BIZARRE BILLY GRAHAM UPDATE (extra entry)

“Render therefore to all their dues: ... honour to whom honour.”  (from Romans 13:7)

Recently I posted a piece about a crazy story circulating on the internet saying Billy Graham recently led a victory marching through the streets of New Orleans- singing and marching like a man in his forties.  Sadly, the story is completely untrue.  Apparently it is meant to try to make fools of Billy Graham and his admirers.

I thought I’d heard it all until I tuned in to the “Imus in the Morning” radio program yesterday morning.  You might think that profane cowboy shock jock Don Imus would be mocking Billy Graham.  Far from it.  In fact, Imus greatly admires Billy Graham, and Charles McCord, the newsman on the Imus show is a born-again Christian.  Imus had a female journalist on the air who has broken a bizarre story about the Billy Graham organization.  I regret that I did not catch her name.  (I know, I know, I write about accuracy in media on this blog, but in fact I am trying to be accurate.)  The journalist is a personal friend of Billy and Ruth Graham.  She shared their sadness (“devastation” is more accurate) that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is constructing a bizarre tourist/amusement attraction just a short distance from their Charlotte headquarters.  The attraction will be a barn with a talking cow (well, obviously a fake talking cow!) and will be the location of the Graham’s future GRAVES.  Visitors will be admitted free, but at the end will be invited to sign onto the Graham organization’s mailing list.  The idea was cooked up by one of the Board members of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association who is also a wealthy developer.  He pretty much sold Graham’s son Franklin on the idea.  

Billy and Ruth Graham had planned to be buried either at “The Cove”, a study and retreat center in western North Carolina established by the Graham organization, or on their own family property in Montreat, NC.  Although rumors have circulated that Ruth Graham is experiencing some forms of confusion and dementia, the journalist soundly refuted that, stating that both Grahams are mentally very sharp and articulate.  She described Ruth Graham as crying and pleading, “Please don’t let them do this to us!”

I’ve been an admirer of Billy Graham for thirty-six years.  May the Graham organization give these dear elderly saints a Christmas present and dump this incredibly stupid idea!