Obama Warns of Using Religion for Evil at National Prayer Breakfast

During his annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, President Obama spoke on terrorist groups, like the Islamic State, who use their religion to validate evil acts.

While speaking at the annual event in Washington, D.C., the Commander-in-Chief reflected on terrorist groups like the Islamic State who "profess to stand for Islam but are, in fact, betraying it."

The president suggested that the Islamic State, which has beheaded, crucified, and burned alive those who they believe oppose Islam, possesses a perverted view of their religion that is in fact evil.

"How do we, as people of faith, reconcile these realities?" he asked. "The profound good, the strength, the tenacity, compassion and love that can flow from all of our faiths, operating alongside those who seek to hijack religions for their own murderous ends? Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history."

Obama went on to say that using religion for evil is not exclusive to Islam, pointing to times when people have also "committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ."

"This is not unique to one group or one religion. There is a tendency in us, a sinful tendency, that can pervert and distort our faith," the president said.

"Unless we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ," Obama said. "In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ."

Obama added in his address that while religion is used for good around the world, there will always be those who are willing to "hijack religion for their own murderous ends."