Picture it: a young, handsome, frat boy version of Mike Pence, strumming his guitar with a smile. Friendly and outgoing, he supports the Democratic Party, gay rights and has a healthy relationship with his girlfriend.
How times change.
CNN has released a chilling new report, part of an ongoing profile series on now Veep Mike Pence and his religious beliefs shaped his personality as a young man and his governing philosophy today. In it, friends and acquaintances who knew Pence during his tenure at Hanover College detail his character, including a sudden religious “conversion” which turned a kind, curious young man into–as one woman described it–a “rigid, condescending and exclusionary” preacher/politician.
In other words, this is how young Pence became the hate monger we know today.
We’ve put together a list of the most shocking revelations from the report which detail how Pence went from friendly to freaky.
1. Pence once identified as a Democrat.
Until a sudden bout of religious fanaticism, Pence, like his immigrant grandfather, supported the Democratic party. He also attended campus parties, played the guitar, maintained friendships with classmates–including women–and even joined the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta. That all changed after a religious epiphany in 1978.
Related: Brian Sims welcomes Mike Pence to Philadelphia with a polite one finger salute
2. Pence underwent a “come to Jesus” moment
While studying at Hanover, Pence became a leader with Vespers, a musical group devoted to playing Christian-themed music about spiritual devotion. While attending a Christian music festival with the group, Pence underwent a religious awakening–one which he has described in detail numerous times. After that, according to CNN, friends noticed a dramatic shift in his personality as Pence became “devoted” to God and not to human beings.
3. Pence ratted out his frat brothers
Where there are fraternities, there is beer. That was true even when Pence joined Phi Gamma Delta and participated in their many parties, sometimes even in a Toga. After his religious conversion, however, Pence managed to get his frat brothers in trouble after alerting a dean of students to hidden kegs of beer in the Phi Gamma frat house.
4. Pence once had actual female friends
Lisa Koon attended Hanover with Pence and got to know him through the Vespers group. They enjoyed a warm friendship until Pence’s moment of religious “calling,” when he suddenly became more rigid and judgmental. During one prayer group on a Vespers retreat, Pence reduced Koon to tears over her “sinful” lifestyle, condemning her for attending a frat party, which Pence also attended. A lifelong Christian, Koon suddenly found herself shunned by her fellow Vespers members, not to mention infuriated over Pence’s judgment. Today, Pence notoriously refuses to dine with another woman alone unless his wife is present.
Related: Mike Pence’s St. Patrick’s Day was ruined in the best way possible
5. Pence had gay friends, too
Yes, really. Pence actually became the first person a fellow Hanover student came out to, labeling Pence a “mentor” figure. The gay man–who remains anonymous in the CNN story–says Pence labeled him “an abomination” and cut off all contact after his coming out. Fellow students have confirmed the account. A frat brother of Pence’s, Scott Roos, says he experienced a similar reaction after his coming out.
6. Pence almost broke up with his now-wife over her sinful lifestyle
Scott Roos also recalls Pence’s disgust over his then-girlfriend Karen’s “sinful” lifestyle. Like many women, Karen had lost her virginity before marriage, which disgusted Pence and strained their relationship. Eventually, Pence managed to forgive Karen, the two married and have three children together. Roos added that he suspects Pence’s religiosity stems from political ambition: Pence once told Roos that “God told [Pence] he would be President.”
A real charmer, that Mike Pence. Suppose there’s any way to enroll him in his beloved conversion therapy…for not being a judgemental jerk?
DCguy
Two things wrong with this.
1. The article says he had “Gay Friends”……
“Pence actually became the first person a fellow Hanover student came out to, labeling Pence a “mentor” figure. The gay man–who remains anonymous in the CNN story–says Pence labeled him “an abomination” and cut off all contact after his coming out. Fellow students have confirmed the account. A frat brother of Pence’s, Scott Roos, says he experienced a similar reaction after his coming out.”
That isn’t him having “Gay Friends”, that is him attacking his friends and cutting them off as soon as they came out….he obviously never knew they were gay or they wouldn’t have had to come out to him would they?
