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Published January 25, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "On the Record," May 5, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Reverend Franklin Graham is here. He's calling on President Obama to give him some backup. Why? Reverend Graham is the chairman of the 2010 National Day of Prayer task force.
Reverend Graham was invited to lead an event tomorrow at the Pentagon. His invitation was revoked because of comments Reverend Franklin Graham made about Islam that the army calls not appropriate. Reverend Graham says if the president does not intervene it will be a slap in the face to all Christians. Reverend Graham joins us live.
Is that a proper recitation of where we stand on this problem?
REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM, SAMARITAN'S PURSE: Yes.
First of all, let me say that there's a judge in Wisconsin that said the national day of prayer she ruled that it was unconstitutional. The president has appealed that, so I appreciate what the president has done on that. He's also given a proclamation which he signed supporting the national day of prayer which we are grateful for.
And it is just unfortunate that this decision was made by the Pentagon. The Muslims have their holidays that they celebrate at the Pentagon, they celebrated Ramadan, they had prayer services there. For us Christians not to have a prayer service and for them to object and for the army to give in to their objections is something I don't understand.
VAN SUSTEREN: The president visited your father and you were there. Did you have any discussion with the president to say what about this?
GRAHAM: I did. I wanted the president to understand, because I wasn't sure if he knew. I shared with the president what I said after 9/11.
But I had also been to the Pentagon, twice before 9/11 and once after 9/11. I preached for the military chaplains all over the country at various military bases. And I asked if he could look into the possibility of having that invitation reinstated.
VAN SUSTEREN: Have you heard from him, because it is getting a little late?
GRAHAM: No.
VAN SUSTEREN: Not a word?
GRAHAM: He said he would look into it.
VAN SUSTEREN: It doesn't look like he looked too deep into it. What is it that you set that has set people off?
GRAHAM: First of all, I said Islam, after 9/11 I said that Islam was wicked and evil. I don't believe that Mohammed can lead anybody to God. I believe Jesus Christ is the way to truth and light. I believe he died for my sins.
And if we are willing to accept that and believe on faith that God will forgive us and heal our hearts -- the Muslims don't agree with me, I don't agree with them.
I get along fine with Muslims. We have ministry all over the world in Muslim countries. President Bashir of Sudan welcomes me to his office.
VAN SUSTEREN: You have hospitals in his country.
GRAHAM: We've done a lot of work in his country. Muslims understand that. They don't agree with me, I don't agree with them.
What they don't like and what offends them is when the military sends to Afghanistan like the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, scantily clad, rock stars that go over there that aren't dressed properly. This is offensive to Muslim. This is what they hate.
But for me as a religious person to say I disagree with your religion and I don't like it, I don't like what Muslims do to women this is a big you how they treat women. It is hard what they do.
VAN SUSTEREN: Is the use of the word "evil "? Is that what set them on fire about this?
GRAHAM: It may set them on fire. It doesn't set the Muslims on fire.
VAN SUSTEREN: The extremists, is that what we are talking about?
GRAHAM: Of course. But also you have to look at the religion and what they teach. What the Qur'an actually teaches. It says you cannot take a Christian to be your friend, you cannot take a Jew to be your friend.
Greta, if you were a Muslim and wanted to convert to Christianity or Judaism, if you did not repent and turn back to Islam, your family would kill you. This is a real problem. We saw that little girl who went to Florida not long ago who had converted to Christianity and she was afraid her father would kill her. You have these honor killings.
VAN SUSTEREN: Have you heard from the Pentagon?
GRAHAM: Yes, I've talked to the chaplains there.
VAN SUSTEREN: What did they say?
GRAHAM: They have to say what they've been told to say. I'm going to the Pentagon tomorrow.
VAN SUSTEREN: You are going to stand out there and pray?
GRAHAM: I'm going to stand out there and pray. I don't have to be invited to a prayer service to pray for the men and women my son is in his fourth deployment.
VAN SUSTEREN: I was just going to ask you about your son. He's had his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.
GRAHAM: Yes, and I pray for the men that are under him and above him. And I'm proud of the men and women of our army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, proud of them. I'm going to the Pentagon just to pray, and I want them to know that I support them.
VAN SUSTEREN: What the viewers don't know you brought friends who travel with you all the way to North Korea, which is our friend as well. Thank you, Reverend.
GRAHAM: Thank you.
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