Outspoken freshman Congresswoman Nancy Mace, (R-SC), decided to throw away her prepared remarks and riff at the beginning of her speech at fellow South Carolinian Sen. Tim Scott’s prayer breakfast last week. That was her first mistake.
“When I woke up this morning at 7, I was getting picked up at 7:45, Patrick, my fiance, tried to pull me by my waist over this morning in bed. And I was like, ‘No, baby, we don’t got time for that this morning,'” Mace began. “I gotta get to the prayer breakfast, and I gotta be on time.”
Yes, there’s nothing better to warm up the crowd at a prayer breakfast like a pre-marital sex joke!
Seriously, how hard is it to avoid making comments about sex at a prayer breakfast? She probably embarrassed Sen. Scott thoroughly, who was metaphorically batting second behind the nookie narrative in her remarks as she praised him profusely. Scott is running for President, however futilely, and doesn’t need any silly but completely avoidable controversies. Mace also probably made Seacoast Church Pastor Greg Surratt a little uncomfortable, who had honored both her and Scott as a part of his congregation.
What was Rep. Mace thinking? Obviously she wasn’t thinking. The reactions were so predictable, a 13-year-old could have warned her. Evangelical Republicans (are there any Evangelical Democrats? They must be an interesting crowd…) both among the punditry and the social media mob, “pounced,” and the mouthpieces of the Left were typically contemptuous of those puritan conservatives who don’t agree that sex at all times, for any reason and with anyone or any thing is an unalloyed good that is an appropriate topic of conversation anywhere. Here’s Rolling Stone:
Whomst among us hasn’t forgone a morning quickie to make it to work on time?…Mace, 45, made the grave mistake of admitting that she, an adult woman, has a sex life outside of the confines of matrimony. A thing we’re 100 percent sure no other right-wing commentator has ever done. Uh, no, but thanks, RS, for a great example of news media spinning. and journalism’s ethical void. It starts out with a rationalization—the Big One, “Everybody does it”—and proceeds immediately to Fake News, omitting what made the episode newsworthy. It isn’t that she admitted to premarital sex, it’s that she did it at a prayer breakfast where it was certain that such a comment would offend some of those in attendance. Nobody goes to prayer breakfasts to be offended. Oh, Rolling Stone, those clever devils, left clues around the article besides the headline ( “Conservatives Are Furious That Nancy Mace Has Premarital Sex”) and the opening sentences, which, as any journalism student can tell you, are supposed to supply the who, what, when and where details. For example, the report was under a legend that read, “Read the Room.” But mocking conservatives for objecting to quickie anecdotes as an introduction to discussing God and Christianity (which are anathema to most modern progressives anyway) is too much fun.
Uh, no, but thanks, RS, for a great example of news media spinning. and journalism’s ethical void. It starts out with a rationalization—the Big One, “Everybody does it”—and proceeds immediately to Fake News, omitting what made the episode newsworthy. It isn’t that she admitted to premarital sex, it’s that she did it at a prayer breakfast where it was certain that such a comment would offend some of those in attendance. Nobody goes to prayer breakfasts to be offended. Oh, Rolling Stone, those clever devils, left clues around the article besides the headline ( “Conservatives Are Furious That Nancy Mace Has Premarital Sex”) and the opening sentences, which, as any journalism student can tell you, are supposed to supply the who, what, when and where details. For example, the report was under a legend that read, “Read the Room.” But mocking conservatives for objecting to quickie anecdotes as an introduction to discussing God and Christianity (which are anathema to most modern progressives anyway) is too much fun.
Over on the other side of the Great Divide, the Christian Post informed readers that Mace “is coming under fire from some Christians online after admitting in front of her pastor Wednesday that she engages in premarital sex with her fiancé.” The article adds, “[S]uch circumstances are common among unwed Americans, including Christians. Earlier this year, a study by Communio indicated that single Christians, the majority of whom are women, struggle to find ideal marriage partners in the pews, and most of them aren’t living lives of sexual chastity.”
“I go to church because I’m a sinner, not a saint! Glad those in attendance, including @SenatorTimScott and my pastor, took this joke in stride. Pastor Greg and I will have extra to talk about on Sunday…”Getting saved 4 years ago gave me the second chance I needed. Finding my faith was also life changing for my family — and we haven’t looked back since. I am indebted to @SenatorTimScott for guiding me to his church, and I am indebted to our church for helping me get back on track, to find purpose in life and do good; to leave the world better than I found it. We can do all things through him.”
Swell. Here are the takeaways:
- Mace needs to stick to her prepared remarks in the future.
- An high elected official saying “and I was like” assists in the degradation of language and discourse.
- She owes Sen. Scott an apology, and I’m guessing has already given him one in private.
