Ted Cruz talks religious freedom in Florence visit

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a 2016 Republican Party presidential candidate, touched on a number of topics but focusing mainly on the issue of religious freedom in the United States when he spoke Sunday morning to a packed church at Florence Baptist Temple.

Cruz, the son of a pastor and a missionary, spoke with the cadence of a man who was no stranger to the church. He opted not to stand at the pulpit, though, instead working both sides of the stage while telling stories of American citizens who had fought for their own religious liberties.

“It’s easy to say there’s nothing we can do, we’re losing our country, we’re losing our rights – we give up,” Cruz said. “But we are seeing an awakening – an awakening that is sweeping South Carolina, that is sweeping the country. Men and women are saying, ‘What we are doing doesn’t make any sense.’”

Cruz was critical of the current administration, saying the nation has lost its place of power and leadership as a result of domestic religious oppression.

He was also critical of voter turnout, stating that of the approximately 90 million evangelical Christians in the United States, 54 million didn’t vote in 2012.

“If you wonder, ‘Why is the federal government, on a daily basis, assaulting life, assaulting marriage, assaulting religious liberty?’ – is it any wonder, if believers are staying home and allowing our leaders to be elected by nonbelievers?” he asked, resulting in a room full of applause.

“How about in 2016, only 44 million evangelical Christians stayed home? We will have done a miserable job connecting, energizing and mobilizing people. But I’ll tell you what: 10 million more show up in November 2016, we’re not going to be staying up until 3 in the morning wondering what happened in Ohio and Florida. They’ll call the election at 8:35 p.m. That’s what 10 million more can do,” he said, to thunderous applause.

Cruz stopped in Florence on his tour through South Carolina. He held a Rally for Religious Liberty on Saturday at Bob Jones University in Greenville and also visited Myrtle Beach on Sunday afternoon.

His schedule lists Sun City and Charleston as two more South Carolina stops for Monday.

This story was originally published November 15, 2015 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Ted Cruz talks religious freedom in Florence visit."