America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible - CourtneyR.dev's 2nd Brain

America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible ![rw-book-cover](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wb5uteFBfMk/maxresdefault.jpg) 🔗 **Source:** [America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb5uteFBfMk) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: #christiannationalism #performative-religion #conservative-politics #bible-reading #trump-administration #american-christianity > author: Data Over Dogma > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb5uteFBfMk > date created: 2024-12-19 10:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible >  ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Research founding fathers' biblical quotations vs other sources — addresses nationalist claims #americanhistory - [H2] Track church attendance patterns during constitutional period — counters Shapiro's claims #religiousdemographics - [H3] Document Matthew 6 sermon on mount vs public prayer displays — theological hypocrisy #biblicalstudies ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [[#📝 Summary]] - [[#📖 Main Content]] - [[#🗒️ Notes]] - [[#📚 References]] - [[#🗣️ Paraphrase]] - [[#📰 Newsletter]] - [[#✅ Action Items]] - [[#🧪 Hypotheses]] - [[#📊 Methodology]] - [[#❓ Questions]] - [[#🔮 Future Research]] - [[#💡 Implications]] - [[#🧠 Learning Styles Assessment]] - [[#📊 Accessibility Assessment]] - [[#🌍 DEIB Assessment]] - [[#✅ Logical Validity]] - [[#🛡️ DARVO Analysis]] - [[#🎯 Conclusion]] ### 🔗 References - [Christians Engaged Website](https://www.christiansengaged.org) - [Data Over Dogma](https://www.youtube.com/@dataoverdogma) ## 📝 Summary - Conservative religious and political figures organized a marathon Bible reading event featuring Donald Trump and other prominent right-wing personalities - The event serves as performative Christian nationalism rather than genuine religious devotion or scriptural engagement - Participants include politicians like Ted Cruz, Mike Johnson, Ron DeSantis, and cultural figures like Kathy Ireland and Dallas Jenkins - Trump's reading of 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 was heavily edited and demonstrated poor comprehension - The event excludes progressive Christians and reinforces "real American" identity tied to conservative Christianity ## 📖 Main Content A large-scale Bible reading marathon organized by Christians Engaged featured prominent conservative politicians and religious figures reading portions of scripture. The event, titled "America Reads the Bible," positioned itself as a solution to national healing through biblical engagement. The participant list reveals an exclusively right-wing roster including President Trump, governors like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, senators Ted Cruz and Mike Johnson, religious figures like Franklin Graham and Paula White-Cain, and celebrities like former model Kathy Ireland and "The Chosen" creator Dallas Jenkins. Trump's participation proved particularly revealing - his reading of 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 required heavy editing and digital correction, yet still contained multiple errors including mispronouncing "prosperously" as "prosperiously." The passage he read calls for humility, prayer, and turning from wicked ways to heal the land, ironically delivered by someone who has publicly stated he doesn't need repentance. The event coincides with broader Christian nationalist messaging that equates conservative Christianity with authentic American identity, effectively marginalizing non-Christians and progressive believers as un-American. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=0) — [H1] Introduction to Bible reading event - Key idea: Conservative marathon Bible reading event happening during recording - Evidence: "very a lot of conservative religious types are doing a marathon reading the Bible" #### ⏱️ [01:45](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=105) — [H2] Exclusive conservative participation - Key idea: Event deliberately excludes progressive Christian voices - Evidence: "sincerely doubt anyone on the even prominent Christians on the left side of the spectrum were invited" #### ⏱️ [03:20](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=200) — [H3] Participant lineup reveals agenda - Key idea: Roster reads like "who's who in people you don't want to know" - Evidence: Includes Kathy Ireland, Dallas Jenkins, Mike Johnson, Ted Cruz, Dan Patrick #### ⏱️ [06:15](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=375) — [H1] Trump's edited performance - Key idea: President's reading required extensive editing despite minimal content - Evidence: "weird cuts back and forth from one camera angle to another...they had to stitch it together" #### ⏱️ [07:30](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=450) — [H2] Presidential reading errors - Key idea: Trump mispronounced words despite having only 12 verses - Evidence: "prosperiously" instead of "prosperously" in the very first verse #### ⏱️ [09:45](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=585) — [H1] Ironic passage selection - Key idea: Trump read about humility and repentance despite rejecting both - Evidence: Passage calls to "humble themselves...and turn from their wicked ways" #### ⏱️ [12:00](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=720) — [H2] Monotone delivery reveals disconnection - Key idea: Trump delivered passage without understanding or engagement - Evidence: "droned through the entire thing at a monotone not understanding a word of it" #### ⏱️ [14:30](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=870) — [H3] Event theme reveals nationalism - Key idea: "Heal Our Land" theme song connects Bible reading to nationalist agenda - Evidence: Phil King's original theme song titled "Heal Our Land" #### ⏱️ [16:45](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=1005) — [H1] Participants embody contradictions - Key idea: Readers represent "degeneracy" while claiming moral authority - Evidence: "serial sexual predator...has never once owned up to doing those things" #### ⏱️ [19:20](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=1160) — [H2] Cruelty as governing principle - Key idea: Participants