'This is Wrong': Mike Pence Reveals His 'Libertarian' Stance on Transgender Issues
Speaking on Jordan Peterson’s podcast, former Vice President Mike Pence made a misstep.
Peterson probably didn’t notice, nor would most of Peterson’s audience. And many like Pence, who identify themselves as born-again Christians, also may not have given it much thought.
Pence was agreeing with Peterson in opposition to transgender medications and surgeries applied to children.
After Pence took a strong position against such things being performed on children, he followed it with this statement: “I’m libertarian enough to say if you’re an adult, you live while you live.
“You know, I may not agree with decisions you make but we’ll love you and love our neighbor as ourselves as my faith requires, right? But live and let live.”
He followed that with: “But for our kids, absolutely not.”
Good logic on the part of Pence, right?
Who can be for children making life-altering medical decisions for themselves? I mean, besides the public school establishment, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics?
Sensible people like Pence and Peterson are right on the money opposing such nonsense.
But Pence’s libertarian stance requires further thought. Most people, including a lot of conservatives and conservative Christians would agree with him.
But when the former vice president and current presidential candidate injects “my faith” into his statement, people who share his faith should take note.
Orthodox Christians of all persuasions agree that while our relationship with God is personal, there is a communion of believers — with the emphasis on communion — which does not recognize sanctified libertarianism.
Twitter comments, in effect, concur, as Luke Macias tweeted “This is wrong” and Carl Blomgren said: “When libertarian ideals go beyond biblical limits…”
When libertarian ideals go beyond biblical limits…
— Carl Blomgren (@carlblomgren) June 20, 2023
I’m writing not to be critical of Pence. Rather, it’s to point out issues that Christians who are paying attention are increasingly wrestling with.
These issues are new to those of us who grew up in a nation that once had a generally shared biblical ethic.
Not that the Bible was always followed, but there was a general recognition in this nation and in Western civilization of things virtuous and good.
Homosexuality and its adjunct, transgenderism, were not among them.
But in recent years — if not among the populace, at least among the ruling elites — practices and attitudes once recognized as sinful are now accepted, celebrated, promoted everywhere, and even enshrined in the legal system.
And God help you if you don’t go along with the program.
The common charge against Christians is lack of acceptance of such issues reflects a lack of love.
Pence attempted to deflect such criticism by saying: “but we’ll love you and love our neighbor as ourselves.”
But telling our neighbor — even if he or she is an adult — that it’s okay to medically attempt to alter their genetic makeup is not an expression of love.
A true expression of love is to direct them to “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21)
As with so many other issues — alcoholism, drug addiction, violence, depression — gender confusion can be addressed in a new life in Christ.
So Mike Pence and the rest of us as Christian people need to keep in mind that we express no love for our neighbor by affirming his or her sin.
That won’t be popular. But popularity is opposed to the tenor of the New Testament regarding true Christian discipleship.
And given the rapid changes ongoing in our world, many of Christ’s disciples have new things to learn about living in it.
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