Billy Graham’s Death Tells Us One Important Thing About the Far Left

 

Billy Graham died yesterday.

I didn’t really know much about him, what with being Irish and a Catholic under the age of 28. Nevertheless, as a history teacher of the American 20th century (he got a short mention in Irish history textbooks) to high school pupils, I recognize the impact he imparted on America, particularly with his Crusades in the 1950’s and his friendships with many American Presidents, from Truman to Obama.

Donald Trump, the President of the United States (I love saying that line), praised Graham and made reference to his values and to Christ, in a nice way. Not to be overlooked, the 44th President, one Barack Obama, to his great credit (never thought I’d say that) also imparted his prayers and wishes to Graham and his family. It’s arguably braver for a liberal like Obama to praise a conservative Christian like Billy Graham than it is Trump, and he deserves praise for this.

Sadly I’ve noticed that many liberals and left-wingers could not even contain themselves. Instead of waiting for his body to grow cold, many liberals and lefties have unleashed on poor Graham in a vile manner. They have been joined in this by Internet atheists who couldn’t resist the chance to bash Christianity or any of its proponents. I shouldn’t say I’m surprised, as I am not. However a thought did occur to me: it is amazing that lefties and liberals are far more comfortable criticizing Graham (and Christianity) slinging all sorts of accusations that they would never be able to criticize Muslim mass murderers of, and who generally do embrace many of the bigotries they accuse Christians of.

I suppose it does tell you everything about modern left. Many of them do hate Christianity more than they hate any other ideology. I wonder if they were asked which did more damage to the world — Christianity, Nazism, Islamism or communism; I wonder how many would choose Christianity. It’s sad, but I think it’s time to be honest. Many on the left hate Christianity and their numbers are growing through ignorance, historical illiteracy and the collapse of conventional religion.

Anyway, that’s the rant, and it’s over. May God have mercy on Billy Graham. I hope St. John Paul II is there to greet him. Billy Graham deserves a great reward for bringing so many Christians back to the faith. I hope God is merciful. Ar dheis de go raibh an anam.

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  1. Mike-K Member
    Mike-K
    @

    Atheism is just another religion with its creeds and heretics.

    • #1
  2. Judithann Campbell Member
    Judithann Campbell
    @

    Mike-K (View Comment):
    Atheism is just another religion with its creeds and heretics.

    My husband is an agnostic; he often says that he doesn’t have enough faith to be an atheist. :)

    • #2
  3. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Paddy S: Sadly I’ve noticed over the last few hours many liberals and left wingers not even contain themselves. Instead of waiting for his body to grow cold many liberals and lefties have unleashed on poor Graham in a vile manner. They have been joined in this by internet atheists who couldn’t resist the chance to bash Christianity or any of its proponents.

    11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” — Matthew 5:11-12

    God rest ye, Rev. Graham.

    • #3
  4. Paddy S Member
    Paddy S
    @PaddySiochain

    To be fair to atheists, it’s nearly always lefty atheists who are like this. And I recognise that many atheists hate being associated with internet atheists.

    • #4
  5. Son of Barsham Member
    Son of Barsham
    @LesserSonofBarsham

    It’s a sad commentary on the culture. If a man like Billy Graham can be looked at with utter disdain and called “devil incarnate” and “If there is a hell he’s burning in it” (these were responses to Obama’s tweet about his death), we’ve turned a pretty dark corner.

    • #5
  6. kylez Member
    kylez
    @kylez

    God had mercy on Billy Graham 2000 years ago.

    • #6
  7. Son of Barsham Member
    Son of Barsham
    @LesserSonofBarsham

    kylez (View Comment):
     

    • #7
  8. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    Graham had a crusade at the Meadowlands football stadium in New Jersey in 1991. The advance planning for such an undertaking was enormous. They put out a request for church choirs to come and all sing together. Our parish at the time, St. Elizabeth in Wyckoff,  sent its choir. There was also a lot of outreach and promotion. It may have not always been that way, but Catholics were very welcome at the crusade.

