But in the United States, she's winning praise from pro-life Americans, including former Vice President Mike Pence, founder of Advancing American Freedom.

"When radical pro-abortion Biden administration officials demanded that the words ‘abortion' and ‘reproductive rights' be included in the G7's official statement, you stood strong for life. By doing so, you stood not just for pro-life Italians, but for every pro-life citizen of the G7 countries," Pence wrote in a letter to Meloni.

Pence's June 19 letter, shared exclusively with The Daily Signal, expresses his "gratitude and admiration for your uncompromising stand for life."

Read More

Pence also made light of Trump's legal issues, referencing reports that classified documents were found in Trump's home during an FBI search. Pence suggested that the documents were found in the president's Bible, proving, he said, that Trump had absolutely no idea they were there. Read more

"Let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12.)

Mash-ups of religion and national identity have cropped up throughout U.S. history, although experts argue that it has emerged with particular fervour under Trump. Read more

His sanity as a believer was initially called into question by Omarosa Manigault-Newman, a disgruntled ex-staffer of President Trump.

She used her status as a "Celebrity Big Brother" contestant to insinuate Pence suffers from mental illness. She said his claim — "he thinks Jesus tells him to say things [is] scary".

Her comments then became fodder for US comedienne Joy Behar.

Behar said on ABC's "The View" that "It's one thing to talk to Jesus. It's another thing when Jesus talks to you. That's called mental illness if I'm not correct. Hearing voices."

Pence said while he is accustomed to criticism and wanted to just laugh about it, he could not let this go.

"An overwhelming majority of Americans cherish their faith, and we have all different types of faith in this country.

"I just think it demonstrates how out of touch some people in the mainstream media are with the faith and values of the American people that you could have a major network like ABC permit a forum for invective against religion like that.

"I just call them [ABC] out on it, not because of what was said about me, but it's just simply wrong for ABC to have a television programme that expresses that kind of religious intolerance. We're better than that, our country is better than that."

Behar changed her position on Pence's faith after her co-host on "The View" Meghan McCain said Jesus speaks to her "every morning."

"... I don't think [Mike Pence] ... is mentally ill even though he says he is hearing voices," Behar said.

"I don't think he's that crazy. He has no charisma whatsoever."

Source

• Washington Times
• Christian Post
• Washington Times
• Townhall
• Image: Fox News

Former North Korean Christian missionary Kim Chung-seong went on to explain why the country is so afraid:

"[It is] because the Bible and the Gospel speaks the truth. Once the light shines in the dark room, there is light in the room," he told the summit's political and religious leaders and representatives from 130 countries and territories.

The North Korean dictatorship is considered one of the worst human rights violators in the world.

Everyone is forced to worship the leader, currently Kim Jong-un, Open Door UK said in a recent report.

"Freedom of religion or belief does not exist and is, in fact, profoundly suppressed," the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2017 annual report says.

Despite the torture, forced hard labour, extraordinarily cruel treatment and death penalties the faith continues to spread, Kim said.

"I had to get out, or die."

Kim, who was one of many persecuted Christians speaking at the summit, has been living in South Korea since 2004.

He broadcasts a Christian radio programme every day into parts of North Korea.

He also helps send North Koreans Gospel messages, Christian music and world news on USB drives and SD memory cards.

Kim said the North Korean government uses a "façade" network — the Korea Christian Association.

Its role is to find the Christians in the country, make them think they're an authentic Christian group and give them false information.

The façade network also gives a false impression of religious freedom and religious pluralism in North Korea.

Summit keynote speakers included Washington D.C's Cardinal Donal Wuerl and US Vice President Mike Pence.

Source

• Catholic Online
• National Catholic Register
• Breitbart
• Image: Life Funds for North Korean Refugees
  

The gatherings are part of a programme devised by a Christian ministry in the Capitol.

Pence has been described as an "Evangelical Catholic".

"My Christian faith is at the very heart of who I am," he said last year during the run-up to the election.

Created for government officials at all levels, Ralph Drollinger who runs the ministry, says "God will bless the nation when its leaders turn to him in prayer".

"God judged Israel when His people worshipped other gods. Too often this betrayal was fostered by her spiritual leaders. … It stands to reason that spiritual leaders who minister to our government leaders are critically important to the health of the nation," he said.

"Whether or not they lead them in God's ways has huge repercussions relative to if or not God blesses a nation."

Spurce

• CBN News
• Knights Templar International
• Image: The Christian Post

Mr Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, tweeted on Friday that Indiana Governor Mike Pence would be his running mate.

Mr Pence has previously described himself as a "pretty ordinary Christian" and as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order".

But he also once said, "I made a commitment to Christ. I'm a born-again, evangelical Catholic".

He was raised Catholic, but later attended an evangelical mega-church.

Growing up in an Irish Catholic family that reportedly revered the Kennedys, Mr Pence served as an altar boy and went to parochial school.

He has said he made a "commitment to Christ" while taking part in a nondenominational Christian student group in college.

As a member of the US House from 2000 until his election as governor, Mr Pence's actions included: Opposition to the expansion of abortion rights and federal spending on embryonic stem cell research, pushing a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage and briefly cutting off new federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

Last year, he said "calls to ban Muslims from entering the US are offensive and unconstitutional".

Pundits have said one reason Mr Trump may pick Mr Pence is that the governor's strong pro-Israel sentiment would shore up Mr Trump's shaky relationship with Jewish voters.

Last year, Mr Pence supported Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which would have allowed businesses and individuals to refuse to do business with some people, based on their own religious beliefs.

But shortly after signing the bill into law, he had to sign a revised version after major corporations, organisations and celebrities vowed to boycott Indiana.

In 2009, Mr Pence was asked if he believes in evolution.

He replied: "I believe with all my heart that God created the heavens and the earth, the seas and all that is in them . . . How he did that, I'll ask him about some day."

Sources

• Religion News Service
• The Guardian
• Image: Reuters