Vice President Vance responded to a question about whether the Trump administration wants to push Christianity in public schools, during a Turning Point USA event Wednesday night in Mississippi:

QUESTION: My question is, the Republican Party stands for the right to bear arms-something the Founding Fathers made a priority. I feel as if requiring Christianity in public schools goes against the Founding Fathers’ published belief in freedom of religion. What do you think about that? VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Well, I guess-who is saying that we require Christianity in public schools? QUESTION: Just from what I’ve seen in the media and the news, it feels like the administration has wanted to make praying in schools and Christian values part of the curriculum. VANCE: I think Christian values are a good thing, and I’ll tell you why I think that’s a good thing. That’s separate from forcing people to pray, which I don’t think anybody I know would ever support or endorse. Let me just say something gently to all the people here-I see there’s a big crowd and I hope I get to everybody’s question. I remember when I was a sophomore in high school, I went to an event at my church, a book signing with Oliver North and Sean Hannity. This was about 25 years ago, before they were as big as they are today. I remember standing in line thinking, All I need to do is shake their hands, give them a firm handshake, and tell them my name. So I get to the front of the line, and Sean Hannity looks at me and says, How are you doing? And I totally panicked and just said, JD! My point is, I admire your courage. Don’t be nervous-if you need a moment to form your question, take it. We’re all here to have a good conversation. Now, to answer your question about forcing Christianity or forcing people to pray-there’s a real liberal idea out there that I think is wrong: that liberalism is the source of freedom of religion. If you go back to the founding documents of the United States, and even to the English legal tradition before America existed, you find that freedom of religion is actually a Christian concept. [Applause] The reason it’s a Christian concept is simple: Christianity teaches that we are all made in the image of our Creator, which means we must respect the free will of every person. Freedom of religion doesn’t mean you can’t say a Christian prayer in a public school or talk about Jesus Christ in a public forum-it means nobody can force you to profess the Christian faith. That must come from your own free will. Every Christian I’ve ever spoken to believes that faith must come from free will. But here’s the thing about Christian values: there are many we take for granted. The idea that you should respect every person as an individual, whatever the color of their skin-created in the image of God-that’s a Christian concept. In fact, it was a Christian empire, Great Britain, that abolished slavery. The idea that we should eliminate child sacrifice-Christian settlers found cultures that practiced infanticide, and Christianity said we don’t kill children just because they’re inconvenient. Human rights themselves are a Christian concept. So I assume, based on your question, that you’re skeptical of Christianity or at least of its public expression. One of my favorite Bible verses says, By their fruits, you shall know them. I think the fruits of the Christian faith are the most moral, just, and prosperous civilization in history. I make no apologies for believing that Christianity is the pathway to God. I make no apologies for believing that Christian values are an important foundation of this country. But I’m not going to force you to believe in anything-because that’s not what God wants, and that’s not what I want either. QUESTION: Do you agree that there should be Christian implementation? Do you think the school system should be neutral and focused on reading and writing? VANCE: I reject the idea that anything is purely neutral. For example, let’s take a basic scientific question-and this might be a little spicy. Can you take a pill to change your biological gender? Fifteen years ago, every scientist in the Western world would have said, Absolutely not-that’s crazy. Now, many say otherwise. So I don’t share the premise of your question, because I don’t think perfect neutrality is possible. You talk about history-was Christopher Columbus a great explorer, or was he someone who committed genocide against native populations? These debates aren’t neutral. Anyone who tells you their view is neutral probably has an agenda. I’m at least honest about the fact that I think the Christian foundation of this country is a good thing. QUESTION: Okay, thank you. And for the pill you mentioned, what do you mean specifically? Are you talking about testosterone or estrogen? VANCE: I’m talking about hormone replacement therapy. And to be respectful, let’s keep it moving.

RealClearPolitics Videos