by Chris Pinto
“I’ve found that my beliefs are essentially the same as those of orthodox Roman Catholics.”
– Billy Graham 1
To understand Billy Graham, his involvement in the Ecumenical Movement, and why he would accept something like the Templeton Award, we must understand his relationship with Rome. While the principles of ecumenism can be traced back for centuries (through the Gnostics, Rosicrucians, Freemasons, and of course the Parliament of World Religions) it was Rome’s Vatican II that “officially” launched the modern ecumenical movement. Vatican II opened the doors of Roman Catholicism (which the world largely views as the oldest form of Christianity) to all other religions of the world. This is why Vatican II is often referred to as “the ecumenical council.” As such, as the relationship of Billy Graham developed with the Vatican and the popes, his views became increasingly ecumenical. This has confused many people because they don’t make the Rome-connection. Graham, like many other Protestant Evangelicals, seems to be working to fulfill – not the Great Commission – but the mandate of Vatican II. Once this is understood, the rest of what Billy Graham has done begins to make sense.
The subject of Graham and Rome has been handled by many Christian writers, not the least of which is Ewin Wilson in his book, The Assimilation of Evangelist Billy Graham into the Roman Catholic Church. Wilson writes:
"For some unexplainable or even mysterious reason, Billy Graham is unable to discern the theological, moral, and spiritual soul of Roman
Catholicism. Likewise, he has failed to grasp, or worse still, has chosen to ignore the historical character of the entire Vatican system. Instead, he has chosen to become attracted, impressed, and finally to honor and follow the Holy See.
The result has been a tragic failure on his part to understand the difference between the truth of God's Word and the utter blackness of Roman Catholicism …” 5
A Catholic Agenda
Among the chief agents of the papacy are the Knights of Malta. It was two very powerful Knights of Malta, William Randolph Hearst and Henry Luce that made “Billy Graham” a household name. Hearst was the founder and president of a newspaper empire, and was openly known as a liar and manipulator of information. Perhaps the most notorious example of his dishonesty comes from the story of a reporter who was sent to cover a war story. “When the reporter cabled back that there was no war in progress and that he was ready to come home, Hearst reportedly wired back, ‘Please remain. You supply the pictures, and I'll supply the war.’”1 The term “yellow journalism” was originally coined to describe his journalistic practices. This same Hearst ordered his editors to “Puff Graham,” something that Graham himself acknowledged. In a later on-camera interview, the famous evangelist appeared bewildered when describing how certain reporters had told him, “You’ve just been kissed by William Randolph Hearst.” Meanwhile, Henry Luce was the founder of TIME, LIFE, and Fortune magazines, not to mention Sports Illustrated,who in 1961 was called “the giant of twentieth-century American journalism …” by Current Biography. He was also a Yale graduate, and member of the Skull & Bones Society. Henry Luce had articles specifically written about Billy Graham, and put him on the cover of TIME magazine in 1954. The rest, as we know, is history.
It was Luce, along with Hearst who are said to be most influential in making Graham the chief spokesman of Protestant Christianity. This is odd when one considers that both Hearst and Luce were members of a devout Catholic order that openly declares its purpose is “service to … the Holy Father (i.e. the pope).”2 Was it their intent to create a kind of “Protestant Pope” to guide the beliefs of non-Catholics? Whether they intended this or not, that is exactly what Billy Graham would become.
The Gospel according to Antichrist
“There was a pause in the conversation; suddenly the Pope's arm shot out and he grabbed the lapels of my coat, he pulled me forward within inches of his own face. He fixed his eyes on me and said, 'Listen Graham, we are brothers'" – Billy Graham, on his meeting with Pope John Paul II,(6/8/89, Today).8
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