Evangelist Franklin Graham, who urged his Facebook followers to boycott gay-friendly companies, has shifted the money from the organization his famous father founded from one LGBT-friendly bank to one that sponsored a Gay Pride festival fundraiser.
Graham said he will move accounts from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association out of Wells Fargo.
“This is one way we as Christians can speak out — we have the power of choice,” he posted on Facebook. “Let’s just stop doing business with those who promote sin and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards. Maybe if enough of us do this, it will get their attention.”
Graham told a conservative radio show that he’s chosen to do business with BB&T bank, which sponsored a Gay Pride festival fundraising reception this year in Miami Beach, the Charlotte Observer reported.
“We’ve done business with them at Samaritan’s Purse for many years. And just a good solid bank that’s very good at banking.” Graham said in an interview on “Washington Watch,” a radio program broadcast by the Family Research Council.
Graham said that the switch will save the BGEA money – $100,000 a year – because of BB&T’s lower service charges. The BGEA has $284 million total assets, according to its 2013 financial statements. Its revenue in 2013 was $116 million.
Graham’s publicist did not return requests for comment on Tuesday.
A gay pride fundraiser was held at a BB&T branch in Miami, where a same-sex couple who had been together for 55 years were married.
“For more than 140 years, BB&T has supported the goals of our clients, friends and neighbors by sharing financial knowledge and guidance,” Arthur Costa, BB&T regional multicultural markets officer, said in announcing the fundraiser.
Banks are listed second (under law firms) in industries that score highest in Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. For instance, national banks like Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup score 100 percent on the index that rates LGBT equality in the workplace.
BB&T ranks at of 80, below Wells Fargo’s score of 100. BB&T received fewer points under the categories of offering partner health/medical insurance, offering transgender-inclusive health insurance and an employer-supported employee resource group.
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