The Christian reaction to Trump's Bible endorsement goes deeper than you think

[spanone]

CNN

“Happy Holy Week!” Trump announced on social media Tuesday, during the most solemn period of the Christian calendar, the last week of the Lenten season marking the suffering and death of Jesus. “As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible.”

The concept of a Bible covered in the American flag, as well as a former president’s endorsement of a text Christians consider to be sacred, has raised concern among religious circles. It’s also raised questions about Trump’s motivations, as the former president finds himself in the middle of several expensive legal battles.

‘Sacrilege,’ theology, and the shadow of Christian nationalism

The $59.99 Bible, which was first published in 2021, features an American flag and the words “God Bless the USA” printed on the cover. Inside, it has the words to “God Bless the USA” and the text of The Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and other historic American documents. Promotional material for the Bible shows the former president alongside country singer Lee Greenwood.

Responses to Trump’s social media announcement called the endorsement “sacrilege,” “heresy” and “borderline offensive” and cite lessons directly from the Bible that suggest taking advantage of people’s faith for money should be condemned.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/28/us/donald-trump-bible-christianity-cec/index.html

[BOSSHOG]

1. "Borderline Offensive?"

That’s hilarious. And yet they love their tax exempt status. They’ll deal with the outrage.

[Deuxcents]

2. Yes, "Borderline offensive " stood out to me, too, and I'm not religious

It’s offensive to me as I am a believer in separation of church and state. We have a diverse country with many religions and traditions and those of us who have the freedom from religion. Adding the flag, constitution copies and other documents and then hawking them for profit is beyond borderline offensive to me.

[catrose]

15. Not borderline

[Captain Zero]

17. This guy can't name a favorite bible verse when asked.

He says the whole thing is pretty good and also drops in that he wrote a book titled 'the Art of the Deal'.

The ghost writer of that book has told us that there are only two things you need to know about Donald Trump:

1. He knows NOTHING.

2. He does not work.

[Aristus]

24. These guys are, like, obsessed with borders!

[czarjak]

29. A little pregnant Baptist preacher's daughter found a cure back in the day too.

Like a miracle, it disappeared.

[Maeve]

34. Nothing 'borderline" about it

No longer practicing, but still identifying as a follower of Jesus. The first verse that comes to mind is "Jesus wept"

[dalton99a]

3. Not even mildly, only borderline maybe

[Carola]

21. Borderline personality disorder...

in addition to narcissistic personality disorder ?

[marble falls]

25. I know I've read you before.

[Diamond_Dog]

4. I wish these "Christian leaders" would start condemning Trump

But they never seem to be able to go that far. I’ll bet many who find his Bible hawking offensive will still vote for him.

[Swede]

5. Little Marco Rubio must have a quote for this situation.

nt

[catbyte]

6. He's always so oddly inappropriate. Didn't he say "Happy Memorial Day!" or something

like that? He just never got faking actual human emotions down. What a sleaze.

[OMGWTF]

7. It's a way for Talibangelical churches to donate

$ to Trump indirectly. Money laundering.

TAX THE CHURCHES!

[H2O Man]

8. Recommended.

To quote my late brother, "Jesus would puke if he could see this."

[SergeStorms]

9. "Taking advantage of people's faith...

for money should be condemned."

The pastors of these huge evangelical churches are ripping their parishoners off to the tune of millions of dollars every year, but none of them bat an eye about that.

These people don't realize, or don't want to realize, that their "churches" are cash cows for all types of hucksters.

Now they can add Trump's name to that long list.

[The Roux Comes First]

11. Of Course That Has Been the Roman Catholic Charter From the Start

Steal from the poor to enrich the already obscenely wealthy.

These folks are just late to the trough.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

10. Happy Holy Week isn't a thing

We've come through Maundy Thursday's feet washing and are headed into Good Friday - the crucifixion. These are not happy days.

[orangecrush]

12. The AntiChrist selling Bibles

Fucking hilarious

[Silent3]

13. Deeper reaction doesn't so much as a WIDER reaction

There have long been Christians, even a few of the evangelical and fundamentalist variety, who've wanted to steer clear of, and warn other Christians about, Christian Nationalism and Trumpism.

I recognize the name of Rev. Benjamin Cremer as among those people.

