Christians are being persecuted around the world at increasing levels, Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Organization, said Friday.
"This is genocide that is taking place," Graham told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" program, pointing out instances in the Middle East, Asia, and Indonesia, adding that gay and lesbian groups in the U.S. targeted Christian businesses.
The Billy Graham Organization, founded by Franklin Graham's father, is sponsoring the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians in Washington, D.C.
Vice President Mike Pence spoke Friday at the summit, according to a White House statement.
"We just want to put a spotlight on it and make people aware. We aren't here to fight anybody. But we want people to know that Christians are being persecuted and Christians are being killed, I think probably today at a level that we haven't seen in modern history. It is critical that we take a stand and begin to speak out," Graham told Fox News.
Almost 90,000 Christians have been killed because of their faith, and in the last 10 years, there has been close to a number is near 1 million, Graham added.
The faith leader said he mostly approved of President Donald Trump's executive order on religious freedom, which was issued on May 4.
"I would say 80 percent is better than nothing. And so I think we are moving in the right direction, and I appreciate the president, the stand that he has taken…. He said he was going to do this, and he's done it."
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