Republican presidential candidates Ted
Cruz, a senator from Texas, and Rick Perry, a former governor of
Texas, on Saturday spoke at the We Stand With God rally, which took
place in front of the South Carolina state capitol.
Cruz claimed that advances in LGBT
rights was leading to the “persecution” of Christians. Cruz's
campaign has focused on reaching evangelical voters. Late last
month, the campaign released a video highlighting Christians who
oppose marriage equality.
Perry told the crowd that America's
foundation is literally “under attack from those on the left” and
promised to clear the greed and corruption out of Washington, D.C.,
just like Jesus did in his time.
“It's under attack from Washington,
D.C.,” Perry
told the crowd, estimated in thousands. “You know, talking
about Washington, D.C., early in the ministry of Jesus Christ, he saw
corruption in the temple and he got angry about it and he did
something about it. He went in there and he overturned the tables of
the money changers. He saw corruption, just like today we need
somebody that's got the backbone to go to Washington, D.C., and turn
over the tables of the money changers, of the corruption, of the
greed that we see in Washington, D.C. And the question is: Will you
join me in that effort? Will you load up? Are you ready to
sacrifice? Are you ready to stop the corruption, the crony
capitalism, the greed that we see in that temple of government in
Washington, D.C.?”
“Jesus was angry. I'm angry. I hope
you're angry.”
“What are you willing to die for?”
Perry continued. “Are you willing to rise up and stand for God and
to go forward and live for the principles and the values that this
country were based upon ... Are you ready? Onward Christian
soldiers!”
The event's keynote address was given
by North Carolina Baptist Pastor Ron Baity.
Last year, Baity warned that God would
send a calamity worse than the Ebola virus as punishment for a
federal judge's ruling striking down North Carolina's restrictive ban
on marriage.
“If you think for one skinny minute
God is going to stand idly by and allow this to go forward without
repercussions, you better back up and rethink this situation,”
Baity
said at the time. “I want you to understand that this is raw
pure blasphemy.”
“My friend, we are meriting, we are
bringing the judgment of God on this nation as sure as Sodom and
Gomorrah was destroyed, don’t be surprised at the plagues. Don't
be surprised at the judgment of God,” Baity said. “You think
Ebola is bad now, just wait. If it's not that, it's going to be
something else. My friends, I want you to understand, you can't
thumb your nose at God, and God turn his head away without God
getting your attention.”
Baity delivered a similar warning on
Saturday, telling
the crowd, “The judgment of God will eventually fall on a
nation that cheapens marriage.”