Franklin Graham to Obama: Are You A Muslim? (And How Obama Courted Hagee's Publisher)

On June 10, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama convened a meeting in a law office in downtown Chicago with a wide array of about thirty evangelical leaders, in an unprecedented effort to win their support. Obama insisted that the meeting remain entirely off the record, forbidding participants from disclosing his statements to the press. His campaign has kept the names of attendees a closely guarded secret. But through interviews with participants and overlooked statements in obscure publications of the Christian press, a first-hand picture of the meeting emerges, starkly at odds with the news reports that accepted the formal version at face value.

News accounts about the meeting stated that Obama impressed his audience with his sincerity, depth of theological knowledge and communication skills. But according to those present, he did little to assuage the hostility that many of the assembled--particularly the conservative white evangelicals--harbor toward him and his liberal positions on social issues. As I reported this week for The Nation, those differences reached a crescendo when the Rev. Franklin Graham directly confronted Obama about his supposedly Muslim background and Christian authenticity.

Franklin Graham, son of the evangelical icon Billy Graham and head of the international Christian aid organization Samaritan's Purse, was seated next to Obama at the meeting. He peppered Obama with pointed questions, repeatedly demanding to know if the senator believed that "Jesus was the way to God or merely a way." Graham, who once incited an international controversy by calling Islam a "very evil and wicked religion," proceeded to inquire about the Muslim faith of Obama's father, suggesting that Obama himself may be a Muslim.

"They focused on abortion, gay marriage, and then Franklin Graham tried to get Senator Obama saved," said Rev. Eugene Rivers, an African-American pastor from Boston who attended the meeting. Rivers told the Religion News Service that Graham pointedly questioned Obama's "father's connections to Islam." Obama reportedly said of his father, "The least of things he was was Islamic."

Graham's spokesman, Mark DeMoss, denies that Graham asked Obama about his father's Muslim faith. DeMoss did, however, confirm that Graham questioned whether the candidate believed Jesus was the only way to Heaven. "Jesus is the only way for me. I'm not in a position to judge other people," Obama responded, according to Rivers.

Stephen Strang, a right-wing Pentecostal, was among those invited to Obama's meeting. He is the multimillionaire publisher of Charisma, an evangelical magazine, and a signatory of the World Evangelical Alliance statement urging evangelization of Jews. In naming him one of the twenty-five "most influential evangelicals in America," Time called Strang "a Bush favorite ever since his homegrown Christian publishing house, Strang Communications, released The Faith of George W. Bush, the first spiritual biography of the President, in 2003." "We didn't write it to help Bush, but it no doubt helped elect him," declares Strang. He is also a close associate of controversial End Times theology proponent Pastor John Hagee, whose endorsement presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain recently rejected after a firestorm of criticism. Strang is a member of the board of Hagee's organization, Christians United For Israel, and a publisher of Hagee's book on Israel. Strang told me that several participants, not just Graham, expressed concern about the Muslim background of certain Obama family members. Obama replied that he had hardly known his father, who left his family when Obama was 2, and he sought to downplay the notion that his stepfather, an Indonesian Muslim, was active in his faith. "I remember [Obama] saying, 'We never went to the mosque when we lived in Indonesia,' " Strang said.

Strang told me that as the meeting drew to a close, one evangelical leader who supported Obama ("a friend" Strang refused to name) stood and "lectured" the other attendees about the faith of Obama's opponent, Republican Senator John McCain. The pro-Obama preacher railed about McCain's divorce as evidence of his lack of religious commitment, and added that McCain has demonstrated discomfort with public expressions of faith. "He also said that McCain swore on the Senate floor," Strang recounted. "He seemed to be saying that if Christians can support a flawed candidate like McCain, the implication was, why couldn't they support a candidate with flawed policies like Obama?"

Strang recalled that Obama did not rebuke the minister for his personal and pointed remarks about McCain. Instead, according to Strang, Obama simply smiled and said he would not make any attempt to undermine his opponent's faith.

Strang said he found Obama's outreach to evangelicals refreshing. "Obama was very clear that he wanted to involve people of faith in the process and he seemed to say that he would be inviting people like this to the White House," said Strang, who was invited twice to the White House by George W. Bush and once by his father. "He was very sincere and I think he scored some points." But Strang was not persuaded. He is a strong supporter of McCain. "I support him 99 percent. How I vote is based on whether the candidate is for or against life, period," Strang said.

Besides Strang, Graham and Rivers, attendees at the meeting included conservative Christianity Today editor David Neff, Evangelical Lutheran Church President Mark Hanson (ELCA is a moderate denomination), conservative legal scholar and Reagan Justice Department official Doug Kmiec--who has been denied communion for his support for Obama--and T.D. Jakes, the Dallas-based African-American Pentecostal mega-church pastor who has supplanted the black church's traditional social justice teachings with "prosperity gospel" theology, preaching faith as the way to the promised land of wealth and status.

