Graham decided to move the assets of the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association to Winston-Salem,
N.C.-based BB&T.
On Tuesday's edition of "Washington Watch
with Tony Perkins," a conservative Christian radio show, Graham said,
"I'm not going to do business with a business promoting sin. As
Christians, we don't have to do business with Starbucks, with Nike, with
Wells Fargo, with Tiffany's that are promoting a gay lifestyle."
Graham said he was disturbed that Wells Fargo
was using shareholder money to run ads during a Charlotte, N.C. golf
tournament that focused on a lesbian couple, and he called BB&T a "good solid bank."
But BB&T has been involved in support of the gay community,
most recently this year in salute of "Legacy Couples" from Miami's
first Gay Pride Parade in 2009. These are committed couples who have been
together at least 10 years.
"We also support the individuals and organizations that
broaden our perspectives and strengthen the diverse fabric of our communities.
That's why BB&T is proud to be a part of this day of pride and celebration
of the 2015 Legacy Couples," Arthur Costa, BB&T's regional
multicultural markets officer, said in a news release announcing the
fundraiser.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association took in $107.7 million
in contributions and income in 2014, according to its financial report.
Billy Graham has never taken the fervent stance his son has,
though the elder Graham urged North Carolina voters in 2012 to support an
amendment to the state constitution banning gay marriage, calling the
"lifestyle" a sin.
Franklin Graham had posted on his Facebook page Friday that he planned to move the association's
assets away from Wells Fargo, and he urged a boycott of Tiffany & Co.because the jewelers had
begun to advertise same-sex wedding rings.
San Francisco-based Wells Fargo is the second-largest bank in
North Carolina by deposits, according to the FDIC, thanks to its acquisition of
the former Wachovia.
Franklin Graham, the president and CEO of the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association and the Samaritan's Purse relief organization, has been an unrelenting opponent of the
LGBT community, making headlines for years with his extreme views on the issue.
Graham recently praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for criminalizing
speech that is perceived as pro-gay "propaganda" directed at young
people.
He also took to Facebook in April to express his outrage that
the Marvel Comics character Iceman will come out as gay in a new issue of the
popular comic series, saying the cartoon character's coming out is part of an
ongoing effort to "indoctrinate our young people to accept this
destructive lifestyle."
Franklin Graham's Facebook drew more than 50,000 likes and thousands
of comments after just a few hours on Friday. Many commenters said they would
heed Graham's call to move bank accounts.
USToday
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