Dear Friends,                     Credo in un Dio crudel che m'ha creato simile a sè

                       I believe in a cruel God who created me in his image (Verdi/Boito, Otello)

Are you getting fed up with the endlessly repeated feeling: man, I thought this guy was bad! as someone far worse comes down the pike? Well I am. Here’s a tough one: what did you all think of Billy Graham? Sorry kids, I’m afraid this one’s for the old folks. Well, here’s his son, I apologize for the length, but you have to read it all:

“The Rev. Franklin Graham on Wednesday told U.S. service members and Pentagon employees during a Christmas service that “God loves” but also that “God also hates.”

Graham, whose father Billy Graham served as the faith leader for several presidents, recited the Bible verse John 3:16, which states that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that he whoever believeth in him shouldn’t perish, but have everlasting life.”

“We know that God loves, but did you know that God also hates?” Graham said. “Do you know that God also is a God of war? And many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that.” Graham then read another passage where God requested Israel’s King Saul to attack Israel’s enemies and “utterly destroy all that they have.” The passage adds that Saul was commanded to “kill them, both men, women, infant, nursing child, oxen, sheep, camel, and donkey.”

“Now, people will say, ‘Franklin, that is so hard. That’s not the God I believe in,'” Graham said. “Well, you’d better believe in him.” Saul disobeyed and did not kill all the animals or all “the sinners,” which Franklin said showed a lack of faith and prompted Saul to cast himself as a sinner.

“God remembers, and I think of the sins of our country,” the preacher continued. “When you think of all the things we do, and the mistakes we make. Pray that God will heal our land, and that America will once again turn to the God of our fathers and serve him.”

Let’s not even mention the question of separation between church and state – though this was a service sanctioned by the Secretary of … well there’s disagreement about what he’s actually Secretary of … but he reported: “Yesterday, we gathered at the Pentagon to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Ok, ok, ok, but we’re not going to mention it.

We will mention just what God said to Saul. And I know Franklin doesn’t need help with this, but also remember Abraham and Isaac, and the final lines of the beautiful psalm we all know and love, “By the rivers of Babylon”:

“O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.”

We rather try to forget those lines. But Franklin demands that we remember them above all, for only they will make us strong in the battle against evil.

Ok, I know quite a bit about Christianity, and also Judaism, more about the former, I went to an Anglican high school – there weren’t any others in Britain at the time. I’m no expert, but isn’t it normally understood that the relation between New and Old Testaments is a bit tricky? So, Franklin, do you see the love ascribed to God in John 3:16 and His hate (as you call it, would all Christians agree with the word?) in His commandment to Saul as simply equivalent, you must accept both, and equally?

I have no business getting into those questions, they’re your problem not mine. My question is how could anyone think that “utterly destroy[ing] all that they have. Kill[ing] both men, women, infant, nursing child, oxen, sheep, camel, and donkey.” Murdering your son. Dashing “the little ones [of your enemies] against the stones.” … How could anyone, today, think that there is any world in which all this could be anything else than an abomination?

Well, someone, at least, Franklin Graham, thinks this. It seems also that the Secretary of whatever agrees with him, and welcomes him, inviting him to preach this gospel to the armed forces of the USA.

And it’s not just words, under the orders of the Secretary of whatever and the president, the kill them all gospel is being enacted, survivors clinging to a boat’s wreckage must die, lest Hegseth and Trump should suffer the fate of Saul.

Love and solidarity,

            Bobby