Anything but the gun: Fox News host Todd Starnes blames the Devil, pornography, and church state separation for the Florida school shooting.

In a simple minded column, for simple minded people, Fox News contributor Todd Starnes blames pornography, the separation of church and state, abortion, gay marriage, and the Devil for the recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Starnes does not mention the shooter, negligent gun laws, poor mental health facilities, nor the notorious NRA while explaining why “Another American high school has been turned into a killing field.”

Starnes writes:

They kicked God out of public schools – banned Bibles and prayer. And the Devil smiled. We’ve destroyed the traditional family – broken homes raising broken kids. And the Devil smiled. There are no consequences for bad behavior – no personal responsibility. And the Devil smiled. Our movies and music and games glorify violence and gore. Marriage vows poisoned by pornography. And the Devil smiled.

See what he’s doing there? He’s not talking about the school shooting, he’s reeling off a list of conservative Christian grievances, real and imagined.

Starnes completely ignores the tragedy and the pain of the victims, the survivors, and their friends and family. Instead, he offers empty and vacuous claims about God and the devil:

What happened in Parkland, Florida is about wickedness – a war with the forces of darkness – good versus evil. There is no doubt our land is wounded, her people suffering. But we have turned our backs on the One who promised to heal our Land. The politicians and pundits would have you believe this is not about God, it’s not about righteousness. They would have you believe it’s about politics and mental illness and gun control.

Starnes ignores the problem, and exploits the tragedy to deploy a series of ignorant talking points to satisfy the longing of simple minded people susceptible to magical thinking.

Instead of honoring the survivors and victims, and addressing the problem, Starnes instead suggests that this very real mass shooting is somehow the result of some supernatural battle between imaginary gods and devils.

It is deplorable that Starnes would take advantage of the weak-minded and gullible fools who make up his target audience, but it is not surprising.

Starnes is using the tragedy in Florida to promote a radical agenda rooted in a longing for a Christian theocracy, an agenda that despises and denies the secular values upon this nation was founded.

Starnes is not the only conservative who is refusing to address the problem of guns while promoting a false narrative about the school shooting. For example, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin blames video games, and not guns, for the recent Florida school shooting. While Christian radio host Bryan Fischer claims coerced school prayer would have prevented the shooting.

Bottom line: Fox News host Todd Starnes mocks the victims and survivors of the tragedy by blaming “the Devil” for the Florida school shooting.