    When our neighbor of many years in Illinois moved into assisted living, we all helped set up a garage sale for her. She had decades of stuff in her tiny house. One was an awesome backlit Last Supper that sold perhaps for its kitsch. However, I chose her copy of “Singing Evangelism,” a book of “Billy Graham Campaign Songs.” I don’t know where she got it, and it has seen better days. It’s copyright 1950. It is filled with “Old Time Religion”…and wonderful arrangements, including “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” “Softly and Tenderly,” and, of course, “Just as I am.”

     

    • #8
  9. Judithann Campbell Member
    Judithann Campbell
    @

    9thDistrictNeighbor (View Comment):
    There was also a lot of outreach and promotion. It may have not always been that way, but Catholics were very welcome at the crusade

    I get the feeling that it was always that way; Laura Ingraham just did a segment on Billy Graham, and they said that in the 1950’s, Graham would not go anywhere unless he had assurances that his crusade would be integrated, both racially and religion wise. Everyone of every color was welcome, and he was also very welcoming of Catholics and Protestants of every stripe.

    • #9
  10. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    Here is the statement from Cardinal Dolan:

    Archdiocese of New York

     
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 21, 2018

    STATEMENT OF CARDINAL DOLAN ON PASSING OF BILLY GRAHAM

    “As anyone growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s can tell you, it was hard not to notice and be impressed by the Reverend Billy Graham.  There was no question that the Dolans were a Catholic family, firm in our faith, but in our household there was always respect and admiration for Billy Graham and the work he was doing to bring people to God.  Whether it was one of his famous Crusades, radio programs, television specials, or meeting and counseling the presidents, Billy Graham seemed to be everywhere, always with the same message: Jesus is your Savior, and wants you to be happy with Him forever.   As an historian, my admiration for him only grew as I studied our nation’s religious past, and came to appreciate even more the tremendous role he played in the American evangelical movement.  May the Lord that Billy Graham loved so passionately now grant him eternal rest.”

    • #10
  11. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    That’s all good, of course.

    But a C. S. Lewis voice in my head is shouting something about how I don’t want eternal rest; I want eternal adventure!

    (Another voice reminds me how tired I am.  I’ll let the voices keep fighting and get back to work.  Maybe someday we can have a thread talking about pictures of the afterlife: rest, adventure, disembodied soul, reincarnation cycle, heaven, eternal resurrection, and so on.)

    • #11
  12. Nanda Panjandrum Member
    Nanda Panjandrum
    @

    Judithann Campbell (View Comment):

    9thDistrictNeighbor (View Comment):
    There was also a lot of outreach and promotion. It may have not always been that way, but Catholics were very welcome at the crusade

    I get the feeling that it was always that way; Laura Ingraham just did a segment on Billy Graham, and they said that in the 1950’s, Graham would not go anywhere unless he had assurances that his crusade would be integrated, both racially and religion wise. Everyone of every color was welcome, and he was also very welcoming of Catholics and Protestants of every stripe.

    His warmth toward Catholics took some time to manifest itself, but I’m glad it ultimately did…God bless and rest him.  He also was a noteworthy embodiment of America’s ‘civil/civic religion’ and sense of self; nowhere moreso than at inaugural invocations.  He articulated those aspirations eloquently, and we as a nation were better for it.

    • #12
  13. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):
    That’s all good, of course.

    But a C. S. Lewis voice in my head is shouting something about how I don’t want eternal rest; I want eternal adventure!

    (Another voice reminds me how tired I am. I’ll let the voices keep fighting and get back to work. Maybe someday we can have a thread talking about pictures of the afterlife: rest, adventure, disembodied soul, reincarnation cycle, heaven, eternal resurrection, and so on.)

    I think about that too, sometimes.

    Celestial choir practice forever? Nuts. I’m going fishing. I’ll take St. Peter with me. I’ll teach him how to rig for channel cat.

    • #13
  14. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Nanda Panjandrum (View Comment):
    His warmth toward Catholics took some time to manifest itself, but I’m glad it ultimately did…God bless and rest him.

