Harper talks religion with The Hill
Edwina Rogers refuses to name names. If the executive director of the Secular Coalition for America knows which members of Congress aren’t religious, she isn’t telling.
Her organization, an advocacy group representing a growing number of nontheistic Americans, recently conducted a silent poll of members of Congress about their faith and personal beliefs. And according to Rogers, 28 of the 535 lawmakers claimed they did not personally believe in a higher power.
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Mississippi’s Rep. Gregg Harper (R) represents what a March Gallup poll found to be the most religious state in the union, with nearly 60 percent of its residents claiming to be “very religious.”
“It’s certainly part of our state, probably the majority of the people attend church somewhere or a place of worship every week,” Harper said.
But when asked if a nontheist could have a chance of winning a congressional seat in his state, Harper conceded such a viewpoint could possibly be used as fodder against a candidate.
“Stuff gets used in politics all the time,” he said. “That might just be another factor.”
The Hill
6/12/12
Magnolia Tribune
