The Billy Graham Rule Goes to Court

[redleghunter]

The Billy Graham Rule Goes to Court

Aformer North Carolina sheriff’s deputy may be the first to file a lawsuit alleging he faced discrimination for his commitment to the “Billy Graham Rule.”

Manuel Torres, 51, claims in a federal lawsuit that he requested a “religious accommodation” from the Lee County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office, where he was employed from 2012 to 2017, after he was ordered to train a female deputy. The training included “the requirement that he spend significant periods of time alone in his patrol car with the female officer trainee.”

A deacon at East Sanford Baptist Church in Sanford, North Carolina, Torres “holds the strong and sincere religious belief that the Holy Bible prohibits him, a married man, from being alone for extended periods of time with a female who is not his wife,” according to the lawsuit filed July 31 in US district court.

The practice of not being alone with a member of the opposite sex other than one’s spouse is called the Billy Graham Rulein honor of the late evangelist, who adopted the policy early in his ministry to avoid temptation and accusations of sexual immorality. While some say the practice demonstrates integrity and protects marriages, others claim it can be discriminatory.

According to Torres’s lawsuit, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office allegedly vacillated between granting and denying the requested accommodation for weeks before terminating Torres “without an explanation.” Torres also claims a colleague “failed to respond” to his call for backup at a “multi-vehicle accident in an unsafe area” because of the requested accommodation.

Howard Friedman, a University of Toledo law professor who blogs about religious liberty at Religion Clause, said he is unaware of any other court cases involving the Billy Graham Rule but noted Torres’s lawsuit “is part of the growing number of cases in which religious freedom clashes with non-discrimination norms.”

More at link: The Billy Graham Rule Goes to Court

 

[JohnAshton]

Praise to the Billy Graham Rule.

 

[Jonaitis]

The "Billy Graham rule" continues to keep me single.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

If it's not in the Bible, the rule does not exist. I am sure there are plenty of Christian men who did not think their female police partners were a temptation for them. If the officer struggles with this particular issue (of sexual temptation), he should have requested a transfer silently for other reasons, or he should have prayed about it.

 

[JohnAshton]

The officer had every right to ask for an exception and explain why.

 

[brinny]

The Billy Graham Rule is very wise. It can be the very thing that protects men from false accusations, etc.

Praying for Manuel Torres.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I understand that there are sometimes when we should not be alone with the opposite sex. I am all for avoiding temptation. If one struggles with this, they should be all means avoid such a thing. But there is no Billy Graham rule. There are only the rules of God within His Word.

 

[JohnAshton]

Of course there is a Billy Graham Rule. It's been around since the 1940s, and it is a great Rule.

I doubt that God disapproves of it.

 

[tall73]

Of course there is a Billy Graham Rule. It's been around since the 1940s, and it is a great Rule.

I doubt that God disapproves of it.

I think the rule can be good, and usually follow it myself. But Jesus does not appear to have followed it when speaking to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, for instance.

 

[JohnAshton]

Fallacy of false equivalency: you/me and Jesus

 

[bèlla]

It sounds like he’s in the wrong line of work if he can’t be alone with the opposite sex. Billy was free to make the rule since he was self-employed. This police officer isn’t.

 

[JohnAshton]

Women have the right to follow the rule as well.

 

[Aussie Pete]

The Billy Graham Rule Goes to Court

Aformer North Carolina sheriff’s deputy may be the first to file a lawsuit alleging he faced discrimination for his commitment to the “Billy Graham Rule.”

Manuel Torres, 51, claims in a federal lawsuit that he requested a “religious accommodation” from the Lee County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office, where he was employed from 2012 to 2017, after he was ordered to train a female deputy. The training included “the requirement that he spend significant periods of time alone in his patrol car with the female officer trainee.”

A deacon at East Sanford Baptist Church in Sanford, North Carolina, Torres “holds the strong and sincere religious belief that the Holy Bible prohibits him, a married man, from being alone for extended periods of time with a female who is not his wife,” according to the lawsuit filed July 31 in US district court.

The practice of not being alone with a member of the opposite sex other than one’s spouse is called the Billy Graham Rulein honor of the late evangelist, who adopted the policy early in his ministry to avoid temptation and accusations of sexual immorality. While some say the practice demonstrates integrity and protects marriages, others claim it can be discriminatory.

According to Torres’s lawsuit, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office allegedly vacillated between granting and denying the requested accommodation for weeks before terminating Torres “without an explanation.” Torres also claims a colleague “failed to respond” to his call for backup at a “multi-vehicle accident in an unsafe area” because of the requested accommodation.

