Perkins: Religious Freedom a 'Central Issue' in 2016 Elections

Religious freedom must be a key issue in the 2016 presidential race, especially with America's bedrock of liberty eroding so quickly, Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, tells Newsmax TV.

"This is a central issue and should be a central issue in the 2016 election," Perkins said Friday.

"Not just domestic religious freedom, but we have seen over the last 24 months, in particular under the leadership of President [Barack] Obama, how religious persecution has spread like wildfire around the globe.

And America has basically sat on the sidelines and been silent. For Americans, we understand this is a fundamental, this is our first freedom."

Perkins said all of the nation's freedoms, including freedom of speech and freedom of association, hinge on religious freedom.

"We've seen the court, five lawyers on the Supreme Court, have created this dilemma where you see this conflict between a new right that they have created and a fundamental, clearly enumerated right of the 'freedom of religion', the ability to exercise your religion," Perkins said.

"The left wants to quarantine this within the four walls of our churches. That is not freedom of religion. Freedom of religion is the ability to live your life according to your faith. We should be free to believe and live according to those beliefs."

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