Franklin Graham cites King David in response to papal war rebuke: ‘God does take sides’
CHRISTIAN POST
Evangelist and Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham cited the Old Testament example of King David earlier this week to push back against Pope Leo XIV’s claim that God rejects the prayers of those who wage war.
Speaking during a Tuesday episode of “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” Morgan asked Graham to respond to the pontiff, who devoted his Palm Sunday homily to rebuking those who would justify war in the name of Jesus Christ.
“He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them,” the pope said, quoting Isaiah 1:15, when the prophet condemned ancient Judah for its violence: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Graham told Morgan in response. “You know, David, King David, he prayed that God would train his hands how to fight his enemies. We know that God does take sides in history, certainly as it relates to biblical history. God gave great favor to David, great wisdom to David, every time he went into battle.”
Graham explained there are just wars, singling out World War II as an example, and went on to claim that the Iranian regime has become “a danger to the whole world.” He ultimately blamed Iran for the approximately 70,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza since October 2023, as well as for the thousands of deaths in Lebanon and Yemen.
“I want peace, I don’t want war,” Graham said. “I don’t support war, but I do believe, at times, there is justification when you’re fighting evil. And the Islamic Republic of Iran, I believe, is an evil government. And so I hope there is a regime change. I really do.”
When Morgan pressed Graham again to respond to the pope, Graham noted he is not Roman Catholic and that he comes “from a different perspective,” though he implied he disagrees with the papal assertion that God rejects the prayers of those who wage war.
“Well, he didn’t reject David’s prayers, that’s for sure,” he said. “I think that Pope Leo, maybe he’s putting that in a modern context. But if you take it from a biblical context, no question God heard the prayers of King David as he went against his enemies. And God gave him wisdom and guided him and directed him in his hands of war.”
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