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The outspoken Rev. Franklin Graham claimed today that the “majority of Christians” did not vote.
“We know that from of the statistics that I’ve heard that the majority of Christians in this country just did not vote for whatever reason,” he told the Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody. “The vast majority of evangelicals did not go to the polls.” He added, “God is in control, and if Christians are upset, they need to be upset at themselves. We need to do a better job of getting our people- the church to vote. Now, I’m not trying to tell you how to vote, you can vote, but vote, my goodness, and vote for candidates that stand for Biblical values.”
But Graham’s assertion -- and implication that had white Christian evangelicals just showed up in bigger numbers, President Obama would have lost -- is off base.
In fact, white evangelicals/born-again Christians made up the same percentage of the electorate as they did in 2008 – 26%. They voted for Mitt Romney, a devout Mormon, by a wider margin than they did for Sen. John McCain four years ago.
And, they made up a larger share of the electorate in 2012 than in 2004, when the Christian Right supposedly fueled George W. Bush’s reelection. They also voted for Romney with the exact same margin as for Bush in 2004, 78%-21%.
Not to mention, Obama won the 48 percent of the electorate that was Christian and not Protestant or Mormon -- 50%-48% among Catholics (25% of the electorate) and 50%-49% of "Other Christians" (23% of the electorate).
In Ohio, they were 1 point more of the electorate than 2008; in Colorado, 4 points higher; in Iowa, up 7 points; in Nevada, up 2.
White evangelical voters in select swing states
CO: 25%, 76-22 Romney; 2008: 21%, 76-23 McCain
FL: 24%, 79-21 Romney; 2008: 24%, 77-21 McCain
IA: 38%, 64-35 Romney; 2008: 31%, 65-33 McCain
NV: 18%, 69-28 Romney; 2008: 16%, 72-27 McCain
OH: 31%, 69-30 Romney; 2008: 30%, 71-27 McCain
They did decline as a share of the electorate in North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. But the drops in states like North Carolina (Graham’s home state) and Virginia likely have less to do with apathy and more to do with demographic changes – transplants in North Carolina’s Research Triangle and growth in the Washington, D.C., suburbs of Northern Virginia, for example.
The fact is, Virginia and North Carolina are looking less and less like the Old South and more and more like Mid-Atlantic states.
White evangelical voters in the South (where exit polls are available)
MS: 50%, 95-5 Romney; 2008: 46%, 94-6 McCain
AL: 47% , 90-10 Romney; 2008: 47%, 92-8 McCain
NC: 35%, 79-20 Romney; 2008: 44%, 74-25 McCain
VA: 23%, 83-17 Romney; 2008: 28%, 79-20 McCain
Are there Christian evangelicals who did not vote? Certainly. But that’s true every year and of every demographic group.
Evangelicals make up 26 percent of adults in the country, according to a major 2008 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey. They matched that this election.
The U.S. Census says there are more than 311 million people in the United States. If evangelical adults are 26 percent of them, then there would be 80 million potential voters.
So far, 123 million votes have been counted in this election – and that number will get higher by the millions as votes continue to be counted like in 2008. Evangelicals made up 26 percent of them, therefore, about 32 million evangelicals voted – less than half of their population.
But there’s a need for context here: (1) They make up just 14 percent of the registered-voter base in the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. They outpaced that percentage in the presidential election, (2) This is true every other demographic group in the country as well.
Latinos, for example, according to the U.S. Census, are nearly 17 percent of the country, but only made up 10 percent of the 2012 electorate. They make up just 8 to 9 percent of the registered-voter base of the NBC/WSJ poll.
That would mean just 12 million of the 52 million adult Hispanics voted.
If this was Australia, and the U.S. had compulsory voting, Graham’s argument that evangelicals would have tipped the balance would not hold up very well.
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Rev. Franklin Graham is almost as comical as Governpr Chuckles himself.
These two clowns should get together and hit the road as a comedy duo!
