I need to write about the Trump Bible. It’s in the news again because Oklahoma’s top education official has designed a corrupt process to buy them. Instead of buying regular Bibles for classrooms - already a waste of education funds and I say that as a Christian - he’s designed the bidding process so only the Trump Bible qualifies (Update 10/9: the tender process has been ammended so other bibles can also qualify). This was a blantant attempt to use state money to enrich one man, also known as corruption.

According to the same article Trump has already made over $300,000 from sales of the Bible by licensing his name. Jesus has some strong words for people looking to profit unethically from the worship of the Lord.

Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” – Mark 11:15-17 (NIV)

John’s account has Jesus making a whip and yelling at them!

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” – John 2:13-17 (NIV)

The problem I have with this is that the constitution, country music songs and the Bible don’t belong together in one book. The government documents are all about “the people”. It includes language about the state being separate from the church. The Bible is the story of God and his kingdom, whose king is Jesus. How he created all things, sustains all things and is reconciling all things to himself through the cross (Colossians 1:15-20).

Don’t believe me? I’ll let this guy explain it:

@gamfamusic

Music

Some choice quotes:

It’s disgusting. It’s blasphemous. It’s a ploy.

If you glory in that kind of mess, political mess, you do not know what the word of God says.

Amen, brother.