Protestants: Why is it necessary for Franklin Graham to go to Catholic/Orthodox countries?

[lak611]

The USA is a Christian country, yet do you beleive that all Americans are Christians because they say the Pledge of Allegiance?

It is very, I might say extremely clear that if you read the New Testament that God does not want our Religion, He wants us. If you can read the books of Hebrews and Romans for starters and come out with any other sense, I would be shocked. Mr. Graham’s point is to not put your Faith in (Yourself) your own religous attempts or family affiliations to reach God, but put your Faith in God who has reached out to us. Catholocism, Protestantism, or any other ism cannot save, only God. Its written in your Bible. Mr. Graham proclaims the Gospel Message of Salvation, if your church teaches it as well then what is the problem?

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

I was a baptized Catholic who had fallen away from the faith and was not practicing any religion. I did not go to a Billy Graham or Franklin Graham crusade. However, my friend took me to a Christian festival. There were volunteers from many different churches there: Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian. Someone from the Baptist church gave me a Bible. I had never read it before, and although I was not a churchgoer at the time, I was looking for meaning in my life. I had attended CCD, Catholic high school and Catholic college, but fell away after college graduation. I actually read the Bible that the Baptist fellow gave me. I made the decision to repent of my sins and return to the Catholic church. I finally understood what I had been taught in school after reading the Bible. Now I attend a Bible study group at my Catholic parish (have been for 7 years now). The Holy Spirit used the Baptist church to make me return to the Catholic church.

 

[byoby]

I was a baptized Catholic who had fallen away from the faith and was not practicing any religion. I did not go to a Billy Graham or Franklin Graham crusade. However, my friend took me to a Christian festival. There were volunteers from many different churches there: Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian. Someone from the Baptist church gave me a Bible. I had never read it before, and although I was not a churchgoer at the time, I was looking for meaning in my life. I had attended CCD, Catholic high school and Catholic college, but fell away after college graduation. I actually read the Bible that the Baptist fellow gave me. I made the decision to repent of my sins and return to the Catholic church. I finally understood what I had been taught in school after reading the Bible. Now I attend a Bible study group at my Catholic parish (have been for 7 years now). The Holy Spirit used the Baptist church to make me return to the Catholic church.

So you agree with my post? I to beleive that the Holy Spirit will lead you to a specific church where God can use you the best to serve others. I to was baptised Catholic and attended CCD classes as a child. Later in life I began to read my bible and came to understand many things by studying the Word. The message of the Gospel is clear and I believe it is taught in the Catholic Church (I just personally think there are more obstacles to get through in the Catholic Church). I do have a hard time with the Catholic Churches own belief that it is “The one true church.” I do not believe that any Church Body or System (when it is made up of man in a forgiven but not perfected state) is perfect, Catholic or even what you might call “protestant.” I do know that Catholics because of tradition and because they have to affirm this teaching to become Catholic will argue against my belief, but in light or you might say darkness of my concious tells me through reading the bible I can not agree with Catholics on this issue.

 

[lak611]

So you agree with my post? I to beleive that the Holy Spirit will lead you to a specific church where God can use you the best to serve others. I to was baptised Catholic and attended CCD classes as a child. Later in life I began to read my bible and came to understand many things by studying the Word. The message of the Gospel is clear and I believe it is taught in the Catholic Church (I just personally think there are more obstacles to get through in the Catholic Church). I do have a hard time with the Catholic Churches own belief that it is “The one true church.” I do not believe that any Church Body or System (when it is made up of man in a forgiven but not perfected state) is perfect, Catholic or even what you might call “protestant.” I do know that Catholics because of tradition and because they have to affirm this teaching to become Catholic will argue against my belief, but in light or you might say darkness of my concious tells me through reading the bible I can not agree with Catholics on this issue.

In my case, the Holy Spirit showed me that the Catholic Church was right.

 

[Protestant101]

Because you all have that Holier than Thou attitude.

Actually; God did give us religion; and it is “unreasonable” to suggest otherwise:

Jas 1:27

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

This kind of “religion” doesn’t need “reason” but “reason” tells us that it is a reasonable way to live.

Personally; I just laugh at anyone who worries about so called “sheep stealing.” What is there really to worry about?

 

[lak611]

Personally; I just laugh at anyone who worries about so called “sheep stealing.” What is there really to worry about?

Do you believe that a person who is Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, etc. should be “converted” to another Christian faith?