I'm not a Christian myself, but I have a sister who is a rare happy story of someone who'd been very rabidly part of right-wing Christianity, who voted for Trump, but finally got disgusted with him, and changed her own take on Christianity in the process, now focusing much more on the messages of love and tolerance found in Christianity. Cremer is someone she frequently cites.

Want I want to hear is that this crass Bible scamming by Trump is helping a wider group of Christians see through Trump's malignancy.

[Drum]

14. Hope so...

[shanti]

16. Anecdotal, but

My evangelical Xtian aunt says she's never heard of this Trump bible as she "never watches the news anymore". This coming from huge Faux viewers, so maybe the tide is turning? We can only hope.

[GoodRaisin]

18. Aside from the blasphemy does he not realize that 99.99% of all Christians

already have a bible? Why would they need to pay him $60 for another one? Of all his stupid ideas this one and the shoes are showing he’s really starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel for new schemes to steal money from stupid people. I just don’t understand how even stupid people could want this useless shit he keeps dreaming up let alone vote for him to be the fucking President. He better be careful how far he pushes his fake Christian act, he’s just liable to start pissing these people off and pissing away some votes he can’t afford to lose.

[Midnight Writer]

19. I reckon many evangelical preachers are pissed that Trump is stepping on their grift.

It's one thing to sell tax cuts and pardons.

It's another to sell salvation. That job is filled.

[Skittles]

31. thank you

he is as "christian" as they are, it's all bunch of nonsense to fleece the gullible

[LiberalFighter]

20. If his targets are Christian why are they buying a bible from him if they should already have one?

[Ping Tung]

22. Is Trump expanding his real estate holdings to heaven? And hell?

Cloud side condos with holy water hot tub on terrace overlooking Trump's gold course clubhouse. *Open only to club members who have bought 100 bibles, 20 golden golf shoes, and tickets to Trump's next rally where God is expected to appear.

MAGAs who buy only 8 bibles will be able to purchase a lavish tenement closet populated by cockroaches who didn't buy Golden Shoes.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

23. Biblical irony at its best...

How IRONIC that in the Bible, Jesus throws out the money lenders(makers) from the area of the Temple that is reserved for those to pray to and worship God.

And here we have a godless figure hawking the very words of Christ for profit. That is Blasphemy at its purest.

[thomski64]

26. ..i am expecting the.

..Gemstones endorsement any moment..

[marble falls]

27. His statement, "The Bible is my favorite book, I have a lot of them in my library", was all I would think a Christian ..

... would need to hear to walk a wide berth around Mango Jebus. All those piles of Bibles in his collection are kept right next to his porno rags.

[Maeve]

35. If he has Bibles at Maralardo, he let the Gideons in at some point

He never paid a thin dime for a holy book of any type!

[getagrip_already]

28. I see his campaign committee, pacs, and the rnc buying millions of copies

On paper that never actually get printed or shipped. Electronic copies.

Money straight into his account bypassing controls.

To be given out as thank yous to contributors. All perfectly legal.

[BlueKota]

30. I am a lapsed Catholic

but I still believe in God and Christ. I am not here to explain or defend that belief. I respect atheists right to their belief and hope my beliefs are respected as well.

With that out of the way I will say I am totally offended by Trump's Bible sales for his legal bills. Yes I believe it is blasphemy as is the constant drumbeat from his "Christian" Magat followers that Trump is a messenger from God. It's disgusting that more religious leaders aren't speaking out against this, but that's just one reason why I now reject organized religions.

I was also offended when he held the Bible in June 2020 as a political stunt. My faith tells me I cannot judge his soul because that's God's job, but I can still hope he's far better at holding Trump accountable for his sins than our courts are at holding him accountable for breaking the law.

[walkingman]

32. I wonder if this says more about white evangelicals than it does Trump?

After all, Biden is a devout Christian who attends church regularly and Trump, who seems to be everything a Christian would not be and yet the white evangelical community reject Biden as a voting block.

It is pretty obvious to me this is nothing more than playing to the white evangelical voters base?

I think a lot of it goes back to old tired idea from white evangelicals that catholics are not true Christians. I know growing up in a white evangelical household I heard that many times.

I'm no longer religious - from every indication I have seen in my lifetime it is not my genre of people on so many levels.

[keithbvadu2]

33. Jesus had some thoughts on the Biblical kingdom being separate from the earthly kingdoms.

Now they are being joined?