Update: Below is the ad (via Towleroad) that ran in 14 North Carolina newspapers. Look for Graham to regret his political involvement again, again.
Evangelist Billy Graham has reportedly released a written statement encouraging North Carolina voters to back the anti-gay ballot initiative that would write discrimination against same-sex couples into the state’s Constitution. According to news reports, his letter will run as an ad this weekend in 14 North Carolina newspapers.
The Associated Press reports, “The 93-year-old Graham said the Bible is clear in that God’s definition of marriage is between a man and a woman.” Of course, that assertion about the Bible, as well as the implication that God supports Amendment One, is challenged by many Christian leaders, but presumably backers of Amendment One think it will be hard to argue about the Bible with an evangelist of Graham’s iconic status.
Graham’s son Franklin, who has much more of reputation as a right-wing culture warrior than his father did, had endorsed the initiative earlier. Amendment supporters will no doubt use the elder Graham’s endorsement to persuade undecided evangelicals to vote for discrimination.
