What is Blasphemy?

I don’t think most people could define Blasphemy, but lately they’re pretty certain Donald Trump committed it. And when Fox, CNN, and The Daily are throwing it around (You included, Dear Reader.) it’s even harder to define. And, I don’t really care to fruitlessly focus my effort on finding a definition. Nor do I think understanding it is necessary.

But, I frequently tell my family that I am trying to commit the sin of Blasphemy, as I regularly joke that each day I think up new ideas to try.

Because in John Piper’s opinion (I actually enjoy his son, Abraham, a lot more) committing Blasphemy has both an immediate and everlasting price. Commiting the sin as it’s written would indicate a signal to my family that God actually is real because at least one price is undeniable to happen:

The Everlasting Price, most fequently preached: Eternal Damnation (HELL). 

The Immediate Price, as in the very moment I stand: Physical Death.

And no, I’m not sure I actually agree with the elder Piper’s view on what the Bible defines as biblical Blasphemy. But I do think I agree with him on the price of committing it, that if the Christian God is the true God, then the sin of Blasphemy would be both a separation from God eternally and an immediate physical death. Whatever Blasphemy is, it’s clearly the largest betrayal to God possible.

And please tell me you see the humor of me telling my family I’m trying to commit Blasphemy so they can be assured of God? The Norm MacDonald in me? Loves it.

If Piper is right about the price, then the chances of anyone we’ve ever seen having committed Blasphemy is zero. Doing something blasphemous and committing the actual sin is therefore different. Blasphemy as defined by the news, your dialogue with church friends, and your pastor; is largely undefined and more loosely held. But thankfully, knowing what Blasphemy is doesn’t really matter in determing who’s done it. Because, actually doing it results in the immediate death of the doer, an obvious cost to the sin.

And while I deeply despise the “Undefined” problem that floats around terms in Evangelicalism (see: ‘Doing Life Together’ and ‘Universal Church’). I can still admit that the careless use of “Blasphemous” in response to Trump casting himself as Jesus is an easy way to gauge the depth of Trump’s connection to Evangelicalism, and by extension his base.

Undefined Blasphemy:

I saw someone recently say that it felt like Trump committed “Accidental Blasphemy”. The reasoning was that Trump was so unaware of Christian culture that he may have really thought he was a Doctor in his AI photo and didn’t realize the response he would get.

And while I disagree that it was accidental, I don’t disagree that Trump was completely unaware of how Evangelicals would respond. In fact, I don’t think casting himself as the Saviour was unintentional (I will cast myself as a Doctor for Halloween though).

Rather, I think Trump failed to realize it was a blasphemous post in the eyes of his base because he was/is so unaware of Christian theology and belief. The unawareness is spot on, but the post if any accident from Trump, wasn’t that he failed to realize that he was casting himself as Jesus. Instead the accident was a failure to realize that posturing yourself on the same level of Jesus is not just a biblical sin, but anti-christ-like; a failure to know what Jesus even means to Evangelicalism.

Over the past 10 years Trump has been methodical (One of his greatest strengths) at alligning himself with the Evangelical Right. And many Christians do agree that morally he represents a Christian failure; they just attach themselves to the policy instead. It’s always been clear that Donald boasts a massive ego scaffolded by immense pride. 

Trump didn’t post the image accidentally with a lack of awareness that he was Jesus, anyone that’s honest can see that. In fact, Trump posted it with the full knowledge that he was Jesus in it. His failure to recognize how poorly it would be received almost isn’t his fault.

Trump has no real clue as to what the Bible says in any sort of its context, yet he surrounds himself with “Christian” leaders who claim to. His main spiritual advisor is Paula White, who holds no real biblical training and follows T.D Jakes (known false teacher) as her main spiritual guide. Paula just two weeks ago, fully compared Donald to Jesus as someone who was “Betrayed, arrested, and falsely accused”. Franklin Graham, famous solely because of his name, just three weeks ago assured Donald that his “Soul was Secure“.

JD Vance, one of Trump’s most beloved, holds a completely different faith with enough commonality to Christianity that it would absolutely confuse a spiritual baby. Similarly, his most staunch foreign ally, Bibi Netanyahu, leads the most religious state in current existence that holds deep anchors in Evangelical belief via Judaism. 

The posting of Dr. Trump and its subsequent removal due to backlash from his base, tells us almost exactly how Trump views himself. It’s always been clear that Trump views himself as America’s political and governing saviour, but for just a moment when the clearly false Evangelical rhetoric reached a fever pitch, he also believed he was Christianity’s modern saviour and made that AI image of Trump-Jesus.

The spiritual milk fed by Christians who either already believe Trump is Christ-Like, or by spiritual leaders too afraid to give biblical opposition to his views; combined with Evangelical joy at his defense of Christian family values; created new heights of ego that Trump views himself through. The removal of the post and lie about being a doctor is probably the most humility we’ll ever see from him.

Trump views himself so highly as a Christian-faith defender and is so unaware of the Bible, that he failed to realize casting himself as the Saviour would be blasphemous. It wasn’t an accident to post himself, it was ignorance to the Bible.