practice "owning the libs" governance philosophy - Evidence: Dan Patrick advocating grandparent sacrifice for economy #### ⏱️ [23:15](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=1395) — [H3] Power worship over authentic faith - Key idea: Event represents worship of power disguised as Christianity - Evidence: "clearly worshippers of power more than anything else" #### ⏱️ [26:40](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=1600) — [H1] Performative nature exposed - Key idea: Event designed for show rather than spiritual transformation - Evidence: "performative to make people feel like they're making a difference when they're doing nothing" #### ⏱️ [29:30](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=1770) — [H2] Exclusionary messaging - Key idea: Event reinforces who counts as "real Americans" - Evidence: "if you're not a Christian...you're not a real American" #### ⏱️ [31:45](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=1905) — [H3] Historical context challenges narrative - Key idea: Constitutional period had lowest church attendance in US history - Evidence: "period of lowest church attendance and church membership in all of US history up until now" ## 📚 References - [Christians Engaged](https://www.christiansengaged.org/) - [Data Over Dogma Patreon](https://patreon.com/dataoverdogma) - [The Chosen TV Series](https://www.angel.com/watch/the-chosen) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Conservative religious and political leaders organized a public Bible reading marathon that excluded progressive voices and served primarily as Christian nationalist performance art - Donald Trump's heavily edited reading of a passage about humility and repentance ironically highlighted his own rejection of those values - The event weaponizes Christian identity to marginalize non-conservatives as un-American while ignoring the historical reality of low church attendance during the nation's founding ## 📰 Newsletter The "America Reads the Bible" marathon reveals how performative religiosity serves political power rather than spiritual growth. While public Scripture engagement can inspire positive change, this event's exclusionary participant list and nationalist framing transforms biblical text into tribal signaling. The irony runs deep: passages calling for humility are read by those who refuse accountability, healing scriptures are delivered by those who practice cruelty, and unity verses are weaponized for division. True biblical engagement requires wrestling with texts that challenge our assumptions, not just broadcasting them as cultural identity markers. For content creators and community builders, this highlights the importance of authentic engagement over performative displays. Whether discussing WordPress accessibility, open source governance, or any topic touching values - actions speak louder than public proclamations. Resources: [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/), [Developer Docs](https://developer.wordpress.org/), [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Education: Workshop on authentic community engagement vs performative displays - Developer experience: Documentation that models inclusive language and genuine helpfulness - Community management: Policies preventing weaponization of shared values for exclusionary purposes #### OSPO - Policy & Governance: Guidelines ensuring diverse voices in project leadership and decision-making - Community Engagement: Funding and platform access that doesn't favor particular political alignments - Strategic Alignment: KPIs measuring actual impact over performative metrics #### Community - Contributors: Onboarding processes that welcome diverse backgrounds and perspectives - Maintainers: Leadership development that emphasizes service over signaling - Ecosystem: Cross-project coordination that avoids exclusionary gatekeeping #### WordPress - Community: Meetup and WordCamp guidelines ensuring welcoming environments for all backgrounds - Documentation: Style guides emphasizing clear communication over tribal terminology - Accessibility: Technical standards that serve users rather than checking compliance boxes ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Public religious performances by political figures serve identity signaling rather than spiritual transformation - Exclusive participation rosters in religious events correlate with nationalist rather than universalist messaging - Biblical literacy among event organizers inversely correlates with performative religious displays - Church attendance advocacy increases during periods of political polarization regardless of spiritual outcomes ### 📊 Methodology - Content analysis of participant backgrounds vs theological training for religious performance hypothesis - Comparative study of inclusive vs exclusive religious events and their stated vs actual outcomes - Survey of church attendance patterns during election cycles vs non-election periods ### ❓ Questions - How do performative religious displays affect actual religious practice and belief? - What role does biblical illiteracy play in weaponizing scripture for political purposes? - How can authentic religious communities distinguish themselves from nationalist appropriation? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal study of church attendance following political religious events - Analysis of biblical citation accuracy in political vs academic religious contexts - Investigation of progressive Christian exclusion from mainstream religious-political events ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Authentic engagement requires vulnerability and accountability, not just public performance - Policy: Religious freedom protections must distinguish between genuine practice and political theater - Education: Media literacy should include recognition of performative vs substantive religious expression - Community: Inclusive spaces require intentional design to prevent co-optation by exclusionary movements ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 12th grade #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: None mentioned in audio-only content - Improve: Participant network diagrams, timeline of event development, comparison charts #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Full