An Open Letter to the occupant

I write as an ordained minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I stand in the full authority of my office and say with holy rage, how dare you? How dare you co-opt the sacred text of Christians and Jews for a cheap photo op? How dare you insinuate that your rhetoric bears any resemblance to the Christian faith that is revealed in the bible you so cavalierly brandished? How dare you violate a constitutionally protected right to peacefully protest so you could trespass on church property for your little publicity stunt? Your role does not allow you unlimited access to whatever you want whenever you want. How dare you further denigrate the faith by your sudden need to visit the memorial to the pope John Paul? How dare you further blur the line of separation between church and state by pandering to your extremist base with a thin layer of religion? How dare you?

I am outraged. Your behavior is an abomination to the Christian faith. You blaspheme the name of the Holy God of Abraham and Sarah and the heavenly parent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with your empty gesture. I abhor your attempt to cheapen the Judeo-Christian tradition through your ongoing boorish and cavalier behavior, while pandering to extreme fundamentalists because they support you politically.

I cannot judge your heart, but I can and I do judge your behavior. Everything you do and everything you stand for is to benefit the rich and further marginalize the poor. If you actually read the bible you flash around, you would see that every page of scripture is filled with witness to a God who cares for the poor and disenfranchised and desires to construct a just society. Read Isaiah and Jeremiah and then move on to the gospels. I am available for private tutoring.

In the name of all that is holy and just, stop misusing faith for your tawdry political agenda.