Democratic state representative calls prayers after mass shootings 'theological malpractice'

A Tennessee Democratic state representative on Saturday condemned the customary expression of "thoughts and prayers" after a mass shooting, calling it "theological malpractice," and likened America's relationship with gun manufacturers to idolatry.

"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," Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones told MSNBC's Ali Velshi.

The two were discussing the recent mass shooting at the church at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minnesota that killed an 8-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl on Wednesday, Aug. 27. The children were killed by transgender woman Robin Westman, 23, according to local police and the Department of Homeland Security. Westman's gun featured antisemitic messages, including "6 million wasn't enough" and "extra thicc Jew gas." His mother worked at the church until 2021.

Jones further criticized the nation's posture toward gun makers as a form of idolatry. "When you pray for something that you have the power to change... What we're seeing is a form of idolatry, where we're willing to worship the lives of our children to appease the prophets of the gun industry," he said.

Jones was elected to the Tennessee State House in 2023 and was part of the "Tennessee Three" who staged a protest on the House floor for gun reform following the mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. The shooting, also perpetrated by a trans woman, Audrey Hale, killed three children and three adults. Jones, along with Democratic state representatives Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson, led chants inside the chamber and disrupted House proceedings. Jones and Pearson were expelled from the House because of their disruption. Jones later won back his House seat. 

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Democrats made comments that appeared to attack the concept of prayer.