Franklin Graham, President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, recently issued a strong response to implications President Obama made regarding Christianity during the 64th National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.
On Thursday, the 64 year old evangelist wrote on his Facebook page, "Today at the National Prayer Breakfast, the President implied that what ISIS is doing is equivalent to what happened over 1000 years ago during the Crusades and the Inquisition. Mr. President--Many people in history have used the name of Jesus Christ to accomplish evil things for their own desires. But Jesus taught peace, love and forgiveness. He came to give His life for the sins of mankind, not to take life. Mohammad on the contrary was a warrior and killed many innocent people. True followers of Christ emulate Christ -- true followers of Mohammed emulate Mohammed."
Graham's comments were made in response to President Obama's assertion on Thursday morning that violence rooted in religion isn't exclusive to Islam, but has been carried out by Christians as well.
"We see [the Islamic State terrorist group,] a brutal vicious death cult that in the name of religion carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism," the President said, criticizing the group for "claiming the mantle of religious authority for such actions."
He added, "Unless we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ."
Reverend Graham's response to President Obama apparently resonanted with readers, who "liked" his post over 20,000 times and shared it nearly 9,000 times.
"The President's comments this morning reveal horribly inadequate understandings of both Christianity AND Islam," agreed Robert Purdie under the post.
Added Rebecca White, "Our President needs our prayers for the wisdom of our Heavenly Father. He is blind to the truth of what the enemy is up to!"
This is not the first time Reverend Graham, who is also the President of humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse, has publicly criticized President Obama. In 2012, Graham wrote that the President had defied God by supporting same-sex marriage.
"President Obama has, in my view, shaken his fist at the same God who created and defined marriage," he wrote in a statement on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website.
"It grieves me that our president would now affirm same-sex marriage, though I believe it grieves God even more," Graham added.
The evangelist also came under fire that year for stating that the President may adhere to the Muslim religion.
"Islam sees him as a son of Islam because his father was a Muslim, his grandfather was a Muslim, great grandfather was a Muslim and so under Islamic law, the Muslim world sees Barack Obama as a Muslim," Graham said during an appearance on MSNBC.
"I can't say categorically [that Obama is not a Muslim] because Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama," he added.
