Ted Cruz: Atheists Should Not Be President

Ted Cruz recently suggested atheism disqualifies one from being President.

At a recent gathering of like-minded believers, Ted Cruz was asked by the moderator of the National Religious Liberties Conference in Iowa, “How important is it for the President of the United States to fear God, and what does that mean to you?”

Listen to Ted Cruz’s answer:

“Any president who doesn’t begin every day on his knees isn’t fit to be commander-in-chief of this nation.”

Ted Cruz certainly pleased the crowd with his answer, but I find it interesting that on the question of Presidents and their faith, Cruz sang quite a different tune when Ben Carson came under fire for saying he would not “advocate putting a Muslim in charge of the nation.”

On that occasion Cruz said, “The Constitution specifies there shall be no religious test for public office, and I’m a constitutionalist.”

Ted Cruz is completely entitled to his own beliefs and opinions, but why on this particular question of “God-fearing” did Cruz forget his Constitutionalist stance?

Why throw out the freedom of religion for atheists serving at the highest level?

Cruz may very well be appealing to the idea that those who fear God and fall on their knees to seek his wisdom will act with more humility and prudence than those who question the very existence of God. But I personally do not think this distinction is correct: believers and doubters alike can be either humble or full of hubris.

One’s religious affiliation is a poor test of one’s wisdom. The authors of the Constitution were right to say no religious test should be given for public office.