Christian Evangelist Franklin Graham is calling on people to pray for the refugees flooding into Europe, reminding his followers that as a child, Jesus was a refugee in Egypt because his parents had to flee from Nazareth to avoid the murderous wrath of King Herod.
“As we remember 9/11 this week,” Graham wrote in a Facebook post, “the Middle East is collapsing and people are fleeing in huge numbers, flooding into Europe desperately trying to find safety.”
Recounting the staggering numbers of refugees inundating European countries, Graham wrote that the “Lord Jesus Christ sympathizes with these refugees–have you ever thought about the fact that He was a refugee?”
“When Jesus was a baby his parents, Mary and Joseph, had to take him and flee to Egypt to escape the murderous ruler, King Herod. Can you imagine what it would be like to have to flee your home with only what you could carry?” he wrote.
Earlier this week, Graham came out forcefully in favor of the Christian witness of Kim Davis, the Kentucky County clerk jailed for refusing to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples.
“This ripple effect is exactly what we feared would result from the Supreme Court’s disastrous ruling in June,” Graham wrote on his Facebook page. “As Americans, our constitution guarantees religious freedom which means we should be able to live out our faith in our daily lives.”
Graham has held Davis up as a model of Christian commitment, encouraging others to stand up for religious freedom the way she has.
“We need more Americans who are willing to take a stand for religious freedoms and biblical values in our communities. If we don’t, we won’t even recognize the America that our children and our grandchildren will be left with,” he said.
Graham also criticized Donald Trump for saying that Davis should follow “the law of the land.”
“He should know that just because something is made into a law, doesn’t make it right,” Graham wrote.
“Our forefathers gave us freedom of religion at a great cost, and that was meant for us to be able to live out our faith in our daily lives, at home and at work. That’s what Kim Davis is trying to do today–live out her faith. The Supreme Court did not have the right or the authority to redefine marriage. Big mistake,” he wrote.
Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter @tdwilliamsrome