Trump brags people are 'using the word God again' because of him

As anyone who has taken a civics class knows, the First Amendment — which grants everyone in the United States freedom of speech and religion — is a cornerstone of American democracy.

Which is what makes Trump’s claim at the National Day of Prayer Service on Thursday that people can finally say the word “God” again now that he’s president absolutely ridiculous.

“One of the things that Mike [Pence] and I were discussing just a little while ago, people are so proud to be using that beautiful word, ‘God,'” Trump said in a speech in the White House Rose Garden. “And they’re using the word ‘God’ again, and they’re not hiding from it, and they’re not being told to take it down, and they’re not saying we can’t honor God.”

Of course, there was never a rule before he became took office that you couldn’t use the word “God,” nor was there any kind of national fear of using the word.

In fact, former President Barack Obama often invoked God in his speeches.

Just a cursory search of Obama’s speeches while he was in office show multiple uses of the word “God.”

For example, in a heartfelt speech on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights marches in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery, Obama invokes God multiple times.

“What enormous faith these men and women had,” Obama said of the marchers. “Faith in God, but also faith in America.”

Also in 2015, after the horrific shooting at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, Obama delivered a eulogy for the reverend killed by the racist shooter Dylann Roof.

“We are here today to remember a man of God who lived by faith,” Obama said of the Rev. Clementa Pinckney. “A man who believed in things not seen, a man who believed there were better days ahead off in the distance, a man of service, who persevered knowing full-well he would not receive all those things he was promised, because he believed his efforts would deliver a better life for those who followed.”

There are countless other examples, but the point is clear: Neither Obama nor presidents before him told Americans they couldn’t use the word “God.”

Trump’s ludicrous comment was then followed by another one of Trump’s ridiculous claims: that no one could say “Merry Christmas” before he was in office.

“Four years ago, haven’t been doing this so long, we did a good job, but when I first started campaigning people were not allowed or in some cases foolishly ashamed to be using on stores ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Christmas,'” Trump said.

“Take a look at your stores nowadays, it’s all ‘Merry Christmas’ again,” Trump said.

Again, it seems ridiculous to point out that no one was blocked from saying or using the words “Merry Christmas” in their stores.

Add another few lies to Trump’s tally — which now stands at more than 10,000 since he took office.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.