podcast episode with clear narration and examples - Improve: Audio clips from Trump's reading, comparison with other participants #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Extensive definitions of Christian nationalism, detailed examples - Improve: Glossary of theological terms, historical context explanations #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: None in audio format - Improve: Interactive timeline builder, participant mapping exercise #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Clear cause-effect analysis of performative religion - Improve: Decision tree for identifying authentic vs performative religious expression #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Discussion format between two hosts - Improve: Community discussion prompts, shared analysis frameworks #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Reflective questions about religious authenticity - Improve: Personal assessment tools for evaluating performative vs genuine practice #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Limited connections to broader systems - Improve: Ecosystem analysis of religious-political power structures ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Audio format accessible to screen readers via transcript - Improve: Structured headings in transcript, descriptive link text #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard video player controls - Improve: Chapter navigation, transcript synchronized with audio #### Contrast and readability - Present: YouTube's default player interface - Improve: High contrast player options, adjustable text size in transcript #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: YouTube responsive design - Improve: Dedicated transcript page with better typography #### Media and captions - Present: Auto-generated captions available - Improve: Professional transcript with speaker identification, time codes #### Forms and interactions - Present: Standard comment system - Improve: Moderated discussion spaces with clear community guidelines ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: US-focused analysis of Christian nationalism - Improve: International comparisons of religious nationalism, diverse theological perspectives #### Inclusive language - Present: Clear explanation of jargon, respectful treatment of religious concepts - Improve: More explicitly inclusive framing of authentic Christianity #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Structured discussion format, clear transitions - Improve: Content warnings for political stress, chunked summary sections #### Representation - Present: Two male hosts analyzing primarily male political figures - Improve: Diverse guest perspectives, acknowledgment of excluded voices #### Psychological safety - Present: Critical but not personally attacking tone - Improve: Explicit validation of listeners from excluded groups ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Deductive strength: Clear syllogism about performative vs authentic religious practice - Inductive strength: Pattern recognition across multiple participant examples - Causal reasoning: Links exclusive participation to nationalist messaging effectively - Analogical strength: Comparison to "owning the libs" governance illuminates motivations #### Fallacies - Ad hominem: Some personal attacks on participants' character rather than focusing on actions - Guilt by association: Assuming all participants share identical motivations #### Tone of voice - Overall tone: Satirical but substantive, frustrated but fair in religious criticism ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - Deny: Event organizers likely deny exclusionary or nationalist intentions - Attack: Criticism of performance likely met with attacks on critics' patriotism or faith - Reverse victim/offender: Christian nationalism often portrays Christians as persecuted majority - Emotional cues: Appeals to patriotism and divine favor to deflect substantive criticism ## 🎯 Conclusion The "America Reads the Bible" marathon exemplifies how religious symbols can be co-opted for political theater rather than spiritual transformation. The event's exclusive participation, poor execution, and nationalist framing reveal performative piety designed to signal tribal identity rather than engage seriously with biblical content. This analysis highlights the importance of distinguishing authentic religious practice from its political appropriation, particularly as religious rhetoric increasingly shapes public policy and social boundaries. ## 🧱 Refactor Appendix ### 📚 Literature Split Pad Purpose: Stage CEE units that become Literature notes. Split level: H3 ### [H1] Performative religion serves political identity over spiritual transformation > [!quote] America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible by Data Over Dogma via YouTube. Published 2024. Accessed 2024-12-19. > "It's performative to make people feel like they're making a difference when they're doing nothing." Analysis of conservative Bible reading marathon revealing how religious displays function as tribal signaling rather than genuine spiritual engagement. [view highlight](https://youtu.be/wb5uteFBfMk?t=1600#H1) #xref #articleseed ID:rw_001 ### [H2] Exclusive participation reveals nationalist agenda over universal religious values > [!quote] America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible > "If you're not a Christian...you're not --- ## Full Transcript [00:02] Hey everybody, I'm Dan Mlelen [00:04] >> and I'm Dan Beecher and this is Data [00:06] Over Dogma where we increase public [00:08] access to the academic study of the [00:10] Bible and religion and we combat the [00:12] spread of misinformation. [00:14] About the same, how are you and your [00:16] cardigan today, Dan? [00:17] >> Uh just chilling. Just having a nice [00:20] It's probably one of the last card days [00:23] that I'm going to be having this season. [00:25] It's [00:26] >> It's been a little chilly. There's a [00:28] chill in the air. [00:29] >> Yeah. [00:30] >> Here in the Salt Lake Valley, [00:31] >> you are climate controlled in your [00:32] apartments. I don't know. [00:34] >> Yeah, I have some control. It's true. [00:36] But, you know, I like I like to be [00:38] influenced by the outside