Donald Trump
is an exceptional man in many ways. He
proved that during his swearing in ceremony too. He took the oath placing his palm on two
bibles one of which was presented by his mother and the other was used by none
other than Abraham Lincoln.
I have always
wondered what religion really means to people like Trump whose hearts are awash
with hatred (in addition to greed, lust, and much else). Trump has his own ‘amen corner’ in Paula
White’s place of worship. Ms White is
one of the spiritual advisers of Trump.
In fact, no less than six such religious persons including Ms White prayed
for Trump during his swearing in ceremony.
Two bibles and six preachers. And
a lot of allegations of the sleazy kind behind the backdrop. Trump is indeed an exceptional man.
The religious
people who prayed over him are also exceptional. Paula White uses religion as a commercial
enterprise. She is a Prosperity-gospel
preacher. God wants you to be rich: that’s
their basic teaching. She uses religion
to become richer. You become rich and
help us also to become rich by giving us a share of your income in the name of
God. Her religion is quite as simple as
that. “The richer you are, the more God
loves you,” she preaches. God is listening
to her prayers if her wealth is any indication.
No wonder Trump loves her.
Samuel
Rodriguez is another right wing preacher who yokes wealth with his god and was
invited to pray on the occasion of the swearing-in. In addition to his abiding faith in wealth, he
believes that the religious freedom of Christians is under threat in America
and Trump will be the Messiah of the Christians. Interestingly, in his first Presidential
address, Trump proclaimed himself as the leader of the “lost” people. Should we hear it as the “lost sheep” of the
Bible?
Franklin
Graham, son of America’s most renowned evangelist Billy Graham, also blessed
Trump on the swearing-in occasion with his physical presence. Graham Jr sees devils everywhere: in LGBT
people and their supporters, Muslims, “the progressive agenda of Barack Obama
and Hillary Clinton,” and secularism, to name a few. One of his professed goals is to place the
American school education system in the hands of evangelical Christians.
With so much
of religious fervour for company, Trump did well with two bibles beneath his
palm.
The tragedy is
that most people who display their religious fervour so conspicuously end up
creating hells for others. If people are
willing to donate their money in order to make Paula White richer, it’s their
problem and we need not concern ourselves with it. But when those who refuse to make the
donations or accept the hate-filled teachings of these preachers as gospel
truths are labelled as the lost sheep (or “anti-national” as it happens in
India), there is bound to be a problem.
That’s why Trump’s double-bible-swearing is portentous.
Very interesting blog post! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Shon.
DeleteWell written satirical post...
ReplyDeleteSatire is surging in my veins these days
DeleteAbsolutely correct Sir. Let's see now what happens to the U.S. (and the world as well) during the next four years of his presidentship.
ReplyDeleteThe funniest thing is that Trump himself is a product of a lot miscegenation. The height of irony is that such a man is fighting immigration! Yes, let's wait and watch. After all, America controls the world to a great extent even today.
Delete