    Back in days of yore when I used to watch television, I saw at least one of Billy Graham’s appearances on Johnny Carson’s Tonight show.  In the one I remember, there was an exchange that seemed to have been scripted.  Carson asked him something on the lines of what he would do if there was no Christianity. Graham replied that if there was no Christianity he would be a Jew, and if there was no Judaism he would be a Muslim.  The discussion didn’t go anywhere from there.  I didn’t think it was Graham’s greatest moment (I suspected he was the one who scripted the question) but I could understand and sympathize with what he was getting at, and even agree with it. But I wasn’t sure it needed to be asked and answered.

    I just now did a search to see if a clip or transcript of that show was online so I could check my memory, but no luck. One article says Graham made four appearances on Johnny Carson’s show, but I didn’t find anything about that exchange.

    • #14
  15. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Percival (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):
    That’s all good, of course.

    But a C. S. Lewis voice in my head is shouting something about how I don’t want eternal rest; I want eternal adventure!

    (Another voice reminds me how tired I am. I’ll let the voices keep fighting and get back to work. Maybe someday we can have a thread talking about pictures of the afterlife: rest, adventure, disembodied soul, reincarnation cycle, heaven, eternal resurrection, and so on.)

    I think about that too, sometimes.

    Celestial choir practice forever? Nuts. I’m going fishing. I’ll take St. Peter with me. I’ll teach him how to rig for channel cat.

    Fishing, eh?  Sounds good.

    I’d also like to climb mountains on this planet and explore the galaxy.  Maybe find some other planets and climb their mountains.

    • #15
  16. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Paddy S (View Comment):
    To be fair to atheists, it’s nearly always lefty atheists who are like this. And I recognise that many atheists hate being associated with internet atheists.

    There are plenty of nasty atheists on the right, particularly among the disciples of Ayn Rand.

    • #16
  17. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Celestial choir practice forever? Nuts. I’m going fishing. I’ll take St. Peter with me. I’ll teach him how to rig for channel cat.

    Fishing, eh? Sounds good.

    I’d also like to climb mountains on this planet and explore the galaxy. Maybe find some other planets and climb their mountains.

    I figure that if there are celestial choirs for people who like to sing and are good at it, perhaps there’s a role for celestial painters. We’ll be able — finally! — to have what ends up on the easel matching in quality what is in our heads.

     

    • #17
  18. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    Well, in a moment of candor, a member of dissertation committee who told me bluntly that he was an ideological Marxist, said that among world religions, Christianity is the only serious challenge to Dialectical Materialism as a philosophy. All others have followed the Marxist-Materialist paradigm in their development in that they reflect their cultures of origin and it becomes increasingly hard to defend their core doctrines as those cultures change, resulting in changes to those religions. Christianity began already at odds with its culture of origin and has not changed either in its core doctrines or in its conflict with the culture at large. I think that explains the hatred usually seen from left-wing atheists, though Dr. K. was a rare exception.

     

    • #18
  19. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Hartmann von Aue (View Comment):
    Well, in a moment of candor, a member of dissertation committee who told me bluntly that he was an ideological Marxist, said that among world religions, Christianity is the only serious challenge to Dialectical Materialism as a philosophy. All others have followed the Marxist-Materialist paradigm in their development in that they reflect their cultures of origin and it becomes increasingly hard to defend their core doctrines as those cultures change, resulting in changes to those religions. Christianity began already at odds with its culture of origin and has not changed either in its core doctrines or in its conflict with the culture at large. I think that explains the hatred usually seen from left-wing atheists, though Dr. K. was a rare exception.

    Now that is a conversation I’d be interested in having.

    Another good topic for its own all-original thread!

    If someone starts that thread, please PM me!

    • #19
  20. OkieSailor Member
    OkieSailor
    @OkieSailor

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Celestial choir practice forever? Nuts. I’m going fishing. I’ll take St. Peter with me. I’ll teach him how to rig for channel cat.

    Fishing, eh? Sounds good.

    I’d also like to climb mountains on this planet and explore the galaxy. Maybe find some other planets and climb their mountains.