world. I like [00:40] >> We're going to approximate what's going [00:41] on outside. Just Okay. [00:43] >> Uh the climate control inside might be a [00:45] problem. I might have to take off the [00:46] cardigan as we move forward. We'll have [00:48] to see. [00:49] >> It's gonna get heated. [00:51] >> Boom. Uh anyway, we got some stuff to [00:54] talk about today. Uh we're we're getting [00:56] topical uh as as we discuss America [01:01] reading the Bible. Oddly, it doesn't [01:04] seem like all of America was invited. Uh [01:08] but many uh very a lot of conservative [01:13] religious types are doing a marathon [01:15] reading the Bible as you and I are [01:18] speaking right now. It is happening. By [01:20] the time it gets out to our our friends [01:22] out in the internet world, it will have [01:25] hopefully mercifully ended. [01:27] >> It will have changed nothing. Everyone [01:29] will have forgotten about it. But yes, [01:30] it will have happened. [01:32] >> Yes, indeed. So, we'll we'll chat a [01:34] little bit about that. Uh so, let's just [01:37] dive in. [01:38] >> Let's get topical. [01:42] >> And the topical uh the reason I don't [01:45] know like is the Bible topical? I think [01:47] that's a funny question because the [01:50] >> increasingly yes, the Bible is [01:52] controlling our lives to a degree that [01:54] we have not experienced uh in in our [01:56] generation. So [01:57] >> yeah, it's it's it's I mean it's [01:59] perpetually topical on our show. But uh [02:03] >> but what has happened as as we sort of [02:05] hinted at it was a a whole bunch of [02:08] people uh a a laundry list of people [02:12] have each uh been asked to read a small [02:15] portion of the Bible and it's just a [02:18] cavalcade of uh of of sort of people [02:22] from the religious right. I I sincerely [02:25] doubt anyone on the even, you know, [02:29] prominent Christians on the left side of [02:31] the spectrum were invited to this. [02:33] >> I I I did find out that they did uh [02:36] reach out to some politicians and uh [02:40] some religious leaders. I don't know [02:42] which ones exactly. They said that they [02:44] did invite some and uh they turned it [02:47] down. So, and and I don't know if it was [02:50] just a token invitation to to a couple [02:52] of people, but overwhelmingly, yes. This [02:55] is this is the who's who in people you [02:58] don't want to know. Um, [03:01] >> we should list off a few of the people [03:03] that we're talking about. [03:03] >> Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Well, I the one [03:05] that I was most surprised by, [03:08] >> Kathy Ireland. [03:10] >> Oh, [03:10] >> yes. for model from model yes who was [03:14] who was like a a big one of the one of [03:16] the most important models in the 90s I [03:19] guess maybe 80s and 90s I don't remember [03:22] exactly when her heyday was but [03:24] >> yeah it was it was around that time [03:26] period but um yes I I recall I recall [03:29] knowing about Kathy Ireland as a as a [03:31] younger man um [03:34] >> knowing about Gotcha she's she u is [03:39] going to be reading uh as of today. This [03:42] we have not arrived at the New [03:43] Testament, but she's going to be reading [03:45] Luke 21 through Luke 22:38. [03:49] >> Wait a minute. That just seems like the [03:50] end of Luke 22. Um, why would they? Um, [03:54] by the way, when I looked up on the [03:56] Christians Engaged website, which is [03:58] kind of the home base for this America [04:00] Reads the Bible thing. [04:02] >> Uhhuh. [04:02] >> I don't know who they had putting this [04:04] together, but they needed an editor. Um, [04:09] it was bad. was real bad. [04:11] >> Um, but uh, yeah, Kathy Ireland, Dallas [04:14] Jenkins, [04:15] >> the creator of um, [04:18] >> now I forget the name of the show. [04:20] >> I don't know anything about Dallas [04:22] Jenkins. I would never [04:24] >> the the Jesus television show. Um, that [04:28] >> Oh. Oh. Uh, uh, uh, oh. Oh my gosh. Why [04:32] can't [04:33] >> I don't remember what it's called. [04:34] Anyway, [04:36] >> I keep the in my head. Um, the departed [04:39] keeps popping into my head and I'm like [04:41] I'm almost positive it's not the [04:43] departed. That just may be the residual [04:45] Boston um in uh in me, but it was the [04:49] chosen. Sorry. [04:50] >> The chosen. [04:51] >> The chosen. Yes. Um [04:53] >> Okay. [04:54] >> I I hope my friend who is one of the [04:56] actors in that television show does not [05:00] listen to this episode, but [05:03] >> you got it eventually. [05:04] >> Yeah. I mean, there's a whole bunch of [05:06] politicians, you know, there's Mike [05:07] Johnson, there's Ted Cruz and his papy [05:12] Raphael Cruz are both are both taking [05:14] >> passages. We got Mike Huckabe. [05:17] >> Yeah. [05:17] >> Um Dan Patrick of of uh your [05:20] grandparents will sacrifice their lives [05:22] for the economy fame during the the [05:25] pandemic. Uh Paula White Kaine, the uh [05:29] spiritual adviser, I guess. Uh mascot [05:32] for um Trumpian religiosity. [05:36] >> Uh Erica Kirk is there, Ronda Santis, [05:39] Pete Heg Seth, [05:41] >> who uh [05:44] is just a never- ending fountain of [05:46] ridiculousness. [05:47] >> You got you got Ronda Ronda Santis who's [05:49] the the the governor of Florida. You've [05:52] got te Greg Abbott Abbott, the the [05:54] governor of Texas. You got the governor [05:56] of Tennessee, I think. [05:58] >> Uh and then out of nowhere, you got [06:00] Victoria Jackson, uh who was the a [06:04] goofball on SNL for a couple years. [06:07] >> Oh gosh. [06:08] >> For a few years, actually. She was on [06:10] there for a long time and now she's just [06:11] a uh [06:13] >> a lunatic. Uh [06:14] >> oh jeez. Leanne WAC. Uh [06:17] >> okay. [06:18] >> Country singer. [06:19] >> Yeah. Um, I I recognize a song or two of [06:22] hers, [06:23] >> but I I got to say we're burying the [06:25] lead. [06:26] >> The lead [06:27] >> because uh what we're building to is [06:29] that President of the United States, [06:33] Donald John Trump, [06:35] uh reading uh which is never a good [06:38] idea. [06:38] >> More like more like grimacing at um he [06:43] definitely uh I watch I did watch the [06:45] video of him. Uh and here's the thing. [06:48] So, so yes, they released his video. He [06:51] he didn't he didn't go to the event and [06:53] read it from there. [06:55] >> No. [06:55] >> And part of the reason becomes very [06:58] clear when you watch the video and they [06:59] have these weird cuts back and forth [07:02] from one camera angle to another. Very [07:04] making it very clear that they're like [07:07] these are edit. [07:07] >> They had to stitch it together. Yeah. [07:09] >> And there were still a couple of places [07:11] where I where you can hear that they've [07:14] done something digitally to fix what he [07:17] said. and he still got a lot of things [07:18] wrong. This was he got it wildly wrong a [07:22] bunch of times like [07:23] >> my my favorite is in the very first [07:26] verse that he read. So he was [07:28] responsible for 2 Chronicles 7 11-22. [07:33] >> Yeah. [07:34] >> 12 verses is all he had to read. And the [07:38] very first word, very first verse he got [07:42] out prosperiously. [07:45] Um cuz I think he was he he started un [07:49] thinking the word was prosperous or [07:51] prosperity or something like that and [07:53] then it was it was prosperously and he [07:56] went prosperiously and um through his [08:01] clenched teeth and yeah it was it was a [08:04] struggle to hear him struggle to read uh [08:07] these passages. the and I think the the [08:10] main parts of uh the the whole passage [08:15] that he was chosen for that was chosen [08:18] for him is that um he this is the part [08:23] that says uh if my people who are called [08:25] by my name humble themselves pray seek [08:28] my face and turn from their wicked ways [08:30] then I will hear from heaven and will [08:32] forgive their sin and heal their land [08:36] >> and that's that's from the NRSVUE. He [08:39] read from the King James version. [08:40] Obviously, he [08:41] >> read from the New King James Version. [08:44] >> Was it the New King James Version? [08:46] >> Indeed, it was. That is the version that [08:48] the entire event is focused on. [08:50] >> Oh. [08:51] >> But he didn't even get that right. [08:54] >> Yeah. [08:55] >> Um cuz he I know he uh he and Lee [08:57] Greenwood are are selling their uh their [09:00] God Bless America Bibles. Yeah. [09:02] >> That are that are King James versions. [09:04] But the [09:06] >> but I I I think I think that the idea of [09:08] the organizers of this event was that uh [09:11] they didn't want to make anyone have to [09:12] do some of the words that the KJV uh [09:16] some of the more arcane words. [09:18] >> Yeah. They didn't want to have to hear [09:20] anybody say um he who pissth against the [09:23] wall. Um, [09:26] >> but also like there are big words that [09:28] are that are, you know, not in common [09:30] circulation anymore. And I think some [09:32] people uh, including our president, [09:35] >> forgive me, I I just don't think he has [09:38] the acumen to get at some of these [09:40] words. But I what's amazing is they gave [09:44] him [09:46] you rightly point out which what portion [09:49] of this uh of his bit what they were [09:53] trying to highlight. [09:54] >> Yeah. [09:55] >> But he didn't know that. He just like [09:57] literally droned through the entire [09:59] thing at a monotone [10:01] >> not understanding a word of it. [10:04] >> Yeah. It was and also it's it was a [10:07] pretty small thing. Like you could have [10:09] given him [10:11] there's a bunch of stuff you could have [10:12] given him. This was a shocking thing. [10:14] Like literally when you find out that [10:16] he's willing to do it, you find the best [10:20] thing for the president to do. [10:22] >> Well, well, here's the thing. The uh the [10:24] opening celebration, the main the big [10:26] song that that some guy named Phil King, [10:29] I don't I've never I don't think I've [10:30] ever heard of Phil King. I don't know if [10:31] you've heard of Phil King. He's he was [10:34] performing his original theme song. So [10:36] the theme song for the event is called [10:40] Heal Our Land. [10:42] >> Uh [10:42] >> so so this was very clearly the money [10:46] shot of the whole thing. And they got a [10:49] grimace Trump face uh in that in that uh [10:53] money shot. But yeah, it was and the [10:56] idea seems to be that we're hurting as a [10:59] nation. Read the Bible. that will [11:01] magically fix things, [11:03] >> right? Wii [11:05] >> which is not how things work. Uh but [11:09] also [11:09] >> I I mean it's not how it's worked yet, [11:12] Dan. You don't know. Maybe it's coming. [11:16] >> Maybe that teapot is out there in space [11:19] circling around as we speak. You can't [11:21] say it's not. But the and the idea seems [11:25] to be that, you know, we all we all need [11:27] to just read the Bible and just say [11:28] we're Christian and then God will be [11:30] like boom, healed. [11:32] >> And and it's it's one of the most [11:34] pathetic brands of Christian nationalism [11:36] I've ever seen. And and in no small part [11:39] because the list of people who are [11:42] reading is a who's who of not just [11:44] hatred but just of degeneracy as well. [11:48] like the guy who who uh read the main [11:52] passage is a serial sexual predator. [11:55] >> Yeah. [11:55] >> Is a serial adulterer. Not only that, [11:59] you know, there are a bunch of people [11:59] like God can forgive people. God [12:01] forgives people. These we can't blame [12:03] him for past sins. Trump has never once [12:05] owned up to doing those things, [12:07] >> right? [12:09] >> Said he was sorry for doing those [12:10] things. He's even said he has no need [12:13] for repentance. [12:14] >> Like this this is not a [12:16] >> Yeah. He was he was asked if he had ever [12:18] repented for anything and he was like, [12:19] "No, not that I can think of." [12:21] >> Yeah. He says he doesn't do anything [12:22] wrong. So why does he need repentance [12:24] and on multiple occasions he said that? [12:27] So this is this is your guy, [12:29] >> right? [12:29] >> This is your guy. The guy we all heard. [12:32] >> This is this is the guy. I mean, the [12:33] heal the land part is nice, but if you [12:36] go back just a few words, as you pointed [12:39] out, uh, it says, "Humble themselves and [12:43] pray to and seek my face and turn from [12:46] their wicked ways." [12:48] >> Yeah. [12:49] >> And I don't