EGN NEWS DESK
On this holy weekend, one man is taking the Resurrection personally.
Donald Trump is presenting himself because the Man on the Cross, tortured for our sins. “I take into account it an excellent badge of braveness,” he tells crowds. “I’m being indicted for you.” Instead of Christ-like redemption, he guarantees Lucifer-like retribution if resurrected.
In January, he put up a video on Truth Social about how he’s a messenger from God, “a shepherd to mankind.”
Trump is, because the nuns who taught me used to say, “a daring, brazen piece.” He is a depressing human who cheated on his wives, cheats at golf, cheats at politics, incites violence, targets judges and their households and appeared on, happy, as thugs threatened to hold his really pious vp.
Yet, increasingly more, Trump is wallowing in his Messiah complicated.
Two-Corinthians Trump wouldn’t know the distinction between Old and New Testaments. So he might not understand that, moderately than a sacrificial lamb, he’s the Golden Calf, the false god worshiped by Israelites when Moses went as much as Mount Sinai to get the Ten Commandments.
Just because the Israelites melted their ornaments and jewellery to make the calf, Trump is buying and selling cheesy merchandise for gilt to pay gazillions in obligations. After his $399 golden “Never Surrender High-Top Sneaker,” Trump is promoting a $99 “Victory” cologne for “movers, shakers and historical past makers” with “a crisp opening of citrus blends right into a cedar coronary heart, underpinned by a wealthy base of leather-based and amber, crafting a commanding presence.” A gold bust of Trump tops the bottle. (“Victory” fragrance for ladies is available in a Miss Universe-shape bottle.)
Weaponizing his martyrdom, Trump is promoting $59.99 “God Bless the USA” Bibles adorned with a flag and the refrain of Lee Greenwood’s music handwritten by the singer, plus the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance.
“Happy Holy Week!” he wrote on Truth Social. “Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a replica of the God Bless The USA Bible.”
David Axelrod says that, whilst a secular Jew, he’s offended: “This is a man who has violated 11 of the Ten Commandments.”
Trump posted a promotional video claiming “Christians are underneath siege” and vowing to “defend content material that’s pro-God.” He held up the Bible — recalling the appalling second in 2020 when Ivanka handed him a Bible from her designer bag and he clutched it in entrance of St. John’s Church, reverse the White House, moments after the police tear-gassed protesters and journalists in adjoining Lafayette Square at an illustration about George Floyd’s homicide.
“All Americans want a Bible of their dwelling, and I’ve many,” Trump barked. “It’s my favourite e book.” Maybe the Bible has changed that Hitler e book Trump’s ex-wife mentioned he stored by his mattress. But it’s all a rip-off. Running for president is about enriching himself, simply as when he peddled NFTs, steaks, ties, fits, bathtub towels, vodka, water, workplace chairs, Trump University and mug-shot mugs. He even bought items of the go well with he was carrying when he took the mug shot.
“I wish to have lots of people have it,” Trump mentioned of his Bible. “You need to have it to your coronary heart, to your soul.”
Just what the world wants: a soul cleanse with a grifter Bible, the place the earnings might properly be going to pay authorized prices in trials about breaking commandments — bearing false witness to attempt to steal democracy, coveting a porn star, then paying the star hush cash to maintain quiet in regards to the intercourse.
What may very well be extra Elmer Gantry than that? As Sinclair Lewis wrote about his corrupt, power-hungry, narcissistic, womanizing preacher, “He had, in reality, acquired every little thing from the church and Sunday faculty, besides, maybe, any longing no matter for decency and kindness and cause.”
Religious snake-oil salesmen have a storied historical past in American literature and movies, from Flannery O’Connor’s “Wise Blood” to Peter Bogdanovich’s beloved film “Paper Moon,” a couple of conniving Bible salesman and his small helper. But it’s surprising when the charlatan is perhaps within the Oval.
In her 2016 e book, “The Confidence Game,” Maria Konnikova defined that we’re straightforward prey for fake Nigerian princes due to all of the chaos in our world. “The whirlwind advance of expertise heralds a brand new golden age of the grift,” she wrote. “Cons thrive in occasions of transition and quick change.”
If there may be one factor Trump is aware of the right way to do, it’s exploit chaos he creates.
There must be a craving within the populace that the con man can channel; and, at a time when faith and patriotism are waning, persons are trying to find extra. Unfortunately, today that search usually takes the type of conspiracy theories.
As Donie O’Sullivan reported for CNN, no sooner had the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore than a bunch of loopy conspiracy tales blossomed about terrorism, D.E.I., Obama, Israel and Ukraine.
Declining religion in faith and rising religion in conspiracies create fertile floor for a faker like Trump. If the profane pol is re-elected, we’ll all reap the whirlwind.
