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Pretending to be pious is an essential part of being a Republican, which is why we are going to see an avalanche of Bible quotes from them on social media this Easter Sunday. We are reasonably sure that even some staffer for Donald Trump will bang out a Truth Social post for the occasion and put the president’s name on it.

(Update: He did.)

So, we thought that we would also pick one section of the Bible that we found particularly appropriate for the times we live in.

Ours can be found in Matthew 25 (we are using the Easy English version just to make sure everybody gets the point).

In that chapter, Jesus talks about how he will return one day and divide the people from all the countries in the world into two groups.

He first addresses those on his right side (which is a bit ironic) and says there will be a place in God’s kingdom for them because of their good deeds.

“I was hungry and you gave me some food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me some water to drink. I was visiting your town and you asked me to stay in your home,” Jesus told them. “I did not have enough clothes and you gave me some clothes to wear. I was ill and you took care of me. I was in prison and you came to visit me there.”

The people in that group were confused because they did not recall helping Jesus when he was hungry, or ill, or in prison.

He explained to them that they “did all these things to help other people. They were not important people, but they were my friends. When you helped them, then you also helped me.”

Jesus then tells the other group that they would go into an everlasting fire because they didn’t lift a finger when he was in need of a helping hand.

So they said: “Master, when did we see you and you were hungry, or you were thirsty? When did we see you alone or without clothes? When did we see you and you were ill, or in prison? When did you need our help and we did not help you?”

And Jesus responded: “I tell you this: You did not help people who are my friends. They were not important people. But when you did not help them, you also did not help me.”

Now we ask you this: If Jesus were to return today, how would he feel about all of those Bible-quoting, cross-wearing Republicans?

How would he feel about laws that cut food stamps, punish those who give water to voters waiting in line to cast their ballots, close off borders to immigrants looking for a better life, or slash Medicaid?

To be fair, Republicans have been visiting a certain prison camp in El Salvador, but that was to gloat and for photo ops, which is probably not what Jesus had in mind.

At every turn, the same GOP lawmakers who will tell you today that “Christ is risen” are doing the opposite of what Jesus asks of them in the Bible.

And, while we reject the notion that the United States is a “Christian nation,” as we pointed out just yesterday, its laws are based on the premise that even “the least of us” have rights… even if Republicans want to deprive them of those.

In his Navigating the Insanity columns, Klaus Marre provides the kind of hard-hitting, thought-provoking, and often humorous analysis you won’t find anywhere else.