Much is being made about the difference in Easter messaging from President Joe Biden and presumptive MAGA nominee* Donald Trump. The official statement from the White House reads as follows.
Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world celebrating Easter Sunday. Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ’s Resurrection.
As we gather with loved ones, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice. We pray for one another and cherish the blessing of the dawn of new possibilities. And with wars and conflict taking a toll on innocent lives around the world, we renew our commitment to work for peace, security, and dignity for all people.
From our family to yours, happy Easter and may God bless you.
Biden added a more personal statement on Twitter.
To all those gathering in churches and homes around the world today: Happy Easter.
May God bless and keep you.
Trump chose this occasion to post 77 screeds on his grossly overvalued Truth Social. Rather than s message of renewal it focused on retribution. He began with Wisconsin representative Mike Gallagher, who announced his retirement last month after being hounded by colleagues for not endorsing the impeachment of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, despite the lack of evidence either a high crime or misdemeanor. Trump wrote, “Never forget our cowards and weaklings! Such a disgrace.”
He then went after his laundry list of “enemies” including Jack Smith, Fani Willis and Alvin Bragg.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL, INCLUDING CROOKED AND CORRUPT PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES THAT ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO INTERFERE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2024, AND PUT ME IN PRISON, INCLUDING THOSE MANY PEOPLE THAT I COMPLETELY & TOTALLY DESPISE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DESTROY AMERICA, A NOW FAILING NATION.
However, as Arlo Guthrie would say, “That not what I came here to talk about.” The split screen I referred to in the title involves the difference in Easter messages from Joe Biden’s and that of my congressman Aaron Bean, who sent the following email to ALL his constituents.
As we enter this Easter season, families across the nation will soon gather in their homes, churches, and places of worship to remember the crucifixion and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
From the very beginning, God so loved us that He planned and prepared a place for us to receive everything that we need for life now and eternally. We see God’s great love for us displayed on the Cross and His power demonstrated through an empty tomb.
In Isaiah 60:2, the prophet records, “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.” As your voice in our nation’s capital, I look to the light of God to guide my steps. I trust Him for wisdom and strength and praise Him for the gift of His only begotten Son.
On behalf of the Bean family, we wish you and all Floridians a happy Easter.
Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!
First Joe Biden addresses his good wishes to “Christians across the world,” those who have chosen to accept Jesus as the son of God and their savior. But more important is the theme in the second paragraph. Without reference to Jesus’ divinity, he instead talks of Jesus’ sacrifice for spreading a message of love and acceptance, something with which both Christians and non-Christians can identify. Sacrifice is not the sole purview of the divine. Ask Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. or Nelson Mandela.
In stark contrast, Bean does not differentiate between his Christian and non-Christian constituents.
As we enter this Easter season, families across the nation will soon gather in their homes, churches, and places of worship to remember the crucifixion and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
From the very beginning, God so loved us that He planned and prepared a place for us to receive everything that we need for life now and eternally. We see God’s great love for us displayed on the Cross and His power demonstrated through an empty tomb.
In Isaiah 60:2, the prophet records, “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.” As your voice in our nation’s capital, I look to the light of God to guide my steps. I trust Him for wisdom and strength and praise Him for the gift of His only begotten Son.
On behalf of the Bean family, we wish you and all Floridians a happy Easter.
Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!
He wishes “all Floridians” a happy Easter. Nor does he mention the one thing on which non-Christians, many of whom, myself included, can agree. Acknowledgement of Jesus as a sage prophet and teacher and his message of peace, compassion and acceptance of all. Can you imagine if Ilhan Omar told her constituents?
As your voice in our nation’s capital, I look to the light of Allah to guide my steps. I trust Him for wisdom and strength and praise Him for the gift of Islam.
Cries of “Sharia Law” would echo across the MAGA universe.
Aaron, before you try to convince me to accept Jesus as my Lord and savior, I suggest you try just a little harder to live by his words and teachings. When you vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, remember Jesus said, “I did not some here to heal the healthy. I came here to heal the sick.” When you promote Christian nationalism, remember the parable of the Good Samaritan. When the crowd asked, “Who is your neighbor,” he chose the “other,” not one of his own followers. And when you endorse a man who hawks Bibles during Holy Week to make a quick buck, remember that the one you claim as “your light and guide” cast out all those who bought and sold in the temple and said, “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
In other words Aaron, during this season of renewal, you might try being a better role model rather than a hypocrite.
*Beginning with today’s post I will no longer refer to those on the other side of the aisle as the Republican Party. It is an insult to the party’s founders and pre-MAGA members who understood politicians are elected to serve the voters not vice versa.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP