Ted Cruz leads a prayer with 14,000 cheering evangelicals in S.C.

Washington Post ^ | February 12 at 8:00 PM | Philip Rucker

[SoConPubbie]

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Many of the Republican presidential candidates descended Friday on Greenville ahead of Saturday's CBS debate.

But only one was savvy enough to get himself enlisted as the opening act of a throbbing, trembling Christian rock concert that packed 14,000 evangelicals into a downtown arena on Friday night.

So here came Ted Cruz, striding onto the catwalk of a stage, beaming under the spotlight, leading the crowd in prayer, asking them to unite behind him in next Saturday's primary election, and jumping up like a basketball player high-fiving fans as he walked into the locker rooms in the bowels of the arena.

"Welcome to Winter Jam -- and to God be the glory," the Texas senator said.

Winter Jam is a touring, four-hour show featuring born-again Christian rock and rap artists. It performed at Greenville's Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Friday night.

Ted Cruz about to address 14,000 (!) pumped up evangelicals in Greenville. Opening act of Christian arena concert pic.twitter.com/SYBIPCVdtz

- Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) February 12, 2016

For any Republican politician, this was a captive and prized audience. Evangelical Christians are an especially influential voting block in South Carolina, especially in the Greenville area, known as the Upcountry.

Cruz gave about six minutes of remarks and prayer at the start of the concert. He thanked the crowd "for standing unapologetically with Jesus, for confessing your faith with love."

Cruz talked about religious liberty being "under assault," but said that across the country "people are waking up."

"Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values," Cruz said. "Those values of life and marriage are under assault, religious liberty is under assault, and yet the American people are rising up."

Cruz did not attack any rivals, nor did he make an overt political pitch. But he cast himself as a champion of social conservative principles,

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well, the bible happens to give Cruz no wiggle room here.

[RegulatorCountry]

He’s running as the go-to candidate for evangelicals and other devout Christians based upon his own religiosity, so first impulse would be to cut ties and disavow any knowledge. He’d be accused of using religion to cover for hiring women who pose in the nude by people who do not understand the concept of repentance and forgiveness, in order to lessen his support among those who should understand such things, the usual gotcha. His campaign did what any campaign would have done. I fail to see the reason for any reproach.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Acts of mercy will have a thousand excuses not to do them, thrown at them.

To wish her the best then let the ad live on to its planned end, would have been the class act.

[RegulatorCountry]

Trump does go to church and does identify as Christian, but the depth of his belief doesn't appear to be at all profound, certainly not to the point of being able to reel off chapter and verse. What he is, is a pro-American, pro-western cultural Christian and he defends his culture, his, against attacks from those who oppose America, the west and Christianity. That's where he appears to me to be coming from, at least.

[conservativegamer]

Even you have to admit 14K is pretty dern good! Go get ‘em, Ted! SC is behind you

[RegulatorCountry]

He did what he did, water under the bridge at this point. He distanced himself from the controversy as practically any politician would do.

[BigBobber]

Trump isn’t friends with anyone on this board, I can pretty much guarantee that. He has never rubbed elbows with anyone in the middle class his entire life,except as his employees or servants. He thinks we’re losers and are playing us like a midway charlatan.

Read up on Trump “University” to see how he bilked average people and stole their money.

Read what he tried to do to the widow in her “ugly” middle class home.

He promises us a wall with a big beautiful door to let the illegals back in and the “conservatives” here think he’s with them.

[Elyse]

Yikes, I’m really not meaning to preach. What I’ve said is coming from a deep place in my heart.

I’m a Christian and I’m not ashamed of it, but I am ashamed that my life and choices might not always reflect that in a good light to someone who doesn’t have a strong faith. I’m not evangelical. I was raised as a Lutheran, but I don’t think a denomination defines you.

[Kit cat]

I did not think it was possible for any Cruz supporter to EVER change their mind!!! Very happy you did!!!!

[Elyse]

Wow, your version of the Bible must be really strict.

[2nd amendment mama]

Too bad that they weren’t really there to see Teddy boy but to see a Christian concert!

[WVKayaker]

I started voting and supporting after I came back from two years of WesPac cruises on a destroyer (66-68). My parents were Democrats, and I tended to go along that way. Back then, Democrat meant a lot different than now. I was at a Robert Kennedy rally in NC, when he was shot.

