Does Rick Santorum Have a Satan Problem?

Christian Science Monitor ^ | 2/21/12 | Peter Grier

[marshmallow]

Parts of a 2008 speech by Rick Santorum have surfaced online, in which he says Satan is subverting great American institutions. Its appearance comes at a time in the campaign when Santorum's rivals are trying to make voters think twice about supporting him.

Does Rick Santorum have a Satan problem? Specifically, is it a political negative for him that the Drudge Report all day Tuesday has highlighted a story about a 2008 speech he gave at Ave Maria University in Florida in which he said America is under assault by Satan?

“Satan is attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that [have] so deeply rooted in the American tradition,” Mr. Santorum said in that 2008 speech.

Audio excerpts from the speech indicate that Santorum said Satan had successfully subverted academia first, followed by mainline Protestantism, which he said is “in shambles,” and then the culture. Politics came last.

“The body politic held up pretty well until the last couple of decades,” he said in the speech.

[FastCoyote]

[I’d like to see Drudge highlight a speech from Bishop Romney to his LDS brethren.]

Ditto. But it doesn’t change the fact that many perceive Santorum to be condescendingly preachy. Both Rick and Mitt are perhaps going to be considered to be on a track to godhood, or sainthood. It may be unfair in Rick’s case, but this is politics and half the country are effective atheists.

[Venturer]

Would be interesting to know how the Christian Science Monitor feels about Satan.

If they believe in Christ they must believe in Satan.

Who’s side are they on?

[cripplecreek]

Unfortunately you’ll notice by looking at the thread, many conservatives are rather embarrassed by this talk of faith and Christianity.

I’m hardly the best Christian but I’ll be damned (quite literally) if I choose to help the left drive Christianity from the public eye.

[Tex52]

Heaven forbid. Oops, sorry I used the word Heaven. Anyway, someone forbid the press ever read President Washington's farewell address or the vast number of references by the founding fathers to God and good and evil. We modern Americans have evolved past those childish beliefs. We now have national health care, run away welfare, crime, unrestricted abortions, envy of others’ possessions, corrupt dealings in government. Ok, I know I can never run for president after this, But an old writing comes to mind. “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” if we make fun of a candidate for president, because he says the devil is taking aim at America, who does that leave? In the 70’s Up With People sang, “Which way America. This is my country and I want to know, which way America is going to go.”. So today, which way America?

[Victor]

"...Santorum is the Church Lady and Mr. Rogers rolled into one....."

Are you referring to Mr. Rogers, the former Navy SEAL...?

[svcw]

i listened to the video, heard nothing that was incorrect.

[Leaning Right]

Neither Mitt nor the Obama campaign can risk religion as an issue.

I agree. But neither Mittens nor Obama will enter into an honest debate about this. It will be a total smear against Santorum, using his words against him in the worst possible way.

Obama's machine will do to Santorum what LBJ's machine did to Goldwater - smear a decent man.

[nonsporting]

Christian Science is Satan's mouthpiece. It's "Christian" in the same way Mormonism is--in name only. See Galatians 1.

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

[HapaxLegamenon]

It wasn’t a political speech. It was a religious lecture given in the chapel of a Catholic university four years ago. Are Catholic to muzzle themselves even when they are in church? Secular atheists have no problem loudly proclaiming their faith.

[rllngrk33]

Does Rick Santorum have a Satan problem?

Only because Satan's greatest accomplishment is convincing people he doesn't exist.

[Mozilla]

LDS Mormon cult part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU721E0IJRI

LDS Mormon cult part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19EMjOLCIGo

Former Mormon Kay Brown explains why she left the LDS Mormon church:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57bHx5CU3jw

[dfwgator]

Only because Satan's greatest accomplishment is convincing people he doesn't exist.

Marxists do the same thing.

[firebasecody]

Amen. This criticism coming from the CSM, is, may I say, precious?

[Josephat]

We ALL have a satan problem, but only some recognize it and fight it.

[NoGrayZone]

"Does Rick Santorum have a satan problem?"

The world has a satan problem.

[kcvl]

Does Peter Grier have a bias problem?

http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/1128431269/peter_grier_reasonably_small.jpg

Peter Grier @petergrier

Trying to figure out how to work Christine O’Donnell into Santorum and Satan story. Ideas?

Peter Grier @petergrier

Is race coming down to Romney v. Paul? Gingrich a fading angry wolverine. Santorum earnest, broke. http://bit.ly/Adwc14

http://twitter.com/#!/petergrier

[Mangia E Statti Zitto]

You don’t understand what I’m saying. Of course it was a religious speech. I’m saying the fact that he and his supporters are angry that lots of people (including lots of conservatives) find this speech disturbing shows that he is tone deaf. A smart politician would have reviewed all the speeches he’d given BEFORE running for President and figured out how to respond to the inevitable uproar if and when they became public. Rick stated just four years ago that mainline Protestants have been subverted by Satan. Getting angry and insulting those who find that sound bite objectionable is not helpful.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Oh, Oh, Santorum is on the menu again!

[Longbow1969]

Is this a political negative for Santorum? Absolutely.

The statement will gain him some support. Those folks probably would have eventually gone for Santorum anyway. But it will put off LOTS of people that are currently sitting on the fence.

So it's a net loss, a major net loss.

Yup. With Santorum we are going to have an entire election focusing on rubbers, birth control pills, the influence of Satan, women in the workplace, etc. Some candidates with a record of comments like Rick's could move past them, but not Santorum. Noooo, he will be baited time and time again into talking about this stuff because in his heart, he WANTS to talk about it. Being a social conservative is really all he has ever been known for. So an election that should be a referendum on Hussein's horrific stewardship of the economy would instead turn on culture war issues, such as contraception, which have been long since decided.

With Santorum we will lose and lose big. This talk about contraception, Satan targeting America, whether it would be better if women were home having more babies, etc, will flat out turn off the vast majority of independent voters and many/most younger more libertine economic conservatives that were open to some parts of the conservative platform. Rick would lose by a minimum of 10 points - possibly as many as 15 or so. We will not win back the White House, we will not win back the Senate and we will almost certainly lose the House. Obama will have his mandate.

[NoGrayZone]

"Truth is not always the friend of political reality."

Perhaps it's time we start working on that. First step...bring back the tar and feathers.