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Fox News Watch Panel: Franklin Graham ‘Twists Religion To Suit His Politics’

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Earlier in the week, Rev. Franklin Graham went on Morning Joe and made some troubling comments about President Obama and his maybe-kinda-sorta Islamic tendencies. These were problematic for obvious reasons, but the Fox News Watch panel this afternoon gave him some benefit of the doubt for not having come on the program to talk politics, but to talk about persecution of Christians abroad. Nonetheless, they noted his tendency to “twist religion to suit his politics,” one they discouraged.

RELATED: Watch Franklin Graham Question President Obama’s Faith, Explain Why Mormons Aren’t Christian On Morning Joe

Jim Pinkerton noted that Graham did not give very good answers to the questions about the Presidents’ faith, but “he’s there to talk about people getting murdered and killed and raped and all MSNBC wanted to talk about was these faith questions, which admittedly Graham didn’t handle particularly well.” Nonetheless, “it was definitely an ambush” since “the media couldn’t care less about the persecution of Christians around the world.” Ellen Ratner agreed. “He should have refused to talk about it,” he advised, and the panel mostly agreed that he should not be involved in politics.

While Cal Thomas noted what he called a “double standard” of left-wing versus right-wing preachers, he noted that every time his father, Rev. Billy Graham, got involved in politics, it never ended well. “He ain’t his father’s son,” Judith Miller added, echoing Chris Matthews, and accused him of “twist[ing] religion to suit his politics.” “Unlike Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton,” quipped Thomas.

The segment via Fox News below:

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  • http://twitter.com/MinneMike Michael Wiley

    Chris Matthews? Yea, right.

  • Anonymous

    This is exactly what filthy christians do . Do as I say not as I do , usually when they are in an airport bathroom .

  • The Big Glovebowski

    Why not ask everybody?

    “Imagine if during the Presidental debates some brave journalist asked:

    “President Obama; you spent around twenty years as an active, contributing member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, which is considered to be the most preeminent church in the country preaching they refer to as “Black Liberation Theology”. 

    Since most Americans aren’t familiar with the tenants of Black Liberation Theology, can you briefly explain what it is and broadly explain how it fits your own personal belief structure and where, if at all, you disagree with its teachings.”

    http://bigjournalism.com/lstranahan/2012/02/25/media-skewers-santorum-romney-on-faith-what-about-obama/

  • Anonymous

    Is this 2008 again? don’t you republicans have something else to run on.

  • http://www.thecobraslair.com Cobra

    If Obama (and damn near every other African-American) followed the “Black Subjugation Theology” that White Conservatives embraced for most of American History, would you or your boss Breitbart still be as curious?

    –Cobra

  • Anonymous

    Epic fail linking to a well known “conservative” scum bag propaganda site.

  • Tucsonense

    OR……………..Who gives a rats A$$ about peoples religious leanings…….It takes up WAY TOO MUCH time and resources. KEEP RELIGION OUT OF POLITICS!

  • Anonymous

    A conservative christian evangelical twists religion to suit his politics? Say it ain’t so! Next people will claim that they hold bigoted views or they’re using religion to line their own pockets.

  • Anonymous

    In being fair to FOX, I have often criticized FOX for being biased, but I must give them praise this time for having an honest conversation on a subject, and about a particular individual, most FOX viewers probably wouldn’t agree with them on.  I hope I see more of this type of “Fair and Balanced” discussions on FOX in the future. 

  • Hout Bosques

    What an all-star team of winger punditry. I wouldn’t have imagined it possible that Jim Pinkerton could ever be seen in a group that makes him look like a bleeding heart lib’rul. In this group, Judith Miller actually seems like a real report, & Cal Thomas comes across as reasonable. Goes to show: if you’re obese & you’d like to make people think you’re average, just go to Weight Watchers & hang around the snack bar.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    Yes they do. Dr. Bill Ayers.

  • Hout Bosques

    The Gloves franchise as a whole-owned subsidiary of Breitbart Inc – quelle suprise!

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    I should think they two of them would be orgasmic.

  • Hout Bosques

    No … really?

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    Your sources get worse by the day.

  • Hout Bosques

    It’s too late to keep religion out of anything; it’s like the Black Plague only more virulent & deadly.