 

[valient_Lucy]

I think that if his father wasn’t Billy Graham, Franklin would be working the drive-up window at McDonald’s.

In fairness though, you could say that about a lot of people. You could certainly say that about Paris Hilton. Or at least, she would be working at McDonald’s without Nicole Richie and without being filmed for Fox TV.

 

[mozart-250]

I think that if his father wasn’t Billy Graham, Franklin would be working the drive-up window at McDonald’s.

Upon reflection I find that very highly insulting.

Franklin is how old, in his 40s for sure.

How many men in their 40s who are the primary providers of their family are still working at jobs like entry level McDonalds? And what characteristics are usually in common for rare cases of men who are like that. Answer: 40 year old men do not have entry level McDonalds jobs unless something is wrong somewhere.

I think you owe Franklin Graham an apology for a denigrating insult and a personal attack to either his character or his intelligence. If a Protestant made a similar smear of a prominent Catholic here, I doubt whether that would go unmoderated.

 

[myfavoritmartin]

I think that if his father wasn’t Billy Graham, Franklin would be working the drive-up window at McDonald’s.

Upon reflection I find that very highly insulting.

Franklin is how old, in his 40s for sure.

How many men in their 40s who are the primary providers of their family are still working at jobs like entry level McDonalds? And what characteristics are usually in common for rare cases of men who are like that. Answer: 40 year old men do not have entry level McDonalds jobs unless something is wrong somewhere.

I think you owe Franklin Graham an apology for a denigrating insult and a personal attack to either his character or his intelligence. If a Protestant made a similar smear of a prominent Catholic here, I doubt whether that would go unmoderated.

I TOTALLY agree Mozart, furthermore…What is it that Paul is saying to those whom find it necessary to work at Mcdonalds??
Are you better than a MCD worker? why use them to denigrate another Christian? What does our Savior say about the meek and the weak and the poor???
The pride boastfulness and denigration in this comment and in fact this whole thread is dispicable.
This comment and the steaming poo? this thread is very unchristian…Ya’ll should be ashamed!

 

[Harpazo]

I find this VERY offensive! You have a man spreading the Gospel to every nation and every tongue and you call it “a steaming plate of poo”???

Of course you find that comment insulting. You couldn’t even have the audacity to quote my entire piece. You picked a bit out of it, and decided to be angry with that.

Context my friend, it’s all about context.

I said it was a steaming pile of Poo that Christ wasn’t there before Graham and his crusades showed up. Of course Christ was there before he showed up. He was and is and will be in all the Tabernacles of the Catholic churches until He comes again.

If you’re going to make an argument, that’s fine. But get the facts straight and DON’T misquote me.

For everyone else:
I never once alluded to hating Mr. Graham or anything of the sort. What I don’t like is how he brags in his magazine about how Catholics in these Catholic countries are “finally meeting Jesus.” THAT is the sad part, and THAT is what I don’t like about him.

Pace e Bene
Andrew

 

[mozart-250]

Context my friend, it’s all about context.

OK.

I just happened to find the article online here.

Now what exactly in this article is a “steaming pile of poo”.

 

[myfavoritmartin]

Of course you find that comment insulting. You couldn’t even have the audacity to quote my entire piece. You picked a bit out of it, and decided to be angry with that.

Context my friend, it’s all about context.

I said it was a steaming pile of Poo that Christ wasn’t there before Graham and his crusades showed up.

YOUR PARAGRAPH I CITED!

He’s also gone to South America, and in his most recent magazine issue, he talks about how the people of Ecuador are finally meeting Jesus. That’s a big steaming plate of poo! They have Jesus in the tabernacles of their Churches just as they have for however long the Church has been in Ecuador.

So your saying everyone in Ecuador has met met Christ?
Harpazo…EVERY TRIBE EVERY NATION EVERY TONGUE!!!
Like Mozart said show what is the “steaming…”

**Jesus the Passover Lamb was slain to ransom people from every tribe and tongue and nation. So the Passover can’t be fulfilled until all those peoples are reached and the ransomed are gathered in and the Kingdom is established. **

 

[myfavoritmartin]

I think that if his father wasn’t Billy Graham, Franklin would be working the drive-up window at McDonald’s.

I TOTALLY agree Mozart, furthermore…What is it that Paul is saying to those whom find it necessary to work at Mcdonalds??
Are you better than a MCD worker? why use them to denigrate another Christian? What does our Savior say about the meek and the weak and the poor???
The pride boastfulness and denigration in this comment and in fact this whole thread is dispicable.
This comment and the steaming poo? this thread is very unchristian…Ya’ll should be ashamed!

TO: Pauldupre:
1 Corinthians 7:20-24

20Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. 21Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

.

 

[mozart-250]

For everyone else:
I never once alluded to hating Mr. Graham or anything of the sort. What I don’t like is how he brags in his magazine about how Catholics in these Catholic countries are “finally meeting Jesus.” THAT is the sad part, and THAT is what I don’t like about him.

Oh by the way, in the online article that I linked, the word “Catholic” did not appear once.

I think you are deliberately misrepresenting Franklin Graham.

 

[mozart-250]

Bump:

It is as I thought.

The whole premise of this thread was based on one person’s misrepresentation of an article from Decision magazine. Probably the OP did not think the article could actually be found on the internet and verified.

Since the subject article did not contain the word Catholic once, these wild charges of anti-Catholicism were pulled out of thin air.
And once the link was discovered the thread went cold.

Face it, there is no “steaming pile of poo” in that article.

Y’all should be thankful to God for the ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelical organization.

 

[lak611]

Bump:

It is as I thought.

The whole premise of this thread was based on one person’s misrepresentation of an article from Decision magazine. Probably the OP did not think the article could actually be found on the internet and verified.

Since the subject article did not contain the word Catholic once, these wild charges of anti-Catholicism were pulled out of thin air.
And once the link was discovered the thread went cold.

Face it, there is no “steaming pile of poo” in that article.

Y’all should be thankful to God for the ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelical organization.

I saw no mention of Catholics in the article. It mentioned that churches in the city cooperated on the crusade. Maybe the Catholic churches were involved just as they are in the United States. On the last Billy Graham crusade in Cleveland, my church (Catholic) was involved. I did not belong to it at the time; I was a parishioner at another church. One of my friends at church was a volunteer at the crusade. Catholics who made a decision for Christ were encouraged to find a Catholic church. Until we see evidence to the contrary, there is no reason to suspect that Franklin Graham did not do the same thing in Ecuador that his father did in Cleveland.

 

[mozart-250]

I saw no mention of Catholics in the article. It mentioned that churches in the city cooperated on the crusade. Maybe the Catholic churches were involved just as they are in the United States. On the last Billy Graham crusade in Cleveland, my church (Catholic) was involved. I did not belong to it at the time; I was a parishioner at another church. One of my friends at church was a volunteer at the crusade. Catholics who made a decision for Christ were encouraged to find a Catholic church. Until we see evidence to the contrary, there is no reason to suspect that Franklin Graham did not do the same thing in Ecuador that his father did in Cleveland.

:clapping: :tiphat:

 

[war_eagle]

The questions is stated above. I don’t understand this. His father apparently understands this, yet why does Franklin not obey his father?

My parents get the Decision magazine and I’ve read a few, and I was appalled at some of the things they said in there. Franklin Graham went to the Ukraine and told them they “don’t need religion, or any of that ritualistic stuff, just the Gospel.” Obviously I’m paraphrasing, but it was something along those lines.

He’s also gone to South America, and in his most recent magazine issue, he talks about how the people of Ecuador are finally meeting Jesus. That’s a big steaming plate of poo! They have Jesus in the tabernacles of their Churches just as they have for however long the Church has been in Ecuador.

It puzzles me that Protestants complain about Catholics trying to evangelize Protestants and help bring them home to the Church. They say we should focus on those who don’t know Our Lord. Yet, look what is being done. Graham is specifically going to countries that are already Christian! Why is this so?

This might be a reach, but charitable discussion please!

Pace e Bene
Andrew

Because the country may have a large percentage of Christians, but the days of the Old Covenant, where a man could be saved just because his neighbor was righteous, are over.

Now, every man has to be born again.

 

[ralphinal]

Because the country may have a large percentage of Christians, but the days of the Old Covenant, where a man could be saved just because his neighbor was righteous, are over.

Now, every man has to be born again.

Amen! By water and the Spirit, just like Jesus said.

Two things, I think part of it is true concern for the salvation of all. I cannot fault him for that. Second, his father NEVER ONCE spoke out against abortion. He classified himself as a Democrat and as such he would not do it. I wonder if the son will (or any of the other anti-life doctrines).