The False Christians Who Loved Trump’s Photo Op Stunt

A photo shopped image that confirms Trump is
mutually exclusive of true Christian values.

As a piece in Mother Jones notes, few Congressional Republicans could bring themselves to condemn Donald Trump's tear gassing of peaceful protesters and the roughing up of an Episcopal priest (who was also tear gassed) as Trump used St. John's Episcopal Church for a photo op yielding a photo of Trump holding a bible in front of the historic church.  As the piece notes, only Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) called the stunt for what it was: “I’m against clearing out a peaceful protest for a photo op that treats the Word of God as a political prop”  Even more sickening than Republican political whores has been the reaction of so-called Christians - some of whom seem to have had lobotomies given their inability to see Trump for what he is - who have applauded Trump's crass and brutal stunt.  A piece in The Atlantic looks at Trump's disturbing reality TV like stunt and the modern day Pharisees who continue to rally to his banner.  Trump's supporters care nothing about true Christianity.  Rather their focus is on power, white privilege and special rights for far right Christians, a segment of society that hates almost everyone else.  Here are article highlights:

He wielded the Bible like a foreign object, awkwardly adjusting his grip as though trying to get comfortable. He examined its cover. He held it up over his right shoulder like a crossing guard presenting a stop sign. He did not open it.

Even by the standards of Donald Trump’s religious photo ops, the dissonance was striking. Moments earlier, he had stood in the Rose Garden and threatened to unleash the military on unruly protesters. He used terms such as anarchy and domestic terror, and vowed to “dominate the streets.” To clear the way for his planned post-speech trip to St. John’s Church, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators.

A few hours after the dystopian spectacle, I spoke on the phone with Robert Jeffress, a Dallas megachurch pastor and indefatigable Trump ally. He sounded almost gleeful.

“I thought it was completely appropriate for the president to stand in front of that church,” Jeffress told me. “And by holding up the Bible, he was showing us that it teaches that, yes, God hates racism, it’s despicable—but God also hates lawlessness.”  “So,” he added, “I’m happy.”

In many ways, the president’s stunt last night—with its mix of shallow credal signaling and brutish force—was emblematic of his appeal to the religious right. . . . . .most white conservative Christians don’t want piety from this president; they want power. In Trump, they see a champion who will restore them to their [in their minds] rightful place at the center of American life, while using his terrible swift sword to punish their enemies.

This dynamic was on vivid display throughout the night. Even as cities across the country once again spiraled into chaos, prominent conservative evangelicals cheered Trump’s performance on Twitter.

“I don’t know about you but I’ll take a president with a Bible in his hand in front of a church over far left violent radicals setting a church on fire any day of the week,” wrote David Brody, a news anchor at the Christian Broadcasting Network. . . . .

Ralph Reed, the chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, heaped praise on Trump for his visit: “His presence sent the twin message that our streets and cities do not belong to rioters and domestic terrorists, and that the ultimate answer to what ails our country can be found in the repentance, redemption, and forgiveness of the Christian faith.”

Andrew Whitehead, a sociologist at Clemson University, has argued that Trump’s religious base can best be understood through the lens of Christian nationalism. In his research, Whitehead has found that white Protestants who believe most strongly that Christianity should hold a privileged place in America’s public square are more likely than others to agree with statements such as “We must crack down on troublemakers to save our moral standards and keep law and order” and “Police officers shoot blacks more often because they are more violent than whites.”

Whitehead told me in an interview that Christian nationalism is often not really about theology (and thus can’t be ascribed to all conservative churchgoers): “It’s about identity, enforcing hierarchy, and order.”

That Trump’s religious posturing has little to do with religion has long been a matter of conventional wisdom (see: Corinthians, Two); fewer have grasped the extent to which that’s true of Trump’s “religious” base as well.

After the president’s unannounced visit to St. John’s, Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C., gave an outraged interview to The Washington Post. “Everything he has said and done is to inflame violence … he’s done everything to divide us, and has just used one of the most sacred symbols of the Judeo-Christian tradition,” she said.

But, of course, sacredness has never been a concern of Trump’s. He didn’t open the Bible he was brandishing for the cameras, because he had no use for its text. He didn’t go inside the church he was using as a backdrop, because he had no interest in a sermon.

