“The race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is the first presidential election in half a century in which neither candidate is openly telling voters much about their religion or faith,” Axios reports.

“The lack of emphasis on religion comes as the percentage of Americans identifying as ‘religiously unaffiliated’ has skyrocketed to 27% — a larger share of the population than mainline Protestants and evangelical white voters combined.”

Russell Moore: “The accusation that Haitian immigrants in a small Ohio city are abducting and eating their neighbors’ cats and dogs relies not on one falsehood but on a web of them. The rhetoric evokes racist tropes about ‘savages’ who do not conform to our civilized Western world. There’s also a religious angle: the idea that Haitian refugees are voodoo occultists who might be worshipping the devil.”

“As an evangelical Christian who actually believes in the existence of Satan, I agree that we can indeed see the work of the devil at play here, only it’s not on the menu of the Haitian families but rather in the cruelty of those willing to lie about them.”

“Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being ‘against life,'” CNN reports.

Said Francis: “One must choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know. Everyone with a conscience should think on this and do it.”

McKay Coppins read every prayer offered at Donald Trump’s campaign events since he announced he would run again in 2022 — 58 in total.

“The resulting document—at just over 17,000 words—makes for a strange, revealing religious text: benign in some places, blasphemous in others; contradictory and poignant and frightening and sad and, perhaps most of all, begging for exegesis…”

“The premise of all of these prayers is that America’s covenant can be reestablished, and its special place in God’s kingdom restored, if the nation repents and turns back to him… Many Christians now seem convinced that God has anointed a specific leader who, like those prophets of old, is prepared to defeat the forces of evil and redeem the country. And that leader is running for president.”

“We answer to God in Heaven. You’re not even allowed to say that anymore. Today, if you say that they want to arrest you. If you say that, they want to arrest you.”

— Donald Trump, speaking before a Christian group.

“Eight years ago, needing a running mate to vouch for him among skittish evangelicals, Donald Trump turned to Mike Pence, tossing an olive branch to Republicans wary of the thrice-married real estate mogul who once said he was ‘very pro-choice,'” Politico reports.

“It’s a different story now: To those same voters this year, according to interviews with nearly two dozen religious leaders gathered here for the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, Trump’s selection is bordering on a forgettable formality — less interesting to them because they’ve already made up their minds to back him, even if begrudgingly so…”

“It’s not that the vice presidential pick is irrelevant to the faithful. Many evangelicals here say they want Trump to pick someone who is sufficiently anti-abortion, or even to Trump’s right on the issue — both because that person could press their cause inside the West Wing and because he or she could be in line to inherit the MAGA movement.”

“As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians,” the AP reports.

Said one Trump supporter: “Trump supports Jesus, and without Jesus, America will fall.”

“Many of the T-shirts and hats that were worn and sold at the rally in March proclaimed religious slogans such as ‘Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president’ and ‘God, Guns & Trump.’ One man’s shirt declared, ‘Make America Godly Again,’ with the image of a luminous Jesus putting his supportive hands on Trump’s shoulders.”

“Many attendees said in interviews they believed Trump shared their Christian faith and values. Several cited their opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, particularly to transgender expressions.”