A Republican candidate in Missouri warned Monday that his opponent and the president are blocking the path to salvation.

In an interview on the Gina Loudon radio program, Ed Martin said that President Barack Obama and Rep. Russ Carnahan were keeping people from finding the Lord.

“We’re great because we created a place and space where people can be free,” said Martin. “And they can choose Christ, they can choose to be faithful. They can worship, and they find their way to the Lord.”

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“And that’s one of the things that’s most destructive about the growth of government. It’s this taking away that freedom. The freedom — the ultimate freedom, to find your salvation, to get your salvation,” he continued.

“And I think that’s one of the things that we have to be very, very aware of that the Obama Administration and Congressman Carnahan are doing to us,” he said.

“Very well said,” agreed Loudon.

The liberal blog Fired Up! Missouri first noticed the interview Monday.

“This is pure lunacy, and as a person of faith, I find this incredibly offensive and outrageous. It’s too insane for a response, really,” wrote Sean at Fired Up! Missouri:

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Martin doesn’t explain which policies supported by Obama and Carnahan “take away all your choices” to be a Christian or find any other religion, perhaps because there aren’t any. Maybe it’s health care reform that keeps people from Jesus? Or unemployment benefits? Whatever they are, “we have to be very, very aware” of them anyway.

Martin’s remarks echo comments he made about Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan in 2009. “She is very, very devious. She does — with a, with a clever hand — she does the devil’s work,” he said.

This video is from KJSL, uploaded to YouTube July 12, 2010.