‘God Does Hear’: Franklin Graham Schools Leftists Who Mocked Prayer After Minneapolis Shooting

Rev. Franklin Graham schooled leftists who criticized people for praying after the horrific school shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Graham shared his statement in a social media post on Friday, telling the mockers that their efforts are powerless to thwart the communication between God and people.

“To the Democratic Mayor of Minneapolis and the other socialist left who have criticized calling for prayer in the aftermath of the tragic school shooting—your words do not change or diminish the power and importance of prayer,” he wrote:

Because someone calls for prayer doesn’t mean that bad things aren’t going to happen or that the emergency is going to disappear, we all know that. But prayer is our opportunity to communicate directly with the God of Heaven and take our petitions to Him. God does see, God does hear, and God can intervene. The Bible says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). What a gift this is. The Bible tells us that Jesus Himself prayed fervently when He was facing death on the cross. In the case of these students who were shot and killed while praying, God can give comfort and peace to the families who have been devastated. The god of this age is Satan—he is the one who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. He is the author of all lies and the turmoil and violence that ensues—like this senseless shooting. The Bible teaches that one day Jesus Christ will return and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. He will wipe away every tear, and peace will come upon this world, because He is the Prince of Peace—He is the embodiment of peace, truth, and righteousness. He will judge those who are alive and those who are dead. Yes, we pray, and I will continue to encourage people to pray. Satan would like nothing better than to thwart the most vital tool God has given us—prayer. Mayor Frey, I hope that you will come to know the price that was paid for your sins and that you will understand the value of prayer in your own life.

On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) fell in line with other Democrats to mock prayer in the aftermath of the tragedy, stating, “These children were literally praying as they got shot at,” implying prayer does not have any power, according to Breitbart News.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) received blowback after he attacked people of faith for praying in the wake of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, Breitbart News reported. Frey’s comments were similar to Newsom’s; he too pointed out the children were talking to God when the shots rang out.

“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying,” he said.

The Breitbart News article continued:

Frey’s comments drew swift condemnation across social media. Media analyst Scott Jennings wrote on X: “Tragedy struck a Minneapolis Catholic school today & the very first thing Mayor @Jacob_Frey did was attack people of faith for calling for prayer. I couldn’t believe it when I heard it. Whatever your political ideology, there are few moments where prayer is more appropriate.”

…

Radio host Dana Loesch blasted Frey’s timing: “Nothing says idiot politicians like this guy who comes out and promptly attacks and mocks prayer after a tragedy.”

A bishop in Minnesota criticizeded Frey, calling his statements “completely asinine,” per Breitbart News.

Bishop Robert Barron explained, “Catholics don’t think that prayer magically protects them from all suffering. After all, Jesus prayed fervently from the cross on which he was dying.”

The alleged shooter apparently had a deep hatred for Christianity. He also changed from a male name to a female name when he was 17 years old and identified as a female, according to Breitbart News.