Anne Graham Lotz Blames 9-11 On ‘Abandoning God’ (WITH AUDIO)

Anne Graham Lotz during a crusade (image from Lotz' Facebook)
Anne Graham Lotz during a crusade (image from Lotz’ Facebook)

It’s no secret that Franklin Graham has used–or more accurately, abused–the goodwill built up by his father, Billy Graham, to carry water for the far right. But it seemed that his older sister, Anne Graham Lotz–a prominent evangelist in her own right–at least remained closer to her father’s spirit. Sadly, though, Lotz went way off the rails on Thursday. In a rant that sounded like it could have come from her older brother or a veteran religious right activist, she claimed the September 11 attacks happened in part because we’re turning away from God.

Popular religious right talk show host Steve Deace invited Lotz on his show to promote her new book, “The Daniel Prayer.” She was concerned about a wave of “craziness” in this nation, and hoped it would “settle down” at some point. What “craziness”? Well, she was concerned that this country was “shaking its fist in God’s face” and “basically abandoning God as a culture and a nation.” Listen here.

Lotz told Deace “God allows bad things to happen”–like 9-11 and the San Bernardino butchery–as a reminder that “we need him” and “we’re desperate without him.” She believes God is allowing these things to happen in order to bring us to the point of desperation. Hmmm–am I the only one who closed his eyes and imagined Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson’s infamous rant about abortion, gay rights, and liberalism opening the door for the 9-11 attacks? I expected this sort of talk from Graham fils, not his sister.

But then Lotz really went off the deep end. When Deace recalled hearing her say that she believed this country was already under divine judgment, Lotz believed that acceptance of evolution brought this judgment on. Listen here.

She claimed that by accepting evolution, we brought on the judgment mentioned in Romans 1:21-23–which refers to people who “refuses to acknowledge God as God” and trades worship of God for worship of “four-footed creatures and animals.” As she sees it, if you believe in evolution, you’re saying that “there is no God, you’re not accountable to God, you came from nothing.” She thinks that belief in evolution sent this country into a “downward spiral away from God.”

We’ve heard this before. Creationists have actually taken the line that we shouldn’t reject evolution simply on its merits, but because it cuts God out of the picture. Again, I expected this kind of bilge from Graham fils, not his sister.

I had hoped that Lotz would undo the damage that her little brother has done to their father’s legacy. That’s why hearing this screed came as such a disappointment. She may have been thinking she was preaching to the choir, but hopefully she realizes how hurtful this was. Let’s let her know on Facebook and on Twitter.

Darrell is a 30-something graduate of the University of North Carolina who considers himself a journalist of the old school. An attempt to turn him into a member of the religious right in college only succeeded in turning him into the religious right's worst nightmare--a charismatic Christian who is an unapologetic liberal. His desire to stand up for those who have been scared into silence only increased when he survived an abusive three-year marriage. You may know him on Daily Kos as Christian Dem in NC. Follow him on Twitter @DarrellLucus or connect with him on Facebook. Click here to buy Darrell a Mello Yello.