Muslim Rep. Ellison thanks Ben Affleck after ‘Real Time’ Islam debate

Rep. Keith Ellison is praising Ben Affleck, taking to Twitter to “bless” the “Gone Girl” actor for his recent comments on Islam.

The Minnesota Democrat, the first Muslim elected to Congress, tweeted to his more than 57,000 followers on Monday:

@BenAffleck, bless you. Thank you. http://t.co/bPO2A2pHUV

— Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) October 6, 2014

Affleck appeared on Bill Maher’s HBO show “Real Time” on Friday and got in a heated debate with the political comedian and fellow panelist author Sam Harris.

{mosads}Maher said liberals are “afraid to speak out“ against Islam “because it’s the only religion that acts like the mafia that will f–king kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture, or write the wrong book.”

Earlier in the show, Affleck said of Maher and Harris’s criticism, “It’s gross. It’s racist. It’s like saying you’re a shifty Jew.”

“The people who would actually believe in an act that you murder somebody if you leave Islam is not the majority of Muslims at all,” said Affleck, who many have speculated may someday make a political run.

When asked about the segment in a Monday interview with Salon, Maher said, “I think we all feel frustrated because I think we feel like the people who are arguing with us are not listening.”

Maher told the website, “We’re liberals. We’re not crazy tea-baggers,” saying, “We are not bigoted people. On the contrary, we’re trying to stand up for the principles of liberalism!”