made it very clear
not what he thought … someone else
is always to blame
Adapted from the New York Times opinion piece, I missed the part about the Divine Right of … Presidents? )April 19, 2026) by David French where Mr. French writes:
He [That man currently in office] posted an image on Truth Social that depicted the president as Jesus healing a sick man, with worshipers looking on in adoration, a flag of the United States waving in the background and mysterious figures floating in the sky.
The image was clearly blasphemous, and I was gratified to see a number of people whom I’d consider MAGA Christians strongly criticize the president. For example, a popular right-wing commentator, Cam Higby, posted: “I support Trump, and I spend 8 hours a day defending him. I will not defend blasphemy.” Riley Gaines, a college swimmer turned conservative podcaster, tweeted to her 1.6 million followers on X: “Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?”
To consider the contrast between the biblical model of religious conscience and the actions of Trump’s Christian loyalists, recall one of the most famous confrontations with power in the Old Testament, between a prophet named Nathan and King David.
In the biblical story, David repents immediately and writes one of the most memorable psalms in Scripture. “Have mercy upon me, O God,” it begins, “According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.”
Now let’s look to the words of Franklin Graham, one of the most prominent evangelicals in America — and one of Trump’s most zealous supporters.
In a public statement after Trump posted the image of himself as Jesus, Graham pretended to believe Trump’s absurd explanation of the image, writing, “I’m thankful the President has made it very clear that this was not at all what he thought the AI-generated image was representing — he thought it was a doctor helping someone, and when he learned of the concerns, he immediately removed the post.” But Graham didn’t stop there. He lashed out against Trump’s critics, “I think his enemies are always foaming at the mouth at any possible opportunity to make him look bad,” he wrote.
Someone else is always to blame.
We played the waiting game after that man posted that image and then claimed he did not in any way see himself as anything but a doctor in the way the image came across.
We waited.
Surely … SURELY … this crossed the line and there would be a reaction by Christians who had been saved by the Blood of Jesus Christ and who loved their Savior for the grace he offered that replaced their sins.
Surely …
When Franklin Graham finally said something, he said, “When I looked at the illustration, I didn’t jump to the same conclusion as some. There were no spiritual references — no halo, there were no crosses, no angels. It was a flag, soldiers, a nurse, fighter planes, eagles, the Statue of Liberty, and I think this is a lot to do about nothing.”
Folks, as Mr. Churchill might say, Here, surely, is the world record in the domain of the ridiculous and the contemptible.
Mr. Churchill was speaking out against the claims of one Benito (This whipped jackal) Mussolini and Mussolini’s claims of Italian victories over Greece in World War 2.
Mr. Graham was speaking out on a subject that Mr. French said was “clearly blasphemous.”
My first reaction to Mr. Graham’s public statement was … is he on crack?
My second reaction to Mr. Graham’s public statement was … is he on meth?
My third reaction to Mr. Graham’s public statement was … is he on crack and meth?
My 4th reaction to Mr. Graham’s public statement was … why is he lying?
Mr. Graham and I grew up in the same age and era and for the most part, the same type of churches.
We spent hours on Sunday Mornings in Sunday School where we were taught Bible stories with what was know as flannel graph illustrations.
A board was cover in flannel and printed paper cut outs of figures with flannel pasted on the back would go up on the board where they would stick.
Printed paper cut outs of David and Goliath with one image of Goliath standing tall and another of Goliath landing flat and the cut outs would be swapped to go along with the narrative of story.
Anyone and I MEAN ANYONE with a biblical flannel graph saw the image posted by that man in currently and office and immediately recognized who that figure was.
Mr. French doesn’t say Mr. Graham lied.
Instead, Mr. French says, “Graham pretended to believe …”
Think about that.
Graham pretended to believe.
Not sure what comes to your mind when you here the words, pretended to believe but I think of the Bible verse, Matthew 7:22-23 where Matthew records:
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Not a lot of wiggle room to be pretending.
Look, I am in NO position to criticize anyone on anyone’s personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ.
If anything, I feel sorry for Mr. Graham.
I feel sorry for anyone who has to pretend that there love of Christ was not and is not offended by that man currently in office.
I guess that is why the Apostle Paul felt it was necessary to tell us: continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
It is nothing to pretend about.
And in this case, there will be no one else to blame.
No Haiku For You 