Christianity – the nationalist kind – is making headlines these days.
Donald Trump, who can’t handle criticism or even pointed questions about his unfounded and ill-conceived war against Iran, is picking fights with the Pope. And he’s offended many Christians with a social media post of himself as a Christlike figure with normal-sized hands sending healing light to a wounded soldier.
OK, Trump walked that one back with the nonsensical claim that he was cosplaying a doctor. (If he really had such powers, the poor soldier would be stuck with a gigantic bill, probably payable in Don Jr. and Eric’s cryptocurrency.)
Defense/War Crimes Secretary Pete Hegseth also got some flack after a worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday. (No separation of church and state there.)
He recited what he called a blessing for the war he calls a mission from God, but his words were a lot like those a hit man played by Samuel L. Jackson proclaims just before killing someone in the movie “Pulp Fiction.”
Both Hegseth and Jackson’s character credited Ezekiel 25:17 as the basis of their mini-sermons, although the Old Testament verse is much shorter.
From what I’ve seen of the Bible, it’s full of contradictions and ambiguities that can be used to justify anything.
But its best-known moral principles are inspiring and crystal-clear. And for more than a year, we’ve all seen how the self-proclaimed Christians in the Trump/Project 2025 regime flout them.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus states that the meek, not the aggressors, would inherit the Earth, and the merciful, not the vengeful, would be shown mercy. And when he termed peacemakers “Sons of God,” he surely didn’t mean the kind of peace achieved by wiping out an entire population.
Also in this beloved sermon, Jesus presents what’s now known as the Golden Rule, which is simply about treating others as you want to be treated.
That’s nothing like the creed that Trump and his minions live by: “Do whatever you can to take whatever you want from everyone who has it.”
Of course, not everyone wants the same thing, but neither Christian nationalists nor others want their homes destroyed and loved ones killed in surprise attacks during peace negotiations. Nor does anyone wish masked thugs would sweep them up without due process and pack them into a concentration camp.
Later on, Pharisees plotting against Jesus ask him to name the greatest commandment. He replies with two: Love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.
By no stretch of the imagination is slaughtering innocent people an act of love. Nor is forcing anyone to endure the atrocious conditions of a concentration camp.
Attempting to equate himself or maybe Trump and their regime with his savior, Hegseth lashed out at reporters who question instead of praise the war. “Our press are just like these Pharisees,” he said on Thursday. “The hardened hearts of our press are calibrated only to impugn.”
Jesus, however, seems too soft and too woke for Christian nationalists. So maybe they prefer the stricter and harsher Old Testament, which includes Ezekiel 25:17.
But one of the most widely accepted passages in the Hebrew Bible is the Ten Commandments. Like Jesus’ first directive, these stress devotion to God. More specifically, though, they also forbid adultery, theft and bearing false witness against one’s neighbor, which can mean lying and defrauding as well as slander.
Trump has gleefully committed all of these sins. And the deaths here and abroad that have resulted from his Defense/War Crimes and Homeland “Security” departments’ barbarism are direct violations of the commandment against killing.
Finally, there’s the prohibition from taking God’s name in vain, as Hegseth undoubtedly does when he asserts without evidence that the Almighty is co-signing his and Trump’s war.
About the only bit of the Ten Commandments that Trump and his Project 2025ers seem to embrace is in the last one, which includes women with houses, cattle and other things a man shouldn’t covet if some other guy owns them.
Even the most devout person probably finds it hard to practice these principles at all times. But they’re something to strive for in a civilized society, which is why it’s so disheartening to see them abandoned in the name of God.
Canary note: Opinions expressed in any Op-Ed column appearing on this site are the views of the writer and are not necessarily the opinions of Coal Region Canary.
Want to be a columnist with Coal Region Canary? Contact us at newscanary@gmail.com.
Photo: Canva
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...