see humbling of self [12:52] happening. [12:53] >> No. [12:54] >> Whatsoever. [12:55] >> No. And when they when they say wicked [12:56] ways here, they obviously mean being a [12:58] woman or being black or being trans [13:01] >> or being an immigrant or [13:03] >> Yeah. being an immigrant, wanting health [13:05] care that you can afford. These are the [13:08] the iterations, the manifestations of [13:11] wickedness that this public reading of [13:14] the Bible is supposed to uh magically [13:17] purge from from the land. And the these [13:21] are the people who are responsible for [13:23] most of the social ills that plague our [13:26] land today. Um this is it's such [13:31] performative piety on the part of deeply [13:36] bad people. [13:38] >> Um like I I mentioned Dan Patrick was [13:40] the guy who during the during the [13:42] pandemic was like yeah your grandparents [13:43] will be okay dying so that we can have [13:46] you know so that the economy can [13:48] recover. Yeah, that's like how much of a [13:52] misanthrope do you have to be to to [13:55] actually say that publicly and then [13:58] start accusing other people of you know [14:01] engaging in in con just making it all up [14:05] >> right [14:05] >> uh that and you know Eric Mataxis he was [14:08] on the list too what was Eric Mataxis [14:10] read Isaiah 52 and 53 he got to read the [14:13] big Isaiah 53 suffering servant uh song [14:18] And yeah, he's he's out there saying [14:20] this is all everything was a hoax. [14:22] Everything that has ever happened that [14:24] uh that has been bad for the right has [14:26] been has been a hoax. Everything from [14:28] Trump having the election stolen from [14:30] him in 2020 all the way to uh COVID and [14:34] and everything in between these these [14:36] people are causing like um you said [14:39] Ronda Ronda Santis was on there, right? [14:41] >> Yeah. [14:41] >> Ronda Santis is causing all kinds of [14:44] suffering. [14:45] >> Yeah. in Florida uh that is spilling out [14:48] into other states as well. [14:50] >> And it's not just, you know, he's trying [14:51] to solve a problem. These people aren't [14:54] just trying to solve societal problems [14:56] and it accidentally causes some harm and [14:59] they just consider that damage. [15:02] >> It's it's absolutely baked into what [15:05] they're trying to do. They want to [15:07] punish people who disagree with them. [15:09] They want to hurt people that they don't [15:11] like. So, so like you know you you look [15:14] at how ICE is handling uh has been [15:19] handling people for the last year uh in [15:21] terms of just [15:24] not even bothering to look at you know I [15:26] I heard a story the other day where a [15:28] guy who is an American citizen who had a [15:31] real ID ID on him which you can't get [15:34] unless you're a an American citizen, [15:37] >> right? And like he was he was arrested [15:40] because he was brown and he had, you [15:42] know, he had a a last name that ended in [15:45] EZ or whatever. And he uh he was [15:47] arrested and driven around town and, you [15:51] know, for hours and hours and then, you [15:54] know, locked up with a bunch of other [15:56] people. And they didn't they he had the [15:59] the documents that he needed on his [16:02] person that whole time and they refused [16:05] to look at it. Yeah. Because the pain [16:08] because the suffering because the the [16:10] cruelty is the point. [16:12] >> Yeah. The these are there are people who [16:14] want to get off on being jerks. This is [16:18] the the oyal rules theory of uh of [16:22] governance. Yeah. And it's it's so [16:26] disgusting that these are the people who [16:28] are pretending to be the representatives [16:31] of uh of Christianity. And it it's not [16:34] that they are not. They are [16:36] representatives of of a particular brand [16:38] of Christianity that unfortunately has [16:40] been too prominent for for uh far too [16:43] long in our nation. But they are are [16:46] clearly worshippers of power more than [16:49] anything else. That's what this is [16:51] really all about. this hard to make an [16:53] argument against that. You know, there [16:54] are some people, I'm sure, that are in [16:56] this lit group of people who aren't [17:01] >> just sort of right-wing ideologues. [17:04] Obviously, all of the politicians I [17:06] don't trust to be anything other than [17:08] just right right-wing ideologues, but [17:10] I'm sure that some of the the pastors [17:13] who have come in are just, you know, are [17:15] actual [17:17] they they're just trying to to, you [17:19] know, their hearts in a right place. [17:22] >> Yeah. Yeah. I I have no I have no doubt [17:25] in my mind that there are an awful lot [17:27] of like I saw some of the people here [17:28] were were prison uh pastors and things [17:31] like that. There are a lot of people [17:32] going through a lot of stuff to try to [17:34] make lives better for for certain [17:36] people. [17:37] >> Yeah. [17:37] >> But along the way, they're hitching [17:38] their wagon to a movement [17:40] >> and the the movement is not concerned [17:43] with helping individuals. The movement [17:45] is concerned with power. And these folks [17:48] have have gotten caught up in it because [17:51] there's their particular brand of [17:53] Christianity is too entangled with this [17:56] movement. Even if they are trying to [17:58] help the poor, even if they are trying [17:59] to help the incarcerated, even if they [18:01] are trying to help the sick and the [18:03] immigrants and others, they are too [18:05] entangled in a movement that is [18:07] concerned with with structuring power [18:10] and values uh and and boundaries so as [18:14] to advance their right-wing [18:16] authoritarian and social dominance [18:17] orientation identity politics. Um, Jenna [18:21] Ellis, Trump's former uh lawyer, I [18:25] think, uh, is on there. Betsy [18:26] >> DVOS. [18:28] >> Betsy DVOS. Betsy DVOS. [18:32] I don't know if you recall watching any [18:34] of the hearings for her to be education [18:36] secretary. She got so humiliated in [18:40] those hearings and very clearly did not [18:43] have the foggiest idea what she was [18:45] there to do or what was going on. [18:47] >> Yeah. She was [18:49] >> they were still like