Pastor Irate about "The Trump Bible"
Trump "is playing silly games with the serious, cherished beliefs of millions of Americans."
In case you missed it: Trump, famous for profiting from overpriced cologne, neckties, gold-foil sneakers, a gambling casino and Trump vodka"is now hawking Bibles-- for $59.99![1] I'm irate.
I'm a Bible-believing, retired Southern pastor. Trump's actions anger me in more ways than I can count-- with January 6th counting double-- but now he triggers three concerns with this single act:
1. Denigrating the Holy Bible, making it a mere prop to win votes.
2. Mixing religion with Nationalism in unhealthy ways (this is the "God Bless the USA" Lee Greenwood Donald Trump Bible).
3. Being a total imposter, masquerading as a man of religion who claims "It's my favorite book-- even though his words and action show he's never taken any of it to heart.
Please hear me unfold my lament, remembering that I've spent my entire life studying and honoring the Bible.
1. Trump Desecrates the Holy Bible: Let's be clear: there is nothing wrong with selling Bibles. Many good and genuine Christians run Christian book stores, work for Bible publishers, or even sell them door-to-door. They revere it as "God's Holy Word" and handle it with special care, not as a mere commodity, a piece of produce. That's in sharp contrast to Trump, who has been filmed putting his own autograph on a Bible with a Sharpie, and in 2020 posing for a photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church waving an upside down Bible, and who did not know how to pronounce "Second Corinthians" (which most of us learned in Sunday School as children). [2] It is cynical and tacky for the moneygrubbing, woman-grabbing liar to sell "Truth Social" on the same day he reduced the selling of Bibles to a farce.
2. He mixes religion with Nationalism with no understanding that the early patriots DIED to protect America from being forced to bow to a tyrant's narrow definition of God. [3] When I was pastor, the county sheriff-- later exposed in scandal-- was a member of my church. A few months before Election Day, he'd come every Sunday in his suit 'n tie to be seen in church. He did win re-election each time he played that game, followed with another three years of church absence. But most church-members chuckled behind his back, "Does he really think he's fooling us?!" There's nothing new nor clever in politicians wrapping their (unopened) Bible in the flag and whining that America needs to pray more-- when those close to them never observe any sign of regular prayers or spirituality.
But the rising clamor to make America a "Christian Nation" is more than just hypocrisy. It's a threat to democracy and our founding principle: freedom of religion. History is littered with the victims of religious wars, by people arrogantly insistent that "MY sectarian beliefs are right and YOURS are wrong!" In his $59 Bible ad, Trump, with all the sincerity of a snake oil salesman, just said he wants to "Make America Pray Again." Show me where the Bible states we should MAKE someone pray, or FORCE someone to adopt one version of faith over another? (Funny thing is, the Bible teaches two religions: Judaism and Christianity. And warned against setting up a tyranny-- even a Godly one" read 1st Samuel 8:10-17.) "Christian Nationalism" is an oxymoron. Jesus never used government to impose his Truth (that is, his teachings, not Truth Social propaganda stock!) onto anyone. To the contrary, he chided his disciples for attacking the officials and temple guard who came against Christ; the new faith was not to be forced upon the world. [4]
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