Did you know that Washington D.C. is in fourth place in the U.S. regarding Ashley Madison cheaters, with 50,000 members looking to discreetly commit adultery (the website connects married folks who want to cheat).
But Mike Pence is the freak. An article came out in The Washington Post about the Vice President's wife. The article says Evangelical Christian Vice President Mike Pence reportedly refuses to eat dinner alone with any woman other than his wife, Karen. A profile piece on Mrs Pence also described her as the Vice President's 'prayer warrior' and a passionate Trump supporter.
The news that Mike Pence 'never eats alone with a woman other than his wife and that he won't attend events featuring alcohol without her by his side, either,' originally revealed to The Hill in 2002, resurfaced in a profile on Karen Pence in the Washington Post.
The practice of not eating alone with a woman is one made famous as 'The Billy Graham Rule'. It was coined by the evangelical pastor as a conservative discipline in his 'Modest Manifesto' that emphasises the importance of marital fidelity.
Karen Pence, 60 and now the Second Lady of the US, was described by friends as a 'prayer warrior', dedicated to supporting her husband with whom she shares a committed Christian faith.
Mrs Pence is also a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. She was 'among those most upset' by the Access Hollywood tape which revealed Trump speaking crudely and explicitly about harassing women. However, Trump called Mike and spoke to Karen personally to apologise, and she now remains a Trump enthusiast.
Kellyanne Conway called Karen 'one of the biggest pro-Trump people and Trump defenders there was'.
Mike and Karen dated for eight months before getting engaged. They married in a Roman Catholic church in 1985, then later became evangelical Christians.
They are reportedly united in their decision making, heavily influenced by their conservative Christian faith.
'As governor [of Indiana], Mike Pence had a very tight inner circle, and Karen Pence was very much a part of that,' said Brian Howey, publisher of Howey Politics Indiana.
'I would characterize her as the silent, omnipresent partner. You knew she was there, you knew there was some considerable influence she wielded, but, boy, she was not public about it.'
However, Karen reportedly has a 'hard and fast rule' that she does not try to influence policy.
Public Reactions to the Washington Post Article
Some people got the vapors over this. Here are a few choice tweets:
I wonder what happened that led to these rules?
Sounds like someone who knows he has no self-control.
God spare us the Jesus freaks.
Would love to see what's hiding inside Pence's closet.
He is extremely creepy. Just makes my flesh crawl.
American Taliban.
The consensus of the left is that Mike Pence (and every Christian) is part of the He-Man Woman Haters Club.
In response to all of that craziness, here is a great tweet: "Bill Clinton never dines alone with his wife. Who's REALLY crazy?"
I know I know. So unkind. But (and he just said dining alone with a woman so spare me the histrionics about not meeting with women – he didn't say that).
But guess what? Billy Graham who had a similar rule never had folks accuse him of being a member of the He-Man Woman Haters Club OR of having an affair.
Cal Thomas said years ago, "The Puritans may have had some problems. But AIDS was not one of them."
Rick Warren has been preaching this for years. From his 10 Commandments to Help Staff Maintain Moral Purity, the first two (which don't apply to singles) are:
1. Thou shalt not go to lunch alone with the opposite sex.
2. Thou shalt not have the opposite sex pick you up or drive you places when it is just the two of you.
Here's my thought: In a career and town that is known for cheaters (Clinton, Weiner, Gingrich, even Petraeus) Mike Pence is wise to set boundaries to protect his marriage, and every man and woman should set their own similar boundaries so they can keep that marriage that God gave them!
In other words, don't be an idiot! In marriage, you've got a GREAT thing! What's so great about it you ask? Just this: Genesis 2:24 (love this) says, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
One flesh. That is great news if you're like me. I married waaaaay above my station! And because my wife and I are "one flesh" – on the day we were married, I instantly became a much, much better person because I'm part her. Yay me! And marriage is such a great gift that God wants you to pull a "Mike Pence" and do whatever is necessary to protect it.
In the NIV, Genesis 2:24 says a man should be united to his wife. "Be united" is so tame and sounds wussified to me (wussified? see definition here — it's really good!). It doesn't suit the need of the day. King James says "cleave," which is a better action word, but no one today knows what it means since it's a 16th century word. The ESV says, "hold fast." That's an action word. Hold fast to that marriage. Brings to mind a picture of an angry sea that is rocking and a rollin' and the ship is about to capsize. The captain lashes himself to the ship's wheel, so he can't be thrown overboard. He's holding fast to the ship's wheel. If the ship goes down, so does he (I have no knowledge of sailing ships — I just made this up — but it is a good picture of the verse).
What God intends in Genesis 2 and what we need today are people who leave mom and dad and everything else that might get in the way and hold onto that marriage like grim death! "Hold on like grim death" = to hold tightly to something, despite great difficulty."
Genesis 2:24 ESV "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
What Billy Graham and Rick Warren and Mike Pence know, is one of the best ways to hold fast to a marriage, is to make sure you don't ever put yourself in a compromising position. Almost nobody ever says, "When I get married I want to commit adultery."
Yet somehow, millions commit adultery every day. Why? Because it's MUCH easier to cheat than to celebrate your 50th wedding anniversary. So hold fast to your husband or your wife! Not in some weird/controlling/stalker/creeper/abusive kind of way. That's just crazy. But hold fast through the hard times and tempting times with an understanding of the weaknesses and frailty of all men and women and do whatever is necessary to protect that great gift of oneness.
And never apologize for that.
And if you've already blown it? Repent, stop it, reject the sin, and move forward with Jesus. American Taliban indeed. Oh geez. Amen and amen.
Credits: Washington Post, Christian Today, David Ruzicka
Credits: Washington Post, Christian Today, David Ruzicka
No comments:
Post a Comment