By Carrie Sheffield – Omaha WH – Oct. 25, 2024

Most Americans don’t see Kamala Harris or Donald Trump as particularly religious or Christian, according to a survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs. A large plurality of Americans — 41% — say neither Trump nor Harris represents their religious views.

Based on both major candidates’ track records — and their worldviews — neither threatens to impose theocratic rule.

But their governing records show significant differences in how the candidates view faith and prioritize protecting religious freedom. 

As president, Trump boldly stood against antisemitism by countering Iranian aggression against Israel. He also moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and he forged the historic Abraham Accords for Middle East peace between Arabs and Jews. 

In contrast, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris enabled global antisemitism by cowering and caving to Iran. They enabled the Iranian supreme leader and his cronies to bankroll the worst Jewish massacre since the Holocaust. Harris also bowed to the antisemitic wing of her party by passing over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro for her running mate — a decision that could cost her the White House if she loses the delegate-rich Keystone State. 

While Christian and Jewish theology and activist groups strongly support human rights and liberation (the narratives of Moses and Jesus, for example), the Trump White House took bold action to protect the victims of human trafficking. The Trump administration implemented policies discouraging illegal immigration, which disincentivizes human trafficking. 

Harris does little for women and girls trafficked and sexually assaulted at our southern border. Amnesty International reported, “As many as six out of every 10 migrant women and girls experience sexual violence during the journey.” Doctors Without Borders found that 1 in 3 women traveling through Mexico are sexually assaulted. The United Nations estimates among women crossing without husbands or families, up to 70% suffer abuse.

Rampant sexual abuse festers and grows as illegal immigration swells from policies such as those from the White House. 

Harris also played a role in forcing Title IX changes restricting women’s rights and threatening religious liberty. The Biden-Harris administration gave federal bureaucrats broad powers to bully and exclude students and teachers with deeply held religious convictions who don’t share Harris’ ideology on sexuality and gender.

First Liberty filed a public comment on behalf of Houston Christian University, arguing Harris’ Title IX changes disproportionately burden faith-based schools for their religious beliefs and practices.

In sharp contrast, Trump is a fierce opponent of this attempt to harm women by redefining sex and restricting religious liberty. 

While in office, Trump safeguarded the religious liberty of medical professionals, educators and religious groups such as the Catholic Little Sisters of the Poor. He did this by protecting their right to object on moral and religious grounds to contraception mandates for government insurance.    

The Biden-Harris administration sparked outrage from religious activists for seeking to roll back exemptions on moral objections to Obamacare’s contraceptive mandates.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Harris was even upset that a Trump nominee for a U.S. District Court judgeship belonged to the Knights of Columbus. The Catholic men’s charity cared for the sick, poor and disabled and offered disaster relief and employment services. 

Harris’ anti-religion bias is an especially sad irony given that the Pilgrims sailed on the Mayflower to America on a quest for respite from religious persecution in Europe.

Regardless of whether they are faithful, Americans know religious liberty is a core value of our country. Americans deserve leaders who stand up for this constitutional freedom.