One of the nation’s most influential evangelical leaders spoke out forcefully against the exploitation of the coronavirus pandemic, warning that some government officials are using fear to undermine liberty and the U.S. Constitution, potentially indefinitely, rather than just to save lives. The leading Christian evangelist also touted efforts to restore normalcy and even celebrated one CEO’s defiance of government overreach in California.
“It’s becoming more obvious to people that the response of some in the government is not just about protecting lives, but it’s about control,” explained Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “Never before in our history have those who are well been quarantined rather than those who are sick!”
Pointing to an example of CNN’s fear-mongering, a silly article headlined “What happens if a coronavirus vaccine is never developed?,” the evangelist and humanitarian warned of dangers ahead if Americans continue to “say yes” to every proposed government usurpation of power.
Graham emphasized that he did not want to “minimize” the dangers of the coronavirus, saying people should take precautions and exercise personal responsibility. “But we also need to be cautious before we say yes to every ban proposed and agree to anything that we think might help protect us from the virus, to make sure that we’re not letting go of some of our constitutional rights,” he warned.
The warning about America’s constitutionally protected freedoms — everything from free speech and freedom of religion to gun rights and freedom of assembly — came in the context of escalating fear-mongering by the establishment press. In particular, a CNN article speculating about coronavirus hysteria going on forever sparked Graham’s public expression of concern.
“Here we go again,” he said. “Another headline by CNN to try to put fear in the minds of readers. What happens if a coronavirus vaccine is never developed?”
The link went to a CNN “article” warning about a “worst-case possibility” in which no vaccine for coronavirus could be developed. This would lead, according to CNN, to “some freedoms” being returned only on a “short leash” and only if everyone obeys “experts’ recommendations.” Demands for lockdown could come at any time, the CNN “reporter,” Rob Picheta, claimed.
Graham was not amused by CNN’s efforts to panic and groom people to surrender their liberties. “The ‘what-ifs’ could be endless,” Graham said in his Facebook post. “What if the sky fell tomorrow? There are a lot of hypotheticals being thrown out there that are intended to scare people.”
And, as he pointed out, it is important that Americans and others not allow themselves to be panicked into surrendering their liberties amid the crisis. “Our response to the coronavirus pandemic could greatly affect our future and our freedoms,” explained Graham, who has been under relentless attack by anti-Christian forces for standing firm on marriage and sexuality.
While he did not elaborate on what freedoms he thought might be at risk, the church is often at the forefront of his thoughts. With his own freedom of religion and even free speech coming under vicious fire from the LGBT lobby, even in the face of efforts to help people, and with those constitutional guarantees facing grave danger even in the United States — especially amid the coronavirus hysteria — those rights may have been on his mind.
For weeks, Graham has been urging churches to obey the government and avoid meeting in person as governors and mayors locked down huge swaths of America, especially states such as California, Illinois, and New York. But with various governors threatening to keep churches shut down indefinitely, hundreds of pastors in California are preparing to reopen this Pentecost on May 31.
Late on May 11, Graham again took to Facebook and celebrated Tesla CEO Elon Musk for “standing up for his rights, which are your rights too.” The evangelist noted that Musk was trying to open his manufacturing plant again but “bureaucrats want to keep him shut down” even as competitors in other states are allowed to reopen.
“Elon Musk is not afraid to defy these overreaching officials, and he’s opening up anyway,” Graham said. “He said he’s going to be working on the lines with his workers and if anyone is arrested, it will be him. I like his stand! I think the majority of Americans agree that it’s time to get the country opened back up, as long as it’s done with caution — don’t you?”
Graham has become increasingly outspoken on other key issues, too. For instance, after years of avoiding the government-school elephant in the room, the evangelical leader responded to a new LGBT mandate for public schools in New Jersey by finally urging parents to “absolutely” pull their children out of public education there. Numerous other high-profile Christian leaders have become more courageous after Graham’s stand.
With about 8.5 million followers on Facebook, and a powerful voice in the evangelical community, Graham has enormous influence. It is encouraging to see him speaking up in defense of freedom and Americans’ God-given rights in the face of escalating attempts by the Deep State and rogue government officials to undermine them. Now is the time for Christians of all denominations all across America to follow suit — before it is too late.
Photo: AP Images
Alex Newman is a correspondent for The New American. He can be reached at [email protected] or through Liberty Sentinel Media. Follow him on Twitter @ALEXNEWMAN_JOU or on Facebook.
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