Cliven Bundy: God told me to have a standoff with the government


Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy explained over the weekend that his stand against the federal government was a spiritual battle that came at God's behest. Speaking at an Independent American Party gathering in Utah on Saturday, Bundy told the crowd that the people who stood with him against the government "through that spiritual experience" could not have done so unless God was on their side.
From The Spectrum:
"The Lord told me... if [the sheriff doesn't] take away these arms [from federal agents] we the people will have to face these arms in a civil war. He said, 'This is your chance to straighten this thing up,'" Bundy said. [The Spectrum]
The Bureau of Land Management ultimately stood down when confronted with armed protesters, though it maintains Bundy owes the government more than $1 million in unpaid grazing fees and penalties.
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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
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