Vice President JD Vance strongly condemned religious violence this week, calling attacks carried out in the name of faith “disgusting” and fundamentally opposed to both Christianity and American values.

Speaking during a White House press briefing, Vance responded to the deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, where three people, including a security guard, were killed in what authorities are investigating as a hate crime.

“The principle is religious violence is particularly disgusting, especially in the United States of America,” Vance said. “As a devout Christian, I would say it’s one of the most anti-Christian things and anti-American things that you could do.”

The vice president emphasized that human dignity and religious liberty are rooted in the belief that God creates every person and endows them with inherent worth.

“One of the fundamental principles of all the great faiths is we are all children of God, and because of that, we are endowed by certain rights that are unique to our status as human beings,” Vance said.

The comments came one day after the tragic attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego. According to reports, two suspects, ages 17 and 18, allegedly carried out the shooting before later dying by suicide. Authorities continue to investigate the incident as a possible act of religiously motivated violence.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, argued that America’s commitment to religious freedom is deeply connected to its Christian heritage.

“One of the fundamental American rights that, I think, came from our Christian heritage as a civilization is the idea that we respect people’s religious freedom,” he said. “You can’t force anybody to a pathway to God. They have to, through their own free will, find God themselves.”

He added that violence against others because of their faith violates both moral and spiritual truth.

“Acts of violence are against this fundamental idea that people are created in the image of God,” Vance said. “They have the right, through their own free will, to find God.”

The vice president also encouraged Americans to pray for the victims and families impacted by the shooting, calling the violence “reprehensible.”

Vance’s remarks echoed themes he shared during a prerecorded address for Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving, a recent prayer gathering held on the National Mall ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

During that address, Vance spoke about the importance of charity, faith, and love in maintaining a healthy society.

“If we do not see that God loves us, we have little reason and little inspiration to love one another,” he said. “This love, which forms our morality, is the foundation of a peaceful and healthful society.”

The comments quickly drew attention online, with many Christians praising Vance for publicly defending religious freedom while condemning violence committed against people of faith.