Trump and the Bible

There is a widely circulated photograph of Donald Trump, President of the United States Of America, holding up the Bible outside a Church, having just tear-gassed peaceful protestors to have the photograph taken! [I am not going to post that picture and even superficially allow it to be misused.]

Wow!

This abuse of Scripture and a Church is everything that was going on in the Temple that day that Jesus turned over the tables.

I am not American, however, when a President of any country uses the Bible in such disgraceful ways I as a minister of a church have every right to speak out.

America, you are a democracy and you have the right to vote in as your President whoever you want. 

However, when you start messing with the relationship between Jesus, the humble selfless loving Lord of the Universe, and then dare to link him with what appears to be a racist tyrant then it needs to be called out.

American church leaders.
Every single one of you.

The Kingdom of God is crying out for you to take a stand today and be tear-gassed by this man rather than endorsing him.

The Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, called out Trump. “I am the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and was not given even a courtesy call, that they would be clearing [the area] with tear gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop... Everything he has said and done is to inflame violence.”

In a written statement, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, head of the Episcopal denomination, accused Trump of using “a church building and the Holy Bible for partisan political purposes.”

I found it remarkable that there are Christians who still strongly support Trump. A large percentage of them said they voted for Trump because he was pro-life.

I have two things to say about that.

1. Any time we vote based on one issue, we are saying nothing else matters. But that it is not true. So don't complain when policies are introduced that you don't like.
2. Pro-Life. Do you seriously believe that Trump is pro-life? It is hypocrisy to say you fight for the baby in the womb but allows police officers to murder a man in the public street, on video for the entire world to see. 

American pastors, the world is listening and watching.
Whatever you think of Christianity it has nothing to do with this photograph. Following Jesus is opposed to everything that this photograph was contrived to do. 

The Bible, that the President is holding up, speaks clearly about the value of every human life on the planet. It declares that every human life was created in the image of God and every one of them is so precious to God that he left heaven and lived on earth and died the most excruciating death at the centre of human injustice and suffering. God did this for the love of humanity.

He then broke through death, was resurrected, ascended to be given headship of the Universe. Jesus' kingdom runs in a radically alternative way to tyrants. He washes feet, he touches lepers, he forgives enemies, he sits with women of no reputation. 

What this means is that black lives don’t just matter. They more than matter. Black lives are precious. God made George Floyd in his image. Jesus died for George Floyd, his life and the justice he deserved.

Mr President… that Bible? Open its pages to the four Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus. Read those revolutionary stories of how the world can be. Then, ask yourself where Jesus is in that video of the inhumane murder of George Floyd. Is Jesus the police? Is Jesus the crowd watching? Or is Jesus George Floyd?

Jesus is certainly not a President holding a Bible outside a church having tear-gassed a peaceful crowd to get to it. Jesus was, it would seem in my reading, tear-gassed for the publicity.

My American brothers and sisters. It is your democratic right to vote in whoever you want to lead you. But when you misuse the name and reputation of Jesus then I will speak out and turn over every table that I see around you.