Pro-Trump US preacher dropped by tour venues after outcry over homophobic comments
US evangelical preacher Franklin Graham, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, has been dropped by every venue booked for his planned UK tour.
The seven venues cancelled following public outcry about Mr Graham’s views on Islam and homosexuality.
Mr Graham, the son of preacher Billy Graham, had planned to tour the UK from late May until mid-June, with a further event scheduled in London in October.
In a statement, Mr Graham said that opposition in the UK came from “a small but vocal minority.”
The tour website now states: “We are still finalising where the Graham Tour will be held, but we want to be clear that the initiative and all associated training courses will take place on the same dates as originally planned.”
Liverpool’s mayor, Joe Anderson, tweeted that the city is proud of its LGBT+ community and would not allow hatred and intolerance to go unchallenged.
Our City is a diverse City and proud of our LGBTQ+ community and always will be. We can not allow hatred and intolerance to go unchallenged by anyone including by religious groups or sects. It’s right we have banned from the M&S Arena Franklin Graham.#Love conquers hatred always
— Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson)
The final venue to cancel was in Newcastle. The group Northern Pride thanked the numerous groups throughout the city for their support.
Official Statement Regarding Franklin Graham Tour now cancelled at Utilita Arena.
-#wearenorthernpride pic.twitter.com/jav1oNFQDR— Northern Pride (@northernprideuk)
In a letter to the LGBT+ community posted to his Facebook page, Mr Franklin insists that he is not planning on bringing on bringing “hateful speech” to the UK. He attempts to clarify his position on homosexuality as a sin, before inviting the community to come and hear the gospel.
Mr Graham has previously described advances in LGBT+ rights such as same-sex marriage as “a full-scale assault against Christianity and the followers of Christ … The architect behind this offensive is none other than Satan himself.”
He has also claimed that President Obama was “born a Muslim” and that Islam is “evil” and “wicked”.
More recently, in reference to Democratic presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg, he tweeted that the Bible “defines homosexuality as sin, something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicised.”
Mayor Buttigieg says he’s a gay Christian. As a Christian I believe the Bible which defines homosexuality as sin, something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicized. The Bible says marriage is between a man & a woman—not two men, not two women. 2/3
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham)
Recent polling data finds that attitudes towards LGBT+ rights in the US have become more positive in recent years, including among Evangelicals.
Late last year Mr Graham jumped to Mr Trump's support when Christianity Today, the evangelical magazine started by his father, published a stinging editorial criticising the president's “grossly immoral character”.
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