10 Questions For Franklin Graham
By Christine Gorman
When doctors first documented cases of AIDS 25 years ago among gay men and drug users, many Evangelicals assumed the epidemic was not their problem. Evangelist Franklin Graham--son of Billy, father of four, grandfather of four--helped to change that attitude and to persuade the Bush Administration in 2003 to earmark $15 billion for the struggle against AIDS. Graham, 53, spoke with TIME's Christine Gorman about AIDS, Darfur and motorcycles.
What would Jesus say about AIDS today? In his day, there was leprosy, which was incurable. And Jesus healed lepers. He didn't turn them away. That would be the same reaction today. But Jesus did tell people he healed, "Go and sin no more." And I think that to a person with HIV/AIDS, he would tell them, "Go and sin no more."
Would he tell that to someone with cancer? I think so, because Jesus said that time and time again. I think there are times where a sinful lifestyle can lead to a disease in our bodies. I think Jesus would heal a person who drinks too much alcohol and ends up with cirrhosis of the liver and say, "Don't go back and do that again."
What led you to try to change AIDS policy in the U.S.? AIDS is a huge problem. People have to be aware of AIDS and how you contract AIDS and what you can do to prevent AIDS. We're responsible to do all that we can to preserve life--whether it's an unborn child or whether it's a person with HIV/AIDS sleeping on a park bench. I think we need to do everything we can to save and preserve life. Every person has a soul. And every person is a soul whom Jesus Christ died for on Calvary's cross, when he died for the sins of this world. I just want to do all that I can to try to save and preserve life.
Does your charity, Samaritan's Purse, distribute condoms? No, ma'am. No, ma'am, we don't.
How do you feel about condoms in a marriage situation, in which one spouse is HIV-positive and the other is not? Well, I think that's a decision between married couples. I think a married couple certainly should take all precautions, absolutely. But I don't see condoms as a way for a person to continue to go out and live a sinful lifestyle and for us to say you're safe. You're not going to be safe.
Samaritan's Purse is active in the relief effort in Sudan. What do you think of the recent Darfur peace deal? I don't trust the [Sudanese] government. I don't trust them for a second. These are men who have murdered and murdered and murdered, and they're still in power. How can we trust them now?
Did you ever think you would live long enough to be a grandfather? Never thought I'd be a grandfather. You know, when you're in your 30s, you don't think about the end of your life. And I didn't think about it so much when I got to 40. But when I turned 50, it was like a switch went off. All of a sudden you think, boy, how fast the last 20 years went. You realize how important life is, how short life is and what's going to happen after life. Is that it? Or is there something beyond life that God has for us? The Bible teaches that there is--that there is eternity, and death is the portal that transfers us from this life to the next.
What have you learned about aging from your father? Well, you know he's 88 this year. I admire that he still has the desire to preach at his age and is just as focused today as he was 30 years ago. I think he's aged extremely well. I just hope I can do it half as well as he's done it.
Do you still ride your motorcycle and, if so, do you wear a helmet? I do, and yes, it's a state law [to wear a helmet]. Today it's kind of cold and foggy, so I won't ride. Well, I might. Never know. I might just get on to it and go if the sun peeks out. You know, when I was young, I didn't wear a helmet.
Is it a sin not to wear a helmet? No, it's not a sin. You know the Bible says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. And if we do something to hurt the bodies that we have, eating too much, eating the wrong foods, drinking too much, we are hurting this body God gave us and I think putting your body at risk when you don't need to put it at risk, like riding a motorcycle without a helmet, I just don't think it makes sense. I think God gave us a brain. He expects us to use it.