If they are claiming to believe in it for political expediency, they are disingenuous hypocrites.

There is no excuse for not understanding more basic science than they appear to know. One would have to "work at it" to remain that uninformed.

We all seem to recognize that when the group is an outlier or does something astoundingly awful, like Jonestown or ISIS. When the group is instead evangelical christians we get all antsy about the implication.

and his anti-vaxer bullshit.

They are all a bunch of pandering assholes. But, then, there are plenty of pandering assholes on the other side of the aisle that change their positions because it is polling well. Part of the game.

But religious pandering is an American tradition.

Creationism? That alone should be a reason to be ineligible.

Can't have a Commander in Chief who disregards facts.

... and they were the only ones they would undoubtedly be called mentally ill.”

Hard to imagine being able to dispute that. If Christianity as a religion didn't exist, and there was one guy walking around telling people about a man who lived 2000 years ago who died and came back to life and we must worship him or suffer for our sins, I just can't imagine everyone else NOT thinking he was mentally ill.

Is merely the size of the congregation?

Imagine if Christianity were just getting started today, and you had a group of around 50-100 people preaching its story. Engaging in ritual cannibalism, if only symbolic. Etc. Hard to see why it wouldn't be labeled a cult.