Last month, Iowan Justin Scott asked Republican Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz why atheists should consider voting for him.
The response left a lot to be desired. Cruz went off on a monologue about how he hoped Justin would find God before eventually saying he supported freedom of speech and religious freedom. Even though, for Cruz, that amounts to supporting people like Kim Davis who want to use Christianity to deprive others of their civil rights.
Now, in an interview on CBN’s The Brody File, Cruz attempts to moderate his beliefs, saying he’s “not running to be Pastor-In-Chief” and that he’d be a good President for atheists, too:
I am a Christian, and the Word says if you are ashamed of Jesus, He will be ashamed of you. I don’t intend to have that conversation with my Maker. It is an integral part of who I am, my faith. Now, at the same time, I’m not running to be ‘Pastor-In-Chief.’ It is not the calling of a political leader to deliver the salvation message. That is the calling of us as believers, it’s the calling of a pastor, but it’s a different role to be a political leader.
So I certainly do not hide my faith. But my responsibility as… president is to defend the constitutional rights of every American, to keep every American safe.
…
At town halls I periodically get people who ask, “I’m an atheist, why should I support you?” Now, as a believer I hope that atheist will encounter the forgiving love of Jesus Christ, but as a President, I intend to be a President of everybody, President of every faith, but also President of Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians…
Okay — raise your hand if you believe any of that.
Nobody? Nobody.
Maybe he should give the same speech to his wife, since she seems to think he’ll be the living incarnation of Jesus if he becomes President.
Cruz would be an atheist’s nightmare, taking direction from the Bible over the Constitution at every opportunity. If you’re an atheist who cares at all about that label, run the hell away from him. He doesn’t give a shit about you, and if your rights ever came in conflict with a Christian’s wants, the Christian would win.
Remember: This is the same candidate who said the removal of a Ten Commandments monument from the Oklahoma State Capitol amounted to an attack on Christianity:
This is the same candidate who said last November that atheists weren’t “fit to be commander-in-chief of this nation.”
This is the same candidate who used the phrase “atheist Taliban” to describe supporters of church/state separation.
This is the same candidate who wants to impose a religious test on Syrian refugees before they enter the country.
This is not a man who would treat atheists with respect if he ever became President.
(via Joe. My. God.)
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