They are simply practicing the political art of smoke-blowing. They are no more religious than I am but they are quite comfortable playing people for personal gain. And 'We the Sheeple' keep sucking it in because we actually like pretty lies over harsh truths. They will keep pretending to be devout followers of the most popular God as long as it serves them well. The better question is "Why do so many people continue to follow 'religious' politicians after they have demonstrated the most self-serving, un-Christian behavior?".

Gets votes

Solifugae had just learned about this a few months back. Lots of people mistake it for a spider. We have them in the states. I have heard of the camel spider back in Desert Storm never thought to look them before. They have no venom but they can make you sick because of the old carnage that is on their fangs. Other name is wind scorpion.

Easy answer so the voters will relate and elect them.

Most of them are not. Trump is not religious nor are Obama or Bernie Sanders or even the Clintons. But when 80% of Americans" pretend" to believe in god, coming out as a atheist politician is clearly a political suicide. It is actually quite the opposite in secular Europe, where politicians can not publicly expose their religious beliefs. A British deputy had to resign a few months ago because of his affiliation to the church. Different worlds indeed! And that can be explained by the fact that Americans as opposed to Europeans, didn't have to live for centuries under the dark and cruel power of the church.

They fear that were they to openly identify as non-religious, they'd lose votes. There's some polling data to suggest that they're right, too.

Anything to win votes.Just check their way of life after election and you can be sure they normally lack christian beliefs. Then again help us if they try to impose their holy feelings!!!

They aren't religious. They are Machiavellian faux-religious.

They are playing to a base. And they don't think for themselves. I think here in Oregon, that if you came out as being really religious, wouldn't help you to get elected.

Bernie isn't really.

politics and religion are the same things or achieve the same

The Religious Right has a big lobby.

To maintain (or broaden) their supporter base.

Whether or not they actually all are , I think they put on a good front to please their constituents .

Because they know it’ll get them elected.

They're not, but if they want to win a position they had better appear to be. An open atheist in this country running for political office almost anywhere is guaranteed to lose.

The correct question is why do many politicians claim to be religious? The answer is that it is easy to pretend religious belief, so pandering for votes and approval makes this an easy target for the dishonest. Going around god blessing everything and praying instead of acting about an issue is easy and the trademark of many politicians today.

For the same reason they are all liars?

follow the money. The church is where the money is.