Franklin Graham to Kansans: ‘Bring God into politics’ | The Wichita Eagle

Rallying thousands of Christians on the state Capitol lawn, evangelist Franklin Graham exhorted Kansans to return God to politics and resist secular influences on LGBT rights and prayer in school.

Graham, the son of iconic televangelist Billy Graham and heir to his father’s ministerial empire, led about 4,500 people in prayers and Scripture readings Thursday before urging them to vote in the upcoming elections and run for local offices.

“We need Christian politicians,” he said. “We need Christians in politics so that they will bring God into politics.”

Graham’s appearance was part of his “Decision America Tour 2016,” a 50-state election-year tour to encourage conservative Christian activism in politics. Kansas was stop No. 19.

Graham was especially critical of secularism, which he at one point compared to communism in terms of its threat to what he called America’s Christian heritage. He also decried “political correctness” in schools and elsewhere.

“Godless secularism is now running our country,” Graham said. “Many places, if you pray publicly, you’re going to get sued. You see, the secularists want to intimidate the Christians. They want you to shut up.”

Graham got some of his loudest cheers when he praised his home state of North Carolina for passing a law requiring transgender people to use the public restrooms that match their sex at birth.

“I understand transgender people need to go to the bathroom,” he said. “But I can tell you this right now, that a man pretending to be a woman has no business in a women’s bathroom or a girls locker room.”

He also spoke at length about violence and other problems in public schools and laid the blame on secularism.

“When I was growing up, we all had guns, we lived out in the country,” Graham said. “We never thought about taking our guns to school and shooting anybody. … Young people today don’t know the difference between right and wrong.”

To remedy that, Graham proposed a return to the days when the Ten Commandments hung in classrooms and school days started with the Lord’s Prayer. He said it doesn’t matter whether the teacher is Christian.

“It’s not her prayer, it’s the Lord’s Prayer,” he said. “Who knows what good it will do. At least the kids are hearing the Lord’s Prayer.”

He also urged the crowd to seek seats on local school boards so they would be in position to remove objectionable materials from the curriculum.

“You could stand up and say, ‘No, that’s pornographic … I’m a follower of the living God and that’s trash and we’re not going to allow it into our school,’ ” Graham said.

Graham was unapologetic toward atheists and those with non-Christian beliefs, suggesting they can leave the country if they don’t want to live under Christian governance.

“You know what? It wasn’t other religions that built the United States of America,” he said to cheers.

Referencing Billy Graham

Graham briefly addressed the health of his father, now 97, who preached to huge crusades across the nation for decades and consulted and prayed with every U.S. president since Harry Truman.

“His mind is still pretty clear,” Graham said of his father. “It just depends on what time of day you talk to him. He does pretty good in the evening. Early in the morning, forget it, he’s not going to talk to you.”

Graham said that if his father were younger, he would be doing the same thing he’s doing.

As evidence, he quoted from his father’s speeches in 1952: “I feel we’re going to have to meet our political obligations as Christians and make our voice known if America is going to be preserved with the type of Christian heritage that has given us the liberties and freedoms that we now enjoy.”

Although some in the audience sported political buttons and shirts, Graham went out of his way to say he was not endorsing any candidates.

“We’re in trouble spiritually, we’re in trouble racially, economically, we’re in trouble politically,” he said. “I can tell you right now, there’s no political party that’s going to turn this thing around, OK?”

He said he had “no hope” for the Democratic or Republican parties.

“The only hope for this country is almighty God,” he said, to cheering and cries of “Amen!”

“The most important thing we can do is pray,” he said.

That, and vote.

“I’m not going to tell you who to vote for,” Graham said. “I’m not standing here as a Republican, I’m not standing here as a Democrat or tea party or any other thing. I’m unaffiliated. I’m standing here to tell you to vote. And vote for candidates that stand for biblical truth, for biblical principles, that are willing to live them.”

Busloads from Wichita

At least two busloads of Wichita Christians attended the rally, representing a variety of churches including Catholic, Mennonite, Nazarene, Baptist and nondenominational.

Diana Dorlund, a retired teacher from Wichita who attends Faith Community Church, spent time before the rally walking around the perimeter of the Capitol praying.

“I was praying for our governor, for wisdom and strength, and the Legislature, pretty much the same thing, that God will help us get out of the financial bind we’re in,” she said.

Rory Oldenburg and Julie Chippeaux of Wichita Central Christian Church are dating and came to the rally together.

Chippeaux said she found Graham’s words inspiring. “He’s speaking a message that’s lacking in the nation,” she said.

Added Oldenburg: “I believe the county has got to get on one knee and pray for all the things Franklin Graham mentioned today.”

Gov. Sam Brownback watched the speech from the crowd instead of from the Capitol steps, where about 40 legislators and other officials stood behind Graham.

“Activism was my main takeaway today,” Brownback said. “He was stirring people to act, run for the city council, run for the state Legislature. I’m very happy he’s doing that.

“I was pleased, too, he moves away from either political party but is saying we need godly people to run,” he said.