First Muslim ever elected to Congress also slammed Carson saying he is 'out of touch with who we are as a people'

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders condemned Ben Carson on Sunday for saying that he doesn't believe a Muslim belongs in the White House.

Sanders denounced the Republican candidate's assertion and said his comments reflect antiquated thinking.

'I am very disappointed that Dr. Carson would suggest that a Muslim should not become president of the United States,' the Vermont senator said in a statement released late Sunday.

'It took us too long to overcome the prejudice against electing a Catholic or an African-American president.

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Disappointed: Bernie Sanders condemned Ben Carson on Sunday for saying that he doesn't believe a Muslim belongs in the White House. Sander said that he is 'very disappointment' that Carson suggested that

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL: Ben Carson said the faith of a presidential candidate would be problematic if 'it's inconsistent with the values and principles of America,' and said Muslims fit the bill

Ben Carson said the Muslim faith was inconsistent with the constitution and said he 'would not advocate' that a Muslim be elected to the office of president of the United States

'People should be elected to office based on their ideas, not their religion or the color of their skin.'

While speaking during a Sunday morning interview on 'Meet the Press,' Carson told host Chuck Todd that he doesn't agree with a Muslim being commander-in-chief.

'I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation,' Carson said.

'I absolutely would not agree with that.'

Todd was getting Carson's reaction to the controversy that has plagued Donald Trump's campaign in recent days over whether the billionaire should have corrected an attendee at a town hall forum who called President Obama a Muslim and 'not even an American.'

The question posed to Carson was whether the faith of a presidential candidate should matter.

Carson said it depended on what that faith is.

'If it's inconsistent with the values and principles of America, then of course it should matter,' said the neurosurgeon-turned-politician. 'But if it fits within the realm of America and [is] consistent with the Constitution, no problem.'

Todd then asked if Carson believed that Islam was consistent with the Constitution.

'No, I don't,' Carson said. 'I do not.'

Ben Carson is the latest candidate to react to a controversy plaguing Donald Trump's campaign, over whether The Donald should have corrected a town hall attendee who said President Obama was a Muslim

While Carson said he didn't believe a person who practices Islam should be elected president, he was more open to Muslims serving in Congress.

'Congress is a different story, but it depends on who that Muslim is and what their policies are, just as it depends on what anybody else says, you know,' Carson continued.

'And, you know, if there's somebody who's of any faith, but they say things, and their life has been consistent with things that will elevate this nation and make it possible for everybody to succeed, and bring peace and harmony, then I'm with them,' Carson said.

The first Muslim ever elected to Congress, Representative Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), also condemned Carson for his remarks.

Out of touch: The first Muslim ever elected to Congress, Rep. Keith Ellison (above), also condemned Carson for his remarks. He said that Cason is 'out of touch with who we are as a people'

Unimaginable: Ellison added that 'it's unimaginable that the leading GOP presidential candidates are resorting to fear mongering to benefit their campaigns

'For Ben Carson, Donald Trump, or any other Republican politician to suggest that someone of any faith is unfit for office is out of touch with who we are as a people,' Ellison said in a statement on Sunday.

'It's unimaginable that the leading GOP presidential candidates are resorting to fear mongering to benefit their campaigns, and every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry.'

The entire reason why candidates are fielding questions on the Muslim faith started with Trump's appearance at a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

A gentleman wearing a Trump t-shirt told the billionaire that America had a Muslim problem, Obama was one of them and asked 'when can we get rid of them?'

Trump responded by saying, 'we're going to be looking at a lot of different things.' And he added, 'you know, a lot of people are saying that and a lot of people are saying that bad things are happening,' Trump continued. 'We're going to be looking at that and many other things.'

Since then, Democrats pounced, but so did some members of the GOP frontrunner's own party, suggesting that Trump should have at least corrected the record, if not dressed down the supporter.

'You had a chance here to show who you were,' said GOP rival Sen. Lindsay Graham to Politico, comparing the incident to the time his friend Sen. John McCain defended Obama when an event attendee referred to the then-senator as an 'Arab' during the 2008 presidential race.

'You have to push back,' Graham said.

Other candidates said a fact-check was simply not Trump's responsibility.

'You know, I don't think it's my job or anybody's job to correct a questioner,' GOP hopeful Rick Santorum said Friday at the Heritage Action Presidential Candidate Forum in Greenville, South Carolina.

'That somehow we have to police the questioners as to what they say; it's not my job, it's not Donald Trump's job, it's not anybody's job to police a questioner,' Santorum said getting huffy with reporters in one of the more tense exchanges of the day.

On the controversy itself, Carson didn't weigh in, though he and Trump have had their own battles over religion.

Carson, a Seventh-day Adventist, quoted scripture to a crowd in Anaheim, California earlier this month and insinuated that Trump, a Presbyterian, wasn't living his life with 'humility and the fear of the Lord.'

During an appearance on CNN, Trump smacked Carson, saying the doctor was questioning his faith.

'I saw him hitting me yesterday – he's questioning my faith – I happen to be a great believer in God and a great believer in the Bible,' Trump said.

Speaking of the Bible, Trump said he didn't believe Carson even knew the passage by heart.

'It looked like he memorized it about two minutes before he went onstage,' Trump said.

Carson ended up apologizing and by Wednesday night's debate the No. 1 and No. 2 Republican had seemingly buried the ax.

'There is no reason ever to question anybody's faith,' Carson said on Fox News. 'That's something between them and God.'

And so on 'Meet the Press,' Carson responded to the crux of the Trump controversy – the religion of President Obama – with a similar answer.

'I believe that he is [a Christian]. Carson said. 'I have no reason to doubt what he says.'