Franklin Graham Pulls Accounts From Wells Fargo Over Ad With Gay Couple

Franklin Graham before an interview at the Associated Press office on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)
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It seems Rev. Franklin Graham is not happy with Wells Fargo’s April ad featuring a lesbian couple.

The evangelist preacher announced on Friday that he would pull all of the accounts for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association from Wells Fargo in order to “fight the tide of moral decay that is being crammed down our throats by big business, the media, and the gay & lesbian community.”

Graham lamented in a Facebook post that many businesses, including Tiffany & Co., have used same-sex couples in their ads.

“And guess what—we don’t have to shop at Tiffany & Co., there are plenty of other jewelry stores. This is one way we as Christians can speak out—we have the power of choice,” he wrote. “Let’s just stop doing business with those who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards.”

A spokesperson for Wells Fargo responded to Graham’s announcement on Monday and reiterated the bank’s commitment to serving gays and lesbians.

“At Wells Fargo, serving every customer is core to our vision and values,” Christina Kolbjornsen told the Charlotte Observer. “Diversity and inclusion are foundational to who we are as a company. Our advertising content reflects our company’s values and represents the diversity of the communities we serve.”

Graham told the Charlotte Observer that he would not boycott businesses that serve gays and lesbians.

“There’s lots of businesses out there that do business with gay people,” he said. “That’s fine.”

He explained that he doesn’t believe Christians should give money to companies “that use shareholders’ advertising dollars to promote homosexuality.”

“A bank should be promoting the best interest rates they’re going to give me and what they can do for me as a business. But they should not be trying to get into a moral debate and take sides,” Graham told the Charlotte Observer.

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