Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump said that his favorite Bible verse is “an eye for an eye.”
Trump has been heavily criticized in the past for not providing a favorite Bible verse when asked, although he stated that the Bible was his favorite book.
Trump was recently given a second chance at providing a favorite Bible verse. ABC News reports that Trump was recently asked by conservative radio host Bob Lonsberry if he had a favorite Bible verse or story that “informed” his thinking or character.
"Well, I think many," Trump responded. "I mean, when we get into the Bible, I think many, so many. And some people, look, an 'eye for an eye,' you can almost say that. That's not a particularly nice thing."
Critics quickly jumped on this statement, pointing out that “an eye for an eye” is not a verse many (if any) Christians would cite as their favorite.
Allahpundit of Hotair.com notes, "An 'eye for an eye' does appear in the Bible, true, but it’s Old Testament; it was specifically repudiated by Jesus himself in the gospel of Matthew in favor of “turn the other cheek,” as John McCormack notes. The whole point of Christianity, I thought, is to resist vengeance and embrace forgiveness, and it’s captured nowhere more succinctly than in the rejection of 'an eye for an eye'."
ABC News suggests that “an eye for an eye,” does, however, align with Trump’s policies: "I mean, when you see what's going on with our country, how people are taking advantage of us, and how they scoff at us and laugh at us. We have to be very firm and have to be very strong,” stated the billionaire businessman.
Publication date: April 15, 2016
