Those who cast Donald Trump as the new Jesus Christ, and draw similarities between the two, need to read their Bibles. This is particularly true for those who insist that Donald Trump being held accountable for his actions is like the crucifixion of Jesus.
This is especially egregious as we are just past Easter 2023, a time when Trump has come out viewing himself as a Jesus-like icon.
Trump was indicted by a grand jury to stand trial, perhaps not so much for paying a porn star $130,000 to keep her quiet about their affair, but for alleged tax evasion in how the payment was booked and deducted from Trump’s income. (Think Al Capone and tax evasion.)
Instead of agreeing to surrender to the court quietly and to be arraigned over Zoom, Trump insisted on being arraigned in a midday, high-profile booking in order to be able to argue that he’s being crucified.
The idea is that, according to Trump, he is happy to face the music so his followers do not need to do so, much like Jesus dying on the cross so others may be redeemed. Of course, Trump is not Jesus come-again, and followers of Jesus are not known for falsifying business records and attempting tax evasion.
Trump is doing all he can to stir up emotional support for himself by repeating how he is absorbing pain — from the corrupt government, Democrats, liberals, those who oppose him, and the crooked legal system. That’s a powerful message for those Christians unfamiliar with the point of Exodus 32 and the results of worshiping a golden bull.
This line of thinking has become so ridiculous that Trump himself quoted a right-wing talk radio host who compared Trump to the “second coming of God.” For real Christians, nothing is more blasphemous than calling Donald Trump the son of God.
Here is one reason why. Jesus was thought to be more than just a good man. Donald Trump is well known as a swindling, profane, materialistic, alleged tax-cheating, self-styled playboy, who publicly boasts of grabbing women by their genitals.
One represents all that is good and died on a cross for humanity.
The other represents all that is bad and does nothing that is not good for himself.
Donald Trump survives primarily due to his appeal to followers of Christian nationalist elements, prosperity gospelers who promise wealth in exchange for donations, those who believe that America’s laws should be founded explicitly on biblical ones, and charismatic outliers — one of whom even claimed to have raised an insect from the dead. And Trump appeals to others who are being misled or are simply not paying attention.
Yet, Christians should know better. The New Testament is riddled with lessons taught by Jesus.
In Matthew 7:15–20, the well-known Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns of false prophets: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, there is a clear admonishment to reject those who are fake Christian leaders: “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
In Jeremiah 23:16 there is a warning from God: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.”
This is fundamental to the Christian faith. In fact, the Bible speaks more than 100 times warning of false prophets and prohibiting worship of false gods.
Politics:Here are the candidates running for local offices in Franklin County’s 2023 primary
Trump is not the first president to compare himself to Jesus. That honor goes to President Andrew Johnson, before the 1866 midterms. Johnson wanted to lead his white supremacist supporters to victory to overturn Reconstruction.
Robert Jeffress, the head of First Baptist Dallas and its 14,000 members, has argued that supporting Trump “is not a battle between Republicans and Democrats. It’s a battle between good and evil, light and darkness, righteousness and unrighteousness … . This is the last chance we have, I’m convinced, as a country to turn this country around.”
Accordingly, Trump is tapping into the feelings of Jeffress and others. Trump does this by creating an image of an evil deep state and painting himself as its victim. Trump is a savior, a man of flesh, who would fight the holy war.
Jeffress says that people do not care about the personality or evil deeds executed by Trump on others. What they want is to win the fight against perceived enemies. So much for the teachings of Jesus regarding God’s generosity, forgiveness, love and justice.
The result is that Trump followers attend rallies as though they are religious revivals, interpret Trump’s speeches as God’s word, wear MAGA hats like ashes on their foreheads, tithe to Trump instead of those in need, and bow down at the altar of false prophet Trump, who promises to deliver America from its transgressions.
Matthew 4: 1-11 describes how Jesus was tempted by being offered everything any person might want. Jesus turned it down, because the deal required bowing down to evil.
Are we to do no less?
Bill Gindlesperger is a central Pennsylvanian, Dickinson College graduate, Pennsylvania System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Governor, Shippensburg University Trustee, and Chairman of eLynxx Solutions. The firm provides enterprise-level cloud-software for communicating, specifying, approving, procuring, producing, reporting and activities necessary to obtaining direct mail, packaging, promo, marketing and all other printing. He is a board member, campaign advisor, successful entrepreneur, published author and commentator. He can be reached at [email protected].
