Is J.D. Vance Sleeping on the Couch?

 

                                              J.D. And Usha Vance with their children

Last week American Vice-President J.D. Vance created a kerfuffle amongst some when he stated at a public event that he hopes his wife Usha, a Hindu, converts to Christianity. He has suggested that she grew up in a family that was nominally observant of their faith while she has claimed otherwise. Vance became a Roman Catholic after years of describing himself as an agnostic. 

While Vance's comments are likely politically motivated to appeal to a conservative Christian audience they have obviously found a respectful middle ground as a couple. They are raising their children in the church, not really surprising given that Hinduism gives room for peaceful coexistence between faiths, even though the circumstances in India remind us that the religion can be politicized in a dangerous way.

My thought is that while there are many aspects of Vance's political life I find reprehensible, outrage over this position figures fairly far down the list. I'm convinced that respectful religious and spiritual dialogue are essential to peace in our world. I have been involved in interfaith initiatives with Jews, Muslims, and Hindus and have attended events at places of worship of these religions. I have also participated in events celebrating Indigenous spirituality and I have been enriched by them. 

I am a Christian, though, and I don't hold to a "one size fits all" religious approach. Our Christian story of the God who chose to be among us in the person of Jesus to embody love and forgiveness, even to the cross, is vital to my personal faith and I desire it for others -- why else would I have been in ministry?  

As I say, I do question Vance's sincerity, even after he clarified his comments. I figure he may have made his statement for political purposes and rewritten Usha's personal history for the same reason. That's just wrong.Why did he say this in a public forum?  Someone has suggested that he should be sleeping on the couch after making these comments. 

 I think it's more important that J.D. Vance converts to the Christianity he purports to follow. His egregious mistreatment of immigrants, disenfranchising the poor, and even exulting in the deaths of enemies has nothing to do with the genuine gospel of Jesus Christ. In interviews he has demonstrated a shocking misreading of the Christian message. He might remove the plank in his own eye before fretting over specks in the eyes of others. Jesus, his professed Lord and Saviour said that, and this, resonating with Jewish scripture:

 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 

 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,  for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’  

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink?  And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’  Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,  for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 

 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of you?’  Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’  And these will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25: 31-46 NRSVue