Question for teabaggers: do you accept Romney's statement that "gifts" are how Obama won? If so, how do you reconcile your belief with that of the GOP leadership? Who carries the message for the future of the GOP? Romney (and you)? Or the current leaders who are distancing themselves from Romney?
Do the federal funds sent to red states in excess of their tax payments contitute a gift from the feds? If so, should these red states pay taxes on these gifts. Since the blue states pay more in taxes then they receive in funding, do they get a dseduction for the excess payments?
Go back to the conservative echo chamber where facts don't matter Rev. Graham.
This reminds me of when we went to my uncles funeral, who was cremated, and my cousin saying that the catholics do not believe in cremation. My mom told her that the catholic church she goes to does allow for it and my cousin said it was because that catholic church wasn't a "true, true" catholic church...so my mom and I tried to top each other the whole way home..."I'm a true, true, true catholic" and my mom "well I'm a true, true, true, true catholic". There really isn't a true christian or there'd be no need for a jesus - and I say it with a small j cuz I'm an atheist. And I'm a true, true atheist.......
I can remember sitting around a bunch of "Conservatives" of the Catholic faith one night. After they had several drinks, their language became much more "colorful" and the terrible racist comments they were saying about our President and about Hispanics caused me to leave the group. Ironic, too, despite their christian Catholic values, some of them had a history or multiple divorces, heavy drinking, suspected spouse & child abuse and a few other items that caused me to wonder about their self-acclaimed "Conservative with Christian values" status.
Those darn Christians! Too busy praying for someone else to do the work (or vote) rather than getting off their knees and doing it themselves.
When nobody does what those Christians only prayed for someone else to do, they blame someone else, thinking they did their part by only praying for someone to answer their prayers.
Delusional idiots, roadblocks on the highway of progress...
Let's start taxing these parasites!
In the 1920's, the KKK was flooded with Republican party members, mostly older men who claimed to be christians and who dismissed inputs from women and who also disassociated themselves from all non-whites. They also caused the Great Depression.
Fast forward to 2008 - 2012 and the mentality of the Republican party.
KKK was southern Democrats in sheets until Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected and they started a slow craw to the other party. Until LBJ finally freed the southern blacks from state sponsored oppression it started a slow trickle but on Ronald Reagans election the whole white south went Republican the new white party was born. They were given renewed respect and tolerance and today that party is the Old Southern Democrat reborn as Republicans. Spouting succession and calling everyone a communist a the perfect mix of what was wrong with both parties. Now we have the one. They did not cause the depression they are always depressing. Wall Street Republicans caused all the depressions, that is why they were regulated so they would not have to be jailed for the crooks they pretend not to be.
This says it as well as any:
http://townhall.com/columnists/douggiles/2012/11/18/if_god_doesnt_judge_us_hell_have_to_apologize_to_sodom/page/full/
Question for Larry: do you accept Romney's statement that "gifts" are how Obama won? If so, how do you reconcile your belief with that of the GOP leadership? Who carries the message for the future of the GOP? Romney (and you)? Or the current leaders who are distancing themselves from Romney?
Larry.............. doesn't give a hoot about what the GOP does. He only cares about keeping Marxist, Communist and Socialist out of America.
I'm not a Republican- I only voted for Romney because he at least promised to sign the repeal of Obamacare.
I'm a libertarian who sees the Democrats as no different than communists and the Republicans as social Democrats who at least want some limits on government.
The old "God is just testing us" garbage.
So God is passive-aggressive now? What is this Jersey Shore?
"I'm not a Republican"
Goodness, how many more predictions are going to be made before either (a) God finally gets around to judging us and all doubts are resolved or (b) people finally realize that Revelations isn't accurate and they stop trying? I'm guessing that neither will happen.
We should never discount God. But everyone needs to remember this man is human. He is not his father by any means. He never will be. He has a sister that is a better Preacher than he will ever be, but of course he is boy of the family, and he gets to take over for dad. But he does not have the talent his father had he needs to remember that.
