For televangelist Joel Osteen, faith isn’t the primary determinant when it comes to voting for a president.
Appearing Tuesday night on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, the Lakewood Church pastor said he would have no problem voting for a presidential candidate who holds a different set of beliefs than his own—and that includes Mormon Republican candidate Mitt Romney.
“That would not stop me from voting for somebody,” Osteen said. “I would look at the total candidate though—you know, what's their experience, what's their education, what do they stand for? I don't think I would vote for somebody just because they're a Mormon or anything like that.”
When Morgan asked about backing a Jewish candidate, Osteen didn’t think twice: “Sure, I could vote for a Jewish candidate—that's how our faith was started. They're God's chosen people in Scripture.” But as Morgan posed the hypothetical question of voting for a Muslim candidate, Osteen was a bit more hesitant.
