Perry delivers spiritual message to Liberty University students

Republican presidential front-runner Rick Perry delivered a personal, spiritually based message to Liberty University students Wednesday without mentioning any of the political issues that were dogging him after two debates among the eight GOP candidates for president.

“Don’t leave it to a bunch of Washington politicians to tell you how to live your life,” Perry said, drawing applause from an estimated 8,500 students who filled LU’s Vines Center for a convocation.

The Texas governor spoke in Lynchburg on Wednesday morning before joining Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell for a Republican fundraising event in Richmond later in the day.

Perry joined a long line of presidential prospects who have spoken at Liberty, and when Rep. Michele Bachmann speaks on Sept. 28, five Republican candidates from the two most recent presidential cycles will have visited the university, according to Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr.

Perry told the students, “This is your future we are debating today. Don’t be silent,” but instead “tell the people in power that you will not have your inheritance spent or your future mortgaged.”

That was as close as Perry came to talking about the national debt or Social Security, two issues on which he has taken controversial stands that drew fire from members of both political parties.

“The mistakes of yesterday say nothing about the possibility of tomorrow,” Perry said. “Do not live in fear. Live in faith.”

Falwell introduced Perry to the audience and summarized some of Perry’s record as a pro-life governor who introduced a loser-pays tort law that, Falwell said, led to lower malpractice insurance premiums for doctors.

Falwell told the students that 31 years ago as a Liberty freshman, “I sat mesmerized as a conservative governor from a large state” told a convocation about his vision for America at a time when it was mired in economic malaise.

That candidate was Ronald Reagan, and the nation was strengthened during his presidency, Falwell said.

“I have a feeling today that history is about to repeat itself,” Falwell said, stopping short of endorsing any of this year’s Republican candidates.

“Any of the eight, with a couple of exceptions, would be a lot better than what we have now,” Falwell said during a pre-convocation news conference. “I just don’t think a couple of them are electable. I don’t think Ron Paul is electable.”

Perry delivered a personal testimony about his life and faith, joking that, “I graduated in the top 10 of my high school class — of 13,” he added as applause began.

Only after he earned a degree  from Texas A&M University and became an Air Force pilot did he realize many people in the world live in oppression, he said.

“America must continue to be the world’s leading advocate for freedom,” Perry said.

When he left the Air Force at age 27, Perry said, he “spent many a night pondering my purpose, talking to God and wondering what to do with this one life among the billions that were on this planet.”

“What I learned as I wrestled with God is that I didn’t have to have all the answers. They would be revealed to me in due time, and I needed to trust Him.

“My faith journey is not the story of someone who turned to God because I wanted to. It was because I had nowhere else to turn,” Perry said.

He said his happiest moments are when he is in communion with God, or in community with others.

“The greatest rewards in life come when we are focused on the well-being of others,” Perry said.

What some LU students had to say after Perry’s speech:

- “I thought he is an incredible Christian influence, and if he sticks to what he says and to his Christian foundation he will make an incredible president.”  — Lorenzo Jackson, a seminary student and leader of the contemporary Christian band that performed before Perry’s appearance.

- “I appreciated his view on Christ and his stance on what he believes. He doesn’t feel anyone needs to be perfect, but God calls us to come to him as we are and he accepts us for who we are. I thought that was a down-to-earth, applicable stance for people.” — Nathaniel Gray, a sophomore from Bellwood, Pa.

- “He came with a positive message, but I really feel he was just talking to his crowd. He was doing what a politician does, making up something he knows the crowd is going to agree on. I’ve been following the debates and I support Michele Bachmann.” – Sean Boden, a senior from Nathalie, Va.

- “I think he’s a person who stands on Christian values and he’s someone who stands for the American people. When he communicated to us that Washington seemed to be telling us how to live our lives, but rather we should be seeking God in our lives, I’m in agreement with that.” — Robert Ingersoll, a junior from Richmond.