Bachmann urges Christians not to 'settle'
(CNN) – In an evangelical message Wednesday, Minessota Rep. Michele Bachmann gave one piece of advice to students at the country's largest Christian university: "Don't settle."
It's a line she's recently pushed to Republican voters, urging the GOP not to "settle" on leading GOP presidential candidates.
But on Wednesday she turned the phrase into one laced with heavy spiritual themes.
"Don't settle for anything less than what this great and almighty God has planned for you," Bachmann said in a speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The White House hopeful described her experience becoming a Christian as a 16-year-old, when she said she walked into a church one day with some friends and felt called to the altar.
"We began weeping before the Lord," Bachmann said. "I was a sinner, and I had a heart that needed to be cleaned. And I thank God that the Holy Spirit put that call before me."
In the following days, Bachmann said she "radically abandoned" herself to God and began waking up at 5 a.m. to read books from the Bible, including Lamentations, Jeremiah, and 2 Chronicles.
"Not exactly what you would consider great reading at 5 a.m., but for a new believer in Jesus Christ, I couldn't get enough," Bachmann said.
An unapologetic social conservative, Bachmann's ties to her faith have twice hit in the spotlight since she kicked off her presidential bid.
In July, accusations were made that her family's Christian counseling clinic had used a questionable therapy to encourage gay and lesbian patients to change their sexual orientation.
And due to her religious beliefs, Bachmann fielded a controversial question at a GOP debate asking if she would be a "submissive" wife to her husband should she make it to the White House.
On Wednesday, the congresswoman occasionally touched on politics in her speech, mostly blasting President Barack Obama's health care reform for including funding for abortions, which can only be used in the case of rape, incest, or if the life of a woman is in danger.
She also took issue with Obama's approval of an Institute of Medicine recommendation that health insurance fully cover birth control, including the so-called "morning-after" pill.
"We need to stand up to government takeover," she said.
But Bachmann, who's seen her poll numbers drop into the single digits over the last month, mostly charged the students not to settle on their faith.
"Usually when we settle, it's a short-term ease," Bachmann said. "But it's the long-term hard that the Lord often asks us to choose."
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Don't settle? Rep Bachmann stating: "Don't settle for anything less than what this great and almighty God has planned for you," What makes Bachmann think I or any other Christian are settling for anything less than what God has planned for me/us? I would like to remind Rep Bachmann that mixing politics and Christianity is something Christ warned us about over and over. Perhaps reading about Judas Escariot would be helpful to her.
Poor God. Being bandied about like some political football. Time for these folks to consider the compassionate alternative–Buddhism.
Dear Ms. Bachmann,
The Lord has many children and like a good parent does not side with one over another. Your religious beliefs are important to you but appealing to voters on the basis of race is unfortunate. I would hope people vote for the person and the ideas expressed and will take your statements as those of a woman captured int he moment while at this meeting.
The President represents all the people and not just one religious group. This report is not one that I feel comfortable reading.
As a Christian, I would never 'settle' for a vile, dishonest, mean-spirited candidate like Ms Bachmann.
I can't believe anyone is listening to this crazy woman...talk about losing freedom religion, freedom of speech, or freedom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...please America...PLEASE wakeup
I`ll not settle---- I`ll vote Democrat.
Let me be the first to thank the Lord for keeping you away from the White house. Your hateful and mean spirited rhetoric has convinced the American people that your policies will move this Country to a Civil War.
one more flush and this turd will go down... Cant wait for her to fade into irrelevance like palin
Great idea, for a change. As a Christian I will NOT settle for Bachman as president of the united states!
Believe me this lady does not speak for all Christians. "They will know we are Christians by our love" definiately does not discribe her. Christian's need to follow Christ not a bunch of haters that are self-righteous like Bachmann and Palin. I wish they would stop using the Christian card. It is embarrassing.
The Christian of today has driven me to resent religion and to despise the evangelical right-wing. I once tolerated Christianity and felt the good offset the bad. Now I see them as an evil, bigoted and narrow-minded force out to take away my right to be free of religion. I will vote against religious people in every election and lobby to defeat their initiatives whenever they surface. Bachman is their poster child – enough said.
This clueless, brainless dingbat has seen her poll numbers plummet. No wonder. She's too extreme even for the TPers.
For once I agree totally with Michelle Bacmann. As an Evangelical Christian I will not settle on either of these two leading extremists. I will be voting straight Democatic Party until the Republican Party comes to it's senses and purges itself of all of these current day neo-con fanatics!!!
Mormons believe that black people bear the "mark of Cain" and are cursed in the eyes of God.
AAAhhh, the lemmings going off the cliff. Happy landings
How can Michele Bachmann tell Christians not to settle when her and her Husband took money from the Gay People under false intended. They both have know that what they was doing was not going to work. This woman has No Business even taking to Real Christians about anything. This woman doesn't care about her follow man and all she does Is LIE. She Is truly NO Christians.
1 Samuel 24:3 inspires me. So does "Going Rogue." Oddly enough, I use one to facilitate the other.
Read,understand and follow The Ten Commandments.
Lady, you might make a decent christian preacher, but you'd make a lousy president.
Single DIGITS has spoken!!!
This proves more than ever that this woman is unfit for public office, let alone the Presidency. This is not a Christian nation; The President must be the President of all, not just Christians,
I'm at a loss for words in trying to describe just how scary Bachman is.
yes, this should be a theocracy. only christains should inhabit this country.
Bachmann still doesn't get the message, huh? You're finished Michelle. Your delusional rantings will never connect with enough voters for you to gain the office of the POTUS, and the ceaseless attempts by your radical followers to inject their poison into the political spectrum will not allow for your placement on the ticket as VP. You've talked yourself out of a spot; beat it loser.
Jesus called me too ... he said not to vote for this crazy lunatic!