The opening-prayer controversy at the swearing in of the Muslim state representative in Pennsylvania

Was it a gratuitous jab, or an effusive outpouring of adoration for the Lord?

The basic story: Movita Johnson-Harrell was sworn in as the Pennsylvania legislature's first female Muslim member, and Representative Stephanie Borowicz gave the following prayer immediately beforehand:

“Jesus, I thank you for this privilege Lord of letting me pray God. That, I, Jesus am your ambassador today. Standing here representing you – the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Great I Am, the One who is coming back again, the one who came, died and rose again on the third day. I’m so privileged to stand here today. So thank you for this honor, Jesus. 

“God, for those that came before us like George Washington in Valley Forge and Abraham Lincoln who sought after you in Gettysburg and the Founding Fathers in Independence Hall – Jesus – that sought after you and fasted and prayed for this nation to be founded on your principles and your words and your truths. 

“God forgive us. Jesus we’ve lost sight of you. We’ve forgotten you, God, in our country. And we are asking you to forgive us, Jesus. Your promise in your word says if my people who are called by name will humble themselves and pray and seek your face and turn from their wicked ways that you’ll heal our land. Jesus, you are our only hope.

“God , I pray for our leaders – Speaker Turzi, Leader Culter, Governor Wolf, President Trump. Lord, thank you that he stands beside Israel unequivocally Lord. Thank you that – Jesus – that we are blessed because we stand by Israel and we ask for the peace of Jerusalem as your word says God. 

Is this over the top? I'm sincerely asking. In a situation like this, I think it's important not to be reflexive, to be too quick to form a hard and fast conclusion.

The argument can be made, I suppose, that Bortowicz laid it on a little thick with the expression of gratitude for Trump's support of Israel - a sentiment, let the record show, that LITD shares wholeheartedly - in this particular setting. But other than that, it's just a pretty straightforward Christian prayer. After all, Takbir was recited during the swearing-in.  Granted, the last line was conspicuously absent, but just because it wasn't recited doesn't mean it's not part of that prayer:

An Islamic prayer called Takbir was recited before the legislature during Johnson-Harrell’s swearing-in, but ended just before the prayer’s traditional last line, which repudiates the belief that God begat a son, thereby rejecting the Christian understanding of Jesus.

I seriously am still sorting out how I view this. As I say, other than the Israel mention, it was just an impassioned plea for the nation to return to its Lord.

I'd just invite all those engaging in outcries of indignation to ask themselves if the chip-on-the-shoulder approach doesn't exacerbate our already horrible societal brittleness.