Rachel Maddow took us through part of the list of those attending Rick Perry's big prayer rally, The Response, which is coming up on August 6th in Houston Texas. And as she noted, Right Wing Watch has done a great job of documenting some of these
July 12, 2011

Rachel Maddow took us through part of the list of those attending Rick Perry's big prayer rally, The Response, which is coming up on August 6th in Houston Texas. And as she noted, Right Wing Watch has done a great job of documenting some of these extreme right-wing radical preachers who are attending the event, and you can read more about that in these posts and more at their site.

Here's a portion of some of their reporting on the rally and there are many more there at the site, but these are some of their most recent posts. Rachel showed a sampling of some of the videos they have available and you can watch the longer versions at Right Wing Watch as well if you've got the stomach for it.

Rick Perry Partners With 'Apostle' Who Thinks The Statue Of Liberty Is A 'Demonic Idol':

As we've been reporting on Right Wing Watch, Texas Governor Rick Perry is working a number of radical preachers to plan his upcoming Christians-only prayer rally. Perry's partners in the event include extremists who believe that tolerance for homosexuality caused the September 11th attacks, Oprah Winfrey is the harbinger of the Antichrist, the deadly Japanese earthquake was caused by the country’s Emperor having sex with a demon, the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell caused bird deaths in Arkansas and violence should be considered to overthrow President Obama, among many other extreme beliefs.

One self-described ‘Apostle’ who has signed on as an official endorser to Perry's The Response prayer rally is John Benefiel of the Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network, a group affiliated with the New Apostolic Reformation with ties to other The Response endorsers including Cindy Jacobs, C. Peter Wagner and Jay Swallow. In a sermon last August, Benefiel argued that America is under a curse from God because the country possesses monuments to pagan idols and that Americans needs to renounce those idols if not destroy them. Benefiel claims that the Statue of Liberty is in fact a “demonic idol” because it represents a “false goddess.”

Perry Prayer Rally Endorser Says "Spiritual Pollution" Is Making You Sick:

As we continue to research the leaders who have signed on as public endorsers of Gov. Rick Perry's "The Response" prayer rally, we just keep finding good stuff. And we can now add Alice Smith to the list, based on this appearance with Benny Hinn where she promoted the need for "spiritual housecleaning" [...]

As Smith explained, cursed items - which can include everything from shirts to rings - have a "spiritual umbilical cord" that attaches to you and gives demonic spirits the ability to plague you with sickness and fill your home with "spiritual pollution":

Rick Perry Partner John Benefiel Claims Homosexuality Is An Illuminati Conspiracy:

Earlier today we posted video of “Apostle” John Benefiel, an official endorser of Rick Perry’s The Response prayer rally, arguing that the Statue of Liberty is a “demonic idol” used for pagan worship. In the same sermon, Benefiel claims that homosexuality is a plot by the Illuminati to “control the population.” He says that the Illuminati intend to reduce the world population to just 500 million people and that, along with the recently passed health care reform law, the secretive group will use homosexuality as a “perverted way” to bring about “a death culture” and population control.

Benefiel also insists that homosexuality is a “stronghold” of the “demon god” Baal.

Hagee: President Obama Is A Dictator:

In an interview on the Daystar show Celebration, John Hagee of the Cornerstone Church said that President Obama is a “dictator” for his actions in Libya. Hagee, a leader in the Religious Right who is involved in organizing Texas Governor Rick Perry’s The Response prayer rally, has previously claimed that Adolf Hitler was a “hunter” sent by God to hunt Jews. “You want to talk about how absolutely insane our government is right now, we are in Libya, the President is in violation of the War Powers Act, he can only stay there 90 days at his word, we’re beyond that,” Hagee said, “Congressmen are suing him trying to get him to stop. This is the actual work, if you will, of a dictator:”

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