Donald Trump may not know that Second Corinthians is not called Two Corinthians and I don’t know where Christianity endorses sexual assault, mocking the disabled or racism but on Fox News, Trump is almost as Christian as Jesus, himself.
On Monday, Fox & Friends host Abby Huntsman conducted a softball interview with Trump’s “spiritual advisor,” Paula White, also the Chair of his Evangelical Advisory Board. After working in a clip of Donald and Melania Trump getting a standing ovation at Christmas Midnight Mass, Huntsman asked, “How special was that moment with them walking in as being president-elect now?”
“Absolutely special," White replied. "What so many people might not recognize is that’s very normal for President-elect Trump and for his family to attend Church every Christmas. Christianity is such a large part, his faith is such a large part of his life.”
Of course, Huntsman didn’t ask why, then, Trump didn’t know about Corinthians. Nor how a supposedly devout Christian could behave as he does. Nor did she ask why the New York church Trump claimed to be a member of said he was not an active member.
Nor did Huntsman tell the viewers this little nugget of White’s history that indicates she may be soul mates with Trump in a less Christian way. From CNN:
White was part of 2007 Senate investigation into abuses of nonprofit status by several megachurch pastors and televangelists. The investigation ended in 2011 with no penalties or findings of wrongdoing.
Instead, Huntsman egged on White to tell us more about Trump’s spirituality. “You have known him for 15 years. Talk to us about how you both met,” Huntsman said.
WHITE: I received a phone call almost 15 years ago, and he was watching Christian television, and he repeated back to me literally, verbatim, three of my sermons on Value Vision, and we started talking about God and … how he was confirmed as a Presbyterian … The relationship grew over the years, and I’ve had the wonderful privilege of just not only being a friend, but a spiritual advisor and praying over him, his family, his staff … It’s been amazing to watch him just walk out his faith … I’ve had the wonderful privilege of being up at Trump Tower every single week because in the faith community, President-elect Trump not only embraces his own personal faith, but he’s not giving us just a position, but he’s integrating us with policy with positions with his administration … It just speaks volumes to say he’s a friend to us, and we are a friend to him, and he’s opened up his office and his life and his table and they’re so many people I’ve watched just literally hundreds of pastors pray over him, stand with him, advise him, he’s always taking the calls.”
Huntsman wondered how Trump’s deep faith might “be able to help him heal this nation?”
“He is a unifier,” White assured us, despite so much evidence to the contrary. “We’ve watched the businessman Trump already begin to bring together some of the greatest leaders to fix some of the hardest problems in America, so will he do with his faith … He’s one of the greatest leaders I’ve ever been able to experience.”
Again, Huntsman didn't challenge a word. Instead, she closed by validating White: “Some powerful words. it was great to have you here.”
Watch this claptrap below, from the December 26, 2016 Fox & Friends.
With a small “c” and their having recognised a fellow traveller, they’re spot on.
All hail Emperor Trump.
With all my love,
Uncle Headly
“Well, I think many. I mean, when we get into the Bible, I think many, so many. And some people, look, an eye for an eye, you can almost say that. That’s not a particularly nice thing. But you know, if you look at what’s happening to our country, I mean, when you see what’s going on with our country, how people are taking advantage of us … we have to be firm and have to be very strong. And we can learn a lot from the Bible, that I can tell you.”
But Trump used one of the few Bible quotes that Jesus specifically repudiated.
Jesus even went a step further and essentially said to do the opposite of an “eye for an eye”. “You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other,”. “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away."
How evangelicals voted for this guy I’ll never understand. Just a few short elections ago they couldn’t shut up about “family.Christian values” and their “unwavering core values”.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (The “poor in spirit” reference generally is taken to mean a realization that material things are unimportant; not exactly what you’d expect of someone who wants to put his own name on virtually every single thing.)
Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (Not sure I’ve ever seen Trump mourn anything or anyone.)
Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (Well, this one leaves Trump out in the cold. “Meek” is the last word to describe him.)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (Trump’s “hunger and thirst” seem to be more directed at material possessions and personal reputation.)
Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (Yeah. “Merciful.” From a guy who routinely mocks those suffering physical and mental limitations or restrictions.)
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (“Pure in heart.” A guy who makes sexually offensive comments to and about women?)
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (Bwahahaha!!!!! Hint: A real “peacemaker” wouldn’t threaten to sue everyone for the slightest perceived offense.)
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Well, I’m sure Trump fits right in with the vast swath of “persecuted” that FoxNoise loves to feature—except they’re only being persecuted in their own minds. It never ceases to amaze me how, in one breath, FoxNoise and the “persecuted Christians” can talk about how Christians are a “yuuuuuge majority” but then whine about the persecution they suffer from not being able to use that majority status to trample on other people’s rights.)