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MICHAEL RICHARD PENCE
1959-
48th Vice President (2017-2021)
Education: Hanover College, Indiana University's Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Occupation: Lawyer
Political Affiliation: Republican
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic; "born-again" Christian
Summary of Religious Views:
Views on Religion & Politics:
Quotations:
"I often say when people have asked me over the years what my philosophy is, I tell them I’m a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.
. . .
"The freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our conscience is at the very heart of who we are as Americans. In a very real sense, America was founded by people who had the courage to cross the Atlantic, motivated in so many cases to come here so that they might have that freedom of religion.
. . .
"But to be clear, adherents of other religions across the world have not been spared. And we will speak for them and pray for them as well. For as history attests, persecution of one faith is ultimately the persecution of all faiths." -- Speech at the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians, Washington, D.C, 11 May 2017
" As President Trump has said on many occasions, the United States of America is a “nation of faith,” and religious freedom is a top priority of this Administration.
"Since the earliest days of our nation, America has stood for religious freedom. Our earliest settlers left their homes to set sail for a New World, where they could practice their faith without fear of persecution. Our forebears carved protections for religion into the founding charters and their early laws.
"And after this great nation secured our independence, the American Founders enshrined religious freedom as the first freedom in the Constitution of the United States. And America has always, and will always, lead the world by our example.
. . .
"And in the long history of this nation, religious freedom has been our first freedom. But as our Founders knew, this precious liberty is endowed not by government, but by our Creator. And we believe that it belongs not just to the American people, but to all people so endowed.
"The right to believe or not believe is the most fundamental of freedoms. When religious liberty is denied or destroyed, we know that other freedoms -- freedom of speech, of press, assembly, and even democratic institutions themselves -- are imperiled.
"That’s why the United States of America stands for religious freedom yesterday, today, and always. We do this because it is right. But we also do this because religious freedom is in the interest of the peace and security of the world.
"Those nations that reject religious freedom breed radicalism and resentment in their citizens. They sow the seeds of violence within their borders -- violence that often spills over into their neighbors and across the world.
"And as history has shown too many times, those who deny religious freedom for their own people have no qualms trampling upon the rights of other people, undermining security and peace across the wider world.
. . .
"In America, we prove every day that religious freedom buttresses all other rights. It provides a foundation on which a society can thrive.
"Here, in America, believers of all backgrounds live side-by-side, adding their unique voices to the chorus of our nation, proving that religious freedom means not only the right to practice one faith; it lays a foundation for boundless opportunity, prosperity, security, and peace.
"The American people will always cherish religious freedom. And we will always stand with people across the world who stand for their faith." -- Address at the First Annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, Washington, D.C, 28 July 2018
Misquotations:
References, Links, & Further Reading: Books, Articles, Links
Books
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