Obama goes to the Billy Graham mountaintop today -- at last
Today, President Barack Obama will finally meet evangelist Billy Graham. This will be Graham's 12th president to pray with and the first sitting president ever to visit Graham's mountaintop log cabin in Montreat.
A 2008 meeting was scrubbed when the frail and elderly Graham (now 91) was unwell the day that Obama was nearby preparing for the presidential campaign debates.
He takes few visitors beyond family and old friends these days -- with the notable exception of last November when his son and successor, Rev. Franklin Graham, swooped in with Sarah Palin, using a private planes to bring her in from her nearby book tour.
The visit has been sandwiched in between the Obama's weekend getaway in Asheville and before he leaves for West Virginia. president -- 12:30 p.m. Montreat. from Asheville.
Obama and Graham last spoke on the evangelist's birthday. Associated Press recaps Graham's history as pastor to presidents.
But it seems unlikely that Franklin, now head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will take that role on, at least not during this administration. Last week the Army uninvited the younger Graham, honorary chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, from holding a Pentagon prayer service on May 6th.
Franklin Graham has reiterated his attacks on Islam, while saying he loves Muslim people so much that he wants them to come to Christ. The military, which includes many non-Christians, thought twice about bringing in someone so divisive for a day of prayer that evangelical groups want to claim as their own.
The Obama administration is all for honoring prayer. The Justice Department is appealing a recent ruling that called a government proclaimed Day of Prayer unconstitutional. But Obama is expected to sign a proclamation inclusive of all faiths anyway.
Stay tuned to find out what prayers or scriptures Obama and Graham may share today. What would you suggest?
A 2008 meeting was scrubbed when the frail and elderly Graham (now 91) was unwell the day that Obama was nearby preparing for the presidential campaign debates.
He takes few visitors beyond family and old friends these days -- with the notable exception of last November when his son and successor, Rev. Franklin Graham, swooped in with Sarah Palin, using a private planes to bring her in from her nearby book tour.
The visit has been sandwiched in between the Obama's weekend getaway in Asheville and before he leaves for West Virginia. president -- 12:30 p.m. Montreat. from Asheville.
Obama and Graham last spoke on the evangelist's birthday. Associated Press recaps Graham's history as pastor to presidents.
But it seems unlikely that Franklin, now head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will take that role on, at least not during this administration. Last week the Army uninvited the younger Graham, honorary chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, from holding a Pentagon prayer service on May 6th.
Franklin Graham has reiterated his attacks on Islam, while saying he loves Muslim people so much that he wants them to come to Christ. The military, which includes many non-Christians, thought twice about bringing in someone so divisive for a day of prayer that evangelical groups want to claim as their own.
The Obama administration is all for honoring prayer. The Justice Department is appealing a recent ruling that called a government proclaimed Day of Prayer unconstitutional. But Obama is expected to sign a proclamation inclusive of all faiths anyway.
Stay tuned to find out what prayers or scriptures Obama and Graham may share today. What would you suggest?
vandersteen - 25. Apr, 18:47