A pastor’s celebration and protection of a gold statue of President Donald Trump erected at Trump Nationwide Doral golf course in Miami, Florida, drew loads of on-line backlash, with some evaluating it to a “golden calf” instance of idol worship talked about within the Bible.
“Straight cult shit. These folks have been indoctrinated,” liberal influencer Harry Sisson wrote on X.
The statue, named “Don Colossus,” depicts Trump elevating his fist within the air, much like his gesture throughout the failed 2024 assassination try in Butler, Pennsylvania, and was commissioned by a bunch of crypto traders.
ELI HILLER by way of Getty Photos
Pastor Mark Burns led the dedication occasion for the statue on Wednesday and known as it “a second of gratitude, honor, and remembrance.”
He additionally denied, in a number of posts, any comparability of the dedication or statue to “a golden calf,” a biblical reference to idolatry.
“This statue isn’t about worship. It’s about honor. It’s a celebration of life and a strong image of resilience, freedom, patriotism, braveness, and the need to maintain combating for America,” Burns wrote on X. “It additionally reminds us of the hand of God over President Trump’s life. We thank God for preserving him and never permitting his life to be taken, not as soon as, however a number of occasions.”
Whatever the pastor’s repeated denials, customers on X made the identical comparability.
“Saying ‘this isn’t a golden calf’ as you set up a golden calf doesn’t cancel that reality out,” learn one reply with tens of 1000’s of likes.
“My ‘not a golden calf’ statue has folks asking loads of questions already answered by my statue,” one other consumer quipped.
“Ready for Moses to return down with a pair tablets,” stated “Legislation and Order: SVU” star Christopher Meloni.
Burns continued to defend the golden statue on Friday.
“What amazes me is how shortly some folks have in contrast this stunning statue, created and made doable by greater than 6,000 patriots, to a golden calf or idol worship,” Burns stated. “Let me be very clear. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. “
“That is completely idol worship,” stated former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Unwell.)
“That is actually described within the bible as a sin,” sports activities and politics commentator Keith Olbermann wrote. “Perhaps you possibly can learn it, ‘Pastor.’ It’s accessible in all standard bookstores.”
“Bear in mind: within the Center East, we’re combating a regime of non secular maniacs who blindly comply with a Supreme Chief,” Zeteo’s Mehdi Hasan replied.