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Title: Billy Graham Crusade

Date Occurred: Sept. 26, 1993

Date Written: Oct. 11, 1993, although most of this was written on Sept. 28, 1993

Date Prepared for Web Site: April 26, 2019

Written By: Joel T. Kant

Copyright (c) 2019 by Joel T. Kant

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I did something really crazy on Sunday, September 26, 1993. I went and heard Billy Graham. I wasn't converted or anything. In fact, at one point, I became downright furious with what he said.

There were 43,000 people at the stadium! This, in spite of the threatening rain, which for the most part did hold off.

What made me angry was Billy Graham said, "Is AIDS a judgement of God? I could not say for sure, but I think it is!" (Complete quote taken from The Ohio State Lantern, Monday, October 11, 1993, col. 2, p. 9.)

This is after he made many comparisons of the current U.S. culture to that of what ancient Babylon was supposed to be like. The Babylonians were supposed to be sexually immoral, drunkards, crooks, etc. This apparently lead to the destruction of their empire. Dr. Graham quoted the book of Daniel often.

New York City got its own special mention about its lack of morality.

That AIDS comment got me pissed off!

At the Cleveland Clinic, we had to go to a mandatory seminar. It covered material such as avoiding accidental needle pokes. Because of risks like these, some health care workers have gotten infected. God really is a mean jerk if he thinks these people should get his divine punishment for trying to finding a cure or treatment! What about the babies born with the disease? Or the hemophiliacs?

I don't care how anybody contracts AIDS, I still don't think it is some kind of moral punishment. To me, it is like arguing the morality of those who get the flu.

In today's paper, Billy Graham apologized for making the statement. He said that he doesn't believe what he had said and that he regrets saying it. (The Ohio State Lantern, Monday, October 11, 1993, col. 2, p. 9.)

THE END

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