First the Episcopalians and a disturbing misuse of the Bible, now he's misappropriating Catholic shrines for his own self-image and partisan political purposes, during a time of mass civil unrest amid systemic racism and police brutality, when he should be showing compassionate leadership as the country's president.
Washington Archbishop Calls Trump's Visit to Catholic Shrine 'Baffling and Reprehensible'
I wonder, what other church / denomination / religious community will be next in line for a 'Trump hijacking' of their symbols / scriptures or holy places?
Washington Archbishop Calls Trump's Visit to Catholic Shrine 'Baffling and Reprehensible'
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump toured a Catholic shrine on Tuesday in his second straight religious-themed appearance as the nation grappled with widespread unrest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Critics said the president was misusing religious symbols for partisan purposes. The White House said Trump and first lady Melania Trump were observing a “moment of remembrance,” laying a wreath in a quiet visit to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine.
The visit came a day after Trump declared himself to be the “president of law and order” and then walked to St. John’s Episcopal Church across from the White House after Lafayette Park was forcibly cleared of protesters. He held up a Bible for photos in front of the church, known as “The Church of the Presidents,” which had been damaged by fire during weekend protests.
Washington Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory said he was “baffled” by Trump’s visit to the shrine and called it “reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree.”
Gregory said the late pope was an “ardent defender” of human rights.
“He certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship,” Gregory said in a statement.
Joe Biden, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, commented Tuesday in Philadelphia on Trump’s posing with a Bible. “I just wish he opened it once in a while.,” Biden said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at the Capitol, “We would hope that the president of the United States would follow the lead of so many other presidents before him and be the healer in chief, and not a fanner of the flame.” She also quoted verses from the Bible.
Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, whose diocese includes St. John’s, also criticized Trump’s use of the church.
“The president just used a Bible and one of the churches of my diocese as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for,” she said.
Donald Trump is rebuked by church leaders again for SECOND religious photo stunt in two days | Daily Mail OnlineCritics said the president was misusing religious symbols for partisan purposes. The White House said Trump and first lady Melania Trump were observing a “moment of remembrance,” laying a wreath in a quiet visit to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine.
The visit came a day after Trump declared himself to be the “president of law and order” and then walked to St. John’s Episcopal Church across from the White House after Lafayette Park was forcibly cleared of protesters. He held up a Bible for photos in front of the church, known as “The Church of the Presidents,” which had been damaged by fire during weekend protests.
Washington Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory said he was “baffled” by Trump’s visit to the shrine and called it “reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree.”
Gregory said the late pope was an “ardent defender” of human rights.
“He certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship,” Gregory said in a statement.
Joe Biden, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, commented Tuesday in Philadelphia on Trump’s posing with a Bible. “I just wish he opened it once in a while.,” Biden said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at the Capitol, “We would hope that the president of the United States would follow the lead of so many other presidents before him and be the healer in chief, and not a fanner of the flame.” She also quoted verses from the Bible.
Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, whose diocese includes St. John’s, also criticized Trump’s use of the church.
“The president just used a Bible and one of the churches of my diocese as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for,” she said.
Church leaders lambasted the president after he made two separate trips to religious sites Monday and Tuesday in the midst of riots continuing in the nation's capital.
Although he did not use the president's name once in the statement, it was titled 'Archbishop Wilton Gregory Issues Statement on Planned Presidential Visit,' and claimed that Trump's actions Monday and Tuesday were all for the photo-op.
Donald Trump's campaign aide and attorney blasted the Archbishop's comments, claiming he is a 'pawn of the leftist media.'
'Distracting from the powerful image and statement of our United States President holding up a Bible in front of an historic American Church,' Jenna Ellis tweeted in response to a post about Gregory's comments.
'This bishop is unfortunately a pawn of the leftist media that thrives on destruction of all that is moral and just,' she continued.
The brass neck of these Trump campaign people astounds me. Calling a bishop of the archdiocese of Washington a political pawn of a "leftist media" that thrives on 'destruction', when they are the ones manipulating religious symbols, statues and shrines for their own political ends.Donald Trump's campaign aide and attorney blasted the Archbishop's comments, claiming he is a 'pawn of the leftist media.'
'Distracting from the powerful image and statement of our United States President holding up a Bible in front of an historic American Church,' Jenna Ellis tweeted in response to a post about Gregory's comments.
'This bishop is unfortunately a pawn of the leftist media that thrives on destruction of all that is moral and just,' she continued.
I wonder, what other church / denomination / religious community will be next in line for a 'Trump hijacking' of their symbols / scriptures or holy places?
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