Right-wing Pastor Robert Jeffress, who treats Christian values as synonymous with whatever the Republican Party is supporting, said on FOX News yesterday that of course “thoughts and prayers” aren’t enough after a mass shooting, and that action is needed.

But don’t let that apparently sensible thought fool you.

By taking action, Jeffress means we need to stop teaching kids about evolution. Instead, we should push Christianity on them.

Well look, again, I’m not arguing that we shouldn’t do anything. I think we all understand that the Second Amendment has limits to it, just like the First Amendment with free speech does. We don’t believe everybody has a right to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t believe that four-year-olds ought to have guns. I’m not arguing against legislation, but I’m saying that one thing we can do is to quit this devaluation of human life in our society that is seen by the glorification of violence in our culture, by the mass slaughter of a whole class of citizens — the unborn. By teaching our children that they’re nothing but an evolutionary accident instead of teaching our children that they are created by God, they are of value to God, and they are accountable to God for their actions. All of this is important if we’re gonna solve this problem.

When it comes to stopping gun violence, banning assault weapons isn’t even an option for him. But stopping abortion is on the list. So is blocking science education. So is forcing his religion on Jews and Muslims and atheists.

See? Thoughts and prayers aren’t enough! Jeffress has all kinds of dumb ideas that we can act on to not solve the problem, even as the solutions that are obvious to everyone else in the world continue to elude Republicans.

Incidentally, even scientists wouldn’t be so callous to say we’re evolutionary “accidents.” We’re the products of evolution and there’s tremendous power and awe and inspiration that can be derived from that. But that also requires you understand how evolution works, which Jeffress does not.