    I figure that if there are celestial choirs for people who like to sing and are good at it, perhaps there’s a role for celestial painters. We’ll be able — finally! — to have what ends up on the easel matching in quality what is in our heads.

    I can’t believe I’d want to do any one thing for all eternity, I’ve always been attracted to variety, kind of a jack of all trades and master of none I suppose. But the thing that gives me the most pause is the idea that we will have all knowledge. I can’t imagine not continuing to learn being a satisfying existence. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

    • #20
  21. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    OkieSailor (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Celestial choir practice forever? Nuts. I’m going fishing. I’ll take St. Peter with me. I’ll teach him how to rig for channel cat.

    Fishing, eh? Sounds good.

    I’d also like to climb mountains on this planet and explore the galaxy. Maybe find some other planets and climb their mountains.

    I figure that if there are celestial choirs for people who like to sing and are good at it, perhaps there’s a role for celestial painters. We’ll be able — finally! — to have what ends up on the easel matching in quality what is in our heads.

    I can’t believe I’d want to do any one thing for all eternity, I’ve always been attracted to variety, kind of a jack of all trades and master of none I suppose. But the thing that gives me the most pause is the idea that we will have all knowledge. I can’t imagine not continuing to learn being a satisfying existence. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

    I’m serious about exploring the galaxy.

    Presuming that (Romans 8) creation is healed rather than simply burned away and that (Rev. 20ish) heaven comes down to earth, I have a hard time imagining that we wouldn’t explore other planets.  And I have a hard time imagining G-d giving us knowledge about what’s on them before we get there.  So that’s something still to learn.

    It’ll be Star Trek for real.  With less war, and even better music than Voyager.

    • #21
  22. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    OkieSailor (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

     

    I figure that if there are celestial choirs for people who like to sing and are good at it, perhaps there’s a role for celestial painters. We’ll be able — finally! — to have what ends up on the easel matching in quality what is in our heads.

    I can’t believe I’d want to do any one thing for all eternity, I’ve always been attracted to variety, kind of a jack of all trades and master of none I suppose. But the thing that gives me the most pause is the idea that we will have all knowledge. I can’t imagine not continuing to learn being a satisfying existence. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

    I’m serious about exploring the galaxy.

    Presuming that (Romans 8) creation is healed rather than simply burned away and that (Rev. 20ish) heaven comes down to earth, I have a hard time imagining that we wouldn’t explore other planets. And I have a hard time imagining G-d giving us knowledge about what’s on them before we get there. So that’s something still to learn.

    It’ll be Star Trek for real. With less war, and even better music than Voyager.

    Man, Augustine, the leaves of that tree? They’re for the healing of the nations. And New Jerusalem? It’s a city. You know. With parks and the like. Jesus saves us for life, not just existence, and life involves activity: Painting, exploring, making music, sculpting, engaging in various athletic contests- and all for the glory of God. Forever. Wow.

    And, yeah. Voyager did have great music going for it. Shame about…nearly every other aspect of it.

    • #22
  23. KentForrester Coolidge
    KentForrester
    @KentForrester

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    perhaps there’s a role for celestial painters. We’ll be able — finally! — to have what ends up on the easel matching in quality what is in our heads.

    Perceptive comment, Painter Jean. I’ve done art most of my life—illustration, watercolor, designs in wood,  etc.—and except for a few exceptions, my art has never quite matched what I had in my head before I started. Perhaps it’s for the best.  The vision is what has always kept me going.  Before I start a piece of art, I’m always curious about what the finished piece will look like. That makes me want do the art so I can see what it will look like.

     

    • #23
  24. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    perhaps there’s a role for celestial painters. We’ll be able — finally! — to have what ends up on the easel matching in quality what is in our heads.

    Perceptive comment, Painter Jean. I’ve done art most of my life—illustration, watercolor, designs in wood, etc.—and except for a few exceptions, my art has never quite matched what I had in my head before I started. Perhaps it’s for the best. The vision is what has always kept me going. Before I start a piece of art, I’m always curious about what the finished piece will look like. That makes me want do the art so I can see what it will look like.

