by Don Hermann

I’m not one who has relied on the prayer to help himself deal with various problems as they arise in life. However I will say there have been crises where I tried anything and everything a rational person could think of and more.

Prayer was one of those things I not only considered, I tried. When both my daughter and wife got major chronic illnesses at different times and didn’t make it.

In times of unusual stress especially, I’m for anything that works. As long as you’re not harming anyone else.

Representative Mike Johnson, from Louisiana, recently elected Leader of the House, comes to mind. As most people know by now, when asked about the recent mass shooting in Maine, his solution was to pray. Hopefully the praying would prevent people from engaging in those horrific activities in the future.

That’s instead of changing the law to make it difficult for those individuals, sane or insane from shooting up the place. There have been over 550 mass shootings in this country, this year to date.

Apparently Representative Johnson’s prayers haven’t been working. Neither did mine. One would hope at some point a Representative of the people would consider alternatives to solving such a horrible situation.

Republicans, for years, have liked to position themselves as business people. If Johnson was head of a corporation and people were dying at the rate they are through mass shootings, would he look for alternatives?

Johnson on many occasions has said he’s a devout Christian and turns to his religion for guidance in making decisions. Sounds good.

Does his religion advise him to be judgmental in some situations and in parallel situations excuse or overlook them?

He has fought against abortion. Rejected LGBTQ legal rights. Voted against bipartisan bills including the infrastructure law. He was a strong advocate in opposing Biden’s election.

Obviously his religion hasn’t taught him about understanding other points of view. He appears very rigid in his thinking. Appears. Something happens and it’s as if he goes into a closet and comes out a completely different person.

He turns the other cheek about sexual indiscretion. Trump has been accused of everything from touching women inappropriately to rape in over 25 situations. Trump has joked about engaging in some of these activities. That hasn’t affected this highly religious individual who prays frequently for guidance.

Trump has been accused of avoiding the draft during Vietnam. Apparently his father made a special arrangement with a tenant, a Podiatrist, to diagnose Donald with bone spurs, enabling his son’s military classification to change from 1A to 4F.

The extent by which Trump goes to change his image is mind boggling. He has been accused by his Internist of writing his own medical report which was then was submitted as documentation of his health.
The Internist claimed that Trump had three goons raid his office and take all his medical records. The doctor said he felt raped.

You want more? According to the Washington Post, Trump lied over 30,000 times during his Presidency.

Trump has used Hate as a way to separate and blame minorities. He’s used it deviously to limit certain groups from voting.

Furthermore, Trump has said that John McCain is a “loser”. Because he was captured. He wanted military people who were injured kept out of parades.

Not too long ago, Trump was quoted as saying those killed in action were “losers, suckers.”

Mr. Johnson, does your religion support a leader like Mr. Trump? You seem to have a religious devotion to the man.

Please step back and think who are you? What are your values? Do you recognize a conflict?