The President of Christian charity Samaritan’s Purse has praised Vladimir Putin’s support anti-gay laws, and claimed that homosexuals “take people’s children”.
Franklin Graham, the son of Christian evangelist Billy Graham, made the claim in an interview in Russia, according to Right Wing Watch.
Graham is the President of international charity Samaritan’s Purse. He is listed as a trustee of Samaritan’s Purse UK, which runs the annual Christmas Shoebox Appeal.
However, he often comes under scrutiny for his militant opposition to LGBT rights – as he demonstrated by praising Russia’s ban on ‘gay propaganda’.
In an interview with the Moskoviskij Komsomolets newspaper, he said: “I have met [Obama] on several occasions. He’s a very nice person.
“But he supports and promotes policies that contradict the teachings of God. As a Christian I believe that abortion is murder, he supports it. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage — those are sins against God, and the President is promoting them.
“I’m not against homosexuals as people. But God commanded that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
He added: “And I very much appreciate that President Putin is protecting Russian young people against homosexual propaganda. If only to give them the opportunity to grow up and make a decision for themselves.”
Repeating disturbing rhetoric used by anti-LGBT activists in Russia, he said: “Again, homosexuals cannot have children, they can take other people’s children.
“I believe that President Obama (and I’ll repeat, he’s a very nice person) is leading America down the wrong road. He’s taking a stand against God.”
Graham has previously accused Obama of spreading ‘immorality’ and ‘sin’.