Tulsi Gabbard Referenced God at Charlie Kirk's Memorial — Is She a Christian?

On the day right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk was fatally shot, United States Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard posted about the attack on Instagram. In her post, she asked people to pray for Kirk and his family. Less than two weeks later, Gabbard took the stage at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., for Kirk's memorial service, which was attended by tens of thousands of people. During her eulogy, Gabbard made a few references to God.

The Hawaii native has previously spoken about her childhood, and what it was like being raised by a Catholic father and a mother who is a practicing Hindu. "They taught us the meaning of real religion," said Gabbard while guesting on Lewis Howes's podcast. Here's what we know about Gabbard's faith.

Gabbard told Howes that her parents showed her and her siblings that religion isn't about "choosing one church or temple or synagogue over another. She went on to say that real religion is "love for God," adding that one way to do that is by dedicating your life to serving God's children and protecting God's planet.

Growing up, Gabbard and her siblings read the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament as well as Lord Krishna's teachings to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita. Her family attended mass and would also chant and sing hymns during Kirtan while at home. "That laid the foundation for the motivation in my life," explained Gabbard. "I am not swayed or detracted from this mission of service because of this strong foundation and faith in God's unconditional love," she said.

In her conversation with Lowes, Gabbard attributed all of her Hindu faith to her mother's teachings, but she told a different story in 2015. That's when Gabbard referenced Chris Butler in a video, calling him her "guru dev," which means spiritual master, reports The New Yorker. In the early 1970s, Butler began following the Hare Krishna movement while he was a surfing yoga instructor in Hawaii. He grew an impressive following of disciples.

After his guru and the founder of the Hare Krishna movement died, Butler started the Science of Identity Foundation. They later amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, including Gabbard's father, Mike Gabbard. When the Gabbard family moved to Hawaii in 1983, they joined Butler's circle of followers. People who left the Science of Identity Foundation tell stories of a harsh, "authoritarian atmosphere," that included eschewing secular schools. Gabbard and her siblings were homeschooled.

According to some defectors, followers were forbidden to speak about the group, and if they traveled outside of it, they had to be quarantined for days so as not to infect Butler with any possible contagious diseases. When asked about Butler and the group, Gabbard said she never heard him say anything hateful or mean. "I can speak to my own personal experience and, frankly, my gratitude to him, for the gift of this wonderful spiritual practice that he has given to me, and to so many people," she said.