God Bless the USA" Bibles

[Dan Z]

Bibles similar to this have been for sale for years. The Patriot's Bible, for example - I noticed that our local Ollie's is flooded with highly discounted copies.

True - the content doesn’t surprise me - “patriot Bibles” been around for years. What surprises me is how blatant and mainstream this type of idolatry has become - and how many confessing Christians buy into it (and its salesman du jour). This is no longer a fringe perspective. This kind of ideology never ends well for a country or the cause of Christ.

Believe me, I’d like nothing better than to ignore Mr. Trump, like some are arguing…but this type of politicized Christianity ought to raise a red flag for any believer who has studied history - not to mention the teachings of Jesus.

[Josh]

Bibles similar to this have been for sale for years. The Patriot's Bible, for example - I noticed that our local Ollie's is flooded with highly discounted copies.

True - the content doesn’t surprise me - “patriot Bibles” been around for years. What surprises me is how blatant and mainstream this type of idolatry has become - and how many confessing Christians buy into it (and its salesman du jour). This is no longer a fringe perspective. This kind of ideology never ends well for a country or the cause of Christ.

Believe me, I’d like nothing better than to ignore Mr. Trump, like some are arguing…but this type of politicized Christianity ought to raise a red flag for any believer who has studied history - not to mention the teachings of Jesus.

Going back to the topic of the KJV’s opening… hasn’t this been commonplace now since the 1600s?

[Dan Z]

Bibles similar to this have been for sale for years. The Patriot's Bible, for example - I noticed that our local Ollie's is flooded with highly discounted copies.

True - the content doesn’t surprise me - “patriot Bibles” been around for years. What surprises me is how blatant and mainstream this type of idolatry has become - and how many confessing Christians buy into it (and its salesman du jour). This is no longer a fringe perspective. This kind of ideology never ends well for a country or the cause of Christ.

Believe me, I’d like nothing better than to ignore Mr. Trump, like some are arguing…but this type of politicized Christianity ought to raise a red flag for any believer who has studied history - not to mention the teachings of Jesus.

Going back to the topic of the KJV’s opening… hasn’t this been commonplace now since the 1600s?

…I’d have challenged it back then as well. Whenever it rears its ugly head. This is not a sideshow - but a major party candidate with a sizable Christian following.

[mike]

Bibles similar to this have been for sale for years. The Patriot's Bible, for example - I noticed that our local Ollie's is flooded with highly discounted copies.

True - the content doesn’t surprise me - “patriot Bibles” been around for years. What surprises me is how blatant and mainstream this type of idolatry has become - and how many confessing Christians buy into it (and its salesman du jour). This is no longer a fringe perspective. This kind of ideology never ends well for a country or the cause of Christ.

Believe me, I’d like nothing better than to ignore Mr. Trump, like some are arguing…but this type of politicized Christianity ought to raise a red flag for any believer who has studied history - not to mention the teachings of Jesus.

I think the Christians who support Trump (particularly this time around) are not doing so with rosy-eyed dreams of him being a godly savior or paragon of virtue for the country. In fact they may never have viewed him in that light. They are doing it for political reasons, burying their knowledge of his moral and character deficiencies and seeing him as the best way to advance conservative economic, military, judicial, and social policy in this presidential election.

I'll be frank, if I were a voter, that's the only way I could justify supporting Trump. I've been fascinated at one of Trump's most strident conservative critics in the media, Ben Shapiro, going full on Trump supporter in this election now that the primaries are over. He is publicly donating to and fundraising for Trump and is in personal contact with him, and one would assume, is in a position to offer him advice privately. All of his in spite of his ongoing criticism of Trump's negative qualities. He has said he will crawl over broken glass to vote for Trump, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with seeing Trump as a biblical savior or model leader. It's all about political pragmatism. To supporters like Shapiro, the Trump Bibles are probably worth a chuckle or two, and have nothing to do with their support of Trump.

[barnhart]

Bibles similar to this have been for sale for years. The Patriot's Bible, for example - I noticed that our local Ollie's is flooded with highly discounted copies.

True - the content doesn’t surprise me - “patriot Bibles” been around for years. What surprises me is how blatant and mainstream this type of idolatry has become - and how many confessing Christians buy into it (and its salesman du jour). This is no longer a fringe perspective. This kind of ideology never ends well for a country or the cause of Christ.