approved. Um [18:53] >> um Mike Pompeo was reading Franklin [18:55] Graham was reading some Dean Kaine [18:59] >> Superman himself like the worst Superman [19:02] >> read uh read John chapter 5. [19:05] >> Yeah. So that's now now it's now it's [19:07] getting personal to you when Superman is [19:10] doing this. I just I want to know who [19:12] read I should have done this research. I [19:14] should have figured this out before we [19:15] went in. Yeah. [19:16] >> I want to know who read the bit about do [19:19] not pray publicly and uh you know go to [19:22] your closet to pray. I want to know who [19:25] read the part that said hey maybe don't [19:28] make it about loud uh and and sort of [19:31] public you know displays of your [19:34] religiosity but instead actually just be [19:38] good and do it for the sake of itself. [19:41] >> Yeah. That so that's Matthew 6. That's [19:43] the sermon on the mount. Yeah. Um, let [19:45] me see if the where is the cuz I' I've [19:50] got the website open, but uh they they [19:53] make it such a pain to find this stuff. [19:55] >> So, it's not it's not happening yet. Uh [19:58] cuz right now I think we're still in [20:00] we're in the middle we're in the the [20:02] late Jeremiah chapters. I don't [20:04] recognize any of the the names there, [20:07] but um if you give me a second, I'll [20:09] I'll look that up because I remember [20:10] some there somebody was reading Matthew [20:13] 5. Mike Pompeo was reading Matthew 5 and [20:17] I was like, woof. [20:18] >> Mike Pompeo. Wow. [20:20] >> He gets the biatitudes, huh? [20:21] >> Yeah, that's [20:22] >> um so uh I and I remember thinking, [20:25] okay, who gets the rest of the uh sermon [20:29] on the mount? And I I think I didn't [20:31] recognize the name, but um we'll look it [20:35] up real quick. [20:36] >> I I mean, it's just one of those things [20:37] where uh that's actually, you know, that [20:40] is so pertinent to this, I would say. I [20:43] don't know. You you tell me because you [20:45] you know that verse better than I do. [20:47] You know, I uh I so I I don't know uh if [20:54] that if that would apply. It feels like [20:56] it would apply. It feels like this uh [20:58] you know this whole thing is such a [21:01] performative display it feels like it's [21:04] it like that particular bit of the [21:08] sermon on the mount is apppropo but am [21:10] am I am I reading too much into it is [21:12] part of my question uh so the I I think [21:16] it it would be apppropo I think when [21:18] when we think about what what kind of [21:21] stuff is is God asking for in order to [21:24] according to 2 Chronicles heal the land. [21:27] Well, what does everybody around 2 [21:29] Chronicles have to say? Uh, basically [21:31] generate a just and a righteous society. [21:34] Uh, have mercy, do justice, uh, all [21:37] those kinds of things. Some some dude [21:39] named Chris Kubal [21:41] is, uh, was reading the rest of the [21:43] sermon on the mount. And Chris is the [21:46] chief program officer at Intercessors [21:49] for America, [21:51] a national network of state leaders who [21:54] are mobilizing intercessors to pray for [21:56] and engage with state legislators. [22:01] So, I'm I'm not hopeful that uh Chris [22:07] really is concerned for what is [22:11] actually being advocated for in the [22:13] sermon on the mount, [22:14] >> right? [22:15] >> Um [22:15] >> one wonders if he'll just if he'll do a [22:18] sort of she [22:19] >> do not pray on the [22:22] >> Chris is a she. [22:24] >> Okay. [22:24] >> Um well, Chris is a woman. um as as far [22:27] as I can tell, I imagine that the [22:30] pronouns are going to be what what uh [22:33] what we think they are. But um [22:35] >> yeah, one I I can't imagine that anyone [22:38] invited to this event has pronouns that [22:41] do not match their uh their assigned at [22:44] birth gender, but uh you know, [22:48] >> who knows? I yeah, it it seems [22:50] impossible that that would be a thing. [22:53] >> And it it it baffles me that there's a [22:55] whole organization that people are [22:57] obviously making millions and millions [22:59] of dollars off of [23:01] inviting people to pray for stuff to [23:03] happen. [23:05] Um [23:06] >> yeah, [23:07] >> that's not how things work. [23:09] >> Uh yeah. All right. Well, I I don't know [23:14] that there's that much more to say about [23:16] it other than, you know, this It's an [23:19] event where, and this I I think what's [23:21] made clear, especially clear by Trump's [23:26] uh entry into this, is that this is a [23:30] drone. This isn't no one's trying to [23:32] highlight anything scriptural in this. [23:35] No one's trying to uh bring out a [23:37] message [23:38] >> uh from from the Bible for this. [23:42] >> They're just they're just saying all of [23:46] the words of it. [23:48] And then uh you know and and I assume [23:51] probably there are speeches before and [23:53] after that are actually like more more [23:56] about what they're really getting after. [23:59] >> Mhm. [23:59] >> But the as you say the the this is [24:03] designed not to accomplish anything. It [24:06] is just for show. [24:07] >> Oh it's performative. Yeah. 100%. That's [24:09] that's what this is all about. Now, now [24:11] certainly there are people who believe [24:13] this is going to affect some kind of [24:14] change and a lot of people are sharing [24:17] it on on Twitter. For instance, the the [24:20] the first time I saw Trump grimacing at [24:23] the camera trying to squeak out 2 [24:25] Chronicles 7, it was because somebody [24:27] shared it on Twitter and they were like, [24:29] "The president of the United States [24:31] reading the Bible from the Oval Office. [24:34] This is a new world with, you know, [24:36] we're through the looking glass people. [24:38] This is unreal." and and it's it doesn't [24:42] it's not going to change anything. It's [24:45] it's just performative to make people [24:47] feel like they're um make people feel [24:50] important, like they're making a [24:51] difference when they're doing nothing. [24:54] But they're also I mean there is this [24:56] secondary thing that they're trying to [24:58] do which is they're making themselves [24:59] feel important but they're also trying [25:01] to make non-Christians or people who [25:03] disagree