August 19, 2002
Graham reiterates view that Islam not peaceful
___WASHINGTON (RNS)--Evangelist Franklin Graham has again drawn criticism from a Muslim organization after saying the Koran "speaks of violence" against other religious groups and Muslim clerics should apologize for Sept. 11 terrorism.
___Graham, who created controversy with similar remarks just months after the terrorist attacks, reiterated his views in interviews and in a new book, "The Name," released Aug. 6 by Thomas Nelson Publishers.
___"The Koran speaks of violence against Christians and Jews," he said in an interview. "I didn't write the Koran--read it for yourself. It's there. So you make up your own mind whether you think it's evil or not."
___In the book and the interview, Graham said the God of Christianity is not the same as Allah in Islam.
___The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based Muslim advocacy group, called portions of Graham's book "defamatory" and asked religious leaders to denounce such comments.
___"Mainstream political leaders and religious figures must speak out against the growing demonization of Islam by extremist right-wing commentators and by representatives of the evangelical Christian community," said Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for the Islamic council. "Defamatory attacks on other faiths can only lead to a spiral of distrust and intolerance that will divide our society along religious lines."
___Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham and the president of his father's evangelistic association, said he hopes others will be tolerant and permit him to express his views.
___"The problem I have with Islam is the silence from the clerics around the world," he said. "These so-called Islamic groups that try to challenge my statements--I don't care about these guys. Who are these guys? Where are the clerics? ... I would like to see an apology from the clerics. I would like for the chief clerics of Saudi Arabia to come to this country, go to Ground Zero and say to America, 'We are sorry.'"
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