Sen. Warnock likens Trump selling Bibles to money changers who drew Christ’s ire: ‘It’s a risky bet’
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Sen. Raphael Warnock got biblical on former President Donald Trump during Easter Sunday.
Ripping the 77-year-old for licensing his name to sell “God Bless the USA Bibles,” Warnock (D-Ga.) drew a parallel between Trump and the money changers in the New Testament.
“The Bible does not need Donald Trump’s endorsement and Jesus, in the very last week of his life, chased the money changers out of the temple,” Warnock told CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday.
“The sad thing is that none of us are surprised by this. This is what we expect from the former president,” added the longtime senior pastor at the famed Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King, Jr. preached.
“At the end of the day. I think he’s trying to sell the American people a bill of goods and that works in 2016.”
Trump publicly endorsed the “God Bless the USA Bible,” which sell for $59.99 a piece, last week. He touted it as part of a “Make America Pray Again” initiative of sorts.
Although proceeds from the sales don’t go directly into his campaign, he licenses his brand, and therefore, benefits from it, according to a website for the “God Bless the USA Bible.”
That brand of the Bible is based on the King James version of the holy book. It also features a copy of the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and a handwritten chorus to “God Bless The USA” by Lee Greenwood.
Greenwood also endorsed Trump’s version of the Bible.
Warnock mused that Trump’s decision to promote the Bible sales could backfire — particularly if his supporters actually read it.
“It’s a risky bet, because the folks who buy those Bibles might actually open them up — where it says things like ‘thou shalt not lie,’ or ‘shall not bear false witness.’ Where it warns about wolves dressed up in sheep’s clothing,” Warnock chided.
Warnock was set to deliver an Easter sermon later in the day Sunday.
Trump, who has aggressively worked to court conservative Evangelical voters, has a colorful history with the Bible.
Back in 2016, he bungled the pronunciation of 2 Corinthians (Second Corinthians), by saying “Two Corinthians” during a sojourn at Liberty University.
On occasion, he has attacked the pope, argued that he doesn’t like to ask God for forgiveness, and shared social media posts likening him to the “second coming of God.”
“All Americans need a Bible in their home and I have many. It’s my favorite book. It’s a lot of people’s favorite book,” Trump stressed in a video promoting his new endeavor last week.
“This Bible is a reminder that the biggest thing we have to bring … to make America great again is our religion.”
The Post contacted the Trump campaign for comment.
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