Trump inauguration pastor: Churches should axe Boy Scouts funding because of gays
Donald Trump’s inauguration pastor has urged Churches to follow the lead of the Mormon Church in pulling funding from the Boy Scouts of America.
Last week the Mormon Church, which has heavily funding the Boy Scouts in the US for years and exerted a large amount of influence over the organisation, yanked funding from BSA schemes.
The move came after the BSA scrapped policies that banned openly gay scouts and transgender kids.
Following the news, Trump’s inauguration pastor Franklin Graham has claimed that other Christian churches should follow suit.
MOBILE, AL – DECEMBER 17: Evangelist and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Franklin Graham takes the stage during a donald Trump ralltin Ladd-Peebles Stadium on December 17, 2016 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
Mr Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham, was invited to preach to millions at President Trump’s inauguration in January.
Taking to Facebook he wrote: “The Mormon Church made a good decision yesterday, announcing it was pulling older boys out of the Boy Scouts of America.
“They had been the biggest sponsor of Boy Scouts in the United States. A scholar said the Boy Scouts’ new policies relating to gays probably related to the decision.
“Churches should always stand with teachings that align with the Word of God.
“Two years ago the Boy Scouts of America voted to allow gay leaders and then this year began to allow members based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex, opening the door to transgender members.
“I think the Mormon Church—and all churches—should pull out of the Boy Scouts organization completely.
“They need to get their younger boys out as well. I would not want my child or grandchild to be influenced by the lifestyle of a gay Scout Leader that goes against God’s design for creation.”
Graham is the President of international charity Samaritan’s Purse. He is listed as a trustee of Samaritan’s Purse UK, which runs the annual Christmas Shoebox Appeal.
Last year Graham declared gay people are ‘the enemy’, attacking churches that have become LGBT-inclusive.
He accused LGBT activists of “trying to cram down America’s throat the lie that homosexuality is okay”, alleging that anti-discrimination laws will mean that “your children, and your grandchildren will be at risk to sexual predators and perverts”.
In a 2015 interview with a Russian newspaper, Graham praised Vladimir Putin’s support for anti-gay laws – and claimed that homosexuals “take people’s children”.
Parroting disturbing rhetoric often used by anti-LGBT vigilantes in Russia, he said: “Homosexuals cannot have children, they can take other people’s children.”
He added: “I very much appreciate that President Putin is protecting Russian young people against homosexual propaganda. If only to give them the opportunity to grow up and make a decision for themselves.”
He was selected for Trump’s inauguration despite his slew of extremist comments.
