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Oct. 7, 2011--Pastor Robert Jeffress speaks to reporters after Gov. Perry's speech.  Jeffress' characterization of Mormonism as a cult generated considerable media attention not particularly helpful to Perry.  Jeffress said:

"...that is not some right-wing fringe view that Mormonism is a cult.  The Southern Baptist Convention, which is the largest protestant denomination in the world, has labeled Mormonism a cult.  So that is a mainstream view that Mormonism is a cult.  And again I believe Gov. Romney is a good, moral, family person, but he's not a born-again follower of Christ.  And I said to my congregation last Sunday night, I quoted John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court—John Jay said we as Christians have both as our duty and as our privilege to prefer and select Christians as our leaders.  And I believe every true born-again follower of Christ ought to embrace a Christian over a non-Christian if things like competency and other issues are the same.  And so I believe that in this contest, which I think is a contest between Perry and Romney, that we ought to prefer a born-again follower of Christ."