Dr. Billy Graham WAS WRONG

Following a private 30-minute meeting with the Republican presidential candidate Mr. Mitt Romney, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association removed from its website the reference to Mormonism as a cult. I disagree with the timing of this decision by the Association.

According to CNN News, in the section of the website, My Answer by Billy Graham, there was the question, What is a cult? The answer was clear – “a cult is any group which teaches doctrines or beliefs that deviate from the biblical message of the Christian faith.” Some of the groups listed as examples were Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Scientologists and others. Since Romney’s visit with Dr. Billy Graham, those examples have been removed from the site.

When asked about the change, Ken Barun, Chief of Staff for the Association, stated, “We removed the information from the website because we do not wish to participate in a theological debate about something that has become politicized during the campaign.” Interestingly, a search of the word MORMONS on the website provides six results related to cults, including a discussion about how to recognize a religious cult. However, specific examples of cultic groups have been removed.

The present wording on the website is much more palatable in a culture of tolerance. However, the BGEA does not in any way compromise its understanding of what is a religious cult. My problem is the timing of its decision to remove the examples, including Mormonism.

Was the removal intended to create a more cordial relationship with Mitt Romney, a lifelong member of the Mormon Church? Or, could the removal be considered an attempt to have evangelicals respond more favorably to Mr. Romney’s candidacy? As mentioned earlier, the timing of the decision creates much discomfort.

The decision is symptomatic of a bigger problem among evangelicals. Many want to endorse Mr. Romney as president, but fear that doing so might tacitly endorse Mormonism. Something is wrong with this line of reasoning. For instance, when evangelicals voted for John F. Kennedy in 1960, were they tacitly endorsing the Roman Catholic Church of which Kennedy was a member? Similarly, was a vote for Jimmy Carter in 1976, an endorsement of the Southern Baptists? Then, how could a vote for Mitt Romney be an endorsement of Mormonism?   

In an earlier commentary, I shared the view that if elected, I believe Romney’s faith will inform his decisions. However, that is not the same as saying that his religious views as a Mormon will be imposed on the nation. What I would expect is a commitment to high ethical standards, an awareness of having to give account to an authority higher than that of the office of president, a regard for the sacredness of life and a commitment to traditional marriage. I would also expect him to treat people of faith with respect and to reflect much compassion in his leadership. I would expect nothing less if President Obama were to be returned to office.

At the same time, I hasten to add that a vote for President Obama would in no way be an endorsement of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where the President was last registered as a member of a Christian church.

On November 06, 2012, Americans will not be electing a Pastor-in-Chief. Political leaders will not give account to God as pastors, but as servants who were entrusted with power and responsibility to govern, ensuring justice for all. Like the Minor Prophets, Christian leaders must continue to demand righteousness in public administration. The Book of Proverbs was correct when it said, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:23).

In this context I applaud Dr. Billy Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. They just published a series of full-page newspaper advertisements calling on voters to cast a ballot for their faith. Dr. Graham, who is approaching his 94th birthday, urged readers “to cast their ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel.”

Such prophetic positions are good for a nation that has had a rich Judeo-Christian history. The church does not need to demand a theocratic government. However, the church needs to speak prophetically, condemning sin and promoting righteousness.

In order to obey the injunction to pray for those in authority, Christians need to use every legitimate opportunity to influence the systems of this world. Voting provides one such opportunity – to abrogate that opportunity would be irresponsible and would delegitimize one’s right to speak with integrity.