  • The Big Glovebowski

    I’m cut to the quick, as your approval is vital to my self esteem.

    Hey Robert. Look at the Jan Brewer thread. Do you approve of all the comments about her looks ? Do you condemn them ?

    I don’t comment about any liberal woman’s appearance, and with Janet Napolitano, Maxine Waters and so many others, I could. But it would be wrong.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    I’m more attracted to her great mind.

  • Anonymous

    Rev Gramham is conservative and holds conservative views as Jesse Jacksoni is a liberal and holds liberal views.  MSNBC is a liberal media outlet so why would Rev Gramham expose himself to that?  He did a louse job of deflecting the Obama questions. How many times have you seen Jesse Jackson on Fox?  However Rev Al Sharpton has been on Fox several times when they wanted a liberal point of view. 

  • Anonymous

    Using religion for politics? NEVER have I heard of such a thing.

  • Just Another Blowhard

     cut to the quick?????

  • Just Another Blowhard

    All people cherry pick all religions to suit their beliefs. 

  • Anonymous

    Segment is dripping with irony, they were applying a double standard to suggest there is no double standard.  Only Fox can do this with a straight face.  Is it because they are idiots and assume their viewers are equally stupid or are they so myopically biased that they can’t think straight?  

  • Dan Hilbert

    Franklin Graham is lower than whale poop.  When he travels for free on other people’s dime, he takes a caravan of his relatives along for the ride.  What a fraud that religion is.

  • Anonymous

    Whats an oxymoron ?  christian evangelical.

  • Hout Bosques

    “What a fraud that religion is.” Great example of an oxymoron: a fraudulent religion.

  • Anonymous

    Both them.

  • Jardino

    The topic is Franklin Graham. You bring up Jeremiah Wright and post a link to Teatarded Breitbart propaganda. Obama renounced Wright 4 years ago. Would you like to bring up Chappaquiddick, too?

    I commented on Jan Brewer’s hair, so please go ahead and comment on Napolitano and Waters. You already did comment when you said you could comment on their appearance. Do you think something about those women is funnier than Brewer’s hair? 

  • Jardino

    Fox viewership has declined almost 10%. Now it is becoming “fair and balanced” to compete in the free market and get its market share back. Too many people got tired of the lies.

  • Anonymous

    It really is an interesting take when a right wing network designs a whole show literally based on the premise that everyone is unfair expect Fox.The host is particularly is good at setting up bias and doubled standards that in reality doesn’t exist.It’s really a matter of portraying a parallel universe that exist outside of the Fox bubble as biased against all things in the Fox bubble therefore shifting reality.Like believing sun revolves around the earth JUST because Fox News WATCH said the “mainstream media” believes the earth revolves around the sun.

    I should become an philosopher now!

  • Anonymous

    Agreed its like somehow they don’t include themselves in the media. They pick what the “mainstream media” is biased about almost like they do not exist on the same plain as these other medias. Its very bizarre. They almost act as if they have convinced themselves that they are not biased in anyway? Its like the whole channel is delusional. And the most annoying part to me is not the conservatives. Its the liberals who work for this network that sit there and propagate this illusion.

  • Anonymous

    The liberals seem to get their scripts the night before.I’m more inclined to think Sean Hannity/Orielly are unbiased than take one word of this particular show serious.

  • Anonymous

    Franklin Graham is one apple that fell far away from the tree. Every good quality Billy Graham had Franklin doesn’t. Billy Graham was a uniter, not a divider.

  • Anonymous

    When was LBJ a Conservative?

  • Anonymous

    Maybe those same journalists could then ask certain GOPers and Conservative pundits what they mean by ‘culture war’ and ‘taking our country back’.  As ‘Theology’ suggest, ‘Black Liberation Theology’ fights oppression with ideas, not guns.  You seem to think only white conservative people have the right to do so.  There is no inidcation either group has bloodshed and civil war as it’s fall back position, so what are you going on about?  