2. This isn’t an article about a nice guy who suddenly became a hateful bigot. This is about somebody who already hate hateful bigoted tendencies who then found a place where he finally felt comfortable expressing his hatred of minorities, women, etc….
mwbsf
Yes.
DuMaurier
Yes, having gay friends you don’t know are gay is different from being friends with someone who’s out. If he was ‘gay friendly’ before his conversion the evidence isn’t in this article.
I do disagree that someone might go from a ‘nice’, non-judgmental to a jerk because of a religious conversion. In my life I’ve seen people completely change everything about themselves to the point they’re not recognizable after some kind of ‘awakening’. It wasn’t always religion per se (often it was some kind of ‘transformational’ group thing like est–going back a ways) and the change wasn’t always hostile and mean, but in those cases I saw the change was jarring and eerie in how absolute it was.
prarie pup
Well said, DCGuy.
Chrisk
I don’t everyone that turns to religion turns into a big judgement asshole like Pence. That doesn’t happen overnight.
It sure seems to attract them though.
barkomatic
I think many of us have known people in our lives who have allowed religious ideology to overcome their natural sense of compassion and reason. I’ve known a few kind young people who I guess had some deep insecurity that was somehow consoled by the rigid but arbitrary structure of strict religion.
Of course it’s not just religion but really any ideology that seems to appeal to people who need a belief system. It’s contagious too. If you’re close to someone with these beliefs often it seems a person will flip simply because they’re hearing the same thing over and over.
loren_1955
In other words, Pence went from being a good human being to a judgmental, small minded, bigoted religionist. Sad, the choice he made to become less human and less god/Christ like.
astrogay 2020
it’s a prove that Religion is not good for nothing, only to cause pain, Violence, and Wars, one only as to know History to see who many wars were fought because of religion
Kaaper
I am a gay Christian. I left organized religion because of their hateful bigotry. My faith teaches me to be more Christ-like. To love all people. Forgive those who try to hurt me. Show compassion to the downtrodden. Lift people up rather than tearing them down. Show mercy rather than hatred. Sow peace and harmony wherever possible. I don’t judge anyone, even people like Trump and Pence. Instead, I pray for them to recognize the errors of their ways in relation to how they treat others.
God loves ALL His children, even those who stray from His teaching.
garyrichmond
There are churches, although not many, that are welcoming to LGBTQT people. I attend Riverside Church in the City of New York and am an active member of its LGBTQT ministry(!), Maranatha. Members of the preaching staff and straight members of the congregation attend our meetings, join us on the Gay Pride float, come to our annual pick, support our programs and projects (fro example, we give 3 scholarship–two academic and 1 musical) each year to college students active in the gay community. In sum, not all churches are bigoted (although, unfortunately, many if not most, are). Some practice what Christ preached.
ryuichi
Fundamentalism, in any religion, is a dangerous, addictive, infectious disease.
garyrichmond
Exactly so!
Gary Q VV
One day Jesus Christ will offer Pence the opportunity to ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for his sins which Christ promised to forgive. Sin of hate, greed, hoarding, judging, power, supremacy, exclusion, self-admiration, vanity, pride – sins, sins & more deep dark inner-kerfuffle beyond our comprehensions. Wow! Now that’s according to “the Bible”. The Bible of the predominately white European Christians & exploiters of the same. Shame, shame, shame on hypocrite Pence & the same. Now I’ll get off my high-horse.
Bob
How much you wanna bet that when that happens, Pence will lecture Jesus on how sinful HE’S been…
Esscourt
What a freakin’ weirdo! If and when he has sex with “mother,” he probably uses a sheet with a hole in it!
