FFRF Action Fund’s “Secularist of the Week” is television host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel for speaking out against President Trump’s cynical use of Christianity.
During a monologue on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last week, Kimmel poked fun at Trump’s speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, in which Trump claimed that Americans “have to bring religion back.” On the same day, Trump issued an accompanying executive order to “Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias,” promising that his administration will put an end to the “anti-Christian weaponization of government.”
“Trump was up bright and early today to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast,” Kimmel began. “Trump goes to these prayer breakfasts because he doesn’t like it when people worship anyone other than him.”
Kimmel quipped, “He covered a lot of subjects; he bragged about deporting immigrants, his war on diversity, fighting transgenders — all the sacred teachings of Jesus.”
“Trump also told the audience, ‘We have to bring religion back,’ and who better to bring it back than the guy who sells ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles for $59.99?” Kimmel said. Kimmel is making a reference to the special edition bibles that Trump has repeatedly endorsed. The bibles are embossed with Trump’s name and include the text of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and the lyrics to the chorus of the ballad “God Bless the USA.”
Kimmel also referenced the evangelical base behind Trump, saying, “Of all the unbelievable things about Donald Trump, religious people believing he is also a religious person might be the toughest one to understand.” He jokingly hypothesized that Trump would likely call Jesus “a loser” and would “tell him to get a haircut and put a shirt on” if he ever met the religious figure.
Kimmel mused that it is fun to watch Trump “pretend” to be Christian in order to please his Christian supporters.
“It’s like when you’re a kid and your mom made you go to church ‘cause grandma was in town,” said Kimmel. “You have to act like you go every week.”
We thank Kimmel for bringing awareness to Trump’s blatant use of Christianity and conservative Christians to further his own political power. Public figures poking fun at the absurdity of Trump’s misuse of religion provides much-needed levity to the early days of the new Trump administration.
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.