What did Donald Trump do today?

He celebrated Easter as only he can, or does.

Trump posted this today to his private microblogging website:

Easter is the Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the holiest day on the Christian calendar.

According to Christian teachings, Jesus was born as a refugee from a tyrannical leader. His teachings emphasized charity towards the poor, compassion for the sick and dying, and an embrace of those outcast by society. He condemned the corrosive moral effects of wealth and power, and sought to keep affairs of state from polluting devotion to God. 

In particular, Christian scriptures record that Jesus taught empathy for those who came from foreign lands, and that God's highest commandment, other than to love God, was for people to love one another regardless of their nationality, condition of birth, or other earthly distinctions. In one of his most famous teachings, Jesus said that service to the most unfortunate and despised people was service to God:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

Trump identifies as a member of the Presbyterian denomination of Christianity, although he has at least once expressed confusion about whether Presbyterians were Christians. Whatever his actual religious beliefs, Trump's understanding of Christianity as practiced by hundreds of millions of Americans is strained at best. For example, he once proudly announced that he had never once asked God for forgiveness, a fundamental tenet of the faith. He has also dismissively referred to the rite of Holy Communion as "my little wine and my little cracker."

Trump does this kind of thing for most major holidays.

Why does this matter?

• Presidents don't have to be Christians or devout, but that doesn't mean making a mockery of Christian faith is a good idea.