Howard Friedman, a University of Toledo law professor who blogs about religious liberty at Religion Clause, said he is unaware of any other court cases involving the Billy Graham Rule but noted Torres’s lawsuit “is part of the growing number of cases in which religious freedom clashes with non-discrimination norms.”

More at link: The Billy Graham Rule Goes to Court

It's a shame that every pastor does not adopt this rule. It might reduce the rate of adultery that is such a blight on the church.

 

[Paidiske]

If he wanted a religious accommodation, he'd probably need to demonstrate that it is a requirement of his religion, and not just a personal preference which some people consider wise. I think he'd be likely to have a hard time establishing that.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect employers to ensure their employees are never alone with a person of the opposite sex. It'd be basically unworkable in our society.

 

[JIMINZ]

I understand that there are sometimes when we should not be alone with the opposite sex. I am all for avoiding temptation. If one struggles with this, they should be all means avoid such a thing. But there is no Billy Graham rule. There are only the rules of God within His Word.

I believe the verse below could be the Genesis of the Billy Graham Rule.

1 Th. 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.

How many times in the last 5 years have men been accused of impropriety, it has become a part of our culture.

If I am not mistaken Mike Pence adheres to this Rule as well, as much as it is possible for him to do so.

It isn't because a man any man has a propensity towards any such imagined Lascivious action, and for someone anyone think first of all that, that is the reason, then they have their mind in the place which brought about Billy Graham to do such a thing in the first place, with those kinds of attitudes out there, it would only be a matter of time before someone would make an accusation, and guess what, Billy Grahams Ministry would have been OVER.

In American Law, a person is assumed to be Innocent until Proven Guilty, but in the Court of Public opinion, it only takes an accusation to destroy a Carrier.

 

[jamesbond007]

The way I see it, he was fired for refusing to train his deputy because she was a woman. The officer can't have special accommodations made because his trainee is a woman. He can't discriminate against a partner because it's a woman either. The Billy Graham rule doesn't fit the workplace. If one can't control their sexual feelings, then they should not be in the line of work where they may have to team with the opposite sex. It may not be opposite sex either. What about gays in the military? Catholic priests and altar boys? The Billy Graham rule is probably for male Protestant leaders and women relating to church. I don't think it applies to on-the-job and addresses other sexual attractions.

 

[Shrewd Manager]

Maybe she sent him a Jezebel letter. Time to call in Jehu?

 

[JohnAshton]

Time to use the Graham Rule without telling people you are using the Graham Rule.

Part of this is happening because of "me too", its darker side.

 

[tall73]

Fallacy of false equivalency: you/me and Jesus

Indeed, we are not Jesus. But your statement was that God would approve. So it is worthwhile to look up examples in the Scripture. Another would be Elijah. He lived with a widow "many days" at God's command. That would seem to leave open the possibility of bad optics.

I Kings 17:8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”


12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a a]">[a]jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”


13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”


15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.


As I said, I usually follow the rule myself, and think it is helpful for avoiding the appearance of evil, the possibility of false accusations, temptation, etc. However, there is a difference between me thinking something might be wise, and extending it to a religious principle.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I believe the verse below could be the Genesis of the Billy Graham Rule.

1 Th. 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.

How many times in the last 5 years have men been accused of impropriety, it has become a part of our culture.

If I am not mistaken Mike Pence adheres to this Rule as well, as much as it is possible for him to do so.

It isn't because a man any man has a propensity towards any such imagined Lascivious action, and for someone anyone think first of all that, that is the reason, then they have their mind in the place which brought about Billy Graham to do such a thing in the first place, with those kinds of attitudes out there, it would only be a matter of time before someone would make an accusation, and guess what, Billy Grahams Ministry would have been OVER.

In American Law, a person is assumed to be Innocent until Proven Guilty, but in the Court of Public opinion, it only takes an accusation to destroy a Carrier.

Professionals on the job together like say police officers partnered together to do a job, or a lawyer and her client, or tax person helping their customer are not unusual inappropriate scenarios of where it looks bad. Jesus was alone with the woman at the well in John 4. We are told to follow Christ's example in Scripture. Granted, I think there are some situations where it is inappropriate for men and women to be alone together whereby it can make a spouse jealous whereby they will start asking questions. That would be different. Going over a person's house should not be acceptable unless it was some kind of medical profession involved where the other person needs medical help. But to just go over another person's house or to see them hanging around the park that is not really a part of their job and they appear to be friendly with each other is not correct.