President Barack Obama is pursing an agenda that has "been against Christ and against His teachings," the Rev. Franklin Graham tells
Newsmax TV.
"First of all, the president, when he was growing up, his influences were Islam," Graham said in an interview that aired Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show."
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"His paternal father is Muslim, his stepfather was a Muslim, he went to Muslim school," Graham explained. "His formative years were all guided by the influences of Islam. So his Christian position I don't know."
"All I know is that the policies that he has stood behind as president have been against Christ and against His teachings. Abortion is a sin and if you look at same-sex marriage, this is a sin against God and the president has stood defiantly against God and against His teaching and the teachings of the Scripture."
Graham also didn't see Obama's foreign policy objectives being informed by a Christian worldview.
"I don't know where the president comes from," he said. "I do know that [there is a] persecution in the Middle East today of Christians – [they're] being slaughtered in Syria, they're being slaughtered in Iraq."
"And we look in Iran, this [nuclear] deal that was signed and we did not get our prisoners back, did not get [Pastor] Saeed Abedini… [who is imprisoned] just because of his faith and the Iranians not only have him in jail, he's tortured and repeatedly tortured."
Graham was appalled that Obama would seek friendly ties with an Iranian regime that persecuted an American citizen just for being a Christian.
"I was with [Abedini's wife] today and we were talking to her," he said. "But it is just wicked what this Islamic government of Iran is doing to one of our citizens and it's not just one. We have a former Marine there and these men are subject to all types of abuse and torture, but Saeed Abedini especially because of his faith and they are torturing him for his faith."
"So I just would encourage everyone who's watching to pray for Saeed Abedini and for his protection and for his release and the release of all Americans."