- Mace’s judgment is terrible, and the working order of her ethics alarms is questionable at best. But we knew that. Here were her well-chosen words regarding a proposed GOP measure that would block the reimbursement of travel costs for military members seeking abortions: “It’s an asshole move, an asshole amendment,” she told aides in an elevator, according to Politico. “We should not be taking this fucking vote, man. Fuck.” Then she voted for the asshole amendment anyway. Mace has also been ethically incoherent on the issue of abortion.
This is not, to put it mildly, a deep thinker. Mace is all over the place ideologically, morally and ethically, and to such people the concept of “integrity” is a mystery.
Oh…I almost forgot: some conservative pundits have opined that Mace would be a perfect running mate for Donald Trump. I suppose…depending on what the meaning of “perfect” is in that context.
Ethics Alarms 
I refuse to believe anyone could be that stupid and that inappropriate. For someone who was the first woman to graduate from the Citadel, she hasn’t exactly been a credit to that institution.
Right! THAT’S the reason she got elected! Sure, being the first woman to graduate from a military academy MUST mean you’re qualified to make laws.
Another “trailblazer ethics” fail?
Her wiki page says she’s “a practicing Protestant.” I love that. Is she practicing like characters in a John Cheever novel? I think so.
She’s been married and divorced twice. She’s currently engaged to guy number three. And she’s only 46! Impressive!
(eyeroll) Only 26% of third marriages survive. I’m sure she’d say it was all the fault of her first two husbands, rather than the fact that maybe she’s just not a very good wife, or at least that’s what most of the women I know who are on their third or later marriages say. The starter husband “wasn’t ready,” or “didn’t get it,” and the second husband “was too selfish” or “wanted a second mom, not a wife.” I don’t think I’ve met a single divorced woman yet who owned up to any fault for where she was.
I think men and women both on multiple marriages don’t own up to fault.
She must a “baby Christian” like Trump.
The left cannot even understand why porn doesn’t belong in elementary schools, so I would not expect them to understand why talking about sex at a prayer breakfast, premarital or otherwise, is inappropriate. Talking about sex at work isn’t appropriate either, and a politician is at work whenever they make a public statement.
I am assuming she is a frequent social media poster. TMI has no meaning there and the people who post for likes probably lose all perspective rather quickly.
She could have just said “I woke up late”. My wife would say that such a statement is a ‘guy thing’. If you ask many women Mace’s age what they bought at the store, it would go something like this:
“I was driving to the store and I saw my old classmate, but she has aged horribly and it looks like the guy she is dating is much younger than she is. Di you know she is on her third marriage in 10 years? Well, I got to the last stoplight and the car in front of me just sat there when the light turned green. I honked, but they didn’t go until the light turned yellow and I had to wait for the next green. At the store, I saw the nephew of my dad’s former best friend. Did I tell you why they don’t talk anymore?
OK, that is a little exaggerated, but I am not surprised that Mace had to tell a story instead of just answering the question. The Democrats are probably pronouncing my statement that she could have simply answered with “I woke up late” as ‘mansplaining’ and misogynistic.
“I go to church because I’m a sinner, not a saint!”
This is a rationalization in religious conversation. It’s a common one. “I’m not perfect!” is what it is.
BUT, the key annoyance here is that once you do recognize a particular imperfection, you are duty-bound to make effort to fix the problem. No one says you aren’t a sinner. But it’s especially egregious, in Christianity, to recognize a sin and not aim to remedy it. Otherwise you abuse God’s grace. Jesus says “repent”, not “hey, you’re cool now, keep sinning”.
Here’s the angle that’s used to prevent people from keeping each other accountable: “Well, you still sin also, so you have no room to talk!”
1) Yes, but that particular sin you’re committing, I’ve worked through it and can help you do the same.
2) Some sins are more obvious that others, so we’re all actively seeking them out to eradicate them in our lives.
3) Some sins are easier to fix than others, like yours – get married or move out. The alcoholic down the road? His isn’t as easy to fix.
In her case, she openly knows she’s doing wrong. Her religion says that grace covers the sin, but she’s *expected* to rely on that grace to also stop sinning. Her sin is an easy one to stop. So she’s abusing grace and making a joke out of it.
When kids use the “I’m not perfect” excuse with the goal of 1) avoiding consequences or 2) gaining passive permission, modern culture tells parents that the response is, “that’s fine, you’ll figure it out” or something lazy to that effect.
Kids don’t “figure it out”. Kids are taught – and if it isn’t parents teaching them, it’s someone else. A kid “figuring it out” is actually just a kid being taught by greater pop culture – most of which is dominated by a plethora of miscreants and perverts.
No, when our kids mess up and say “I’m not perfect”, the answer is “No, you aren’t, and that’s why we’re patient, but if you aren’t aiming for perfection, even while you’ll never get there, then you are aiming for something below standard.”
Guess what? Our kids understand this and don’t get angry about it.
Aspiration is now verboten. It’s white supremacist. It’s an oppressive construct used to keep black people down.
