Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist
Billy Graham, has applauded Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's efforts
to block gay couples from marrying in Alabama.
Moore ordered probate judges last week
to defy a federal judge's ruling striking down Alabama's marriage ban
as unconstitutional. Most followed his advice and stopped issuing
marriage licenses. But by Friday, a day after a
federal judge ordered Mobile County to begin issuing marriage
licenses to gay couples, a majority of counties were once again
issuing marriage licenses to straight and gay couples.
Graham, head of the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association and a staunch opponent of marriage equality,
cheered Moore's actions in a Facebook post.
“The U.S., Supreme Court ruled Monday
that the state of Alabama must recognize same-sex marriages – in
spite of that state's overwhelming vote to prohibit same-sex unions,”
Graham
wrote. “Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is
defying that order, asking state probate judges not to issue licenses
to gay couples. I applaud Justice Moore and the many Alabama judges
who are upholding the biblical definition of marriage between a man
and a woman.”
“No earthly court has jurisdiction
over the infallible Word of God,” he added.
(Related: Franklin
Graham prepared to have his head “chopped off” for opposing gay
rights.)