Florida church where Melania married Trump slams the president

The clergy at the Florida church where President Donald Trump married his current wife slammed him this week for his Bible photo-op stunt at the St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. that required pepper spraying peaceful demonstrators in nearby Lafayette Park.

The Palm Beach Post reports that three clergy members at Palm Beach’s Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea issued a joint statement this week condemning Trump for using the Christian holy book as his personal political prop.

"The problem is not that Mr. Trump stood outside a church with Bible in hand," the clergy members said. "The problem is that he used violence to get there and exploited sacred symbols for purely political purposes -- and without even the courtesy of getting in touch with the bishop or rector who first heard of this on the news."

The statement goes on to advise the president on actually reading the Bible instead of simply using it to advance his political interests.

"The Bible he held has much to say about how we ought to live our common life," they said. "It teaches us to care for the stranger, to love God, and to love our neighbors."

The statement was signed by the Rev. James Harlan, the Rev. Burl Salmon, and the Rev. Margaret McGhee.