Evangelical Preacher Franklin Graham is getting roasted on social media for telling Fox News Viewers to “Pray for Putin.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Graham told Maureen Mackey that he admires the Ukranian people and suggested that prayer might change Putin’s heart.
“I admire them, and we want to do all that we can to help them. It’s a mess. It’s going to get worse, I’m afraid. And what President Putin’s end game is, I don’t know. But I think we just need to pray that God can change his heart,” Graham, who is president and CEO of the Billy Graham, Evangelistic Association said.
His sermon took a decidely different turn when he added that people should pray for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose regime has killed more than 3,000 Ukrainian troops and thousands of civilians, including children, and displaced 7.1 million people.
“And I would recommend for people to pray for Putin. I don’t want to be misunderstood [on this point],” he added. “I want people to pray that God would change his heart. And turn his heart around, and that he would see the sin that he’s involved in. That he would repent and turn from it. And if we pray, that could happen.”
Folks on social media, however, had a strong reaction to Graham’s comments and went in on the Preacher.
“It’s a WAR, Frankie. Are you that afraid of Putin? What tapes does he have on you?” said one Twitter user.
“You pervert the word of God. No man who praises Putin can say he has the lord in his heart. Repent you charlatan,” said another.
“Pray for Putin, my ass,” said another.
Here are some more reactions: