Liberal Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones, a Nashville Democrat, told MSNBC host Ali Velshi on Saturday that offering thoughts and prayers following a tragedy like the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting is “theological malpractice” and accused those doing so of “idolatry.”
Jones is a frequent cable news guest and far-left activist lawmaker who came to prominence as one of the “Tennessee Three” expelled from the State House for violating rules.
He appeared on the weekend edition of MSNBC’s Velshi to discuss the horrific murders of Catholic schoolchildren and parishioners this week. Velshi and Jones were joined by Democrat Gregory Jackson, who served as deputy director of short-lived White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention under President Joe Biden, and who, like Velshi and Jones, said guns and Republican politicians are to blame for the shooting, despite the fact that the shooter was a transgender anti-Trumper.
Jones also joined the recent chorus of other Democrat commentators around the country, including former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki, in specifically condemning the idea of offering sympathetic thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families.
“I want to bring theology into this because you have all these people who want to give thoughts and prayers after a shooting, but I was a minister and that is a form of theological malpractice,” said Jones.
“When you pray for something that you have the power to change — there’s an African proverb that says, when you pray, you move your hands and feet,” he said. “You know, what we’re seeing is a form of idolatry.”
He claimed that Republicans are “cruel” and “shameful” for not embracing his views on guns, and with Velshi nodding enthusiastically along, added that he would tell other lawmakers to “keep your thoughts and prayers. Keep your tweets.”
“If you wanna address gun violence, you don’t need a tweet, what you need is a mirror,” he said.
Jones was recently on Velshi’s show seeming to incite violence and ranting about Republicans being “facists” and “neo-confederates.” https://tristardaily.com/nashville-democrat-justin-jones-tells-msnbc-nothings-off-the-table-to-fight-back-against-trump/ And despite Jones’ claim to be speaking as a “minister” it is not clear what, if any credentials he has that actually qualify him as a minister of anything. He did briefly attend Vanderbilt Divinity School before leaving in the wake of controversy over sexual assault allegations against him in connection with one of the many violent protests he orchestrated in Nashville. https://pamphleteer.co/post/divine-absence-justin-joness-endless-vacation-from-vanderbilt-divinity/
Neither the House Democratic Caucus nor any pastors of the numerous large black congregations in Nashville, including many in his legislative district, have issued statements regarding Jones’ condemnation of prayer.
Steve Gill is the Publisher and Editor of TriStar Daily.
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