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Dennis is frustrated. When what is so clear to Dennis is still foggy to others, drives him crazy, and he was going crazy today. First off. He had so much to talk about. Second. He was annoyed with Billy Graham's public forgiveness of President Clinton for his sexual adventures. First. Is Graham saying that Clinton lied? Second. Is it Graham's place to forgive? Doesn't the sinner have to repent first? Prager thinks that America's moral compass is broken. He's said that phrase so many times, he is extra frustrated. DP says that many Americans, such as the most famous Protestant in the world, Bill Graham, forgive too quickly. Graham has known Clinton since he was ten years old and they have a special relationship.
WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - Acknowledging President Bill Clinton has a personality that would make women ``go wild,'' the Rev. Billy Graham said on Thursday he would forgive Clinton if the president were found to have had sex with a former White House intern and then told her to lie about it.
Citing the sex and perjury charges facing the 51-year-old Clinton, Graham, in a candid interview with NBC's ``Today'' show, said: ``I forgive him ... because I know the frailty of human nature, and especially a strong vigorous young man like he is.
``He has such a tremendous personality that I think the ladies just go wild over him.''
Graham, spiritual leader to millions around the world and friend to some U.S. presidents, said the daily pressures faced by presidents may lead some to ``temptation.''
He said history had a way of making some U.S. leaders, in spite of their rumored shortcomings, great presidents.
``I'm sure that many would have shortcomings and it's come out now about certain presidents and things that they did and yet they are considered great presidents,'' he said.
Nonetheless, those who hold the power and clout of the White House should be held to higher moral standards than the average person, Graham said.
``I think that a president should attempt, with God's help, to have a higher moral standard than perhaps the average public has, but we're living in a whole different world today and the pressure on anybody today is difficult.''
``I wouldn't ever want to be president myself. The pressure on a president today is unbelievable.''
Graham, afflicted with Parkinson's disease, saluted first lady Hillary Clinton for standing by her husband in the face of the charges.
The first lady, in two televised interviews, blamed a ``right-wing conspiracy'' trying to bring her husband's presidency down.
``He and Hillary love each other. I respect her and I think she's a marvelous first lady in that she's gone through all this and backed him and supported him,'' Graham said.
``And I think that in itself is a testimony to people everywhere.''
Clinton has repeatedly denied charges he had sex with former intern Monica Lewinsky and then, with the aid of his confidante Vernon Jordan, urged her to lie about it. ^REUTERS@
Prager feels encouraged by the number of Christians who support him. An evangelical Christian phoned to support Prager, and to castigate Pat Robertson for supporting the sparing of murderer Karla Faye Tucker. What is religion's primary purpose? To comfort people or to provide standards. Prager says it is to provide its adherents with the standards to lead a good moral life. DP: "I don' understand that people would have a doctrine, that no matter what you do, you are forgiven. Isn't that a rape of the word forgive? Don't you have to do anything to get forgiveness? Say sorry." DP regards Graham as a moral fool. Graham went to the Soviet Union and said there was no religious persecution there, and that the Soviet citizens should obey the government. DP says people should take their religion more seriously than they do. If someone trespasses against you, you can forgive. But if someone hurs others, that's different.
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