Believe me, I’d like nothing better than to ignore Mr. Trump, like some are arguing…but this type of politicized Christianity ought to raise a red flag for any believer who has studied history - not to mention the teachings of Jesus.

Dan, what do think of the thesis proposed in the salon article posted by RZehr, that the Bibles are being marketed insincerely by those who don't believe it to those who don't believe it for coalition maintenance.

[Ken]

Is Trump cashing in? The book publisher says no. This is on their web site:

According to the book’s official site, the God Bless the USA Bible has nothing to do with Trump’s campaign. It is “not owned, managed, or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC, or any of their respective principals or affiliates.” Instead, Trump’s “name, likeness, and image” are being used “under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.”

OK, so Trump isn't profiting, something called CIC Ventures LLC is profiting. What is that? According to the Washington Post, it is just a pipeline to Trump.

In [Trump’s] financial disclosure released last year, he’s identified as the [CIC Ventures LLC’s] “manager, president, secretary and treasurer” and the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust is identified as a 100 percent owner of the business. The same entity also receives royalties from his book “A MAGA Journey” and speaking engagements.

And...

According to the company’s documents, you’ll find the principal address for CIC Ventures LLC is 3505 Summit Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida. That is a Trump golf course. Moreover, in a 2022 disclosure, Nick Luna is listed as a manager. Luna was Trump’s personal assistant and body man.

So yes, Trump gets a cut of every Bible sold, even though the publisher tried to obscure that fact. How much of a cut though is anyone's guess. Apparently that hasn't been disclosed.

[RZehr]

In the right-wing publishing industry, books are not made to be read. They are to be displayed on your shelves, unopened, so you can glance at them and feel that somewhere, a liberal is "owned."

This is a rather bold claim; essentially claiming that right wing people don't read. I don't think is supported by actual facts, but it is certainly convenient to accuse your ideological enemies of being dumb and illiterate.

I think they might read books like “Killing Jesus”, by Bill O’Reilly.
But I don’t think they do read or study the Bible. Very, very, few in American will at all, but considering how few Christians actually bother to go to church (40% of conservative Evangelicals attend church once a year) as a back drop to that statement, and considering how many Christians don’t regularly read their Bibles - I just don’t think MAGA reads nor studies their Bibles. Granted, “MAGA people” is impossible to define. So I bet fewer than 1% of the people who go to MAGA rallies read their Bibles more than once a month.

[Ken]

But I don’t think they do read or study the Bible. Very, very, few in American will at all, but considering how few Christians actually bother to go to church (40% of conservative Evangelicals attend church once a year) as a back drop to that statement, and considering how many Christians don’t regularly read their Bibles - I just don’t think MAGA reads nor studies their Bibles. Granted, “MAGA people” is impossible to define. So I bet fewer than 1% of the people who go to MAGA rallies read their Bibles more than once a month.

I am reasonably literate and I find it difficult to read the KJV if I am just wanting to read a selection from the Bible. We have an assortment of Bibles at home and I'll always pick up one of the more recent translations. I don't know about others. I know the KJV is popular with some conservative groups. But when I see this sort of commemorative Bible is printed in KJV I have to actually question how many people are actually reading it. Feels more like the big KJV "family" Bible we have on the shelf that one one ever actually reads but that was a gift of one of my great aunts when we married.

[Szdfan]

https://x.com/brandoncjones/status/1772 ... 8-khs7cmwA

A political candidate who sells Bibles during Holy Week to pay lawyers who, among other things, are defending him in a hush money case involving a porn star is a Flannery O’Connor story for our time.

[Grace]

i’m surprised you let him get to you like you do. he really gets under some peoples’ skin, i realize that.
i don’t plan to purchase, nor do i know anyone i expect would purchase it. it’s so easy to ignore.

what’s the nickname for (cough) “Catholic” biden+cronies? - Carnalist~in~Chief?

promotion, protection, funding of abortion, child mutilation, every carnal sin imaginable? with public monies, not voluntary purchases.

at least Catholics on the USSC haven’t totally lost their minds.

Carnalist-in chief is too mild to describe the current president. From emboldening a murderous dictator costing the lives of thousands, to empowering nations who fund the murderous Hamas, who rape, cook babies alive, torture people etc.. Also promoting killing unborn babies, mutilating children, and pushes horrible policies, etc.

I would rather see an ungodly president who has a Bible in his hands than one who has the blood of thousands on his hands.