Franklin Graham praises Elon Musk's pro-free speech stance amid possible Twitter purchase
Christian leader said he hopes Twitter begins 'celebrating' free speech 'instead of censoring it'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a recent message shared with his millions of social media followers, Rev. Franklin Graham, CEO and president of Samaritan's Purse as well as CEO and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, revealed his feelings about the possibility that entrepreneur and investor Elon Musk might purchase Twitter.
Graham wrote on his Facebook and Twitter accounts on Thursday evening, "Elon Musk announced [Thursday] that he's raised the funds to purchase Twitter."
"There are people who may disagree with our beliefs and our faith in Jesus Christ, but just like people of other religions, we have a right to share our beliefs even when they may not be popular."
Graham added, "I'm glad to see someone who cares so much about free speech get involved with this platform. He said, ‘Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it.’"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Concluded Graham in his Twitter post, "That's great to hear."
Following that post, Rev. Graham on Friday afternoon shared additional thoughts about the topic — and why it's important to him.
Graham told Fox News Digital, "In 2013, Twitter’s CEO said the company viewed itself as the ‘global town square.’ A lot seems to have changed since then."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FRANKLIN GRAHAM: SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS ‘MOST IMPORTANT ELECTED OFFICIAL’ IN AMERICA TODAY
Rev. Graham added, "Twitter is still one of the most influential platforms in the world, and I’m grateful to be on it to share my faith and values, but it has become a place where people are banned or blocked if they make statements that Twitter doesn’t find acceptable."
"This concerns me as a Christian," continued Rev. Graham. "There are people who may disagree with our beliefs and our faith in Jesus Christ, but just like people of other religions, we have a right to share our beliefs even when they may not be popular."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Franklin Graham (at left); Elon Musk is at right. Said Rev. Franklin Graham to Fox News Digital, "I hope Twitter comes to see the value of free speech … and starts celebrating it instead of censoring it." (Getty Images)
"This is how a public square is supposed to work," Rev. Graham also told Fox News Digital. "It’s a place where ideas and opinions and beliefs should be shared openly and freely."
"I hope Twitter comes to see the value of free speech like this," he said — "and starts celebrating it instead of censoring it."
Musk currently holds a 9.2% stake in Twitter, as FOX Business has reported. The founder and CEO of SpaceX as well as the CEO of Tesla recently questioned whether Twitter rigorously adheres to free speech principles.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In this photo illustration, the Twitter logo is displayed on a smartphone with Elon Musk's official Twitter profile. Billionaire Elon Musk bought 9% of Twitter, an investment of $3 billion. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Twitter on Thursday told FOX Business that it was in receipt of Musk's updated, nonbinding proposal for the company.
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Twitter added that it "is committed to conducting a careful, comprehensive and deliberate review to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the company and all Twitter stockholders."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rev. Graham has expressed his belief in the importance of freedom of expression previously.
Several years ago, after Facebook took down some of his posts from his own account, the evangelical leader shared, "Truth is truth. God made the rules & His Word is truth. The free exchange of ideas is part of our country’s DNA."
Faith in focus for this charitable group
Meanwhile, Rev. Graham's charitable group, Samaritan's Purse, has been busy in Ukraine helping to rescue and care for the many thousands of displaced and needy Ukrainians amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war there — which is now in its 59th day.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Franklin Graham (at right) is shown in April 2022 in one of the medical clinics Samaritan's Purse has set up in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine war. (Samaritan's Purse)
Samaritan's Purse has been operating six medical sites across Ukraine — one emergency field hospital and five clinics, Graham shared recently.
"This may be one of the hardest countries that we have worked in," he previously told Fox News Digital about the crisis.
Samaritan's Purse has provided more than 280 tons of food to churches in Ukraine and Moldova that are helping people in need, Rev. Graham's organization reported.
"It's a big country, the size of Texas. And transportation [alone] is an issue. They have trains, and trucks and so forth, but fuel is a big issue. You can't always get fuel" there.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Teams of doctors and nurses with Samaritan's Purse have treated some 7,000 patients so far, the organization shared with Fox News Digital this weekend.
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The group has also airlifted more than 263 tons of emergency relief supplies to Ukraine on 9 separate airlift missions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Graham noted that his humanitarian group has been working with a network of over 3,200 churches to share medicine and food with the Ukrainian people.
Rev. Graham (at left) is shown praying with a team of volunteers on the ground in Ukraine as they prepare to tend to the urgent needs of those displaced and injured by war. (Samaritan's Purse)
So far, Samaritan's Purse has provided more than 280 tons of food to churches in Ukraine and Moldova that are helping people in need, his organization reported.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rev. Graham recent delivered an Easter sermon from Lyiv, Ukraine, which premiered on Fox News Channel on Sunday, April 17, and is available on Fox Nation.
Lucas Manfredi of FOX Business contributed to this report.