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Legge/100000581859671 William Legge

    You are a sad mess, some day you will stand before him and give account sir.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Legge/100000581859671 William Legge

    He spoke the truth, he did fantastic. What was uncomfortable was the darkness he was coming up against. People today hate truth. I was sickened by those cowards on Fox. God bless Franklin Graham for being so brave in the face of evil.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Legge/100000581859671 William Legge

    Your lower that whale poop Dannyboy . Long after jerks like you are gone , men of integrity like Franklin Graham will not only live on but will be held in the highest esteem.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Legge/100000581859671 William Legge

    You are a liar and wouldn’t know truth if it stood in front of you. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Legge/100000581859671 William Legge

    How wrong are you. What do you know about billy Graham or his son? Nothing. Or better, what do you know about truth?Obviously zero, because that is all Franklin Graham spoke was truth.

  • Anonymous

     What would we do with out all of these religious expert tv news anchors telling Franklin Graham, what and how to believe.

  • Anonymous

    TAX all religious organizations and affiliates.  Period.

  • Anonymous

    wow what a moronic childish statement.. you are abundantly a republican through and through..

    stylin was spot on..  Billy in his day was admired and his son is nothing like him.. he’s a hater and an extremist.    kinda like you!

  • Anonymous

    What would we do without all these religious experts like Franklin Graham telling the rest of society what and how to believe?

  • Anonymous

    William Legge:   You don’t know how well Stylin knows Graham or his son.  You’re just another Koch-roach spewing ignorance.  By the way, I drove by your trailer this morning and the spin cycle forced you washer over the porch edge and nearly hit the pig (or was that your kid) tied to it below. 

  • Anonymous

    I’m no supporter of Franklin Graham. That guy’s an idiot. But it does really burn my ass that folks are going after him on this while people like Bill Maher who on at least one occasion that I can recall has straight up come out and said he thinks Obama is an atheist. I do, however, think that Graham showed great cowardice in veiling his answers about Obama’s religion in the guise of “only he knows what’s in his heart.” That’s a cowardly and weak answer to the question about the president’s faith. I just wish that John Heilmann was concerned about his own hypocrisy more than Graham’s. But the folks on the left don’t care when it’s one of their own cool and hip ultra liberals like Maher throwing out allegations against the president’s religion.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Youve fot the lefty propaganda down pat, I hope you get a raise.

    The war on truth is real. The war on lies is just getting warmed up.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Rev Wright, Obamacare

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Its totally revealing how all this christain hate comes out as soon as Obama and mediamatters start paying people to hate christains.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1348434457 Ali Vonal

    Really, Rev. Wright? Haha! You guys really have nothing, do you? Also, Obama ran on healthcare. Everyone knew it when they voted for him, and guess what, most americans are of for it, so go die someplace cold and dark and do humanity a favor. 

  • david r

    I’ve never respected people of any faith who go into religion to make money.

  • Anonymous

    You left out the other conspirators! George Soros, Saul Alinsky, Warren Buffet, the liberal media elite and the RAND Corporation, in conjunction with the saucer people under the supervision of the reverse vampires are forcing people to dislike the religious right.

  • david r

    What a fraud that religion is.

    Just take out “that” for brevity.

  • Rhialto

    Since most Americans aren’t familiar with the tenants of Black Liberation Theology, can you briefly explain what it is…

    Can you?

  • Anonymous

    What do you know about President Obama. Nothing, or better, what do you know about truth?  Obviously zero, because all President Obama spoke about was true.

  • Anonymous

    It’s Bizarro world over there for sure.  

  • Anonymous

    There you go again…proving him right!

  • Anonymous

    Aren’t you curious though about how they set this all up?  Wouldn’t you love to be a fly on the wall over there?  ”NO, NO, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   More indignation I tell you, MORE, MORE, MORE!!!!  And do the “reporters” really believe what they spew, or do they just do it for the money?  How does Fox screen for any sign of liberalism?  It must be a huge house of cards.

  • Anonymous

    You don’t have a legge to stand on, legge, get it, legge!

  • Anonymous

    Oh, go get your Jesus on.  Leave us heathens here to rot in hell.

  • Anonymous

    You mean those big doll curls she wore on Fox recently?  They looked cute on butter face.

  • Anonymous

    Media Matters is PAYING people to hate Christians?  Damn it, there gonna be a lot of people looking for their checks in the mail tomorrow morning.  I’m totally pro bono. And I don’t hate on all Christians, only ones who attack a good man like the President of the United States Barack Hussein Obama.

