"None of us leaves our personal convictions or religious feelings at the door," Sharpton told Cooper during a panel discussion, "but we also respect the fact that everyone doesn't have to have those same convictions in the public marketplace."

"I may have some very conservative personal feelings, but I feel you have the right to live your life differently.

"I might think what you do, Anderson, is going to put you in Hell, but I'm going to defend your right to get there."

"I'm going to try to keep you from going there," added Family Research Council's Tony Perkins.

Sharpton went on to say that he'd prefer to convert Cooper rather than "legislate Heaven" and force him there.

"I appreciate both of your concerns about my afterlife," Cooper joked. "I'm personally not all that concerned, but that's a...whole other discussion."

A clip of the exchange is available to view below, as broadcast on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 on June 24, 2008. Also see the bonus clip, as posted to YouTube, originally broadcast in July of 2007.