The Lamestream Media made a big deal, recently, about the Trump Bible.
So you may have heard about it. As I have.
The special version of the Bible, which is probably selling like hotcakes at a price of $59.99, is not actually Mr. Trump’s Bible. Rather, this book is the ‘God Bless the USA Bible’ named after the 1984 hit country song by Lee Greenwood, who is a partner, with Trump, in the business of making these Bibles widely available. Mr. Trump has been recruited to sell the Bibles to his friends and followers. These are distinctly ‘American’ Bibles, and Mr. Trump and Mr. Greenwood are both, themselves, distinctly American.
The words to Mr. Greenwood’s hit song, ‘God Bless the USA’, are included in the Bible, right there alongside the words of God, Jesus, Paul, the Four Evangelists, and the prophets. Which is to say, in good company. As far as I know, no other country singer has made it into the Bible.
Former President Trump began pitching the ‘God Bless the USA Bible’ at the end of last month, leading up the Easter holiday, with a 3-minute infomercial about the importance of religion, and the value of the Lee Greenwood Bible.
“I’m proud to endorse and encourage you to get this Bible. We must make America pray again. Pray, get educated, get motivated and stand with me and the legions of Americans asking God to bless our great nation, to bring our great nation back, and to make America great again.
“I’m proud to partner with Lee in this offering. He’s a very special man, both as a talent, but maybe even more so, as a human being. He’s very, very special.”
And maybe even more so, as the author, now, of a short chapter in the Bible. Mr. Trump didn’t stress that point in the infomercial, which I think was a mistake.
But the former President did make some other important points.
“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. This Bible is a reminder that the biggest thing we have to bring back America, and to make America great again, is our religion. Religion is so important. It’s so missing. But it’s going to come back, and it’s going to come back strong, just like our country is going to come back strong…
“I think you all should get a copy of the ‘God Bless the USA Bible’ now, and help spread our Christian values with others. There you have it. Let’s make America pray again. May God bless you and may God bless the USA.”
Daily Post readers will probably be surprised to learn that I paid for part of my college education, selling Bibles door-to-door. That adventure provides me with a different perspective on Donald Trump’s latest experiment in capitalism, now that his commercial empire is struggling to keep its well-coiffed head above water. His social media app, Truth Social, recently reported losing $58 million last year.
I suspect Mr. Trump has finally found his calling.
Pure genius, assuring the customer, with a straight face, that you have “many” Bibles at home, and that it’s your favorite book. Or that buying a $59.99 Bible will help make America great again.
Not to diminish the value of the ‘God Bless the USA Bible’, but I was wondering whether $59.99 is a fair price for a unique version of the King James Bible that includes a short, but heartfelt, new chapter by a country singer. I visited ChristianBook.com and found another rather unique version of the King James Bible.
It’s priced at $10.99.
It’s possible the manufacturer made a mistake, in choosing a pink ‘leather-look’ cover with embossed flowers. If they had used a real leather cover, embossed with an American flag — like the Lee Greenwood Bible — they could have sold it for six times the price.
When I was selling Bibles, back in my college years, I became familiar with the fascinating stories it contained. Of course, America and its greatness wasn’t even hinted at. Because America hadn’t been invented. Other empires were mentioned, however. Mostly godless empires.
No, I take that back. They weren’t ‘godless’. The Romans and the Babylonians and all the rest, they had their own gods. But it wasn’t the One God that Lee Greenwood and Donald Trump are encouraging us to celebrate.
But now, America is finally in the Bible. 2,000 years later, but as my dad used to say, better late than never.
My main fear is that Vladimir Putin is going to start selling the ‘God Bless Russia’ Bible. That would not be pleasant.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all.