Ben Carson Clarifies His Anti-Muslim Comments

Presidential candidate Ben Carson still is not backing down from his statement on Sunday that he would not support a Muslim president, but he did clarify this week that in the presidential seat, the U.S. Constitution trumps religion.

“We don’t put people at the head of our country whose faith might interfere with them carrying out the duties of the Constitution. If you’re a Christian and you’re running for president and you want to make this [country] into a theocracy, I’m not going to support you. I’m not going to advocate you being the president,” Carson told Fox News.

According to The Christian Post, Carson told NBC that a Muslim man or woman should not “be in charge of this nation.”

His comment drew criticism from many GOP presidential rivals, but in a Facebook post Monday, Carson said that he cannot “advocate” a Muslim presidential candidate.

“Under Islamic Law, homosexuals — men and women alike — must be killed. Women must be subservient. And people following other religions must be killed,” the retired neurosurgeon told readers. “I know that there are many peaceful Muslims who do not adhere to these beliefs. But until these tenets are fully renounced … I cannot advocate any Muslim candidate for President.”

“Now, if someone has a Muslim background, and they’re willing to reject those tenets and to accept the way of life that we have, and clearly will swear to place our Constitution above their religion, then of course they will be considered infidels and heretics, but at least I would then be quite willing to support them,” he told Fox.