I voted for Jimmah Carter, only to see him failing in every way. I next voted for Ronald Reagan, and have voted R ever since. I sat across from Jesse Helms and Dan Quayle at a fundraiser for Jesse's Senate campaign. It cost me a grand, but the memory survives.

After the first Bush, I continued with the R's, and voted for the second Bush. When he ran for a second term, I held my nose, as he had been spending money like it wasn't going to end.

I ran for WV State Senate, and lost to a guy bankrolled by Richard Trumka. I spent less than $100, and he spent more than a million. I still got 36% of the vote, but it was a heavily United Mineworker district. I never expected to win.

We are at a crossroads in history. Obama has "fundamentally changed America". I live in the Philippines now, because I can no longer afford to live back home. I made a lot of money over the years, but after building a good retirement, and funding a couple of (Charitable) Foundations and my Grandchildren's Family Trust, I planned to live a quiet life on my SS. Surprise!

Money is nothing to me, and never was my reason for living. I was a successful businessman, employing thousands over my lifetime. I ended up here, and live comfortably among some of the nicest people in the world. It is a land of smiles.

But, I am an American. I am a Conservative Tea Party type (that is how I ran in the Senate race), and a Republican. Ted Cruz has revealed himself. I was able to recognize his sleaze and lying soon after starting to support him. I sent money, even though I live small. But, in the end, I see him as a lawyer. He is subject to his clients. When I found about his loans and "prevarications", his "Christian" self-identification got a little smaller in my mind.

I probably will live out my life here. I have a good Filipina wife, and a new baby girl Doberman to go with our male. We rent a house for about $110 per month (at present exchange rates) and live on about $800 month, with Satellite TV (Nascar Race tomorrow morning here at 9am), high speed internet, and in a city named among the safest in the world.

But, I am registered voter and never fail to send in my ballot. I will check the box next to Donald J. Trump, Jr. I will celebrate when he is inaugurated next January, and I really think it will happen. Many Americans aren't stupid enough to follow Cruz past his numbers now. I do not see him as electable.

VOTE TRUMP! He will help rebuild America!

[higgmeister]

Wow, no surprise again that Ted cheated to get a crowd. The crowd had already paid admission to a concert and Ted Cruz got himself an invite to say the prayer.

Winter Jam is a touring, four-hour show featuring born-again Christian rock and rap artists. It performed at Greenville's Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Friday night.

The tour accepts cash or check ONLY at the door for admission. You can use debit/credit cards once you get into the venue for concessions and merchandise. Checks should be made out to "NewSong Ministries."

[WVKayaker]

Info for tickets to Cruz Rally

***************

Ticket 1 - General Admission

First Name: *
Last Name: *
Email Address:
Home Phone: *

Home Address

Country: *
Address: *
Address 2:
City: *
State: * States in the United States Provinces in Canada Counties in Great Britain Counties in Ireland Territories in Australia
Zip Code: *

Other Information

Birth Date: Birthday - Month Birthday - Day Birthday - Year

Can Ted Cruz count on your support in the Republican Primary on February 20? *
Yes
No
Undecided

[higgmeister]

When I see people using his faith to ridicule him on this site

You got it all wrong. He deserves ridicule for trying to use faith as a political tool. This is a most vile act to go to a Christian concert just to say the opening prayer and receive the adoration of the masses which will be reported in the papers the next day.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9

[higgmeister]

Read what he tried to do to the widow in her "ugly" middle class home.

You read up on how Trump saved the family farm in Georgia after the farmer committed suicide.

http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2015/12/26/that-time-when-donald-trump-saved-a-georgia-farm/

Her brother, by the way, is Leonard Dozier Hill IV. He still lives on the farm that Donald Trump saved.

Trump does not try, he just does.

[higgmeister]

smh

[ilovesarah2012]

LOL I live here and never heard the term up ountry. It is the upstate. Charleston is the low country.

[Paul R.]

Judging by her comments to reporters, I don’t think she’s “repented”.

[True-Stu]

I completely agree Elyse. I have stayed away from most political discussions this year on FR because of the vitriol and invectives being freely hurled by one group of candidate supporters against another. A while back, I thought the offenses were pretty much equal across the board, but in recent months there has been a steady increase in the offenses made by the Trump supporters. I don’t know why this is, but I suspect that the most prolific of them have a desire to emulate their candidate. In my opinion that reflects character that is crude, immature and lacking understanding of the work of the holy spirit in a believer’s life.