Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson recently encouraged American Christians to continue adhering to Godly principles despite living in a nation that continually seeks to silence those who talk about their faith.

Speaking at the Iowa State Fair last Sunday, Dr. Carson, who who is currently a top contender for the GOP nomination, emphasized that "We have to stop listening to these people who tell us that we cannot talk about God, we cannot talk about our faith."

The retired neurosurgeon continued, "I wonder, do they realize that our founding document, our Declaration of Independence, talks about certain inalienable rights given to us by our Creator - aka God?"

Dr. Carson noted references to God in the pledge of allegiance, on the walls of U.S. courtrooms, and on coins and banknotes.

"So, if it's in our founding documents, it's in our pledge, it's in our courts and it's on our money, but we're not supposed to talk about it, what in the world is that?" he asked. "In medicine we call it schizophrenia, a form of craziness."

In continuing his comments, Dr. Carson encouraged U.S. citizens "to realize that there's nothing wrong with living by godly principles - of loving your fellow man, caring about your neighbor, developing your God-given talents to the utmost so that you become valuable to the people around you, having values and principles that govern your life."

"And if we do that," he concluded, "not only will we remain a pinnacle nation, but we will truly have one nation, under God."

Dr. Carson emphasized that hopes to "save our nation," unlike other presidential hopefuls who simply "want to get re-elected."

In concluding his comments, the Gifted Hands author issued a call for unity, condemning "the divisiveness that is going on in our society."

"We, the American people, are not each other's enemies," he said. "The enemies are those people who are trying to make us think that we are each other's enemies."

He also contended that many issues currently facing the nation, such as the "immoral" debt problem, are "American problems versus un-American, and we have got to remember that we are Americans first."

Dr. Carson, who is the only African-American presidential candidate for 2016, frequently discusses his Christian faith and how it drives his worldview.

Speaking at LifePoint Assembly of God in Osceola, Iowa, earlier in August, the former neurosurgeon shared his dramatic testimony and spoke about what America needs, quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14, which reads, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

"I don't think there's anybody who can deny that our land right now is in need of God's healing hands," he asserted.