The democratic socialists and religion

On Oct. 19, with just two weeks to the mid-term elections, Michigan senatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed felt compelled to issue a public statement about his faith. This is reminiscent of Texas senatorial candidate James Talarico trying to explain away his “God is non-binary” comments earlier this year. These “clarifications” shine a light on the larger religion, or lack of religion, problem for democratic socialist candidates.

Most Americans assume a robust civil society where their fundamental liberties can be fully expressed. Religion, and thus religious freedom, is at the center of this. For centuries, Americans have held to a religious freedom consensus: Human beings are innately religious, religion is a force for good in society, and government’s only role with regard to religion should be to defend freedom of religion. Religious worship has taken many public, explicit forms, from what happens in the church, synagogue, and mosque to public service via orphanages, soup kitchens, faith-based charities, religious schools, and healthcare.

Americans have long been a religion-respecting people, so the Marxist foundation of so-called “democratic socialism” is suspect to many. So too are the political positions of the candidates, including attacks on the U.S. Constitution (which protects religious freedom) and an anti-Israel bias that borders on anti-Semitism.

When one looks at the recent platforms of the Democratic Socialists of America, one finds the Communist Manifesto quoted, such as the call to “win the battle” for democracy. Here is the DSA platform’s (2026) ultimate goal: “We are workers fighting to transform society: to win the battle for democracy, draft a new constitution, and create a democratic socialist republic.”

The quoted section of the Communist Manifesto calls for transforming society, demanding a “radical rupture with traditional ideas.” That means burning down the entire order of so-called “old ideas,” including religious morality and traditional culture, as the path to “winning democracy.”

Here is what Karl Marx wrote: “The Communist revolution is the most radical rupture with traditional property relations; no wonder that its development involved the most radical rupture with traditional ideas … the first step in the revolution by the working class is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class, to win the battle of democracy. ”

Elsewhere, Marx derides religion as the “opium of the people,” a superstition used by elites to control the masses.

“Abolish the Senate … Write a new constitution…” The DSA’s overt attacks on the judiciary, law enforcement, presidency, Senate, Electoral College, and private property suggest that other institutions and freedoms—including religious conscience and practice—may be in danger.

For those interested in the official DSA position on religion in America, they will be hard pressed to find statements affirming America’s historic consensus on religious freedom, America’s distinctive religious pluralism, or the deep religiosity of many Americans over the centuries.

The DSA does have a webpage for its “Religion and Socialism Working Group,” which is “is open to DSA members of all faiths whose socialism is in some way inspired by their spiritual identity.” The page goes on to locate itself on the activist spectrum: “We see ourselves as a bridge group. Our work is with and within faith communities as allies and coalition partners. Examples of such work include the New Sanctuary Movement, religion and labor coalitions, reproductive justice, and LGBTQ advocacy.”

This brings us back to officials and candidates, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed, Texas’ James Talarico, and others.

As The Gospel Coalition reported, Sen. Bernie Sanders savagely attacked a Wheaton College alumnus during a Senate confirmation hearing for his “indefensible” and “hateful” views rooted in Christian orthodoxy.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, AOC, and others have been accused of anti-Semitism due to their confusing positions and pro-Palestinian statements following the Oct. 7 massacres. In a remarkable Christmas message published just two months after Oct. 7, AOC conflated the birth of Christ with today’s Middle East struggles: “…Christ was born in modern-day Palestine under the threat of a government engaged in the mass genocide of innocents .… Thousands of years later, right-wing forces are violently occupying Bethlehem as similar stories unfold for today’s Palestinians.”

Texas Senatorial candidate James Talarico, a professed Christian, has ignited controversy due to his muddy stance on abortion and a 2021 statement that God is “non-binary.”

Let’s return to Michigan senatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s Oct. 19, statement on religion. The ad seems to be a response to the fact that once again, in a town hall over the weekend, El-Sayed was asked about potential ties or support for the Muslim Brotherhood (which he denies). In the video statement, he takes a stance of moderation we associate with many political candidates: self-description as a “person of faith.” Here is an excerpt.

“Faith is a thing there’s just too little of in Washington. We don’t have faith in our future. We don’t have faith that we can actually fix things. So, yeah, we need a few more people of faith in Washington. I’m Abdul El-Sayed, man of faith. That’s a good thing. And I approve this message.”

Since his faith seems to be “in our future” and in human agency to “actually fix things,” El-Sayed will probably not draw the ire of Bernie Sanders. The question is, if elected, will democratic socialists and other leftist candidates protect religion and religious freedom in America?