As a Christian, the Rev. Franklin Graham said Wednesday, he does not like it when people mock Jesus Christ, and he thinks an event held in Garland, Texas, was held to mock Muslims, although he doesn't think violence should have been the response.
"I disagree with Islam," Graham told
Fox News' "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday. "But I'm not going to mock them and make fun of them, so I'm discouraged that people would do this."
Over the weekend, two gunmen were shot dead after trying to get into a center near Dallas where a contest was being held for cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad. On Tuesday, the
Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out by "two soldiers of the caliphate."
American Freedom Defense Initiative President Pamela Geller, the event's organizer, took to two morning news programs Monday to defend the event as a defense of free speech.
But Graham on Wednesday said he is discouraged by attacks on beliefs from either side.
"I'm discouraged that people would do this," said Graham. "We live in a society now where there's no civility, no respect. We don't honor people who have differences; we only attack each other, and so I agree that the folks in Garland, Texas, were wrong."
They had the right to speak, said Graham, as anyone else does, including himself.
"I have free speech, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go around and cuss people just because I have the freedom to do that," he said. "I think we need to show respect and civility. And yes, we are a nation made up of many different faiths, people of different races. We need to respect one another.
"As a Christian, I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God who died for my sins and rose from the grave and he'll come into every heart who is willing to believe and trust in him. That's my faith. But for those that believe differently, I'm not going to mock them."
At the same time, Graham said violence is wrong, and "the Muslims have no right to go around shooting people because somebody mocks them."
He further said President Barack Obama is not providing good leadership when it comes to ISIS and other terrorism threats.
"I think we should halt all immigration temporarily from countries that have active terrorist cells operating in those countries," Graham said, "because it's only going to get worse ... we'll see more shootings like this. It's coming, and our president and, unfortunately, those in Congress seem unable to do anything about it."
He called on viewers to pray for the United States, for Obama and the nation's leaders "that God would guide and direct their hearts" because the United States needs God, and at the same time "we need to love one another, regardless of what that person believes. We need to love them and respect them."
Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and president of Samaritan's Purse, has long been outspoken against radical Islam.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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