Franklin Graham: Billy Graham’s Son Urges Christians To Start LGBT-Friendly Boycott

Franklin Graham is encouraging an LGBT-friendly boycott. The evangelist is reportedly encouraging Christians to stop utilizing services or buying products from companies that feature same-sex couples in their commercials. Graham is apparently practicing what he preaches by pulling all of the funds from his two ministries out of Wells Fargo after the company used a lesbian couple in an advertisement.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse CEO clarified that he was not urging for a LGBT boycott of companies which hire or do business with gay people, just those which create same-sex ads.

“There’s lots of businesses out there that do business with gay people. That’s fine. This is one way we as Christians can speak out — we have the power of choice. Let’s just stop doing business with those who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards. Maybe if enough of us do this, it will get their attention.”

Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son, reportedly wants Christians to stop giving their business to companies like Tiffany Jewelers and Wells Fargo because the corporations use shareholders’ advertising dollars to “promote homosexuality.” The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association CEO also said, “It’s promoting a Godless lifestyle. A bank should be promoting the best interest rates they’re going to give me and what they can do for me as a business. But they should not be trying to get into a moral debate and take sides.”

The Wells Fargo commercial which prompted Franklin Graham to pull the accounts from the bank featured a lesbian couple learning sign language to communicate with their adopted daughter. “Hello, beautiful. We’re your new mommies,” the signing conversation noted during the commercial.

Wells Fargo representative Christina Kolbjornsen said the company has been a long-time supporter of the LGBT community. Wells Fargo is based in San Francisco. The company’s largest employee base is reportedly located in Graham’s region.

“At Wells Fargo, serving every customer is core to our vision and values. Diversity and inclusion are foundational to who we are as a company. Our advertising content reflects our company’s values and represents the diversity of the communities we serve.”

Franklin Graham has not announced publicly which bank will now service the two sizable accounts. The Wells Fargo accounts are reportedly in the process of being closed, a procedure which would reportedly take up to 30 days. In 2014, the Billy Graham association reportedly received contributions and other income totaling $107.7 million. Samaritan’s Purse reportedly had contributions and grants that totaled $460 million in 2013, the latest reporting year for the Christian charity.

Banks would usually line up for those kinds of deposits. But Ken Thomas, a Miami-based independent bank consultant and economist, said the bank that receives Graham’s bank accounts will have to answer some tough questions.

Franklin Graham stated during a recent interview that he is compiling a list of companies which showcase gay couples in their commercials and ads. “I want people to know,” Graham said. Cheerios and Allstate are two other corporations which Graham will likely urge Christians to boycott.

What do you think about the Franklin Graham LGBT-friendly boycott?

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