Two Mommies Love

I've made no secret of the fact that I find Franklin Graham's Islamophobia and lies about President Obama to be antithetical to his espoused Christian faith. And so while some are mocking his latest fiasco about moving the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's assets from the "gay-friendly" Wells Fargo Bank to the "gay-friendly" BB&T Bank, what I find most disturbing is what Graham was objecting to in the first place.

How it all started is that Graham took to Facebook to suggest the need for Christians to "fight the tide of moral decay that is being crammed down our throats by big business, the media, and the gay & lesbian community." And yes, given the topic he's referring to, suggesting that something "is being crammed down our throats" is either extremely tone-deaf or sexually exploitative - I'll let you decide. One of Graham's examples about how that is happening is a Wells Fargo ad that features a gay couple. Since he says nothing more about the ad in his Facebook post, I think its important to take a look at it.


In his disgust about the gender of these two Mommies, Graham completely misses the Christian values that are on display. I once had a professor who cut out all the verses in the Bible that instructed us to care for the "poor, widows and orphans." It made the point - better than anything else I've ever seen or heard - about that emphasis throughout the scriptures. It was clear that no other topic came close to competing with it. What these two Mommies are doing is a perfect example of how that priority is embodied in real life.

Christians who are political conservatives (as Graham certainly seems to be) are also always promoting the idea that compassion for the less fortunate should be the work of individuals and private (often religious) institutions instead of government. And yet when these two women are shown to be making the ultimate commitment of opening their home to a child with special needs, all Graham sees is their gender.

I personally am willing to accept that Graham believes that homosexuality is a sin. I don't share that belief, but I respect his right to it. I would simply note that we are all sinners in one way or another. And when Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, he was pretty clear:

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'

When it comes to a reaction to this ad, Graham totally missed the love.