So is God a Republican, Democrat, Liberal or does God flip-flop between them based on what is currently popular? Does God practice Political Correctness?
Christians claim that God is Almighty, knows all and sees all, yet they act as if he is asleep at the wheel. God loves American Christians and would never do anything to harm them. Therefore if God so decided that Mitt Romney should be President then nothing between Heaven and Earth could prevent him from so being our President. If God was displeased with Obama, then nothing between Heaven and Earth and all Satan's evil powers would have given him a second term. Therefore, it is clear to me, that God in his wisdom has decided to keep Obama on as President. Just because you did not get the President YOU thought you should get does not mean that God, who knows all and sees all agreed with you. So if you truly believe in God, then accept his will and support President Obama in every way you can. And while you are at it follow the will of God, love your neighbor as you love yourself, feed the poor and comfort the sick and leave the judging to God........
adrian you have seriously misrepresented the will of God. God has a perfect will and a permissive will. In His permissive will, He allows us to go down paths that are destructive for us in allowing our free will to operate. We find this parallel in Israel. God determined that unlike the pagan nations who had kings, God would appoint Godly judges to rule over them (limited govt). But Israel abandoned God's perfect will and demanded through the prophets that they should have kings like the other nations. God permitted them to go down a path that was less than what He had planned for them. This led to cycles of good times and disaster including exile into slavery to other nations.
America long ago abandoned seeking to follow after God and is now reaping the result of their disobedience. Unless America repents and seeks to once more follow after God, we are doomed to 3rd world status and even judgment.
“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." -John Jay, Constitutional Framer and 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
"From the time of the Declaration of Independence, the American People were bound by the laws of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which they all acknowledge as the root of their conduct. We all came together to obey the word of God." - John Quincy Adams
President Harry Truman was not only proudly proclaiming his faith, but speaking prophetically in this 1950 speech.
"The fundamental basis of this nation's laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and Saint Matthew, from Isaiah and Saint Paul. I don't think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don't have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State!"--President Harry Truman February 15, 1950 Speech at the Department of Justice http://churchmousec.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/president-truman-on-the-importance-of-morality-and-education/
"America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness, which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scriptures. Part of the destiny of Americans lies in their daily perusal of this great book of revelations. That if they would see America free and pure they will make their own spirits free and pure by this baptism of the Holy Spirit." From his famous address: "The Bible and Progress," ~ President Woodrow Wilson, May 7. 1911, Denver, Colorado.
The view of Christianity reflected by Obama and the liberals here is a choice of secular humanism rather than the teachings of Jesus. Liberals like Obama and these posting here are reflecting the lie of "Liberation Theology" This is a humanist/socialist view of Christianity and is of the spirit of the Anti-Christ. Helping the needy for Christians must come from the heart and be done as unto Jesus Himself (Matthew 25, Isaiah 58, and others). He advocates something very UNCHRISTIAN which is socialism by wanting it to be done by compulsion and theft, it amounts to asking Christians to sin by putting our trust and transferring glory to man/government instead of God. Christians are required out of love to demonstrate Christ's love to others and in so doing, glorify God. The ONLY way that this can be done through government is in a theocracy, and NO ONE wants to see that.
Matthew 25:40
Having the govt seize our property and redistributing it to glorify man/govt is a sin and contrary to the teachings of Jesus
and in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Isaiah 58:6-9
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:10-19
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:31-33
Rev Larry Robinson
God is never wrong, he takes my advice on all things.
Which explains why there's this new breed of so called Christians that say if you believe God will make you wealthy, right? Funny, Jesus never had wealth, never sought wealth, lived as simply as it is possible to live. Not quite what most Christians today do. Quite a disconnect between the exemplor and His self-proclaimed followers.
Why is everyone trying to assign blame for the President's victory? As if he wasnt supposed to get re-elected but someone did something wrong. He won because more American voters agreed with his message and voted for him. Lets move on.