OzJosh
What a thoroughly revolting individual. Still, bring on the Trump impeachment because it will be interesting to see how Pence’s “values” play to normal Americans. You might bump off two presidents in one term and kill the Republican Party forever.
nitejonboy
Amen!! Oh happy day that will be !!
batesmotel
I can understand some get spiritual and some even get more religious, but the nonjudgmental kind of religious where the believe in Jesus and believe in Same Sex Marriage. Yes I know many people that got that bill, but the falling from Frat Boy to hardcore judgmental Christian fanatic I’ll never understand. You have to be hit on the head hard enough to fall that low and think it’s true.
oaksong
This essentially my brothers story, minus the fraternity, and it was at a different college.
ptb2016
I’m still amazed that people calling themselves Christians depend on Old Testament teachings of hate and exclusion and not the clear Love one another command of Christ as set out in the New Testament. I have to ask him if he’d sell his children into slavery as the same passage that calls homosexuality an abomination says is fine to do!
Annaronimo
Those teachings they reference are taken out of context and aren’t actually condemning homosexuality at all. Literally nothing is said in the Bible which actually condemns homosexuality, even in the Old Testament. What IS in the Bible are the phrases ‘judge not, lest ye be judged’, and ‘love thy neighbour’. Anyone claiming to be a Christian should follow those before misinterpreting passages in the previous Testament.
fireman452
What has happened to this so called religion that “follows” Christ? None of what I read in this article about Pence would find support from the man they “follow”. Let he who is without sin cast the first STONE? Pence is chucking ROCKS all over the place and ignoring completely his own faults. Just heard about the “christian” in Ten. that lit an African American Man on fire and killed him. He said he did it because The Bible was written for WHITE people and not for “colored”. This religious right has become a bunch of insufferable bores and I maybe wrong but I am pretty sure the “CHRIST”ian church that was supposed to be would forgive them their enormous sins, and try and persuade them to become the loving people that Christ wants them to be. My Husband and I are the couple that sued Florida and won Marriage Equality for Florida, we have no time for bigots like Pence – and I think the message came through loud and clear for him at the Olympics.
Bob LaBlah
I have always felt there is something in Pence’s past that makes the GOP cringe enough where they have no other choice but to support Trump. The man (Pence) has always come off as a flake to me but I would have never guessed the baggage had anything to do with sex. I would have guessed an exorcism or something along that line. I wonder if he’s into twinks or the boy next door types.
bcborn
Religion is nothing but pure evil. A man made fable story by the rich to control the poor. That has been rewritten over and over and over and over again to appease whoever at the time. Nobody, not one person knows for sure absolutely 100% what happens when we move on, die, kick the bucket. Those that say they do know LOL are full of shit. IF there is a heaven and that’s a BIG IF. I sure as f**k don’t want to hang in my afterlife with any of these bigoted Christian asswipes, no way. GROSS
bcborn
Take religion out of the equation and the world would be a happier place. Religion teaches ignorance and hate and divides humans. Nobody is born ignorant.
irbaboon
from an average more or less decent guy into a strident,homophobic,zealot.
THANKS A LOT JESUS
David
I am not making any accusations here.. but (to paraphrase Don Imus) Somebody that uptight, you just KNOW is spending his nights and weekends wearing clothes….. that make him feel “pretty”.
Invader7
How many of you get the ‘ Gaydar ‘ vibe from Ms. Pence? I bet One MILLION dollars he’s a DEEPLY closeted, very self loathing, toxic queen who has sold his soul to the Devil for power and fame… Most, if not all of the supposed “straight” men who are so vocally anti-gay we KNOW are truly hiding their sexuality in hopes they’ll through some feat of magic become hetero. But I always ask men who are conflicted: “Do you dream about sex with men or women? ” When they invariably answer “men” . Bingo we have a gay in the making. Of course I get a tinge of delight in helping them realize who they TRULY are- sexuality wise. But I also tell them since they’re conflicted ( because of -Pick one or more – religion, family, society, work , etc., etc.,etc ) they NEED to see a really top notch therapist who will help them sort out their situation. I also say human sexuality runs the gamut from asexual to pansexual and everything in between. And do NOT be so hard or harsh with yourself because their sexuality may be shifting. Society-especially- through religion phucks up so many people’s minds, souls, emotions, lives. Thank Goodness I dumped religion when I was 19. Religion is poisionous & toxic. But Pence is pure EVIL. And anyone who thinks he hot is deluded. He’s the Dark Prince. And a two eyed back stabbing snake!!