Ugh. Reminds me of that dumb “characteristics of white supremacy” list published awhile back. It’s just characteristics not only that lead to success but also are basic characteristics that make you a responsible person.
Almost like the progressive list creator wants to keep non-whites down by giving them bad habits to aspire to.
Yep. If you can’t measure up, or I think you can’t, lower the bar. Presto! Problem solved!
Exactly!
A guy in my church once related that when he became a Christian about thirty years ago, the first thing he did was to tell his then-girlfriend that they would have to stop having sex until they were married. She was stunned, but so impressed by his stand that she began going to church with him and became a Christian herself a few weeks later. They were married soon after and now have grown children and young grandchildren.
I know nothing about Seacoast Church but if after four years they have failed to instruct her in sexual immorality they have some fundamental issues in their doctrine, in my opinion.
Awesome testimony
Exactly. New Christians are eager Christians. They want to change their lives. They want to talk to others about Jesus. They want to start anew.
They don’t ramble on about how great believers are and Franklin Graham and our great country and…
If nothing else, Trump has never seriously claimed to be a religious man, and obviously is not guided by faith, or morality, or any religion. He just lets people believe what they want, while saying nothing so direct that he could lose their support. As Presidents go, Trump is less of a religious poser than most. W.’s faith appears to be genuine, and Carter’s of course. But Biden is a fake Catholic, just as JFK was. Clinton, Reagan, Obama (who sat, he says, for years in the Rev. Wright’s church and never heard what he was saying) faked it.
Let’s see: who was the last POTUS who didn’t engage in out-of-wedlock sex? Wilson, maybe? Coolidge? That’s a hundred years.
I agree wholeheartedly which is what bothers me about high-profile Christian leaders claiming that he’s a “baby” (new) Christian. He’s clearly not a Christian, new or otherwise. An ethical leader would set the record straight instead of letting some of his less attentive supporters believe what they want, but that won’t happen because all of us here know what he is and what he is not.
Unfortunately, the use of political figures as vessels for the public’s desires, tastes and aspirations is so embedded in our system that there is no escape. Obama and Trump are obvious and frightening examples…so was RFK Jr.’s father.
And FDR who was notorious for letting people who came to him with ideas leave thinking he agreed with them and then nothing came of it. It’s politics, yes. But so so dangerous.
I keep going to back to what Jesus said in the SOTM…”Bad trees don’t produce good fruit.” Christians know that well and they preach it well. You know where all the excuses start?…on the second part of what Jesus said…”Good trees don’t produce bad fruit.” We rationalize all kinds of bad behavior away to avoid teaching that second part. Many good Christians have done that with President Trump as well. They have rationalized his bad behavior, his coarse language, his hyperbole-that-looks-more-like-lies-than-truth, his downright meanness, his unwillingness to turn the other cheek, and his unwillingness to show forgiveness, mercy, and compassion to those who wrong him…or even disagree with him.
Those people look at President Trump and they tell me, “Joel, you don’t know what’s in heart.” You know what?…I have a really good idea of what’s in his heart, because it comes pouring out his mouth. “Joel, you can’t judge a book by its cover.” You know what?…Jesus didn’t say that. He said just the opposite. You CAN judge a book by its cover. “A tree is known by its fruits.”
Though I’m a Christian, I’m not one that pushes hard that a Christian lead this country. I think strong, moral, ethical leadership is important than Christianity. Christians leaders should have those traits, but non-Christians with those traits can be effective. President Trump showed glimpses of those things in time in office. But a Christian? God knows the heart and He will judge perfectly, but based on the fruit I saw…? I’m skeptical at best.
Years ago I went to church with a lay leader who moved his fiancee in with him. He was told he would have to step down from his leadership position, at least temporarily. He protested that lots of people in the congregation were having premarital sex. He didn’t understand that, as a leader, he needed to live to a higher standard. He may have pulled the ‘we are all sinners’ card as well, but it didn’t work. Yes, sinners are welcome and should go to church. However, they shouldn’t aim to CONTINUE sinning. You shouldn’t be making conscious, long-term plans to sin.
Now, I don’t think the church needs to be policing the sex lives of grown adults. However, when those adults are in church leadership or high-profile positions, they need to understand that they are under a microscope. You may suspect and adult couple is having premarital sex if they have been dating for months. When they move in together, however, they remove all doubt.
“Now, I don’t think the church needs to be policing the sex lives of grown adults.”
Joining a church, in its most basic fundamental form, is a voluntary submission to a body of like-minded people for exactly the purpose of mutually edifying each others lives towards a common set of shared beliefs. Including sex-lives.
Yes, but I mean we don’t need people driving by everyone’s house every night shining flashlights through the windows to see what cars are in the garage.
Was anyone calling for that?
I have been on too many church committees. The level of one-upmanship in busybodiness can be frightening.