“The Bible says that where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,” Shannon said. “When we see liberty being imposed upon ... we need more spirit of the Lord.”

Later, Shannon compared conservatives to the children of Israel, saying both had served God well as minorities.

“All the great characters in the Bible ... were used as minorities,” he said.

In response to audience questions, Shannon said he not only opposes an increase in the federal minimum wage but believes it should be abolished.

“I don’t think the government should be setting a minimum wage,” he said. “I think the market should dictate that.

“I certainly think ... the minimum wage is a challenge for someone supporting a family, but the reality is that the people on minimum wage are only there for a temporary time.”

There is actually quite a bit of disagreement about that, although precise statistics are hard to come by. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says 7 percent to 8 percent of Oklahoma workers are paid at or below minimum wage, which is among the highest rates in the country.