Pro-Trump pastor: The Apostle’s Creed is ‘not a Christian thing’

If you thought President Trump standing stone-faced during the recital of the Apostle’s Creed at George H.W. Bush’s funeral this week would shake the narrative of those who say he’s a devoted Christian, you’d be wrong, but that’s only if you don’t know anything about evangelicals in the age of Trump.

Enter Jesse Lee Peterson, a far-right radio host and Christian pastor, who already has a defense for Trump’s seemingly un-Christian characteristics. According to Peterson, the Creed is a “phony act” that is not a “Christian thing to be reciting.”

Press footage of the funeral showed much of the church and all the former presidents and their spouses reciting the Creed — all except Trump and First Lady Melania, who stood looking forward while not saying a word. The First Couple didn’t sing any of the hymns during the service either.

Trump has huge support from evangelicals, many who believe and perpetuate the claim that he’s a devout Christian. So his non-participation in Christian traditions at H.W.’s funeral sparked considerable backlash online. But Peterson doesn’t see what the big deal is.

“I’ve got to admit, this is the first time I’ve ever hear of the Apostle’s Creed,” Peterson said in a video clip flagged by Right Wing Watch. “This is another reason why I say Christianity is fake now. It’s all intellectual. It’s not from the heart any more.”

After showing a clip of Trump and Melania standing motionless during the reading of the Creed, Peterson said it was “all mess.”

“That ain’t got nothing to do with nothing. No wonder President Trump didn’t read that.”

As Snopes points out, The Apostle’s Creed is a statement of Christian belief commonly recited during services in a number of Christian denominations that varies in translation.

It reads as follows:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Featured image via screen grab/YouTube

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.