Franklin Graham responds after UK event canceled for 'incompatible' LGBTQ views
Christian Evangelist Franklin Graham penned an open letter to the LGBTQ community in the United Kingdom after an event there was canceled for "incompatible" statements.
The son of the late Billy Graham was labeled a "homophobic hate preacher" by the Liverpool Labour LGBT Network, who wrote in a letter that they fear
"Graham's appearance may incite hateful mobilization and risk the security of our LGBTQ+ community. We are writing for support from our locally elected council representatives in response to the platforming of homophobic hate preacher Franklin Graham at the M&S Arena on the 12th of June 2020. We fear that with such a high profile event gaining traction, Graham’s appearance may incite hateful mobilisation and risk the security of our LGBTQ+ community. We ask the council to stand with our community in counter mobilisation, including refusing to host Graham’s roadshow at venues where the local authority has a stake."HOW DOES ACC LIVERPOOL KNOW WHAT GRAHAM WILL SAY?
The Liverpool City Region Pride Foundation has also penned an open letter to the CEO of ACC Liverpool, Mayor Joe Anderson and Liverpool City Council. In the letter, the group state:
THIS IS THE GROUP THAT SPEAKS HATE AND INTOLERANCE
"Graham is well known for their outspoken views about the LGBT+ community, including promoting hate of LGBT+ people as more important than education and openly supporting conversion therapy and the vicious attacks on our community in Russia amongst many other poisonous views. We write to you as we are sure that you share our stance that these types of dangerous views are not welcome in, or representative of, our great city and to ask that the booking is immediately reviewed and cancelled. Hate is not welcome in our city, not on our streets or in our world-class venues."THIS FORM OF ILLEGAL INTIMDATION NEEDS TO GO TO COURT
ACC Liverpool, where Graham was slated to speak in June as part of a tour in the U.K., made the announcement over the weekend, saying,
"We can longer reconcile the balance between freedom of speech and the divisive impact this event is having in our city."
After being made aware of the petition and online backlash, a spokesperson for ACC Liverpool said:
"The ACC Liverpool Group operates a campus of venues which are available to be hired for both public and private events. The ACC Liverpool Group supports the right to free speech and freedom of expression provided it is within the constraints of the law. We do not discriminate against any individuals or organizations who wish to hire our venue based on their religious beliefs."THEY SAY THEY DON'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST RELIGION BUT THEY HAVE?
Graham, the president of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, responded in a Facebook post that what the group wrote about him was "not true." I'm not coming out of hate, I'm coming out of love.
"I’m not coming to the UK to speak against anybody, I’m coming to speak for everybody. The Gospel is inclusive."The prominent Christian speaker said "God defines homosexuality as a sin" but added,
"if we're willing to accept Him by faith and turn away from our sins, He will forgive us and give us new life - eternal life - in Him."Despite the petition and cancelation, Graham invited "everyone in the LGBTQ community to come and hear for yourselves the Gospel messages that I will be bringing from God’s Word, the Bible." Graham's tour schedule includes venues in Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Birmingham, and London. LGBTQ leaders have called for the cancelation of the Sheffield visit.