Rev. Billy Graham openly voiced a belief that Jews control the American media, calling it a "stranglehold" during a 1972 conversation with President Richard Nixon, according to a tape of the Oval Office meeting released Thursday by the National Archives.

"This stranglehold has got to be broken or the country's going down the drain," the nation's best-known preacher declared as he agreed with a stream of bigoted Nixon comments about Jews and their perceived influence in American life.
"You believe that?" Nixon says after the "stranglehold" comment.

"Yes, sir," Graham says.

"Oh, boy," replies Nixon. "So do I. I can't ever say that but I believe it."

"No, but if you get elected a second time, then we might be able to do something," Graham replies.

Later, Graham mentions that he has friends in the media who are Jewish, saying they "swarm around me and are friendly to me." But, he confides to Nixon, "They don't know how I really feel about what they're doing to this country."

Rev. Billy Graham openly voiced a belief that Jews control the American media, calling it a "stranglehold" during a 1972 conversation with President Richard Nixon, according to a tape of the Oval Office meeting released Thursday by the National Archives.

"This stranglehold has got to be broken or the country's going down the drain," the nation's best-known preacher declared as he agreed with a stream of bigoted Nixon comments about Jews and their perceived influence in American life.

"You believe that?" Nixon says after the "stranglehold" comment.

"Yes, sir," Graham says.

"Oh, boy," replies Nixon. "So do I. I can't ever say that but I believe it."

"No, but if you get elected a second time, then we might be able to do something," Graham replies.

Later, Graham mentions that he has friends in the media who are Jewish, saying they "swarm around me and are friendly to me." But, he confides to Nixon, "They don't know how I really feel about what they're doing to this country."

SteveR wrote:
Pastor Bob,
I do not wish to justify the wickedness of those judges by the honour awarded them by the Holy Ghost. Rather I want to understand why their statements can be discounted because they were sinful. Were not David and Solomon sinful as well? Are we to enumerate their sin and discount their words as well?

The Holy Spirit infallibly guided the author of the book of Judges to record at least three lies of Samson's:

"And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man" (Judges 16:7).

"And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man" (Judges 16:11).

"And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web" (Judges 16:13).

Stating that Samson told lies or that he was a murderer or a whoremonger does not in any way undermine the infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture.

There has been only one Man in history who lived a completely righteous life: our Lord Jesus Christ.

SteveR wrote:
Pastor Bob,
The author of Hebrews by inspiration of the Holy Ghost tells us Barak, Gideon, Samson & Jephthae 'wrought righteousness' through faith, how do you know which testimony in the Book of Judges you can attribute to the Holy Ghost and which you can discount?

These men were justified by faith alone, and the Holy Spirit did do wonderful deeds through them on those occasions when they believed the promises of God. However, that does not mean that everything they did pleased God or that everything they spoke was true -- not by a long-shot.

The book of Judges makes plain that Gideon turned aside from the true worship of God to idolatry, bringing destruction to his own family (Judges 8:24-27; 9);

Jephthah murdered his own daughter to fulfill an impulsive, ungodly, man-made vow (Judges 11:30-31, 34-36, 39-40);

And Samson was a whoremonger (16:1-3) and a liar (Judges 16:6-15).

Reformed Presbyterian wrote:
Do you really think that under the inspiration of the Spirit of God it was boasting?

First of all, I believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, without error in all that it teaches.

Secondly, Scripture contains some statements from ungodly persons that are recorded to delineate their errors from God's truth. The greatest set of these statements are found in the book of Job.

Satan is the first example: his lies are infallibly recorded in the first two chapters of Job.

Also, God rebukes Eliphaz in Job 42:7, "My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends: for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has." That means that we have to be very careful when quoting statements made by Job's "comforters" that we verify that they are in conformity to the rest of Scripture because God himself indicts them for error.

In keeping with the theme of the book of Judges and the wicked things that people do and say when they are acting according to "what is right in their own eyes," I think that we should read it the way that it sounds at first hearing: a bit boastful.

Jim Lincoln wrote:
Ah, Bob, where do you get that Christ didn't recognize the order in heaven as well as when he came to earth as man?
If I remember correctly there has always been an order in authority in heaven as well....
I agree with your comments on women. And perhaps we're not that far apart on the Godhead, either, after looking at your final statement.

I have often read your comments with profit. But I am not sure what I wrote that implied that I believed that Christ did not recognize the order in heaven as well as when he came to earth as a man. I am sorry that I was not clearer.

There are properties that are unique, ontologically, to each person in the Godhead that play out economically in their work of redemption. That is why the Father sent the Son, instead of the Son sending the Father. It is why the Son dies on the Cross and not the Father or the Holy Spirit. It is why the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, through the Son, and not the other way around.

I hope that helps to clarify what I believe.

SteveR wrote:
2)How do you answer those who ordain women with justification from Gal 3:28?

Scripture is clear that women may exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but they must never do this in a way that they exercise authority over men, which they would do if they were ordained as elders.

Men and women are absolutely equal in their personhood in Christ, but that does not mean that they should have identical or equal roles. The Apostle Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 11, where he grounds his teaching regarding women and men in worship in the doctrine of the Trinity.

God, as he is in himself, is absolutely equal. The Father is equal to the Son. The Son is equal to the Father. The Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son, absolutely. There is no inequality in the Godhead. They are absolutely one, absolutely equal, all coeternal.

But in the work of bringing salvation to us, the [URL=http://www.rbvincent.com/headship.htm]]]fully-equal-to-the-Father, Son[/URL] subordinated himself to the Father. He took on the role of a servant. He became the servant of the Father.

We must distinguish what God is in himself, ontologically, and the function of each person in the Godhead.

SteveR wrote:
1)How do you answer the authority of Deborahs judgeship?

The Book of Judges functions as an [URL=http://www.rbvincent.com/BibleStudies/jephthah.htm]]]Ethical Farce[/URL]. Every character is deeply flawed, including Deborah, who writes a boastful poem about herself: "The peasantry ceased, they ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel" (Judges 5:67).

It is true that Barak refused to go into battle without Deborah, but there are times that I have been reluctant to preach in certain spiritually hostile situations without my wife being present, interceding with the Lord against the dark powers while I preached. That does not give my wife authority over me, but she is the godliest woman I have ever known and an amazingly effective prayer warrior. My wife does not hold office over me, either in the home or in the church, and neither did Deborah hold office over Barak, even though she spoke God's Word to him, something women can do with divine approval in both Old and New Testaments.

I will respond to your second question in a moment.