Can you imagine the Donald collecting Bibles? Well, it is true. But don’t get your compassion up too soon. Trump says his fans frequently send him Bibles, which he keeps, “in a very nice place.” One can only imagine:
“I would have a fear of doing something other than very positive, so actually I store them and keep them and sometimes give them away to other people but I do get sent a lot of Bibles and I like that. I think that’s great.”
So let’s look at Trump’s take on religion. Just as he is a complex man, so are his religious views.
1. Presbyterian
I never thought of of Trump being religious let alone having a church home, but both are true:
“I believe in God. I am Christian. I think The Bible is certainly, it is THE book…”
“It is the thing. I was raised and I gave you a picture just now and perhaps you’ll use that picture I found it from a long time ago. First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica Queens is where I went to church. I’m a Protestant, I’m a Presbyterian. And you know I’ve had a good relationship with the church over the years. I think religion is a wonderful thing. I think my religion is a wonderful religion.”
2. Forgiveness
Trump seemed surprised when a reporter asked if he ever asked God for forgiveness. At first blush, I suspected his response was due to a lack of faith, especially after the audience laughed. But then I remembered that that Protestants do not wear their religion on their shirtsleeves as born-again’s do. This is what he said:
“I’m not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don’t think so. I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture. I don’t.”
“We I take, when we go, and church and when I drink my little wine – which is about the only wine I drink – and have my little cracker, I guess that’s a form of asking for forgiveness, and I do that as often as possible because I feel cleansed, OK? But, you know, to me that’s important, I do that, but in terms of officially, I could say, Absolutely!’ and everybody, I don’t think in terms of that. I think in terms of, let’s go on and let’s make it right.”
3. Judaism
I was also surprised at Trump’s acceptance of other religions. His daughter, Ivanka Trump Kushner, converted to Judaism according to The Jewish Voice:
“Not only do I have Jewish grandchildren I have a Jewish daughter and I am very honored by that.”
4. Muslims
Trump seems surprisingly thoughtful about Muslims. Here are his thoughts on the subject:
“Unfortunately, at this moment in time, there is a Muslim problem in the world.”
The Donald switches between glib and reflective, almost within the same breath:
“I don’t notice Swedish people knocking down the World Trade Center. I came out very strongly against the mosque being built virtually across the street.”
5. Hatred
As a man of finance, who would expect Trump to read about the Koran? Better yet, who would expect him to consider opposing viewpoints?
“There’s a lot of hatred there that’s someplace. Now I don’t know if that’s from the Koran. I don’t know if that’s from someplace else but there’s tremendous hatred out there that I’ve never seen anything like it. So, you have two views. You have the view that the Koran is all about love and then you have the view that the Koran is, that there’s a lot of hate in the Koran.”
6. Christmas
Less than religious people go to church on Christmas and Easter:
“I go [to church] as much as I can. Always on Christmas. Always on Easter. Always when there’s a major occasion. And during the Sundays. I’m a Sunday church person. I’ll go when I can.”
Trump takes on the fight against Christianity:
“There’s an assault on anything having to do with Christianity. They don’t want to use the word Christmas anymore at department stores. There’s always lawsuits and unfortunately a lot of those lawsuits are won by the other side. I will assault that. I will go so strongly against so many of the things, when they take away the word Christmas.
“I go out of my way to use the word Christmas.”
Trump’s family joined the Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan, a Reformed Church in America congregation. As a young man, Trump was greatly influenced by Norman Vincent Peale, who both preached and authored the mega-best-seller The Power of Positive Thinking.
Nearly three decades ago, Peale predicted the younger Donald would become “the greatest builder of our time — he’s a very ingenious man.” If Peale could predict Trump’s future, then I am a bit more inclined to take a second look at what he saw in the Donald:
“…not only kindness and courtesy but also a trait some others have missed — a profound streak of honest humility.”
Surprise, surprise.
