Evangelist Graham Seeks to Convert Sudan's Muslim President

Franklin Graham met with Sudan's Muslim president Omar Hassan al-Bashir this week and confirmed his aim of converting the leader whom many say is behind the Darfur genocide.

The meeting on Monday night was the second time the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham had met with the Sudanese president.

Graham, who affirmed that he still believes Islam is an "evil and wicked" religion, continued his effort to evangelize Bashir, according to The Washington Post.

"I would like to convert every person I meet," Graham said, according to the newspaper. "I don't want to force them. It's through persuasion."

The two had first met in December 2003 when Graham told the Sudanese president that he wanted to lead him to Christ. Bashir had responded that he wanted to make Graham a Muslim.

Proselytizing by both parties continued on Monday and religious differences remained strong. However, Graham had a softer opinion of Bashir and the Darfur situation following the meeting.

Graham said that he thinks Bashir should receive credit for signing the peace agreement with rebels in the south in 2005. He also called for more engagement between the international community and Khartoum rather than stronger measures urged by many world leaders and human rights groups.

"I'm not a politician, but I think our government does need to recognize some steps he's taken and reward this government in some way to show them we appreciate what they have done," said Graham, according to The Washington Post. "I think we can do more when we're engaged."

Ongoing violence in Darfur, which many call a genocide, has killed over 200,000 people and forced more than 2.5 million people from their homes over the past three years. The Khartoum government, mainly composed of Arabic Muslims, is accused of supporting the Janjaweed militia responsible for the widespread atrocities against African civilians in Darfur.

Although Graham took a softer stance on Darfur than many leaders, the evangelist said he did press Bashir to resolve the conflict in Darfur.

The main focus of the evening though was religious freedom.

Graham spoke to Bashir on behalf of Christians living in north Sudan who say they cannot build churches or buy television slots for religious programming in the north.

Sudan is currently split between a northern state ruled by Islamic law and a southern, semiautonomous secular state.

Bashir reportedly promised to allow Christians to build churches and to consider Graham's other requests, including his $15 million plan to rebuild more than 600 churches in south Sudan destroyed by government militants during the war.

The evangelist's meeting with Bashir was one of the last stops during a regional tour of his group's projects in Kenya, Uganda and Sudan.

Graham, who is also the president of the international Christian relief group Samaritan's Purse, was accompanied by former Senate majority leader Bill Frist during his regional tour. However, Bashir had refused to receive Frist during Monday's meeting, most likely because of his outspoken criticism of the government.

The Samaritan's Purse president is on his way back to the United States after finishing his regional tour from Feb. 4-13.