Brunswick Beacon, 04.04.24
How did you spend Holy Week? Observant Christians spent Holy Thursday humbly serving others, Good Friday solemnly commemorating Christ’s crucifixion, and Easter Sunday rejoicing in the resurrection.
Donald Trump spent Sunday bragging that he’d won two more golf championships at clubs he owns. On Monday, he answered to criminal charges alleging he paid hush money to a porn star so voters wouldn’t learn of his affair before the 2016 election. While sitting in court, Trump shared a social media post blasphemously comparing himself to Jesus. On Tuesday, Trump wished followers “Happy Holy Week!” by hawking “the only Bible endorsed by President Trump!” It comes pre-desecrated with the “handwritten chorus” to Lee Greenwood’s song, “God Bless the USA.”
Trump’s profits don’t go to his campaign, they go into Trump’s pocket. Bible sales will help Trump pay his $454 million New York fraud judgment and the $83.3 million two juries awarded E. Jean Carroll after she proved Trump sexually assaulted her, then repeatedly defamed her as a liar when she said Trump raped her. “Mr. Trump in fact did ‘rape’ Ms. Carroll,” the trial judge ruled.
“We’ve lost religion in our country,” Trump said, in a video promoting his product. Also lost was any self-awareness of his own breathtaking hypocrisy.
Trump hawking Bibles for profit “during Holy Week like overpriced Trump shoes or steaks has really touched a nerve,” said Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America. “Seeing the indicted would-be dictator sell so-called ‘patriotic’ Bibles does provide a parallel to Holy Week, but it’s not with Jesus,” Empsall added. “Trump is doing his best impression of the corrupt moneychangers who profited by ripping off worshippers.”
Jesus saw moneychangers in the Temple and cast them out, saying: “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.” When Trump sees moneychangers, the heretic in him says: “Fellas, have I got a deal for you!”
Vince Amoroso
Sunset Beach