Mr. graham I am Christian and I voted for Obama, could it be that other Christians voted for Obama also.
One of the Ten Commandments said that Thou shall not lie or bare false witness and Mitt Romney was all over this one. when it came to Lying he was the King
Mitt Romney is also guilty of this one
Also Thou Shall not covet thy neighbors house,
and last time I check the White House and the Presidency was/is occupied
REAL Christians don't vote Republican anyway.
Jesus was pretty clear about tolerance, compassion, and how we should treat the poor, the weak, and the sick.
Mr. Graham and his father before him are NOT christians. They are Devilish - sent here to disrupt the World's moral compass.
You cannot claim to be a Christian and vote for Obama.
Jesus never condoned murdering innocent babies
Jesus never condoned sexual perversion as normal and equal to heterosexual marriage
Jesus never called for us to surrender our personal responsibilities to care for those in need to govt and thus give glory to man rather than God.
Jesus never called for stealing from those who produce and give to those who haven't
Jesus never called for enslaving people to govt instead of liberty.
Reverend Larry Robinson
of course you can be a christian and vote for obama. The bible was intended for PERSONAL life, for the KINGDOM NOT ON EARTH, and remember to "render unto caesar".
After all, I could make the same kind of list about republicans and, oh, wars in iraq, cutting benefits for the poor, etc. Its great to "pick and choose" what we want to see, isnt it? :)
But of course larry you think you know the mind of god as to who is and who isn't a christian. Lol. what a "legend in your own mind you are". :)
An ultra religious aquaintance of mine answered when I asked if she'd voted, said, "We voted for God so we don't need to vote for any President." It was all I could do to keep from screaming and throwing up!
what I find interesting is all the rationalization going on..if romney won, it would be "the will of god". Since he lost, either "it is the will of god to teach us a lesson" or "people have free will and have rejected god and we will be punished".
No matter what happens, it can be explained.
To the "Reverend" Larry..Your full of sh*t...
I'm a Christian, I'm a Catholic, I'm a Veteran, I'm a 54 year old white woman and I voted for Mr. Obama in 2008 and again this year in 2012!!!
FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!
Larry's god must be weak if he needs gov't to enforce the morality in the bible.
MY god, on the other hand, doesn't need that, and is ok with me voting for the best candidate to do the job of gov't, which is NOT to force morality on others.
steelermama-
no you aren't
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23
While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”
But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:46-50
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”
And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ Luke 13:23-27
Jesus declares “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:13-16
Jesus- “But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
God calls to Obama and any other Christian who seeks approval by the world rather than God to repent and separate yourself before your day of judgment
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?
15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor,
18 And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
So Reverend Larry Robinson what does your god say about voting for a war criminal responsible for killing over half a million women and children? I imagine that is ok because they were not christian. Your just another hate monger hidding behind and giving religion a bad name. I believe they are saving you a warm spot so die soon I hate to see those in pergatory wait for so promising a recruit.
I wouldn't know since we haven't had any war criminal presidents. Nor has any US president "killed over half a million women and children".
I don't hate anyone. I hate evil and I hate ideologies which attempt to deprive people of their God given liberty. But I've never hated a single person in my life.
BTW there is no such place as purgatory. That is a medieval Catholic doctrine with no basis in scripture.
NBC NEWS, don't you think it's about time to curtail your NEGATIVES against the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES? We, the 99% American People are disgusted with your "bought & paid for" corruption!
Let it rest! President Obama is a GREAT LEADER & a GENTLEMAN on top of it all! He proved that during the debates! Let's get behind HIM and take our government BACK to Democracy and away from the corrupt Republican corporate MONARCHY HYPOCRISY! You can NO LONGER HIDE IT! We see them for what they are and that is NOTHING BUT CORRUPT!!
TR- how can you be the "99%" if 48% voted against your messiah?