The Road to a Blasphemous Trump:

I do find it funny that so many Christians are recognizing that Trump might not actually be the defender of the faith they pictured, even if his policy fits the bill. It’s not that I expect the base to crumble, it won’t because it’s the largest base to ever exist in politics (Hell, nearly its own party). But, the humour I see in this goes all the way back to 2016 and the moments before and after his first win.

The “Grab her by the pussy” remark, the Stormy Daniels payment, and attacking peoples physical appearances are worthless arguments today (sadly) and not what I mean by 2016. But man, it is crazy that all of those are true. The part of 2016 I most want to focus in on is Trump’s own biblical rhetoric and his clearly non-Evangelical stances and actions, followed by his strategic shift into it.

Trump had (‘had’ is a key-word) always been a LGBTQ+ ally, most obviously demonstrated by his life before running for president. The Apprentice is fairly littered with Trump being a vocal ally far earlier than most. Speaking about Elton John and his partner Trump said “If two people dig each other, they dig each other.” In 2016 he even stated “Transgenders should use the bathroom they feel most comfortable in“. One of Trump’s first physical actions after defeating Hillary Clinton, was to wave the gay pride flag around on stage. 

In 2015, when asked “Have you ever asked God for forgiveness?” He sheepishly replied “I don’t think I ever have. When I do something wrong…I don’t bring God into that picture.”. In the same interview, he referred to Communion as “The little wine and little cracker”.  A year later in 2016, questioned about regretting that response he said “No…because look, I don’t do many things that are bad”. (Maybe now is the right time for the Stormy Daniels and “Grab her by the pussy” arguments? As both seem pretty damn bad.).

Trump regularly questioned, but was elated by, his Evangelical support along the 2015-2016 campaign trail. He joked about getting into heaven solely on future ability to repeal the Johnson Act, allowing church organizations to retain tax exempt status even if fundraising or engaging in political discourse. In speeches at Christian Universities in 2016 Trump consistently referred to First and Second Corinthians as  “Two Corinthians”. All of this rhetoric points to not just a clear lack of resonance with the Christian faith, but also extreme unfamiliarity with the Bible. The rhetoric on forgiveness is proof of the understanding to his Christian belief, a lack of.

The road to AI-Doctor Trump didn’t start with Paula White, Franklin Graham, JD Vance, or Benjamin Netanyahu. Those are the ones who pushed him across the finish line. It started with the ones who supported him first; people like Mike Pence, Jerry Falwell Jr, James Dobson, and You (yep, that’s a rough list to join.) The Christians who justified the grabbing of women’s genitals, defended attacks on opponents physical appearance, and shrugged when he claimed faith; are the creators of Blasphemous Trump.

As soon as Trump recognized his need for, and support from Evangelicals; his tune began to change and his views pushed further into alignment with the Evangelical Right:

From 2016 his support of Transgender people using either restroom transitioned to a ban on them serving in the military. Trump went from admiring Planned Parenthood in 2016 to removing nearly all federal funding (Medicaid) in 2025. From never asking God for forgiveness in 2016 to creating a White House Faith Office, invoking of God’s name in Military speeches, and calling wars “Holy”. (I don’t remember the killing of ISIS being postured as “Holy”)

But, how true is it? 

I can’t think of another person in the history of Christianity who achieved maximum earthly power, and then moved towards Jesus Christ.

In fact, I only see it as the opposite, when people are at their meekest and most humble moment do they find Jesus Christ.

The problem is that it culminated into this moment of Undefined Blasphemy where Trump posted himself as Jesus in America. The road to AI Dr. Jesus Trump wasn’t even paved with good intentions. Trump recognized that he could become a “defender of the faith” and abandoned principles he held at the time of his election that Evangelicals stomached. Evangelical Conservatives gained the world by giving away the soul of the Church every time they let Donald get away with a claim to the faith.

The chipping away of separation between church and state, the encouraging cheers to biblical one-liners, and justification of Trump’s worst decisions mixed with awful Biblical advisors created Donald the Christ. Trump’s power and influence lets his Blasphemy be seen, but the blood of the sin sits on Evangelicals.

Because, committing the sin of Blasphemy has consequences that Trump did not face. Trump didn’t face those consequences because Blasphemy as a sin has to be true, if it’s betrayal to God then it requires belief in God. You can’t commit and die from Blasphemy if you never knew Jesus to begin with. But those that suffer the consequences of this don’t include Trump, it includes you and your church who built him.

Maybe that’s why I’m not always or fully kidding when I tell my family I’m trying to commit blasphemy, because as much as I hate American Evangelicals, some part of me can’t not believe in the hope of the message.

Although, even if not kidding, I do always find my attempts humourous:

On Easter, I make it a point to smoke cigarettes, drink Everclear, and watch Heated Rivalry.  I pray “Let the grace of God abound”.

For Christmas, I get Machiavellian enjoyment by centering a prayer around honoring Christ’s name by enjoying things only money can buy.

But, all of those failed attempts at Blasphemy to say, who am I to cast the first stone? 

Rather, let he who has not slept with a pornstar while his third wife is pregnant, throw the first stone.