Anti-gay activists on Tuesday
criticized World Vision, an Evangelical Christian charity founded in
1950, over its decision to hire married gay Christians.
In making the announcement, World
Vision U.S. President Richard Stearns stressed that the policy change
was “not an endorsement” of marriage equality.
(Related: Evangelical
charity World Vision reverses course, to hire married gay
Christians.)
Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist
Billy Graham and the president of the charity Samaritan's Purse, said
that he was “sickened” by the news.
“It's obvious World Vision doesn't
believe in the Bible,” Graham said during an appearance on FRC's
Washington Watch radio program. “I am sickened and
heartbroken.”
“World Vision maintains that their
decision is based on unifying the church – which I find offensive –
as if supporting sin and sinful behavior can unite the church,”
Graham
said.
(Related: Franklin
Graham praises Vladimir Putin on gay rights.)
Bryan Fischer of the Christian
conservative American Family Association (AFA) said that World Vision
had abandoned “morality.”
“World Vision's experience is a
sobering reminder that once you abandon God at one point (evangelism)
eventually it is inevitable that you will abandon him and other
points (sexual morality),” Fischer said. “One compromise
ineluctably leads to another until all is gone.”
Albert Mohler, president of the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, also
targeted World Vision, predicting that the decision “points to
disaster.”
“The worst aspect of the World Vision
U.S. policy shift is the fact that it will mislead the world about
the reality of sin and the urgent need of salvation. Willingly
recognizing same-sex marriage and validating openly homosexual
employees in their homosexuality is a grave and tragic act that
confirms sinners in their sin – and that is an act that violates
the gospel of Christ,” Mohler said.