An Especially Disappointing Grift

Singer Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." Bible becomes even sleazier.

From the moment Donald Trump was sworn into the office for the second time, the news cycle has been on fire. So much has happened in such a short time that it’s all really quite difficult to keep track of.

We’ve seen a flurry (a blizzard really) of executive orders and actions including sharp policy shifts and implementations (some good and some bad), fiery senate confirmation hearings, controversial pardons, grand talk of absorbing other countries (and a canal) into the United States, a heavy dose of political retribution (from extensive firings to the revocation security detail), confusing and chaotic funding freezes, and soaring trade-war rhetoric.

As some have pointed out, part of this is a political strategy. With people’s attention pulled in a dozen directions, it’s easier for the most outrageous and consequential stuff to get lost in the mix. It also serves as a distraction from big-ticket issues, including some that shaped the November election (like the price of groceries).

I’ve have been weighing in on what I see as some of the weightier stories so far from the new administration, and I’ll continue to do so. But today I wanted to take a step back and look at an item from a week and a half ago. Most people would probably consider it mundane, but I find myself still thinking about it.

I’ve long had a soft spot for country singer, Lee Greenwood. For most of my life, I (and I’m sure many others) have associated him with American patriotism. This was in no small part, of course, because of his iconic song, “God Bless the U.S.A.”

It was released when I was just 12 years old. I liked it then, but it took on fresh meaning for me in 1991 when it was widely played on radio stations in tribute to our troops serving in the first Gulf War. From then on, I sort of thought of it as the unofficial national anthem.

Sure, go ahead and laugh. I know a lot of people think the song’s as corny as hell. But not me. I love it, and I used to listen to it (on repeat) at times when I mourned for our country, or just needed a patriotic uplift.

For years I’ve admired Greenwood’s love of country, and as a Christian myself, his transparent faith in God. I also must admit that back when I was a Republican, I liked that he regularly hit the campaign trail with Republican political candidates. He didn’t do so to parrot their talking points, or take shots at the other side. He just sang about America.

I was fortunate enough to be on hand for one of those performances back in 2012. Greenwood was on the road with Paul Ryan — Mitt Romney’s presidential running mate that year. They stopped through my hometown of Greeley, Colorado. I snapped the below picture just prior to Greenwood singing our real national anthem.

But many things have changed since 2012, including politically. Lots of people I used to have high regard for have let politics do disappointing things to them. Greenwood, unfortunately, is among them. He’s followed the lead of some of our country’s top politicians and religious leaders in adopting Christian nationalism and political partisanship as key components of their religious faith.

As I wrote last year, I think this shift has denigrated many Americans’ understanding (and even their practice) of Christianity, not only through the enormous allowances and incentives it has created for unchristian behavior, but also, unfortunately, in the advancement of idolatry.

A lot of people were rightfully taken back last year when Donald Trump began hawking Trump-licensed Bibles online for $60 a pop ($1,000 for a signed copy). Specifically marketed as “the only Bible endorsed by President Trump,” it wasn’t exactly a surprise when it was revealed that Trump was receiving royalties from each purchase.

Despite the absurdity (one could argue blasphemy) of it all, the proposition was by no means out of character. Trump’s an exceptional salesman with decades of experience selling things he couldn’t care less about (nor even be bothered to familiarize himself with). But the man behind that particular product, known as the “God Bless the USA Bible,” was, as the name would suggest, Lee Greenwood.

Included in Greenwood’s version of the Good Book are other things any true believer would understand the Bible transcends: an American flag on the cover, the text in our nation’s founding documents (the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Pledge of Allegiance), and — yes — handwritten lyrics to Greenwood’s trademark song.

I hadn’t thought about what many refer to as “The Trump Bible” in several months, but I happened to catch a media-clip a week and half ago that drew it back into sharp focus. The snippet was of Greenwood, on Fox News, talking about President Trump’s inauguration. He spoke about Trump being sworn in, which, as it turned out, was actually part of a sales-pitch for a new edition of the two’s business venture:

“This Bible, which is released tomorrow, as a tribute to Donald Trump…”

A tribute to Donald Trump?

This isn’t a cheesy collector’s coin or a digital trading card. It’s the Holy Bible!

As a pal of mine said, “This is basically what drove Christ to flip the tables.”

Ten years ago, a move like this would have upset a whole lot of Christians, no matter who was behind the project. Christian leaders would have surely condemned it, though I don’t think they would have had to, because I can’t imagine the idea would have ever come to fruition in the political Before Times.

Today, however, it’s barely controversial enough to garnish any attention at all. It just feels like another dime-a-dozen grift (like the aforementioned coins and NFTs), which I think only supports my belief that it cheapens the faith.

Listen, I have no trouble, even now, believing that Greenwood’s a good guy. I’m happy to give him the benefit of the doubt, regardless of how much money he’s made off this venture, that there are good intentions behind it. He may believe that any excuse or opportunity to put more Bibles in front of people is a net-positive.

But I think he’s desperately wrong. How he’s going about it is indicative of someone who’s lost their way.