Louisiana governor and possible Republican presidential candidate Bobby Jindal on Sunday said that atheists shouldn't be concerned that he headlined an event for a so-called "hate group" over the weekend because it was a "time-honored tradition" for U.S. leaders.
ABC host George Stephanopoulos asked Jindal on Sunday how he explained to non-believers his decision to be the keynote speaker at an event hosted by the American Family Association, which has been designated a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for its views on LGBT people.
Jindal had concluded his speech at "The Response: A Call To Prayer For a Nation In Crisis" event, by announcing that "our god wins."
"I was struck by that final line, 'Our god wins,'" Stephanopoulos noted. "How do you think that lands in a country of 320 million people or many different kids of spirituality, many different kids of faith, many who believe in no god at all."
"It's a time-honored tradition going back to our nation's founders for our presidents, for our leaders to turn to God for guidance, for wisdom," Jindal insisted. "George Washington did it, Abraham Lincoln did it, Harry Truman did it. So, absolutely, I think this idea of praying to God for wisdom and guidance is as old as our country."
The Louisiana Republican pointed out that "a majority of our people are Christians, but we don't discriminate against anybody. And that's one of the great things about America."
But when it camne to discriminating against LGBT people, Jindal said that he would back a constitutional amendment to allow states to ban same-sex marriage if the Supreme Court legalized it.
"I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman," Jindal opined. "My faith teaches me that, my Christian faith teaches me that. I'm not for discrimination against anybody. I know that many politicians are evolving -- so-called evolving -- on this issue based on the polls. I don't change my views based on the polls."
"If the Supreme Court were to throw out our law, our [state] constitutional amendment -- I hope they wouldn't do that -- if they do that, I certainly support Ted Cruz and others that are talking about making an amendment in the Congress and D.C., a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage. I think it should be between a man and a woman."