with them feel like they don't [25:06] have a place at the table feel like [25:08] their their voices are not important. [25:11] Their voices cannot be heard over the [25:14] cacophony [25:15] of uh [25:17] >> yeah look look how representative this [25:18] is of of [25:20] >> right the the real America. So I think a [25:23] lot of the messaging here is if you're [25:24] not one of us, if you're not a [25:27] Christian, if you're not, you know, if [25:29] you're Muslim, if you're Hindu, if [25:30] you're atheist, if you're whatever, uh [25:33] you're not a real American. This is what [25:36] real Americans do. [25:37] >> Yeah. And it's coinciding with a a push [25:42] to for people to to start attending [25:44] church more. Like Ben Shapiro was on a [25:47] show and somebody was like, "What what [25:49] would what does a nation have to do? But [25:50] what does a a broken nation have to do [25:52] to heal? And he said, "Go to church." [25:54] >> The Jewish church. [25:56] >> Well, well, yeah. What he said was, "So, [25:58] I would, you know, if you're Jewish, go [26:00] to synagogue, but go to church because [26:02] this is a Christian nation." And um and [26:05] it's like well I I don't know if Ben [26:07] Shapiro knows the period of the founding [26:11] when the US Constitution was constructed [26:13] and our nation was created is the period [26:16] of lowest church attendance and church [26:18] membership in all of US history up until [26:22] now. [26:22] >> Right? [26:23] >> So we're kind of by not going to church [26:26] returning to the founders and and their [26:28] approach to uh to things. So yeah, going [26:31] going to church if going to if all going [26:34] to church does is make you um support [26:37] ICE and hate your neighbor, you're one [26:40] your your church is doing it wrong, but [26:42] also just the act of going to church or [26:44] just the act of reading the Bible [26:46] doesn't accomplish what you think it's [26:48] going to accomplish [26:50] >> precisely because it's just [26:51] performative. It is just a way to to tow [26:55] the line to put on display your [26:58] willingness to sign off on these [26:59] credences so that other people will [27:01] think you're a real one and that just [27:03] advances your own interests. It's all [27:05] selfish. It's all entirely about [27:07] advancing their own interests. [27:09] >> Yeah. I you know I think coming up soon [27:11] you you and I need to do a uh a thing [27:14] about the the we'll do a whole segment [27:16] about the claim that the founding [27:19] fathers quoted the Bible more than any [27:21] other book or whatever. [27:23] >> Oh gosh. I've heard that for years now. [27:25] >> And yes, we're definitely going to need [27:27] to do a segment on that one. [27:29] >> Yeah. All right. Well, if you'd like to [27:31] hear us blather a little bit more, you [27:33] can always get some uh really good bonus [27:36] content over on patreon.com where our [27:39] patrons uh at the $10 a month level get [27:42] the afterparty that we do every single [27:45] week. Uh as well as early and adree [27:48] access to every episode of the show. [27:51] Thanks so much to Roger Gaudy for [27:53] editing. Thanks to JJ for being our [27:55] producer. And thanks to all y'all for [27:58] tuning in. We'll talk to you again next [28:00] time. Bye everybody.  📄 **Full text:** ![[Full Document Contents/Articles/America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible.md|America (Almost Never) Reads the Bible by YouTube]] ## Highlights - for um Trumpian religiosity. >> Uh Erica Kirk is there, Ronda Santis, Pete Heg Seth, >> who uh is just a never- ending fountain of ridiculousness. >> You got you got Ronda Ronda Santis who's the the the governor of Florida. You've got te Greg Abbott Abbott, the the governor of Texas. You got the governor of Tennessee, I think. >> Uh and then out of nowhere, you got ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kqsera93n94aapw0cab396h6)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - ever heard of Phil King. I don't know if you've heard of Phil King. He's he was performing his original theme song. So the theme song for the event is called Heal Our Land. >> Uh >> so so this was very clearly the money shot of the whole thing. And they got a grimace Trump face uh in that in that uh money shot. But yeah, it was and the idea seems to be that we're hurting as a nation. Read the Bible. that will ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kqseraanfjvx72k1sb63wxx4)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - like boom, healed. >> And and it's it's one of the most pathetic brands of Christian nationalism I've ever seen. And and in no small part because the list of people who are reading is a who's who of not just hatred but just of degeneracy as well. like the guy who who uh read the main passage is a serial sexual predator. >> Yeah. >> Is a serial adulterer. Not only that, you know, there are a bunch of people like God can forgive people. God ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kqserabp10160zgb6bsc934y)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - >> just sort of right-wing ideologues. Obviously, all of the politicians I don't trust to be anything other than just right right-wing ideologues, but I'm sure that some of the the pastors who have come in are just, you know, are actual they they're just trying to to, you know, their hearts in a right place. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I have no I have no doubt in my mind that there are an awful lot of like I saw some of the people here were were prison uh pastors and things ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kqserad9m4pt0f6a0ypnsz4y)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - public you know displays of your religiosity but instead actually just be good and do it for the sake of itself. >> Yeah. That so that's Matthew 6. That's the sermon on the mount. Yeah. Um, let me see if the where is the cuz I' I've got the website open, but uh they they make it such a pain to find this stuff. >> So, it's not it's not happening yet. Uh cuz right now I think we're still in ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kqseraeztqvjj8ea5bmzn78q)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted