Christians are key to reviving America, and if you don't like it, get out, proclaims pastor introducing Santorum to Lousiana church forum

GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum spent time at various Louisiana churches yesterday as part of his campaign there. The Times-Picayune reported that he stopped at the First Baptist Church of Bossier, Calvary Baptist Shreveport, and attended a community service at Greenwell Springs Baptist, the home church of Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, who sat down with Santorum in a question and answer session.

Right Wing Watch 's Brian Tashman posted videos of the Greenwell Baptist event almost immediately. The first featured Greenwell Baptist's Pastor Dennis Terry's introduction of Santorum, where he loudly proclaimed to an audience that erupted into cheers and standing ovations:

I don't care what the liberals say. I don't care what the naysayers say. This nation was founded as a Christian nation.

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, there's only one God! There's only one God, and his name is Jesus! I'm tired of people telling me that I can't say those words. I'm tired of people telling us as Christians that we can't voice our beliefs or we can't, no longer pray in public.

Listen to me, if you don't love America and you don't like the way we do things, I've got one thing to say: Get out!

We don't worship Buddha! I said we don't worship Buddha, we don't worship Mohammed, we don't worship Allah, we worship God. We worship God's son, Jesus Christ.

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I believe the church is to be the conscience of the nation. The church needs to be the conscience of our state and our local community. Listen closely, now hold on for just a moment. As long as they continue to kill little babies in our mother's womb, somebody's got to take a stand and say it's not right. God be merciful to us as a nation. As long as sexual perversion is becoming normalized, somebody needs to stand up and say God forgive us, God have mercy upon us. As long as they continue to tell our children they cannot pray in public schools or pray in open public places today, somebody's got to take a stand and say God forgive us, God have mercy upon us. As long as they continue to tear down traditional marriage — listen, God intended for marriage to be between a man and a woman — and as long as they continue to attack marriage, somebody needs to take a stand and say no! No! No! No!

I tell you my friends, I believe that Christians in America are the key to revival. I believe that Christians in America is [sic] the key to the economy turning around. I believe that Christians in America is [sic] the key to the jobless rate to continue to go down. I believe it's a spiritual thing. If we'll put God back in America, put God back in our pulpits, put God back in our homes and in our statehouse and then in Washington, D.C., then we can have revival in America and the Holy Spirit will show up and great and mighty things will happen for this country.

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During the question and answer session, Santorum assured Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council that he would re-instate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," saying that military personnel need to keep their private lives private, whether they are homosexual or heterosexual. Under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, gay and lesbian service members feared being outed against their will and being dishonorably discharged. Thousands were discharged because of the policy, and there were instances where service members were outed against their will in what was called "third party outings."

Terry and Perkins both prayed over Santorum, the other candidates, and President Obama. In the prayer, Terry prayed,

We pray tonight, Father, for your will to be done in this upcoming election. God, we want revival in America. And Father, you know my heart. I pray, Lord God, that you would allow the man in office that you want, God, a man that you can use. And Father, I'm not telling you how to do it or what to do, but I'm just asking you tonight, Father, hear our prayers. God, you know our hearts, and I'm asking you tonight, Father, from this moment forward, have favor upon Rick Santorum. Watch over him, bless him, keep him safe.

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D. Beeksma

One of the growing crowd of American "nones" herself, Deborah is a prolific writer who finds religion, spirituality and the impact of belief (and non-belief) on culture inspiring, fascinating and at times, disturbing. She hosts the God Discussion show and handles the site's technical work. Her education and background is in business, ecommerce and law.

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