'Fix this': House Republicans spread theory Mike Johnson just outlawed the New Testament

House Republicans Thursday spread a conspiracy theory that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) this week made the Bible's New Testament illegal.

Reps Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) both shared on X a conversation between Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News pundit the Southern Poverty Law Center warns has descended into radical extremism, and Charlie Kirk, the activist for former President Donald Trump with a reported history of pushing "right-wing hoaxes."

"Did the House of Representatives just make parts of the Bible illegal?" Kirk tweeted Wednesday night.

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"Yes," Carlson replied Thursday morning. "The New Testament."

Crane then picked up the baton and ran with it by casting blame on Johnson.

"Worst part is that 4 of us went to the Speaker’s Office hours before the vote asking him to fix this," Crane wrote in a message shared by Gaetz. "He told us he would, but then brought it to the Floor as is."

Kirk's question arrived hours after the House of Representative passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act designed to combat the problem on college campuses by directing the Education Department to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of the term.

Critics of the legislation include the American Civil Liberties Union, which argues federal law already prohibits antisemitic discrimination and the bill could chill students' free speech, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who told followers it would see Christians arrested for their faith.

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"Antisemitism is wrong, but I will not be voting for the Antisemitism Awareness Act," wrote Greene, the Republican leading the charge for Johnson's speakership ouster.

"[It] could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews."

Sponsor Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) lashed out against Greene and her contention that he, a Catholic, would push legislation criminalizing Christianity.

"It's important to rebut the absurdity that was just thrown into this discussion at the last minute," Lawler snapped on live television. "To say that this bill now is going to prosecute Christians is absurd on its face."

This is not the first time religion has spelled trouble for Johnson, an evangelical Christian.

His rise to the House speakership in 2023 spurred religious scholars to warn of Johnson's ties to Christian nationalists who don't believe in the separation of church and state.

Reports also surfaced that Johnson, as a Louisiana attorney, ran a Jewish family out of town after they challenged Christian prayer in their local school.

In February, Johnson further isolated fellow Republicans by delivering a "horrible sermon" at a GOP retreat.

“I’m not at church,” one attendee reportedly said. “The sermon was so long.”

Yet, on Thursday, Johnson faced criticism that he was targeting those who practice his own faith.

"They did," wrote Elizabeth Maness in a reply to Kirk. "Never again tell me Mike Johnson is a Christian."

"Who knew that it would be the GOP to criminalize Christianity?" wrote Lizzie Marbach in a reply to Carlson. "Evil stuff."

"That tells you he's good for nothing," X user @JohnnyNiceUp told Crane, "and should be immediately vacated."

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