Perry ad hits 'Obama's war on religion'

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- In a religion-themed ad, Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry vowed, as U.S. president, he would end what he called President Obama's "war on religion."

In his new ad, which began airing Wednesday, the Texas governor also pledge to fight attacks from the left on the country's religious heritage.

"As president, I'll end Obama's war on religion," Perry tells viewers. "And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again."

Saying he wasn't ashamed to admit his Christianity, Perry said people don't need to go to church every week "to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school."

Perry has made his Christian faith a selling point of his campaign.

While he didn't offer specifics on "Obama's war on religion," Perry's message could strike a chord with conservative voters who say that the government has gone too far in removing religion from the public gatherings, The Washington Post said.

Obama and religion isn't a new fight. In 2008, many people wondered if Obama, a Christian, was really a Muslim, even as they took him to task for attending church where a controversial minister preached incendiary rhetoric.