Kentucky governor takes heat for citing Bible to defend transgender treatments for children
Potential 2028 contender Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear was accused of twisting Scripture on Monday after he used the Bible to defend his veto of legislation banning gender transition medical treatments for children.
"These days, it's hard to be astounded by something absolutely ridiculous, or worse, coming from an officeholder when it comes to political office," Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, said in a video message posted to X and first picked up by The Christian Post.
"And frankly, if you're coming up with a catalog of stupid things said on programs like ABC's 'The View,' you'd better get ready for a very long list," Mohler continued to say in his response. "But I don't care how long your list is, this one's going to rank at the top of stupid."
During an appearance on ABC's "The View" this week, the Democratic governor explained how his Christian faith informs his leadership, including his opposition to legislation restricting treatments or protections for transgender youth.
"People want to know what drives us," Beshear began. "For me, that's my faith."
"Most of the decisions I make are based on that Golden Rule that says we love our neighbor as ourself, and that parable of the Good Samaritan that says everyone is our neighbor," he said.
"And so, when I've taken actions like vetoing the nastiest piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation that ever came through my state, I described it in those terms," he continued. "I said my faith teaches me that all children are children of God, and I didn't want people picking on those kids."
While Beshear didn't specifically mention which legislation he was referring to, he used similar language while vetoing Senate Bill 150 in 2023. The legislation aimed to strengthen parental rights in schools and banned healthcare providers from administering puberty blockers or gender surgeries to minors for the purpose of altering their biological sex.
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In his veto message, Beshear wrote, "My faith teaches me that all children are children of God and Senate Bill 150 will endanger the children of Kentucky," before claiming the legislation would "cause an increase in suicide among Kentucky's youth." The Kentucky General Assembly later voted to override Beshear's veto, allowing the bill to become law.
Mohler responded to the clip of Beshear on "The View," noting that the governor didn't "define" what his faith is, beyond saying it includes the Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule.
"I just want to point out that historic biblical Christianity is really clear about understanding creation order, as part of the goodness of creation itself," he continued. "He created us male and female. This is not an imposition among human beings who would otherwise be something else. This is God's gift to us."
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The theologian argued that those affirming LGBTQ ideology in Christian circles are rejecting the historic biblical understanding of Scripture.
"You really are looking here at two different rival religions," he continued. "You have historic, orthodox, biblical Christianity, and you have theological liberalism and whatever it produces next."
"It's cut the Bible down to size," he said of the latter position. "It doesn't begin with Genesis 1, evidently just the Golden Rule and the Good Samaritan."
Mohler ended his message by calling on Christians to use discernment when they hear politicians using the Bible to defend these policies.
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Beshear also cited his faith in remarks defending his veto of House Bill 495 in 2025, legislation that barred Medicaid coverage for sex change care and moved to roll back Kentucky’s restrictions on conversion therapy.
Beshear's office did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Beshear is one of the nation's most popular governors, enjoying sky-high approval ratings as a Democrat in a state that President Donald Trump carried by more than 30 points in 2024. He is considered a likely 2028 presidential candidate.