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

[Pelican Press 0]

The ********** reaction to Trump’s ****** endorsement goes deeper than you think

Former President

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is

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a patriotic copy of the ********** ****** themed to

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’s famous song, “**** Bless the USA.”

“Happy Holy Week!” Trump

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Tuesday, during the most solemn ******* of the ********** calendar, the last week of the Lenten season marking the suffering and ****** of ******. “As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the **** Bless The USA ******.”

The concept of a ****** covered in the ********* 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 ********** nationalism

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

Responses to Trump’s social media announcement called the endorsement “

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,” “

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” and “

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” and 

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 directly from the ****** that suggest taking advantage of people’s ****** for money should be condemned.

“It is a bankrupt Christianity that sees a demagogue co-opting our ****** and even our holy scriptures for the sake of his own pursuit of power and praise him for it rather than insist that we refuse to allow our sacred ****** and scriptures to become a mouthpiece for an empire,” said 

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 on X.

Jason Cornwall, 

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, said on X that Trump’s ****** endorsement was a violation of one of the Ten Commandments of the Hebrew Testament that forbids taking ****’s name in vain.

However, the criticism doesn’t end with whether or not Trump’s endorsement is un-********** or not. In fact, it’s just the beginning.

Historian and author 

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 says the whole project echoes the values of 

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 — the idea that America was founded as a ********** nation and the government should work to sanction Christianity on a national scale. The 

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 are historically tied to prejudice, nativism and white supremacy.

“There’s a very long tradition of what is included and what is not included in the ******,” Tisby told CNN.

“What has caused outrage with this ****** is that it includes the Declaration of Independence, US Constitution, and even the lyrics to a Lee Greenwood song. So it’s adding to the ******, and it’s adding specific political documents to the ****** that completely erase the separation of ******* and state.”

Tisby, who holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, has written about the dangers of ********** nationalism — both for the country and the ********** ******.

“What’s so pernicious about this is it plays on people’s devotion to **** and their love of country, either of which by themselves could be innocuous or even good,” he said.

“But in this effort, it is blending the two. And with Trump as the spokesperson, is conveying a very clear message about what kind of Christianity and what kind of love of nation (he is) promoting.”

Trump takes the oath of office during his presidential inauguration in January 2017. – MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

When Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, 

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 for the BJC Center for ******, Justice and Reconciliation, saw Trump’s ****** endorsement, he said he saw a politician using fears rooted in racism and prejudice to promote a specific ********** ideology.

“When I hear ‘Make America Pray Again,’ I hear ********** nationalist promises that we are going to somehow ‘restore’ Christianity in this country. And if authoritarianism does come to the ******* States, it’s all but guaranteed it will be done in the name of Christianity, which is a very scary thought.”

Graves-Fitzsimmons holds a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City and also works with the group 

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. He says things like the “**** Bless America” ****** overlook the many, many Christians who do not agree with Trump’s politics or the blending of patriotism with ******.

“There is a diversity within ********* Christianity that gets overlooked whenever politics and religion intersect,” he told CNN. “There’s this false notion that most ********* Christians are pushing for 

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, and are anti-LGBTQ, and the 

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. Christians, I would argue, are the ones who are most concerned about the effects of ********** nationalism in this country.”

This version of the ****** has drawn controversy before

The “**** Bless the USA” ****** drew 

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 and publishers when it was published in 2021. It was originally supposed to be published by HarperCollins ********** Publishing, but the company passed on the deal.

HarperCollins 

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 that pushback to the concept was not a factor in their decision. (Eagle-eyed ****** buffs will note this is why the Trump-backed tome uses the King James Version of the text, which is in the public domain. (

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 to the bestselling 

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 translation of the ******.)

Tisby has published three books under Zondervan, the HarperCollins imprint specializing in religious publications. He was among the imprint’s writers who tried to discourage them from publishing the “**** Bless the USA” ****** when the idea was first introduced.

“We did not want to be associated with a publisher who’s going to publish a ****** like this,” he said. “And I think it took on an elevated sense of urgency because we’re not just talking about someone’s book. We’re talking about the sacred text of the ******.”

Singer Lee Greenwood performs during an election night party in 2018 for US Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn in Franklin, Tennessee. – Alex Wong/Getty Images/File

While there are innumerable versions of the ****** — ranging widely in price, theme, and additions like indices, references, maps and graphs — this particular combination of the ****** and a beloved patriotic song is especially potent.

Such a notion doesn’t come as a surprise to 

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, an Anglican vicar in Pflugerville, Texas. Peters served as an enlisted Marine Corps and Army Chaplain and was deployed to Iraq in 2005.

“I am reminded of how we closed every Marine Corps boot camp chapel service with Lee Greenwood’s ‘**** Bless the USA’,” he told CNN. “We’d all sing and cry. The only emotional release in the week.”

He says the range of reactions to something like a patriotic ****** shows just how different ********* Christianity can be, depending on the denomination or community.

“I think the essence of ******** progressive ****** is compassion, so it is mind boggling (to such people) how someone could say they were a ********** and follow a guy who is very much not compassionate.”

For people who view Christianity differently, or who are already unshakeable supporters of Trump, Peters says he doubts this latest incident will do anything to shake their ******.

“I think it will confirm (to them) that their critics are out of touch,” he said. “Why would anyone object to a ******?”

It’s not clear where proceeds from the ******’s sales will go

In addition to the multitude of theological questions it raises, Trump’s endorsement of the “**** Bless the USA” ****** coincides with 

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 that could put the presumptive *********** nominee for president on the line for hundreds of millions of dollars.

The FAQ section of the 

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 clarifies that no proceeds from the sales of the ****** will go towards Trump’s presidential campaign. However, there is no mention of whether any proceeds could be put toward his personal legal troubles.

Trump holds up a ****** outside of St John’s Episcopal ******* in Washington, DC in June 2020. – Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images/FILE

“No, GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign. GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not owned, managed or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC or any of their respective principals or affiliates,” the site reads.

However, it goes on to say Trump’s name, likeness and image are under “paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.” CIC Ventures is 

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 in his 2023 public financial disclosures.

CNN has reached out to EliteSource Pro, the marketing company behind the “**** Bless the USA” ******, for more information.

Trump has been criticized before for his use of the ****** in public settings. In 2020, religious leaders from several ********** denominations 

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 in a “photo-op” in front of an Episcopal ******* near the White House as ******* justice protests raged around the country.

“You just don’t do that, Mr. President,” televangelist and 

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 Pat Robertson said of the incident. “It isn’t cool!”

In 2015, Trump also called the ****** his favorite book, but 

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 to share a favorite verse.

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Donald Trump,********** nationalism,**** Bless the USA,Lee Greenwood,**** Bless America,********* Christianity,text of The Declaration of Independence,********** ******,********** nation,********** calendar,Christianity
#********** #reaction #Trumps #****** #endorsement #deeper

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