HARTFORD, Conn. — A Republican candidate for a Connecticut seat in the U.S. House of Representatives says he did not mean to disparage “peace-loving Muslims” by calling Islam a cult and questioning if it is a religion of peace.
Mark Greenberg, one of four Republicans seeking nomination for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Chris Murphy, said in an interview on WNPR radio Thursday that Islam is a cult “in many respects.” He added: “I don’t believe that in all manner that Islam is a religion of peace.”
Greenberg, who is Jewish, later issued a statement that he was referring to terrorists. He said, “I was referring to groups and individuals who have interpreted Islam in a way that allows them to commit violence in the name of their religion.”
