Famous preacher Billy Graham met with Mitt Romney last week to declare his support for the Romney campaign.
But sentiments about Mormons being a “cult” or “not Christian” still lingered on the Billy Graham Evangelical Association website after their meeting.
These references were discovered by a gay rights advocacy group called the New Civil Rights Movement, who first reported that they found an article on the BGEA website that brands Mormons as “non-Christian.” They also discovered that this is not the only article on the website that expresses these opinions.
The BGEA removed the article from their website on tuesday.
“Our primary focus at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has always been promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” said the BGEA’s chief of staff Ken Barun. “We removed the information from the website because we do not wish to participate in a theological debate about something that has become politicized during this campaign.”
Despite these references, Graham expressed admiration for Romney’s ideas and morals. Their common opinion on same-sex marriage and abortion alone encouraged Graham to nearly endorse Romney’s candidacy. But will the BGEA also acknowledge Romney’s religion?
A movement in the Evangelical society that supports Romney’s has gained more momentum in recent years. Polls show that Evangelicals will vote for Romney because of his Christian ideals, and this demographic may determine Romney’s chances in the coming election.
As for Billy Graham, he was happy to have the opportunity to pray with a man who shares great faith.
“It was a privilege to pray with Governor Romney,” said Graham. “I will turn 94 the day after the upcoming election, and I believe America is at a crossroads. I hope millions of Americans will join me in praying for our nation and to vote for candidates who will support the biblical definition of marriage, protect the sanctity of life and defend our religious freedoms.”
