Billy Graham?

Okay, first of all, in order to make empaths job easier, I would like to say now, people with public opinions, BACK OFF, NOW, or keep those durn opinions to urself. Thank you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I live in the NY Queens, bayside, douglaston area, and all day, I see "Billy Graham" on store windows, handout flyers, posters on every light pole in Flushing. The posters even have multiple languages! Korean, Chinese, Japanese too I think, and many others. My parents have been talking about him all week. Some relatives from korea might come too, just to listen to him! So I ask, why is this man so important? My parents simply say, hes a very big spiritual figure. Can someone fill me in on his accomplishments that made him this famous? I can't imagine how many people are coming, and how packed the theather or whatever is going to be.

Religious issues aside, he is a very charismatic speaker with deep convictions and he has a way of toucing peoples' hearts. If you ever saw him in person you'd know what I mean.

I agree. Am not very religious but have respect for the man. He believes in what he preaches. Been around a long time now.

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Mags said:
Okay, first of all, in order to make empaths job easier, I would like to say now, people with public opinions, BACK OFF, NOW, or keep those durn opinions to urself. Thank you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I live in the NY Queens, bayside, douglaston area, and all day, I see "Billy Graham" on store windows, handout flyers, posters on every light pole in Flushing. The posters even have multiple languages! Korean, Chinese, Japanese too I think, and many others. My parents have been talking about him all week. Some relatives from korea might come too, just to listen to him! So I ask, why is this man so important? My parents simply say, hes a very big spiritual figure. Can someone fill me in on his accomplishments that made him this famous? I can't imagine how many people are coming, and how packed the theather or whatever is going to be.

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Go see him. This will likely be his last "round". Age is finally catching up with him.

And as my F-I-L says, in the 1940s, there were 3-4 radio preachers - he was the most moderate of the bunch

BTW the ham club I belong to is dreading this weekend - it's field day - and their site is in the same park as The BG Revival

I don't do FD with the club, but with some friends, so I'll miss the crowds

""Okay, first of all, in order to make empaths job easier, I would like to say now, people with public opinions, BACK OFF, NOW, or keep those durn opinions to urself. Thank you ""

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif i dont understand, arent you asking for an opinion?
isnt a forum for opinions? or at least the whole WEB , its not loaded with facts is it?

i would give my opinion, but then mabey that is what your warning us about. i seen him, so what, seems like a human to me??
what does he DO? he talked, many many times, to many many people.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/1-06152005-503043.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/billy-graham
http://www.gadsdentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050615/APA/506150991
and talked
http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/2000/65/1.12.html

I agree with PW...go listen to him and decide for yourself.

Do you believe everything you see on television, read in the paper, hear on the radio, read in type here from whoever? If you really want to know, go see him - have an open mind!

i nevrrt watched him and proably never will.isnt he one of them guys who ask for money?if not im sorry i may not know who he is.i belive in god i talk to him every single day i dont go to church.

He has been a fixture in various forms of media since at least twice as long as Pope John Paul II was. Probably visited as many or more heads of state as well. He has a syndicated column that appears in most newspapers daily. Although his son may have taken that over since he has Parkinson's if I remember correctly.

He also does not "pimp" aggressively for money as some of the riff raff does. He is in it for the message. It is not fair to the man to lump him with what TV evangelists have become. I saw his Crusades on TV a few years ago and was impressed with the lack of tacky money grubbing that went on.

He is more low key and understated than the Pope because he doesn't have the same flashy tailors as the Pope. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif If the non Catholic Christians had a unified hirearchy, He probably would be it's chief spokesman.

Basically, he is the Michael Jordan of preachers. Or maybe he's the Tiger Woods. I'm not sure.

I'm not at all religious, and I instinctively distrust televangelist types.

That said, I once organized an event at which he was a speaker (Paired with Larry Ellison of all people: the Oracle and the Oracle, getit?!) He and I had an opportunity to chat for a few minutes before he went onstage- he struck me as a deeply spiritual person, not at all the sort of fraud I had expected.

His talk was fantastic, too- he didn't push his views, he just quietly talked to this room full of billionaires, saying "pay attention to what you do. give back to the world. you've reaped great wealth, but you are still going to die. be mindful and realize that in this, your mortality, you are no different from the meanest pauper. so what can you do, now, to make the world a better place for your fellow man?"

I'm paraphrasing, of course- but that was the gist. There was no effort to convert the audience or anything, just good food for thought. As a result, I have great respect for him, and although I do not share many of his views, I am comforted to know that a man who touches so many is in fact a good person.

In an age of religious profiteering, skepticism, scandal, and mistrust between different religions and even sects within religions, Billy Graham has remained a devout and faithful Christian. He has no political agenda. He doesn't beat you over the head for donations. He is a very charismatic speaker and an effective preacher. Crusades are gatherings of thousands of believers.

Whether or not you follow what he preaches and whether or not you go to a crusade, the man deserves respect if for no other reason than he has been able to quietly and with dignity bring a moral voice to presidents and world leaders for over 50 years. Politics and religious differences set aside all the while. Regardless of your political and your religious beliefs, that alone is pretty impressive.

As other have said go listen to him and then you can tell us a few things.
He is a preacher of the old school that I like .He started when all preachers were poor, so I would guess he did not do it for the money

Today I attended the first crusade of the following days he is having in NY. I wasnt too impressed with his preaching, no offense to anyone. My mother said that the parkinsons disease took its toll on Graham. She said he didnt speak with the power and charisma he used to. Has anyone else here actually attended it? I got to use my lights for navigating around for a bit /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif before they turned on the large lights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

I believe what made Billy Graham so popular was a a few simple ideals.

1. He has always been inclusive. When segregation was the practice of the day he demanded all people be invited or he wouldn't speak. He reaches out to all faiths and includes them in the event planning.

2. It has never been about Billy Graham, it has always been about the message. He would consider himself a failure if he were thought of as a holy man. He openly acknowledges his sin and imperfection so people understand he is simply a common messenger and a common man. He goes out of his way to not come across as self righteous and avoids all the flash as well as the pomp and circumstance. He doesn't dress like a Peacock so to give the appearance of being more of anything than he is. To me he is the sort of guy that would help clean the kitchen after dinner if he came to your house or take out your trash if you were out of town.


3. Unlike so many other religious leaders he doesn't focus on the money.

I saw him speak when I was very young, too young to understand. I have seen him many times on TV but not in the last 15-20 years. Each time I watched him I was impressed and noticed it wasn't showmanship or entertainment.

TYhis is indeed expected to be his last Crusade. His health is failing to the point they are not sure if he will be able to speak as planned. His son may have to fill in tosome degree. Wish I was there to see him., it's possibly the only thing I can think of that would make me want to visit NYC. Not knocking NYC, just nothing there for a backwoods hick like me, except maybe Reverend Graham..

I saw him in person when I was young and I was impressed with the passion and power of his speach. I can certainly understand why he would seem to be less chaarismatic today because of his failing health, but I'm sure that it's his health, not his conviction, that is failing him.

I ask that you take a moment of silence to pray for the protestors at the Billy Graham crusade. Pray for their poor souls.... If you went to the event, you would know what I mean....