Leftists Go WILD: ABC News Takes Swings At Speaker Mike Johnson's "Family Choices"

The event, which has been described as a "controversial formal dance event," was initially covered in a 2015 segment by German news outlet n-tv.

The German report, which documented Johnson and his family's preparation and attendance at the event, likened the ceremony to a wedding. "This looks like a wedding," the reporter observed, "But they are not bride and groom -- but rather father and ... daughter."

Purity balls, which gained notoriety in the early 2000s, are popular among certain conservative Christian groups. These events typically feature a father-daughter dance and promote sexual abstinence until marriage. However, ABC News described these events as a subject of intense debate within Christian circles.

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"Since growing in popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s, purity balls and purity pledges have faced increased scrutiny from both inside and outside the Christian community," ABC News reported. Critics argue that the practice places an undue burden on young women and objectifies them.

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December 23, 2023

At these events, fathers and their teenage daughters dress in formal attire for an evening that includes dinner, dancing, and culminates with the daughter pledging to her father to abstain from dating and remain sexually abstinent until marriage.

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ABC News also highlighted comments made by Johnson's wife, Kelly Johnson, during an interview with the German outlet. "We don't talk to her about contraception," she stated. "Sex before marriage is simply out of the question."

Johnson, a Southern Baptist, has faced significant scrutiny over his Christian faith. In a November article, NPR highlighted Johnson's close ties to the Christian right, both mainstream and fringe. HBO host Bill Maher compared Johnson to a mass shooter in October, while former White House press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki labeled him a "religious fundamentalist."

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In response to these criticisms, Johnson has defended his faith and his adherence to the Bible as his "worldview." "If you truly believe in the Bible’s commands, and you seek to follow those, it’s impossible to be a hateful person because the greatest command in the Bible is that you love God with everything you had, and you love your neighbor as yourself," Johnson said.