Franklin Graham’s Rhetoric on Islam

November 27, 2004

Source: Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs27nov27,1,5645353.story

On November 27, 2004 the Los Angeles Times reported, "after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Franklin Graham called Islam 'an evil and wicked religion.' The remark, made during an interview on 'NBC Nightly News,' created a furor. Some said it endangered Christians working in Muslim countries. American Muslim leaders denounced Graham's statement as bigoted. In an interview with The Times, he was asked if he still thought of Islam in the same way. 'I haven't changed my mind,' he said... Asked specifically if he still thought Islam was 'an evil and wicked religion,' he said he didn't want to reopen that controversy. 'But there's no question we are in a war in this country, and our war is with people who are following Islam in a radical sense and this is what this war is all about. I don't believe we should be declaring a war on Muslims. Not at all. We have millions in this country who follow Islam and are good citizens and make their home here and wanting to live in freedom just like anyone else,' he said. 'But unfortunately, you don't have that in Saudi Arabia,' he added. 'You don't have that in any country where Muslims have a majority. Christians, Jews are persecuted and in Saudi Arabia, Christians and Jews predated Muslims.'"