"I'm not against marching," Jakes told PBS in 2007. "But in the '60s, the challenge of the black church was to march. And there are times now perhaps that we may need to march. But there's more facing us than social justice. There's personal responsibility, motivating and equipping people to live the best lives that they can."

"Obama is said to consult Jakes on a weekly basis and called him a 'role model' of a Christian who puts his faith into social action," Sarah Posner reported in her book, God's Profits: Faith, Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters.

(See Jakes preach here)

Another influential African-American prosperity gospel pastor, Kirbyjon Caldwell, attended the June 10 meeting with Obama. "It is unscriptural not to own land," the preacher has declared. Caldwell, a former bond dealer who founded the country's largest Methodist congregation, the Houston-based Windsor Village, has been among George W. Bush's most vocal and visible black backers. He introduced Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention, delivered the benedictions at his 2001 and 2005 inaugural ceremonies and presided over the wedding ceremony of Jenna Bush. Bush has highlighted Caldwell's good works as examples of the triumph of his federal faith-based initiative.

But almost as soon as Obama declared his campaign for the presidency, Caldwell broke from the GOP, delivering a roaring endorsement for the Democrat from Illinois, hailing him for his "character, confidence and courage." "For the last twelve months, I've been talking to people who are part of the [Obama] campaign very, very regularly," Caldwell said recently.

Caldwell's endorsement did not come without controversy. Just days after Obama delivered a speech criticizing homophobia in the black church, some gay bloggers revealed that Caldwell's own Windsor Village church hosted a ministry that, according to its website, was "created to provide Christ centered instruction for those seeking freedom from homosexuality." Caldwell denied any knowledge of the ministry, though he refused to condemn it. Yet when the revelation spread from the blogosphere to the mainstream media, and proof surfaced that the ministry was an integral component of Windsor Village, Caldwell's congregation scrubbed all mention of it from its website.

(See a PDF version here).

After James Dobson devoted his entire June 24 radio broadcast to a red-faced tirade against Obama, accusing the candidate of evincing a "fruitcake interpretation" of the Constitution, Caldwell deployed to counter-attack. Within hours of Dobson's broadcast, a website appeared called "James Dobson Doesn't Speak For Me," featuring point-by-point refutations of his denunciation. Originally registered by Alyssa Martin, an Obama '08 intern working directly under Obama's religious affairs director Joshua DuBois, the registration was quietly transfered to Caldwell, the erstwhile Bush supporter now identified on the site as the de facto leader of a "coalition of pastors" supporting Obama. If Caldwell's recent activities are any indication, he will soon become the most visible of Obama's Christian crusaders.

Aside from his ministerial duties, Caldwell is a businessman who has translated his spiritual cachet into enormous financial benefit. Caldwell's Houston-based Power Center, a faith-based megaplex containing a cavernous prayer center, private business suites and a Chase bank, generates over $14 million a year. In partnership with Ryland realtors and J.P. Morgan, Caldwell has overseen the construction of an entire for-profit low-income neighborhood across the street from his Power Center (total cost: $173 million).

The Power Center's 10th anniversary celebration in 2003 became an occasion for Bush to highlight the supposed success of his faith-based initiative. "People should realize that the reason why this program is successful is because the power in the Power Center comes from a higher calling," Bush declared with Caldwell by his side, "a higher source of power."

If Obama enters the White House, Caldwell and his allies may want to see how much faith-based largesse he can get out of him. To them, Obama could become more of a patron than a president. Obama should know by now that pastors can have their own agendas, too.

Comments

[dadele]

Most of these guys give christians a bad name. If you are reading this and aren't involved in a christian faith community, please don't judge christianity by these guys. Their behavior and beliefs are exactly, and completely opposite from the Jesus they claim to worship.

[NetProphet]

, , , , ,you are SOooo right "dadele". The specific word you're looking for is...they are "FUNDAMENT­ALISTS"...­. in order to separate the wolves from the true sheep.

[dukeitout]

These evangelical leaders are scary. Megalomania gone wild. Their god was created in the image of man, probably a composite of Graham, Hagee, Robertson, Wright and Falwell., et al. Tell 'em to bug off Barack or you'll get the devil after 'em.

[GiggidyGeshmoygen]

Obama to Franklin Graham : Are You A Christian?

[Rog49Thomas]

I believe there is no need for this question.

The appropriate verse is I believe "By their works you will know them"

[dadele]

And if you are, prove it.

