WASHINGTON, March 13, 2012 – Thirteen faith organizations recently joined the Anti-Defamation League in signing a statement that asks candidates to refrain from encouraging religious bias or stereotypes, and to conduct their campaigns without using religion to appeal to certain voting blocs. Candidates, the “interfaith statement of principles” says, should feel comfortable explaining their religious convictions to voters, but “there is a point where an emphasis on religion in a political campaign becomes inappropriate and even unsettling.” After drafting the statement in the fall of 2011 and consulting with faith groups, the Anti-Defamation League released the final signed statement on Feb. 20, 2012, or Presidents Day. Signatories include the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, the Hindu American Foundation, the American Islamic Congress and the Interfaith Alliance, among other groups.
