Reply #49: Focus on the Family actually linked to Samaritan's Purse, a "relief"

[The Stranger]

organization run by Franklin Graham, who has publically made bigoted statements:

But Graham, who is 53 and goes by Franklin, is also no stranger to controversy. A man who often says just what is on his mind, he drew fire from around the world when, in the wake of 9/11, he called Islam "an evil and wicked religion."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6730092/site/newsweek /

2001-NOV-16: According to MSNBC, Franklin Graham appeared on the NBC Nightly News, commenting on Islam. He allegedly said: "We're not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God. He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God, and I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion." . . . He continued: "I don’t believe this is a wonderful, peaceful religion. When you read the Koran and you read the verses from the Koran, it instructs the killing of the infidel, for those that are non-Muslim."

When asked by NBC News to clarify his statement, Graham repeated his charge that Islam, as a whole, is an evil. "It wasn’t Methodists flying into those buildings, it wasn’t Lutherans. It was an attack on this country by people of the Islamic faith." NBC news contacted Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and other Christian leaders. None would would comment on Graham’s attacks. Ken Woodward, Newsweek religion editor, said: "Obviously, Mr. Graham is tone deaf in this respect. He’s certainly not his father’s son in terms of discretion."

http://www.religioustolerance.org/reac_ter18b.htm