Billy Graham, Porn Watcher

Billy Graham, Porn Watcher

That’s right, the evangelist's crusade against depravity took him straight to New York City porn parlors. It looks like he studied their products closely.

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

As Billy Graham approaches his ninety-
fifth birthday, heterosexual Christians around the globe prepare to toast his never-ending crusade against sexual deviation. Although Billy has brought his ministry to the spiritually needy everywhere, it wasn’t until he visited a New York City porn shop in the summer of 1969 that he fully realized how far America had descended into sin and depravity.

As he subsequently told Time: “One day, I put on dark glasses and a hat and pasted on long sideburns, and I went to some of these stores in New York. I had thought Sweden was bad, but Sweden hasn’t gone near to the depths of various sex deviations and obsessions that we have….there are sections of this country that have sunk as low as anything in history.”

This statement is curiously at odds with the photograph, taken at the time of his visit, and raises several questions. Why did he say he was in disguise when he wasn’t? Had he been in disguise on previous trips to such establishments? And how did he know these porno shops were worse than Sweden’s? Furthermore, what exactly was the hand in his pocket doing?

The seedy Times Square of old is largely gone, but Rick Perlstein found some reminders of its sordid past.

Support independent journalism that exposes oligarchs and profiteers


Donald Trump’s cruel and chaotic second term is just getting started. In his first month back in office, Trump and his lackey Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) have proven that nothing is safe from sacrifice at the altar of unchecked power and riches.

Only robust independent journalism can cut through the noise and offer clear-eyed reporting and analysis based on principle and conscience. That’s what The Nation has done for 160 years and that’s what we’re doing now.

Our independent journalism doesn’t allow injustice to go unnoticed or unchallenged—nor will we abandon hope for a better world. Our writers, editors, and fact-checkers are working relentlessly to keep you informed and empowered when so much of the media fails to do so out of credulity, fear, or fealty.

The Nation has seen unprecedented times before. We draw strength and guidance from our history of principled progressive journalism in times of crisis, and we are committed to continuing this legacy today.

We’re aiming to raise $25,000 during our Spring Fundraising Campaign to ensure that we have the resources to expose the oligarchs and profiteers attempting to loot our republic. Stand for bold independent journalism and donate to support The Nation today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel

Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

Ad Policy
x