Rev. Franklin Graham, the son of the late
evangelist Billy Graham, has come up
against some fierce opposition as he
attempts to organize a gospel crusade in
the northern British town of Blackpool.
As a result of increasing pressure from
LGBT groups, the local governing
authorities have decided to remove
promotions for the event, which were placed
on the side of the town's buses.
"Blackpool Transport has recently been
made aware of an advertisement in place on
the side of some of our double-decker
buses," said a spokesperson for the
company, according to the Blackpool
Gazette. "In light of customer feedback and
reactions on social media which has
resulted in heightened tension, we have
taken the decision to remove all adverts
relating to the 'Time for Hope' Festival with
immediate effect. We will reimburse any
income back to the advertising company."
"We work with multiple advertisers and
third-parties and in no way do we endorse
or support any advertisement which is
placed on our vehicles," the agency added.
Franklin Graham's Lancashire Festival of
Hope is due to take place at the Winter
Gardens Blackpool on Sept. 21-23.
Blackpool is regularly described as one of
the worst towns in Britain and boasts the
lowest life expectancy anywhere in England.
It is known for its grimy "drag" clubs,
spiraling substance dependency and "loan
shark" payday lenders who do nothing but
plunge the town into an ever-deepening
chasm of financial hardship.
According to the Guardian:
"More than half of the local population
smokes, the highest rate in the country.
One in three pregnant women, even up
to the point they go into hospital to give
birth, are still smoking. Alcoholism is
rife, while deaths from drug abuse rival
those of the worst estates in London or
Glasgow."
It is certainly a place that needs the life-
giving message of the Gospel. But due to
the unprecedented action from authorities,
this may not come in the form of a Franklin
Graham outreach event.
Jane Cole, managing director at Blackpool
Transport, further explained the
controversial decision to remove the ads.
"Blackpool Transport is a proud ongoing
supporter of the Pride and LGBT+
communities and in no way did we intend
to cause any distress or upset," she said.
"All buses carrying the advert will remain
off the road until they have been removed."
Graham, who affirms a traditional biblical
view of marriage as being between one man
and one woman, responded to the
controversy in an interview with British
faith news outlet Premier UK.
"I'm not coming to preach hate, I'm here to
preach about a savior, Jesus Christ who
can make a difference in our lives if we put
our faith and trust in Him," Graham stated.
"We're not here to preach against anyone,
we're here to talk about God."
The reverend added that his father, Billy
Graham, also came up against some
staunch opposition when traveling to
preach in the United Kingdom.
"They tried to stop him coming," he
recalled. "He was due off a boat into
Southampton and there were petitions to
stop him coming and members of
parliament speaking against him."
Graham noted that even Jesus himself
"offended many people," before noting that
the Gospel "still offends people today."
evangelist Billy Graham, has come up
against some fierce opposition as he
attempts to organize a gospel crusade in
the northern British town of Blackpool.
As a result of increasing pressure from
LGBT groups, the local governing
authorities have decided to remove
promotions for the event, which were placed
on the side of the town's buses.
"Blackpool Transport has recently been
made aware of an advertisement in place on
the side of some of our double-decker
buses," said a spokesperson for the
company, according to the Blackpool
Gazette. "In light of customer feedback and
reactions on social media which has
resulted in heightened tension, we have
taken the decision to remove all adverts
relating to the 'Time for Hope' Festival with
immediate effect. We will reimburse any
income back to the advertising company."
"We work with multiple advertisers and
third-parties and in no way do we endorse
or support any advertisement which is
placed on our vehicles," the agency added.
Franklin Graham's Lancashire Festival of
Hope is due to take place at the Winter
Gardens Blackpool on Sept. 21-23.
Blackpool is regularly described as one of
the worst towns in Britain and boasts the
lowest life expectancy anywhere in England.
It is known for its grimy "drag" clubs,
spiraling substance dependency and "loan
shark" payday lenders who do nothing but
plunge the town into an ever-deepening
chasm of financial hardship.
According to the Guardian:
"More than half of the local population
smokes, the highest rate in the country.
One in three pregnant women, even up
to the point they go into hospital to give
birth, are still smoking. Alcoholism is
rife, while deaths from drug abuse rival
those of the worst estates in London or
Glasgow."
It is certainly a place that needs the life-
giving message of the Gospel. But due to
the unprecedented action from authorities,
this may not come in the form of a Franklin
Graham outreach event.
Jane Cole, managing director at Blackpool
Transport, further explained the
controversial decision to remove the ads.
"Blackpool Transport is a proud ongoing
supporter of the Pride and LGBT+
communities and in no way did we intend
to cause any distress or upset," she said.
"All buses carrying the advert will remain
off the road until they have been removed."
Graham, who affirms a traditional biblical
view of marriage as being between one man
and one woman, responded to the
controversy in an interview with British
faith news outlet Premier UK.
"I'm not coming to preach hate, I'm here to
preach about a savior, Jesus Christ who
can make a difference in our lives if we put
our faith and trust in Him," Graham stated.
"We're not here to preach against anyone,
we're here to talk about God."
The reverend added that his father, Billy
Graham, also came up against some
staunch opposition when traveling to
preach in the United Kingdom.
"They tried to stop him coming," he
recalled. "He was due off a boat into
Southampton and there were petitions to
stop him coming and members of
parliament speaking against him."
Graham noted that even Jesus himself
"offended many people," before noting that
the Gospel "still offends people today."
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