To Trump, the Bible and the church are not symbols of faith; they are weapons of culture war. And to many of his Christian supporters watching at home, the pandering wasn’t an act of inauthenticity; it was a sign of allegiance—and shared dominance.

Just as Trump is a disgusting, immoral individual, so too are the falsely pious "Christians" who continue to blindly support him. They are NOT decent, moral people no matter how much they parade around wearing false piety and talking about god and prayers. 

400 Year Anniversay of City of Hampton, Virginia

This weekend the City of Hampton celebrates it's 400th Anniversary. Wikipedia describes Hampton in part as follows:

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Hampton traces its history to [July 9,] 1610. The city's Old Point Comfort, home of Fort Monroe for almost 200 years, was named by the voyagers of 1607 led by Captain Christopher Newport on the mission which first established Jamestown as a British colony. Since 1952, Hampton has included the former Elizabeth City County and the incorporated town of Phoebus, consolidating by mutual agreement.

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After the end of the American Civil War, historic Hampton University was established here, providing an education for many of the newly freed former slaves. In the 20th century, the area became the location of Langley Air Force Base, NASA Langley Research Center, and the Virginia Air and Space Center. Hampton features many miles of waterfront and beaches.
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The photos above are of St. John's Episcopal Church, the oldest Anglican parish in the United States (the "new" church in the photos dates from the early 1700's and is actually the fourth church buiding), and a view down Queen's Way in the old downtown area of Hampton. Several restaurants that the boyfriend and I frequent are located on this stretch of Queen's Way.

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With all of the history in this area, I have always thought if marketed correctly, Hampton could be a great LGBT travel destination. Nearby Williamsburg has a number of gay and gay friendly B&B's. The Air & Space Museum is a draw in and of itself. The Mariner's Museum in Newport News is also pretty amazing.

Hampton History Museum Soiree

This evening the boyfriend and I are hosting a fundraiser/soiree for the Hampton History Museum at our house. We are basically only providing the venue with everything else - iincluding catering - provided. Not that the event doesn't entail a lot of work. If the boyfriend, a/k/a "Martha Stewart" is going to do something, it must be perfect. In this case, the house and yard must look utterly immaculate with nothing out of place. Thus, we spent about six hours today cutting the grass, edging, dead heading roses - in short the works - to make sure the place looks its best (hence why I have not done many posts today). He even closed the flood gate on the tidal creek behind the house to keep the creek at high tide level for the maximum view in the back yard.

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It is a worthy cause and, in fact, Hampton is the oldest continuously settled English community in the United States. As an Indian village called Kecoughtan, it had been visited by the first English colonists before they sailed up the James River to settle in Jamestown. In 1610 the construction of Fort Henry and Fort Charles at the mouth of Hampton Creek marked the beginnings of Hampton, and 2010 will be the 400 anniversary of the city's founding. There is a great deal of history in the city that is often overlooked and some magnificent homes that still survive in various historic neighborhoods such as Old Wythe where we live. The photo above is of a home up the street from us as it looked in 1916. The house is still there and the gorgeous porches have just been lovingly restored.

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Here are a few other interesting facts about my new hometown that are pretty unique: The first free public schools in the United States were founded in Hampton by Benjamin Syms and Thomas Eaton and are commemorated in the Syms-Eaton Museum. Hampton is the site of Hampton University, established in 1868 to educate freed slaves, and Thomas Nelson Community College. St. John's Episcopal parish was founded in 1610, making it the oldest in the country. Fort Monroe - which is being turned over to the City of Hampton by the federal government - dates from 1819. For a long period during the American Civil War the fort was the only Union outpost in the Confederacy. The famous battle between the first ironclad battleships, the Monitor and the Merrimac, was fought just offshore (just offshore from down the street from our home since our street runs along Hampton Roads harbor).

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It should be a fun evening and a good networking opportunity as well. We enjoy entertaining and a number of our LGBT friends will be attending as well - including our friend who rehabbed our house after disrepair and a dubious history, including drug dealing and the making of porno films before the neighbor saw a revival. As they say, if you want first class urban renewal, get the gays to move in. We have about ten gay owned homes on the street.