Recently elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, addressed criticisms regarding his Christian beliefs leveled against him by the media and radicals.
Johnson, an individual who openly affirms his Evangelical Christian faith and cites the Bible as his governing worldview, responded to critiques of his faith directed at him by HBO host Bill Maher, MSNBC host Jen Psaki, and other individuals since assuming the role of speaker. Johnson replied that he continues to be unaffected by the aforementioned assaults.
Kayleigh McEnany, a Fox News host, told Johnson, “The media wasn’t always so friendly to someone with a Judeo-Christian worldview, and in your case, some of the things that had been said, Politico interviewed a historian about your worldview, and this historian said you’re a Christian nationalist; it comes from that of Christian supremacy.”
McEnany subsequently cited Psaki’s statement made during a segment on MSNBC, whereby Johnson was characterized as a Christian “fundamentalist.”
“What do you think when you hear that?” McEnany inquired.
“Look, there are entire industries that are built to take down public leaders—effective political leaders like me. I’m not surprised by that. I mean, it comes with the territory. It doesn’t bother me at all,” Johnson answered by expressing a lack of concern or disturbance on the matter.
“I just wish they would get to know me,” he added, before seeking to assuage the fears of some by saying, “I’m not trying to establish Christianity as the national religion or something. That’s not what this is about at all.”
Following this, Johnson continued to elaborate on the biblical mandate to exhibit love and harmony toward every individual.
“If you truly believe in the Bible’s commands and seek to follow them, it’s impossible to be a hateful person because the greatest command in the Bible is that you love God with everything you have, and you love your neighbor as yourself,” he explained.
McEnany referenced additional occurrences in which the media scrutinized Johnson’s religion, such as a Daily Beast article that characterized him as a “Christo-fascist” with the intention of imposing his religious convictions on others, drawing comparisons to the Taliban and the “mullahs in Iran.”
She questioned Johnson concerning the analogy drawn by HBO presenter Bill Maher, in which Johnson was compared to the defendant accused of approximately 20 homicides based on auditory perceptions in the Maine mass murder case.
Johnson castigated the analogies vehemently, characterizing them as “disgusting.”
“That is absurd,” he began, continuing, “Of course, our religion is based on love and acceptance. So, to compare that worldview with the Taliban, who seek to destroy their enemies, or with some deranged shooter who murders people, is absolutely outrageous. And I believe that should offend everyone who adheres to and holds to a Judeo-Christian worldview.”
Johnson expressed his preparedness to confront such criticisms, stating, I’m OK; I’ll take the arrows. I understand it comes with leadership, and when you step into the fray, that’s what you take.”
Johnson voiced apprehension regarding the extensive censure that a great number of Americans have encountered, as well as the foundational tenets that have historically propelled the United States to prominence.
“But what really hurts me is that it really is a statement about everyone who believes in this, that the country was built upon—our Judeo-Christian foundation is the heritage of our country,” Johnson declared.
Johnson strongly speculated earlier this week that committees controlled by the Republicans would issue subpoenas to Hunter Biden, the first son, for the purpose of obtaining his testimony. As part of ongoing investigations into the dubious international business dealings of Hunter Biden and his father, this course of action is being implemented.
Johnson was queried by Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo concerning the manner in which subpoenas were issued to Hunter Biden.
“I’m looking at that. I think that desperate times call for desperate measures, and perhaps that is overdue,” he stressed.
“We’re trying to move forward on some of this very aggressively,” Johnson said to Bartiromo. “I think the American people are owed these answers. And I think our suspicions about all this, the evidence that we have gathered so far, as you know, is affirming what many of us feared may be the worst.”