh that's right, its popular.
Where the hell do they get these people from? If I was born to a Muslim father and a Christian mother, raised by a Christian grand parents, and I am Christian does that mean that I am some how Muslim? How stupid is that?
The right wing's idea of religious freedom: "You are free to be a Christian"
Time for that 'indefinite detention' thing to come into place. IMO it would be quite appropriate for nuts like this. All they do is spread hate and try to stir up racism/violence/bigotry. This guy is every bit as bad as those radical Islamic nuts shouting death to America.
Yes that what Democrats do.
I guess I could say that "I think Franklin Graham is a Christian....he says he is...so I have to assume that he is....."
Bush scared the bejesus out of Americans in 2004 (with the terrorist doomsday), now they trying to do the same thing but this time by using religion as a weapon, against Obama. If it worked with the stupid Americans in 2004, why it wouldn't work now?
Bush did NOT scare any one that day, the attack on American soil scared us, you lie.
No. Bush got us with the whole "weapons of mass destruction" thing that we never found.
If I, as an American citizen, can use my laptop to see the back yard of my mother 10 states away am I really expected to believe that we could not pinpoint any threatening arms elsewhere?
Come on. Really?
We got lied to big time.
StClaire doesn't have a clue. Willful ignorance.... sad....
Wait this guy "knows" what "god" does? Really? Last time I checked there was NO GOD, so how can this guy "know" what that figment of imagination is doing?
I then love how he plays the race card too...
I love that Santorum is on the same moral ground as he... the same Rick who is noted to have been one of the MOST corrupt senators and not re-elected by PA after we got a taste of what a complete self serving, would sell the corpse of his child to the highest bidder liar Rick happens to be??
His statement is laughable and demonstrates why increasing numbers of rational people disdain organized religion. As a child I was raised with the concept that disobeying the commandments would land you into hell. Now I ask, whose hell? Certainly not yours.
For goodness sakes, because a politcian is of a certain faith means he/she will lead the country better than if you were another religion? Give me a break, just because you claim a religion or more religious than the next politcian means you should be elected? Reverend Graham needs to be out in the trenches bringing God and good Christian living into the lives of sinners not speculating how deep faith the politicians have. I am just venting because I care that the next president creates jobs, housing, infrastruture repairs, schools, teachers and just a better overall outlook on the world and figure out how to get along with our enemies and friends. I don't care if he goes to Church on Sunday, that is between him and God. I'd rather the president sit home and watch football on Sunday rather than to sit in a Church for photo op's to say that hey he's a good Christian because he goes to Church on Sunday. I was raised a Christian but do not practice it now and my wife is Baptist and we get along fine.
Yet more proof that those who parade their Christianity the most are invariably the least "Christian".
This guy is a national menace, far more of a lune than his father, as a matter of fact. This is the mentality that causes all the wars creates hostility and discontentment throughout the war. Little better than radical Muslims and whose to say they wouldn't be as intolerant if given half a chance.
Muslims have gotten a free ride? As opposed to what? Is it not legal to be Muslim in this country? What about Jewish? Mormon?
You know Mr. Graham. God can strike down a lier just like that. You're treading on thin ice with your maker.
Johnny B, so are you, Graham is known by his actions and his actions are very good.
stclair, you are obviously extremely ignorant of Franklin Graham's actions; they are not good by any measure.
CLAIRE: You couldn't prove it by what I've seen from this cretin & religious bigot. All I hear from his is hatred and intolerance. Invariably, these are the people who insist on forcing their beliefs in the Tooth Fairy on others.
OK - The playbook says to trot out insane comments...that way 'just plain crazy' seems reasonable by comparison and can be discussed without too many people questioning it.
And what better insanity than the son of someone who talked smack about Jews with Nixon. Seems like nowadays if you want to stir up hate you put a microhone in front of a preacher. Just not right.
"Son of Islam" does not fly. Obama was not born into Islamic culture, he spent most of his growth years out of Islamic culture, his family did not practice religion to speak of. He accepted Christianity by choice. He has not changed his mind. He is a Christian. End of discussion.
SHAME
Rev Graham, yes you are a sinner. When Jesus forgives your sins He expects you to stop commiting those sins. It is not a free pass to keep commiting the same sins over and over again. Using the Lord's name in vain doesn't mean just cursing, it means claiming as God's will your sinful lies.
Why is msnbc talking to this guy? Why are you publishing his point of view? This is bigotry.
Think Darwin Awards. We all love to watch train wrecks.
How old does he think the Earth is? If the answer is less than 4 billion years or so he is not qualified to give a statement about anything of importance.
They all say the same thing, he says he's a Christian... What a bunch of hypocrites. Steel actually asked a good question, but Graham didn't answer.
Talk about intolerance. He is downright offensive to American values and un-American.
I've been a registered Republican for 37 years, this week I became a Democrat, you can guess why with drivel like this from the right.
CG: Welcome aboard. What took you so long??? The GOP has been this ugly & meanspirited for many a year.
Hey I haven't voted with them much but was too lazy to change, now I don't want to be associated with these idiots anymore.
And just suppose Obama was actually a Muslim or even worse an Atheist, perish the law. What of it, I thought this nation was founded on freedom of thought and religion. Saying a Muslim should not be president is no better than saying a Black man shouldn't be. When will these malicious hatemongers be silenced?
I agree completely. Religion or no religion. it's a personal preference and shouldn't even be part of the discussion. Why do so many religous people have so much hate in their hearts?
yeah you gotta love how muslims treat their women........and behead people.....get real....islam does not promote american or western values.....
Does it say that any candidate running for the office of president of the United States must be a christian? NO!!! You have to be a natural born citizen (waiting for the neanderthal birthers to jump on that statement) and 35 years old. This shouldn't even be an issue. Might as well burn the constitution if it is.
If Franklin Graham says he is a Christian, will I guess we will have to take Mr. Graham at his word.
JOB: LOL but I'm afraid I can't "take him at his word".
Faith - Cool, Your beliefs that a higher power will accept you into his kingdom when you die - Cool! Organized religion with extremist beliefs - The most dangerous groups on the planet!
graham is a dispicable example of ultra-conservative evangelical religious right extremists...he is part of a faction of Christianity that has become the most vile, deceitful, hateful, lying and un-American, let alone un-Christian bunch of fools...writing this will probably elicit strong negatives, but this man has crossed the line too many times, and much too often when speaking about President Obama. The sad part of anything he says is that he will get away with it hanging on the coattails of his father's ministry. President Obama has more class that this holier-than-thou pseudo-preacher will ever have.
wow....judge not lest ye be judged.......