[jmcon]

Americans with tinier brains than F. Graham know that Obama is a Christian. My question to Reverend Billy Graham's embarrassing son: When was the last time you asked GW Bush whether he believes Jesus is the ONLY way to Heaven? Are you aware of George W. Bush's 'Road to Damascus conversion in reverse' as a result of a trip to Israel as a guest of Abe Foxman where he 'discovered', after donning a skull cap and wailing at the wall, that Jesus was NOT the only way to Heaven, as he publicly claimed during his time as Texas Governor? Does this concern you Franklin? Does it concern any Christians out there who believe GW to be little short of the second coming of Christ?

[findingthetruth]

This was a joke. Certainly Billy WILL NOT be informed truthfully about this meeting.

[Snoop2]

I thought Senator Obama was running for President of the United States, not for our savior? It is amazing that all of these religious leaders question someones faith while not questioning
the horrors that their boy GWB rained down upon Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. But maybe to them its' ok to kill those who are different from us, you know, the non believers! I am sure Jesus would concur with them. The same Jesus who said thou shall not kill! Do not judge lest ye be judged. Maybe these holy men forgot those parts!

[qdog112]

Franklin Graham is George Allen with a religious legacy. Hearing that he grilled Barack is offensive to me. Growing up in NC i heard the stories about his drinking, drug use and womanizing.

His father basically begged him to straighten up so he could hand over the family business to him which he did not deserve. His sister ran much of the operation and was much more worthy. Graham never worked for anything in his life and now he sits atop the empire and questions Barack's Christian credentials.

I don't know much about the others, but Graham is not legit.

[xxnounxx]

pathetic recists...so what if obama was a muslim..ITS NOT A CRIME.

as for obama,all of a sudden his father never practiced islam
and his step fatehr never practiced islam.....FOR HIS INFORMATION ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO PRACTICE ISLAM TO BE A MUSLIM.
What about obaa's muslim brother.
does ones religious background or beleifs make then god or bad presidents???

EXTREMLY PATHETIC

[mistlesuede]

The best sentence in the article is where "Obama simply smiled and said he would not make any attempt to undermine his opponent's faith." He doesn't need to crawl down into the sewer with the likes of them.
Senator Obama is more of a Christian than any of these money hungry, power grabbing idiots. This is a prime example of why I am so turned off by Repugs and the Religious Right. They think they are so above everyone else. The effect that have is only that they make me want to puke.

[jhink465]

If I remember my New Testament, even Jesus sat down to dine with the Pharasee.

[americanwhocares]

So many evangelicals are part of the right wing lunatic fringe that Arianna wrote a book about (I highly recommend you buy and read). Hagee, Parsley, Haggard and the other personal Citation jet loving evangelicals are simply phony Christians, they love their status and money that good, real Christians donate to them thinking it is for the good of humanity, not realizing most of it goes to their "life style of the rich and famous".

[ManofReason]

People need to get over Obama's courting of evangelicals. He sees an opening, and he is trying to WIN.
Interesting how Stephen Strang stood up and lectured everyone in attendance about how versed Obama is in theology and how flawed McCain is as a candidate, but still in no way can vote for him. 8 years ago McCain pretty much flipped his middle finger up at this crowd and now will be rewarded with their vote, because he is 'for' life. Whatever

[rabrophy]

Of course Obama is selling out!
He's a Pol.
That's what Pols do.
I don't understand why people expected anything else.

[MsLiz]

What article are you responding to? I didn't see anything about selling out.

[RRonin]

I doubt if Obama won over any supporters in this meeting that weren't already committed to him before. I just think it's nice that he tried. I believe that he wants to show conservative Christians that in spite of what the Republicans are telling them, he is not their enemy.

[MaryinMontcoPA]

My, my! Aren't your commenters cranky today! So now Obama only gets to address (and represent) progressive ideologues?

I don't see anything in this article that suggests Obama has sold out or flip flopped on anything here. He's always been up front about the formative role faith-based activism has played in his own call to public service, and his call to his personal faith.

What the heck is wrong with an honest, personally consistent, and private discussion with influential right-wing religious leaders? It looks more like he opened a dialogue, and presented himself and his beliefs and approaches proactively.

You'd prefer a nasty fight and denunciation? Or pretending that the Americans who consider these right wing pastors important leaders aren't also American citizens and constituents of the president? Jeez. That'd be a big help.

[sanywhere]

i'm with you. this forum is really anti religion. i am glad that obama is talking to progressive christians and progressives of every religion. it is sad that those who claim to know obama so well missed out on his constant speeches of unity.

[MsLiz]

There are many different ways of being religious or spiritual, and the born again crowd is only a small segment. They are evangelical, meaning that they think they should preach to everyone else and get them to convert. It is offensive to many of us, not just the unchurched. These mega church preachers are the worst of the lot, in it for money and power.

[gtalkspolitics]

Franklin Garham to Sen. Obama are you a muslim? If Franklin Graham can read even on an Elem. level he should know the answer to this question, asking such a ignorant question one should question Franklin Graham reading and communicating skills. and just how aware IS Franlkin Graham in current events,