Franklin Graham Appears on CNN’s Belief Blog: How Much Damage Has He Done?

Reuters reported Monday that political watchdog and secularist groups are asking for an investigation into the political involvement of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association during the 2012 election. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics filed a complaint with the IRS asking them to review tax exempt status for the BGEA. Franklin has taken a lot of heat for involving his father’s organization in the campaign to elect Mitt Romney, a practicing Mormon – here’s an article with several links.

Franklin spoke with the CNN Belief Blog and it was posted this morning. Here’s the interview:

Franklin continues to tout the idea that his father was much more politically active than he was. When interviewed about his ministry by Christianity Today, Billy Graham was asked what he would do differently if he could go back and do it all again. Graham said, “

“I also would have steered clear of politics. I’m grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to people in high places; people in power have spiritual and personal needs like everyone else, and often they have no one to talk to. But looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line, and I wouldn’t do that now.” – Christianity Today, 2011

Graham, 94, has not spoken publicly to confirm or deny his involvement in the placement of full page ads in major newspapers, ads that have been characterized as thinly veiled support of the Romney campaign. My question is, how much damage is he doing to the future of the BGEA, and how much damage is he doing to his father’s legacy? I’m not a huge fan of fathers passing on their ministries to their sons. What do you think?

More than anything I have two problems with Franklin and the way he’s heading. 1) The gospel isn’t just about how to get into heaven when you die. It’s about the restoration of all things through Jesus. 2) There are many pressing moral issues that I wish he’d work on besides just gay marriage and abortion. What about poverty, immigration, racism, healthcare, sexual abuse, education, opportunity for kids in American who are living in poverty.