    I think the story is the same for all artists: We have a vision in our head, what we want to have it look like, but our own limitations end up affecting what we actually produce. So — new heavens, new earth, and no limitations!

    • #24
  25. MeanDurphy, Archtater Member
    MeanDurphy, Archtater
    @DeanMurphy

    Paddy S: I wonder if they were asked which did more damage to the world — Christianity, Nazism, Islamism or communism; I wonder how many would choose Christianity.

    The leftists I know don’t draw a line between Christianity and Nazism.  To them, the religion of the Nazis was Christianity.

    • #25
  26. Larry Koler Inactive
    Larry Koler
    @LarryKoler

    9thDistrictNeighbor (View Comment):
    Graham had a crusade at the Meadowlands football stadium in New Jersey in 1991. The advance planning for such an undertaking was enormous. They put out a request for church choirs to come and all sing together. Our parish at the time, St. Elizabeth in Wyckoff, sent its choir. There was also a lot of outreach and promotion. It may have not always been that way, but Catholics were very welcome at the crusade.

    When our neighbor of many years in Illinois moved into assisted living, we all helped set up a garage sale for her. She had decades of stuff in her tiny house. One was an awesome backlit Last Supper that sold perhaps for its kitsch. However, I chose her copy of “Singing Evangelism,” a book of “Billy Graham Campaign Songs.” I don’t know where she got it, and it has seen better days. It’s copyright 1950. It is filled with “Old Time Religion”…and wonderful arrangements, including “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” “Softly and Tenderly,” and, of course, “Just as I am.”

    Thanks for that. Very beautiful. I’m looking forward to his funeral. I’ll be watching and listening.

    In a way, it’s the end of an era for American evangelism, one small step for man and a giant step for mankind through God’s grace as He chose to shower it in His use of the evangelical movement. Graham’s life will be made more visible by memories that are shared and this will shed light on this huge centuries-long awakening proof of God’s interest and involvement in all of our lives.

    • #26
  27. Larry Koler Inactive
    Larry Koler
    @LarryKoler

    MeanDurphy, Archtater (View Comment):

    Paddy S: I wonder if they were asked which did more damage to the world — Christianity, Nazism, Islamism or communism; I wonder how many would choose Christianity.

    The leftists I know don’t draw a line between Christianity and Nazism. To them, the religion of the Nazis was Christianity.

    That is a necessary lie for them.

    • #27
  28. Cato Rand Inactive
    Cato Rand
    @CatoRand

    Judithann Campbell (View Comment):

    Mike-K (View Comment):
    Atheism is just another religion with its creeds and heretics.

    My husband is an agnostic; he often says that he doesn’t have enough faith to be an atheist. :)

    I’m with your husband.  Atheism strikes me as just as hubristic as any other religion – the arrogance of being certain that one knows the unknowable.

    • #28
  29. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    MeanDurphy, Archtater (View Comment):

    Paddy S: I wonder if they were asked which did more damage to the world — Christianity, Nazism, Islamism or communism; I wonder how many would choose Christianity.

    The leftists I know don’t draw a line between Christianity and Nazism. To them, the religion of the Nazis was Christianity.

    Hitler hated Christianity.  He wanted to replace it with ancient German paganism.  Islam was more compatible with Nazi beliefs.

    • #29
  30. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Hartmann von Aue (View Comment):
    Well, in a moment of candor, a member of dissertation committee who told me bluntly that he was an ideological Marxist, said that among world religions, Christianity is the only serious challenge to Dialectical Materialism as a philosophy. All others have followed the Marxist-Materialist paradigm in their development in that they reflect their cultures of origin and it becomes increasingly hard to defend their core doctrines as those cultures change, resulting in changes to those religions. Christianity began already at odds with its culture of origin and has not changed either in its core doctrines or in its conflict with the culture at large. I think that explains the hatred usually seen from left-wing atheists, though Dr. K. was a rare exception.

    Now that is a conversation I’d be interested in having.

    Another good topic for its own all-original thread!

    If someone starts that thread, please PM me!

    I second the motion.  Please start a thread on this.

    • #30
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