At an event scheduled prior to his presidential candidacy, Gov. Perry spoke at Liberty University (an "uber-right-wing" Christian school according to the liberal media) as a seasoned Christian man advising young Christian adults.
For background, read Texas-sized Prayers to God - Gov. Perry and also read 'Christian Right' Vet Rick Perry for President as well as Rick Perry: Teach Creationism & Evolution
UPDATE 9/22/11: Perry Calls Prayer Vital to His Life
(For video of full speech from C-Span, scroll to bottom of this post)
-- From "Perry talks about his faith, forsaking talk of jobs for a day" by Philip Rucker, Washington Post 9/14/11
Texas Gov. Rick Perry is a man of faith, and one of the big questions about him has been whether he will seek the presidency more as an evangelist or as a job creator.
. . . he demonstrated Wednesday that he will not shy away from cloaking his candidacy in his Christianity, delivering an address here at the late Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University that presented his life in deeply spiritual terms and cast his political aspirations as destiny.
. . . the evangelical Christian governor spoke the language of the movement with ease.
. . . invoking Moses and David of Scripture, he added: “God uses broken people to reach a broken world. The mistakes of yesterday say nothing about the possibilities of tomorrow.”
“Rick Perry’s a more overt, less subtle guy than George W. Bush, and he is going to be more overt in his policy statements and his statements about his faith,” said Richard Land, a longtime leader of the Southern Baptist Convention who has spoken with Perry about his faith. “He talks about his faith in terms that evangelicals will find completely identifiable.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "To students Perry urges faith in God" by Gabriella Schwarz, CNN 9/14/11
Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry used his own religious path to issue a charge to the freshman class at Liberty University, asking them to put their trust in God.
"What I learned as I wrestled with God is I didn't have to have all the answers, that they would be revealed to me in due time and that I needed to trust him," Perry said. "Do not fret if you don't know your place in the world yet or what you want to be one day, simply trust."
"Trust that God wouldn't have put you here unless he had a unique plan for your life," Perry added in an address at the conservative Virginia school founded by Pastor Jerry Falwell.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Rick Perry talks religion on safe turf at Liberty University" by Michael Muskal, Los Angeles Times 9/14/11
Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday went to the nation’s largest evangelical university to discuss his own feelings about religion and to urge students to get involved in the political process and not leave their futures to Washington officials.
“Don’t muzzle your voice because you’re young,” Perry told the students. His comments were broadcast live on the Web by the university.
“You have the right like every American to speak your mind,” he said. He urged the students to act because their futures were being mortgaged.
“This is your country as well, don’t leave it a to bunch of Washington politicians to tell you how to live your life. This is your future we are debating today. Don’t be silent,” he said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Rick Perry impresses Liberty University students with talk of faith and family" by Alexandra Jaffe, Houston Chronicle 9/14/11
Liberty senior Jordan Wilson, 21, said he appreciated the way Perry tied his life story together with his religion, noting, “it was really his faith that gave him the direction he has today.”
[Critics] saw the speech less as an example of Perry’s diplomatic skill and more as a way to pander to his audience. Kaleb Matson, 24, a Ron Paul supporter and Liberty alum, stood outside the arena after Perry’s speech brandishing Paul 2012 posters. He said the difference between Paul and Perry is the latter won’t ever be a harshly polarizing figure, like Paul has been.
His friend and fellow Liberty alum, Michael Salerno, 24, who had been converted by Matsen to the Paul cause prior to the 2008 elections, said the speech seemed like just another campaign stop meant to sway the youth vote.
“[Perry] knows [young people are] a large vote [bloc], and these kids are going to go home and talk to their parents and their friends,” Salerno said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Believing in Christ = Believing in UFOs: NY Times
Full speech (beginning with introduction) from C-Span:
