Everything seems to be happening simultaneously (and quite possible for good reason). First, we’re got a continuing coronavirus to contend with. Secondly, we got unprecedented unemployment that’s left many of our citizens without a means to support themselves–and literally, with no food to eat. Thirdly, we got civil demonstrations, peaceful and not, due to the impact of yet, another excessive police enforcement by a white officer upon an already constrained black man resulting in his “spot on” death. And lastly, we have an out-of-control narcissist president who is just itching to call out the US military to override any state governors’ Nation Guards that Trump feels aren’t adequate enough to run roughshod over our protesting citizens.

And just yesterday night, well before the 7 PM curfew, Trump unleashed the police to use tear gas and flash bangs against peaceful protesters demonstrating in front of the White House. Once the area was cleared he had the unmitigated gall to walk across the street and do a photo-op of him clutching a bible in front of a church background. These next two paragraphs were extracted from the New York Times :

Father James Martin, a prominent Jesuit priest and author, said in a statement to NBC News Monday, “Using the Bible as a prop while talking about sending in the military, bragging about how your country is the greatest in the world, and publicly mocking people on a daily basis, is pretty much the opposite of all Jesus stood for.”
He added, “Let me be clear. This is revolting. The Bible is not a prop. A church is not a photo op. Religion is not a political tool. And God is not a plaything.”

Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, said in a statement Monday, “Seeing President Trump stand in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church while holding a Bible in response to calls for racial justice — right after using military force to clear peaceful protesters out of the area – is one of the most flagrant misuses of religion I have ever seen. This only underscores the president’s complete lack of compassion for Black Americans and the lethal consequences of racism.

Trump is indeed a Pharisee and a Pharisee in deed. He might pose as a Christian, but his heart condition is far from the mark. He talks out of the corner of his bigoted, hypocritical mouth. He praised the peaceful protesters while he was in the Rose Garden only to clear them out from in front of the White House moments later (attending priests included), as a show of power and strength (especially to Democratic state governors). Then, he proceeded in a church photo-op, across the street and down some, to try to communicate to the public that he was (somehow) doing the work of and for the Lord by clutching a Bible. Yeah, right! He doesn’t know how the Lord works in order to emulate Him because he’s not church-ed nor does he engage in bible studies.

All the above could work out to our (American) advantage, if it factors in as positives (negatives for Trump) in not electing Trump again. We Americans need to get back to keeping America great (before trying to make America great again), but with our dignity intact-without Trump trying to trample it every time he tweets with his bird-brain mouth.