  • Anonymous

    Na, he will repent on his deathbed and all will be forgiven.  Me, I”m going the Mormon, baptized after you die route.

  • Tan

    Gloves; regarding your posting of the Breitbart screed I have to admit to you that you are correct. There IS a double standard in the American media (and international reporting too – all the Australian news programmes have been appalled at the things Santorum has said in the name of his religion) and conservatives DO find their religious beliefs are challenged more and investigated further. You are correct.

    But there’s a reason WHY Gloves! It is because President Obama does not tell the world that he bases his decisions and policies on his religion. His religion is a personal thing for him and he keeps it quiet, between his loving family and I have not heard him once profess to be a judge of others moral character or threaten to base laws on religion, or pursue wars based on religion as GWB happily told us. I’ve had people on this site scream at me for daring to stick my nose in ‘their business’ but America’s business is no longer just America’s. The world has suffered directly from the religious beliefs of the former President and as such (under the terms of our treaty) my countrymen have lost their lives. Since then, your business IS my business!!!

    Now; all of the GOP candidates save Dr Paul, HAVE told us they will base decision making on their religion. They HAVE told us that they judge their constituents moral characters based on a book written in the Bronze Age! And much much more (the list could go on forever just on Santorum alone)

  • Tan

    (cont)…therefore, the media has a responsibility to the American voters to investigate, criticise and discuss their religion in much more detail than for those that prefer to keep their religion to themselves and not PUSH it onto 300 million countrymen and women, and maybe even some of the 7 billion of us sharing the beautiful blue orb with you.

  • Tan

    Franklin Graham is an awful man. I encourage you to google investigations on his slush fund ‘charity’ Samaritan’s Purse. They do photo ops to look good, but behind the scenes they bribe the poor people they are supposed to be helping by forcing them to attend bible classes in exchange for their help etc.

    When parts of Alaska were suffering through a terrible winter where the salmon runs were bare (their livelihood!) and they had to choose freezing or starving, Graham showed up to get his photo op, handed out COOKIES to people as a foodstuff and forced evangelical phamlets on them in exchange. Oh, and he and Palin who was there too didn’t even go to the correct town but one only slightly suffering. I wonder if that cookie helped anyone?

    The record is full of witness statements along the lines o

  • Tan

    Sorry about last line in post. They’ve been witnessed multiple times preaching unwanted bible verses to people in terrible situations such as literally being rushed to hospital on a stretcher, in agony and upset at the screaming Samaritans Purse worker that is running along beside them screeching for them to repent or burn in hell.

    Lovely guy? Not so much.

  • Anonymous

    I guess i should be getting my check from a guy named Soros right.

  • Anonymous

    Well which is it? A whitey hatin christian or a muslin? I wish you guys would decide:)

  • Anonymous

    Hey, that’s a Ron Paul idea, but no, we get too much benefit out of not for profits, and ending tax exempt status for churches would also require ending it for all not for profits. And that would be a shame.

  • Anonymous

    Graham saying nasty stuff about Obama’s faith is just standard operating procedure for him. Not really much of a story. Intolerance is Graham’s MO. But Graham also went after Romney’s faith, and said that Mormons are not real Christians. In fact the Grahams of the world have been persecuting Mormons for over 150 years so you can expect all that crap to come oozing out before this is over.

  • Anonymous

    He has the debits and credits in order. So yes, I guess there will be account. ;)

  • Anonymous

    I guess when you are a FRAUD, both sides can see it.  Even if they have to try and make it an ‘ambush’ by the dreaded librul media…

  • Anonymous

    8% unemployment, a couple million people went from unemployment benefits to social security beneifts, rising gas prices, etc.  Loads to run on, so I agree, all these issues will be ignored in Nov 2012.  As Clinton motto goes, ’ it’s the economy, stupid’…

  • Anonymous

    I think the difference is, Bill Maher would actually admire an atheist President Obama, so when he said he thought he was an atheist, it wasn’t intended as a dig or an insult.

    Franklin Graham, on the other him, clearly was being insulting to him by implying that he wasn’t really a Christian. You can tell by the way he acknowledged Rick Santorum’s and Newt Gingrich’s faith. But when he got to Obama, he had to say, “Well, he says he’s a Christian, I don’t know what’s in his heart, but that’s what he says he is.”

