Mike Johnson Elected Speaker of US House, Meta Sued Over Accusations of Harming Kids & Ways to Pray for the Middle East

The newly-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives is a Southern Baptist and served as a trustee of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was elected to the speakership on Wednesday.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to have been elected the 56th Speaker of the House. Thank you to my colleagues, friends, staff, and family for the unmatched support throughout this process,” Johnson posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Johnson is a member of Cypress Church in Benton, Louisiana.

His pastor John Fream calls him the “real deal” and said he’s excited about the country’s future with Johnson in the lead role in the House.
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Meta’s social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram intentionally target children and teens with features that harm mental health, attorneys general in 42 states and Washington D.C. said in lawsuits Oct. 24.

A group of 33 states including California, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois filed a federal lawsuit jointly in the Northern District of California, while nine states and Washington D.C. filed individually, according to press releases and court filings.

Depression, anxiety, insomnia, body dysmorphia, unhealthy prolonged use of sites, and interferences with education and daily life are alleged results of Meta’s manipulative algorithms and other features targeting youth as their brains are still developing.
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In the Baptist Press Toolbox, there’s a prayer guide you can use as you think about the conflict in the Middle East.

It offers five ways for believers to pray about the dangerous situation.

Pray for the hearts of all Israelis and Palestinians to be drawn to Jesus Christ. John 14:6

Pray for government authorities to act in honorable ways. Romans 13:1-7 

Pray for mercy and compassion for those who are suffering. Romans 9:15-16

Pray for all involved to live in ways that honor God. Micah 6:8

Pray for peace in the Middle East. Psalm 34:14

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