ATLANTA -- Republican Herman Cain credits God with telling him that he needed to run for president.

The businessman-turned-candidate spoke about his religious beliefs Saturday during a speech to young Republicans in Atlanta.

Cain said he finally realized after much praying that God was saying that he needed to enter the presidential race. He compared his situation to Moses, who in the Bible initially questions whether God has chosen the right person to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.

Cain said that once he made the decision to run, he has not looked back.

Religious conservatives are a major voting bloc in Republican primaries, especially in the Deep South.