A classic scene from The West Wing resurfaced after House Speaker Mike Johnson's Fox News interview in which he cited the Bible as the source of his "worldview."
Last week, Johnson told Fox News that members of the media should turn to Scripture to understand his stance on social and political issues.
He said:
“I am a Bible-believing Christian. Someone asked me today in the media, they said, ‘It’s curious, people are curious: what does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?'"
“I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it — that’s my worldview.’ That’s what I believe, and so I make no apologies for it.”
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Not long afterward, TikToker @e8jun cut footage of Johnson talking about his faith with a scene of actor Martin Sheen—who starred as President Jed Bartlet on The West Wing—calling out a conservative Christian for outdated Bible verses.
You can see it below.
@e8jun #CapCut
The episode from the second season, titled "The Midterms," was first broadcast on October 18, 2000. Sheen's Bartlet confronts a conservative talk show host who invokes the Bible to justify her opposition to homosexuality by citing other Bible verses.
His reaction is as follows:
"I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be?"
"While thinking about that, can I ask another? My chief of staff Leo McGarry insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or is it okay to call the police?"
"Here’s one that’s really important, because we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town."
"Touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean, Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point?"
"Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads [according to Deuteronomy 22:9-11]?"
The clip also went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The clip's prescience prompted many to criticize Johnson's statements further.
In his first remarks after being elected Speaker late last month, Johnson delivered a speech emphasizing his belief in divine ordination, drawing upon "Scripture" and "the Bible" to assert that God is responsible for raising those in authority.
Johnson expressed his conviction that his election, along with the other members of Congress, was not a coincidence but a divine plan. He urged his colleagues to recognize their significant responsibility and use their God-given gifts to serve the people of the nation.
Johnson is under scrutiny for his controversial far-right views on LGBTQ+ issues, climate change, and abortion. Despite mounting evidence of his extreme positions, he has argued that his faith prevents him from being a "hateful person."
