Stephen Prothero in Politico Magazine

  • By: Wendy L Czik

What Do Mormons and Muslims Have in Common?

In casting doubt on whether Islam is a religion, Trump’s team puts a new spin on an old playbook.

By STEPHEN PROTHERO

It should have been a simple question: Last week, Trump counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka was asked by a radio host whether the president believed that Islam was a religion. Instead of coming back with a quick yes – of course it’s a religion – he demurred. “This is not a theological seminary,” he said. “This is the White House, and we’re not going to get into theological debates.”

It wasn’t that he’d been caught off-guard. It was the second time he’d been asked by the same NPR host, Steve Inskeep. The first time, Gorka had evaded the question in a different way: “I think you should ask him that question. I’m not a spokesperson for the president,” he said. Read more….

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