The Bible is not a prop.
“Actions speak louder than words” is a phrase I’ve heard throughout my life. Last night was a glaring example of why that saying exists. As the President was giving a speech stating he was “an ally of all peaceful protesters,” police across the street were using flash bangs, tear gas, and batons to beat back a peaceful protest and clear a path to St. John’s Episcopal Church that had a basement fire the night before. He then ended his speech by saying that he was “going to pay my respects to a very, very special place.” When I think of someone paying respects, it usually involves something heartfelt to show lament — maybe the laying of flowers, kneeling in prayer, or speaking with those wronged. But that’s not what happened. Without given the rector any notice, he walked in front of the boarded-up church, turned his back to it, held up a Bible for a picture, and then left.
Instead of paying his respects to the church, he used a church building and the Bible as a prop for others to pay him respect. That moment crystallized a stereotype of Christians that many outside of the faith hold — that Jesus is a helpful prop for political power rather than a man who shunned political power to suffer alongside and for others. That mismatch between words and actions for a photo op literally pushed people away from wanting to follow Jesus.
So, I ask you to consider: if you are a follower of Jesus, does that scene bother you? If it allows the President to get more votes from a certain segment of the population at the expense of Biblical witness, is it worth it?
