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Tone down the religious rhetoric!

This week, a national coalition of several religious organizations today issued an "Interfaith Statement of Principles" calling on presidential as well as all other candidates to tone down the religious rhetoric that has been so prevalent in this election cycle.

 The coalition calls on candidates to, among other things, "reject appeals or messages to voters that reflect religious prejudice, bias or stereotyping," and "avoid statements, actions or conduct that are intended primarily to encourage division in the electorate among religious lines."

We welcome this breath of common sense in an increasingly divisive electoral cycle. All candidates should be encouraged to respect the American traditions of religious tolerance and pluralism whenever they consider policy issues of any kind.

We suggest expanding the appeal. In December 2011, Americans for Peace Now made a similar call to the candidates to be responsible regarding their rhetoric on Israel, and to avoid pandering to ideological extremists. Now, consistent with this new appeal by religious organizations, we urge candidates to avoid abusing religion and religious sentiments in ways that might jeopardize efforts to advance peace between Israel and her neighbors. We ask that candidates display the courage to resist pandering to those who often allow their religious convictions to (mis)guide their positions on foreign policy, even when these positions contradict the best interests of Israel or the United States.