"messiah"? lol, more fox news talking points from larry.
Larry, you need to remember your basic math...oops my bad, if your a Mittens man than you skirt the issues and you lie and you have no plan and you couldn't count to four on your hand if you had ALL you fingers!!!
steelermama
1. I know math which is why TR's math is so bad
2. Romney wasn't my "man". He's a liberal Republican, but I would have voted for Humpty Dumpty if it led to the ouster of Obama and the repeal of Obamacare.
Sp much for all of your preaching, Reverent Larry. It's all about money for you. That's possibly the greatest hypocrisy you can present and you just did it.
I hate to break Graham's heart, not all Christians are Republican, all Democrats are not the devil and he, Mr. Graham, needs to see the Republican Family values are greatly misguilded and not in line with teaching of the Bible.
Stop the presses.........a religious zealot is spouting information without facts to back them up? Really? And this is news how?
I think we have a compromise. The far right evangelicals don't vote, and I won't comment on some of their incredibly stupid practices. Do you still think that the hurricane was the result of God's revenge on the gay New Yorkers?
News Flash for Rev F. Graham:
If the "majority of Christians did not vote" and "it's not the Christians fault that Pres. Obama won" - then Rev Franklin Graham is dumber than dirt!
Hey Christians, you can't have it both ways - not vote then don't accept blame for the who won is stupid. Maybe if you'd all pull your heads out of the hole they're in, vote and participate in our system then you could talk! Until then shut up!
I am an Evangelical Christian.....I could not vote for the pathological liar Mitt Romney, who is also a member of the cult of mormonism. I voted for Barack Obama. As far as Franklin Graham is concerned .....he will be responsible before God for every person that joined the mormon cult and lost their souls as a result of his taking mormons off the list of cults. They are a cult that denies the Trinity of the Christian Church. They are heretics. Franklin and Billy Graham are both racists, going back to the father's early years, he supported racist, southern positions. Shame on him.
With reference to several comments on the use of religious wording on our currency: words do matter and they do define a culture/society. Yes, retooling to remove the words if these are in fact against our constitution may be expensive. However, what says more about a culture? Its pocketbook or its belief system? I agree with Get Real 3327.
Actually, my feeling is that the votes that Romney needed, were the 47%...
Regarding who is on god's side...the question is this...when either of these 2 men pray for guidance, who actually answers?
My point exactly...
O'reilly is 100 percent correct. The majority of the people who voted for Obama wanted their stuff! Obama is going to give them their stuff and that is why they voted for him! The people who depend on the big nanny government to give them stuff will continue to vote for the person who is going to give it to them. They could care less about the debt, deficit and Libya, etc.
The idiots on the Washington post put out a lot of lies and most of the so-called journalists shoud take up a different job, like washing windows, cleaning toilets, panhandling, etc., because they certainly are not reporters. They are far left morons who spin it the way they want and can't handle the truth. Why don't you liberal idiots get your head out of it?? Bunch of morons!!
News for you, Rick. There aren't enough people on Welfare to make that happen, not to mention that a great number of those are children who aren't old enough to vote yet. Me, I'm a working man of 54 years and I've been paying my share of taxes since I was 18 and joined the US Army. The only thing the Government ever gave me was the overpayment of My income taxes. Oh, I got student loans but they were loans that I paid back. Get off of your high horse and take a look around. No one needed to give me anything to convince me not to vote for Mitt Romney. He was about as believable as a rattlesnake promising not to bite. That's the truth, no spin applied. Handle it.
What are you going to do when the money finally runs out and you get no more stuff?? Head to Greece and ask for some? How about looking for a job? Maybe you can find one before the stuff runs out! It won't be long if they cut the spending!!
What is really going to be tough is there will be no more twinkies and stuff! I say tax everyone until they can't stand it! If you think the middle class is going to not get taxed, you are living in a dream world. Pretty soon the middle class is going to need some stuff! So stuff it!!