Trump Bibles make a mockery of Christianity -- and that's exactly why MAGA will eat them up [View all]

Trump Bibles make a mockery of Christianity — and that's exactly why MAGA will eat them up
Faith without morality or theology, much less that "soyboy" Jesus? Sign MAGA Republicans up!

By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 28, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) Earlier this week, Donald Trump unveiled his newest grift to squeeze money out of his cult followers: Trump-branded Bibles. Claiming the book contains the "King James version" and "also includes the Founding Father [sic] documents," Trump promised "you have to have it for your heart, for your soul." The screenshots of the video are funny by themselves, but I highly recommend watching the ad Trump cut for these Bibles. Trump radiates total contempt for Christianity.

This is Trump in his angry-bored mode, letting viewers know with his listless tone and posture that he thinks all this Bible stuff is dumb. The not-at-all subtle message of the video is that Trump doesn't believe any of this faith-in-God crap, but he definitely believes in using Christian identity as a weapon to make money and dominate his foes.

....(snip)....

It's a point I've made many times myself. But it's time to consider the strong possibility that Trump's disdain towards the practice and theological beliefs of Christianity is not a surprise to his followers. It's likely a selling point that Trump's version of "Christianity" is void of faith and morality. His pitch to his followers has a certain appeal: They can have the identity "Christian," and all the power that goes with it, minus the parts they don't like. No boring church services or Bible study. No tedious talk about "compassion" and "grace," which only gets in the way of the gay-bashing and racism. And definitely no need to worry about that Jesus guy, with all his notions about "loving thy neighbor" and "welcoming the stranger."

....(snip)....

Not that it matters, of course. The pages of Trump's "Bible" could all be blank, and there's a good chance no one would ever know it. In the right-wing publishing industry, books are not made to be read. They are to be displayed on your shelves, unopened, so you can glance at them and feel that somewhere, a liberal is "owned." (When I visit right-wing relatives, I open the books on their shelves. I enjoy cracking the spine and getting that new book smell, even off tomes I have to blow an inch of dust off.) The point of a Trump-branded Bible is to use it like their Dear Leader does: As a photo prop, not something to turn to for guidance or wisdom. ...................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2024/03/28/bibles-make-a-mockery-of-christianity--and-thats-exactly-why-maga-will-eat-them-up/