I don't think the guy has a religion. I think anyone that narcissistic is incapable of believing in any power higher than himself. He's just a Marxist despot wannabe who lucked his way into a position that was way out of his league.
I don't think he's shoving back, per se. I agree with Rastus in that he's posturing. He's bullying and not looking for a confrontation so much as looking for submission by his "enemies." I don't think he's clever enough to engineer a confrontation that he could use to declare martial law. I've been wrong before, though.
Don't underestimate the POS. True, every thing he does turns out wrong for the country, the economy and the citizens.
He would be stupid if that wasn't his plan.
The more he drags the country down, the better his plan is working.
My call is he will build to a confrontation, near the end of his term, and if We The People don't cave, he will declare martial law, suspend elections and keep stirring the pot.
If we do cave, it's on to bigger and better destruction of the country.