    I think that’s a very big difference. Also, Bill Maher is a comedian, not someone posing as a person of faith.

  • Anonymous

    My point wasn’t about the relative enthusiasm of anyone’s perceptions about Obama’s religious beliefs. It’s the hypocrisy of this whole panel of msnbc guys busting Graham’s balls about not believing Obama when he says he’s a Christian. Graham obviously thinks he’s lying. Maher obviously thinks he’s lying. And they both would say he lies for political purposes. The only difference is Graham is too much of a coward to openly admit he doesn’t believe the president. The greater point is that all these assholes – Graham, Maher, and this panel – are full of shit.

    And on the comedian note, I’m sick of someone claiming that just bc they’re a comedian try can say whatever they want. Maher called Obama an atheist why seriously discussing political issues; not in his opening monologue while making jokes. This “comedic license” seems to only apply to liberal comedians. And the license for them seems to expire immediately upon insulting a sacred group to liberals (gays, blacks, etc). That whole excuse is overplayed and selectively used. It’s bullshit.

  • Anonymous

    Remember his wonderful “Christian” comments about Muslims, after 9/11. He did a lot to promote peace, didn’t he? I do not believe his crap or his fairy tale.

  • Mari Johnson

     Franklin Graham seems like a FRAUD!   Did he wrongly exemplify Jesus when he made his hateful SOUNDING statement about Obama’s Christian experience.   In face, did he have a right to blab his JUDGMENT of others’ religious position with God?  I do not want to judge whether Franklin is a Christian or not when he just did strange thing!.   I am quite certain Franklin is a Christian but I doubt his capabili9ty to judge other Christians and that he did so in absolute defiance of the rule, “judge not lest ye be also judged” seems appropriate.  And so I sat here and thought and still am pondering what is correct.  I am praying that Franklin can learn something from this experience and look to the life of his Father, Billy Graham for leadership on this issue.  Till then, Franklin, I am a life long Christian since I was 12 and I am now old as dirt and I am certain that President Obama is your brother in Christ, even!

  • Anonymous

    “It’s not up to me to judge a man’s religious sincerity.”
    When Franklin went beyond that to judge and comment, he stepped in a steaming pile.

    ………..and there’s no need for Fox to judge either, but they do.

  • Anonymous

    Rev. Wright is a good, respected Christian Theologian.

  • Anonymous

    Neither…..It is Blacks longing to be free…..

  • Anonymous

    I find Franklin Graham not to be a man of integrity.  He uses false and untrue reasons to oppose Obama.  All Republicans know Obama was born in Hawaii and is a legitimate President of the United States.  They know this and still lie about his birth and his religion.  He is not a Muslim.  He is a Christian.  He has never said he is for abortion.  I am not for abortion for myself but believe other women should make that judgement for themself.  Furthermore, there is such a thing as a spontaneous abortion.  Who do you blame for that?  The Bible says in Genesis that life begins at first breath.  It is man who wishes to change that to conception.  There are many dangers to the fetus before it is born such as miscarriages ectopic  or tubal pregnancies.  Some babies are born dead.   Franklin is not being honest about his reasons for not supporting Obama.  About Salvation, the Bible says, except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  It is necessary to ask God to come into your heart but you must repent first.

  • Anonymous

    You can not discern the truth from a lie…..You are  deceived….

  • Anonymous

    Especially the Catholic church…..they are filthy rich

  • K m

     Just out of curiosity, who are “conservative comedians”?? Can you name any?? How are they treated differently than “liberal comedians”?

  • K m

     Sell the million dollar Pope-mobile and make the bastard walk!!

  • Anonymous

    Well he’s not exactly a comedian per se, more shock jock, but Don Imus and the Rutgers situation immediately comes to mind.

  • Anonymous

    Obviously, if you see the comments below, about what you just said it seems like you embarrassed yourself.

  • Anonymous

    thank you

  • Anonymous

    thank you too

  • Anonymous

    you’re speaking to a neocon numbskull so don’t expect to get a rational answer. lol

  • Anonymous

    Wow.  It’s funny sometimes how things just come together.  Please read Mr. Tommy Christopher’s latest case of ginned up outrage at Newsbusters making a 9/11 joke.  The timing of you’re retort couldn’t be any more perfect. 

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