Interfaith Alliance condemns Sen. Moreno’s outrageous attack on religious freedom

Interfaith Alliance, a leading national advocate for religious freedom and civil rights, today condemned the comments made by US Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) at a campaign rally on Wednesday, where he attacked Michigan senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim, saying he “can be nowhere near Washington, DC” in part because he does not understand that “Jesus came here for our salvation.” 

Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement: 

“The US Constitution explicitly bars religious tests for public office. Sen. Moreno swore an oath to uphold that US Constitution, but clearly he has not read it - or does not agree with it. The naked Christian nationalism of his comments last night represent an attack on Muslims and on all non-Christian Americans. It is part of a dangerous and extreme pattern in which senior elected officials, from President Trump on down, have spread the idea that the US is a Christian nation in which the government should embrace and enforce a narrow and discriminatory religious worldview. 

"This attack is also part of a pattern of explicit Islamophobia and incitement directed at Abdul El-Sayed and at American Muslims in general. This naked hate poses a direct threat to the Muslim community and seeks to stir up hatred and division in our country. Rejecting and condemning this hate is not a question of partisan politics - it is a fundamental duty for all those who believe in religious freedom and in equal rights for all Americans regardless of their identity.”

Interfaith Alliance has launched a sign-on petition for Americans to reaffirm their rejection of religious tests for office: “As people of diverse faiths, we reaffirm our belief in the U.S. Constitution and its religious freedom protections. No candidate or nominee for public office, nor current elected official or civil servant should ever be barred from holding office because of their religious beliefs. We are all free to worship, pray, and believe however we choose. Our religious beliefs have no bearing on our equal citizenship.”

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‍Interfaith Alliance and Interfaith Alliance Foundation are a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.

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