Evangelicals 'hijacked' Holy Week to turn Trump into 'MAGA Jesus': religion expert

According to a professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, American evangelicals who should have spent the week spreading the word of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who reportedly died for the world's sins, instead worked overtime elevating Donald Trump as "MAGA Jesus."

During Holy Week, Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts related to paying hush money to an adult film star and a Playboy model which doesn't rise to the level of being crucified for blasphemy, but that didn't stop his evangelical supporters from putting Jesus on the backburner as they raged at how the former president is being treated.

According to religion expert Anthea Butler, Holy Week "has been hijacked" by Trump's supporters.

In a column for MSNBC, she wrote, "Holy Week has been hijacked by the spectacle of white evangelicals crying over their savior Donald Trump," before adding, "...they see his prosecution as a persecution, as a punishment Democrats are inflicting on him because he was their chosen one, the messiah who gave them power."

Trump’s arrest may be a first in American history, but for evangelicals who support him, it is the fulfillment of their prophecy of persecution for Trump, for whom many of them have shoved aside Jesus to praise. But this new passion play, which is centered around alleged adultery and payoffs, isn’t anything like the story of Jesus," she wrote. "This week’s story revolves around alleged behavior antithetical to Christian belief, behavior that has historically been anathema to evangelicals: adulterous sex — with a porn star, no less — and lying. Yet, white evangelicals are still supporting Trump."

Citing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who said, "President Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history being arrested today. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus! Jesus was arrested and murdered!” Butler noted that Jan. 6 insurrectionist Ashli Babbitt is being pushed off her cross as a far-right martyr to make room for Trump.

"Trump has long known that by playing upon their fears and their grievances, he can manipulate evangelicals into abandoning their principles. They want the world, but especially the United States and its government, to be shaped by their religious beliefs, which are not compatible with traditional Christianity," she wrote and then added, "Trump knows his followers want a theocracy."

She added that Trump now "now embodies the white evangelical penchant to believe that they are a persecuted minority. Now that the president who gave them three Supreme Court justices has been arrested, their embrace of him is stronger than ever. They have elevated Trump to a godlike status, one whom they worship even with more fervor."

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