LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Former President Bill Clinton was interviewed by Larry King on Wednesday. Here's what he has to say about mixing religion and politics:

In the Wednesday night interview, Clinton also discussed the impact of religious groups on politics, his humanitarian projects and his relationship with former President George H.W. Bush.

When asked whether the Christian conservative movement -- which makes up much of President Bush's political base -- concerns him, Clinton replied: "I think they should be worried about it. Because I think whenever religious people try to exercise political power in God's name, and to say that they have the whole truth and they can impose it ... that's always hazardous.

"Our country is the most religious, big country on Earth, with more different faiths flourishing and more regular observance because we haven't had a state religion," he said. "And we haven't had politics as religion. And we haven't had politicians claiming to be in possession of the whole truth."

But religious influence in politics comes and goes, Clinton added.

He admitted that Democrats often are uncomfortable with discussions of the moral dilemmas many religious people feel. "And so we have ceded the ground of too many voters to the religious right," he said. "But that's our fault. We should engage in this debate."