Questions For Mitt Romney

Richard Packham (revised by Bonaparte) | unpublished | Richard Packham (revised by Bonaparte)

[Bonaparte]

News reports say that Governor Romney, looking ahead to the possibility of presenting himself as a candidate for the U.S. presidency in 2008, has met privately with Christian leaders to allay their concerns about the fact that he is a Mormon. (See Boston Globe, Nov 2, 2006 at http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/11/02/romney_consults_evangelical_leaders ) These leaders apparently are concentrating on areas such as Romney's view of gay marriage, abortion, and whether Romney is really a Christian. Undoubtedly Romney's answers in those areas will satisfy most of these Christian leaders.

However, not knowing much about Mormon doctrine and practices, many Christians are unaware of some of the areas in which the idea of a Mormon as president could raise serious doubts in their minds. They simply don't know what to ask the governor.

Below are some suggested questions which might profitably be asked of Governor Romney, both by Christian leaders and by journalists.

• According to Mormon scripture, the founder of your church (Joseph Smith) was told by God in 1820 that all the churches of the day were "an abomination." Do you agree with God's view of other churches, as quoted by Joseph Smith? (Pearl of Great Price, JS-Hist 1:18-19)

• According to your church's Articles of Faith, number eight, the Book of Mormon is the "word of God." Do you believe that?

• According to the Book of Mormon there are only two churches: the "church of the Lamb of God [presumably the Mormon church]" and the "church of the devil," "the whore of all the earth." Do you agree with that Mormon scripture? (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14:10)

• According to the Book of Mormon a dark skin is a curse imposed by God on the unrighteous and their descendants as a punishment for sin. Do you agree with that doctrine? (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 12:22-23, Alma 3:6, 2 Nephi 5:21-22, Jacob 3:8, 3 Nephi 2:15-16, Mormon 5:15; references to the "Lamanites" are taken to be referring to Native American "Indians".)

• According to Mormon doctrine, the president of the Mormon church is a prophet of God, receiving revelations and commandments (God's laws) directly from God. Do you believe that? (Doctrine and Covenants , 21:5, 43:3, 58:18)

• One of the most sacred rituals for adult Mormons, performed only in a Mormon temple, is a ceremony called "the endowment." Have you undergone this ritual? If so, in what year?

• To be admitted to the temple for the endowment ceremony a Mormon must be "in good standing" in the church and undergo a personal interview with church leaders, who examine the member as to whether the member obeys church commandments, supports church leaders, pays full ten percent tithe, wears the prescribed Mormon underwear, abstains from coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco and extramarital sex, and other matters. If the member answers correctly, a pass to the temples (called a "temple recommend") is issued, good for two years. Do you have such a temple recommend now, indicating that you are in good standing in your church?

• In the secret Mormon temple ceremony Mormons take an oath of obedience to "the law of the Lord." Did you take that oath?

• Before 1990, the endowment ceremony required members to take an oath of secrecy not to reveal anything that happened in the temple under penalty of death. Did you take that oath?

• In the temple ceremony Mormons also take a secret oath to "consecrate your time, talents and everything which the Lord has blessed you, or with which he may bless you, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints..." Did you take that oath? Would you consider the office of the presidency of the U.S. to be a "blessing" with which the Lord had blessed you?

• Mormons teach that by obedience to all the commandments of Mormonism, a Mormon may attain the highest degree of heaven and ultimately become a god, creating and ruling over his own dominion. Do you believe that? Is this your ultimate personal goal?

• Although your church presently condemns the practice of polygamy, the scripture commanding it is still in the Mormon Doctrine and Covenants, Section 132. Many early Mormons were polygamous and married ("sealed") to numerous wives "for eternity." Do you believe then that there will be polygamous families in Mormon heaven?

• The extensive interest of Mormons in genealogical research is to enable them to perform "baptisms for the dead," thus posthumously inducting previous generations into the Mormon church. Many non-Mormons become angry when they learn that the names of their ancestors - having often been faithful members of some other religion during life - have been used in this way. often without permission of the living descendants. The posthumous baptism of many holocaust victims caused considerable anger among Jewish groups, and your church agreed to stop the practice as to them (but also admitted that it was unable to do so). Do you feel that such anger is justified? (Would you feel anger if some voodoo cult was using your deceased grandparents' names in some voodoo ritual, and then announcing to all the world that they were now voodoo worshippers?)

• It is well documented that Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, secretly had many wives. Some of those women were at the same time married to other men, meaning that Smith brought them into a state of adultery. Some were as young as fifteen. He claimed that he was commanded by God to enter into these marriages. Do feel that these early polygamous and adulterous marital practices of the church founder were really commanded by God? (See the book In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith by Mormon historian Todd Compton for detailed biographies of these wives.)

• Mormons believe that when Christ returns to earth, a millennium of peace will begin under Christ's rule (Article of Faith number ten), presumably as a single theocracy. Most Mormons believe that during that time, Mormons will be Christ's appointed officers and that the law will conform to Mormon teachings. Do you believe that?

• According to Mormon scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3), Joseph Smith did more than any other man except Jesus Christ "for the salvation of men in this world." Do you agree with that, keeping in mind the contributions of men like the Apostles, Saint Paul, Thomas Aquinas, Saint Augustine and others?

[Bonaparte]

All helpful commentary on this list of questions is welcome and appreciated. I would especially like to hear from any practicing Mormons who are posting on the forum.

[Clintonfatigued]

I’m not a Mormon myself. But I do know that there is no religious test for political candidates.

We didn’t hear any of this when Harry Reid became Senate Majority Leader.

[Bonaparte]

There is no religious test. But this only means that our government and our laws cannot require adherence to any religious creed in order to qualify for candidacy and election to office. Nor can our government and laws forbid the candidacy and election of an otherwise qualified person on the basis of his existing religious belief.

It does not mean that a gag order has been placed on voters, journalists and others concerning which questions they can legally and legitimately ask any candidate. Those questions can apply to everything from his state of health to his drinking habits to his religious belief. Nothing is off-limits according to our Constitution.

Let the people have the information and then make their decision. It's all part of being engaged and informed voters.

[Vigilanteman]

I'm curious as to what any of this has to do with the key political issues of our day such as:

1. Winning the war on Islamofacism.
   
2. Appointing qualified judges who follow the law rather than rule by decree.
   
3. Securing the borders.
   
4. Keeping the economy growing by keeping taxes low and simplifying the tax codes.
   
5. Gaining energy independence rather than pandering to narrow environmental extremists.
   
6. Ending the Balkanization of America by making sure new immigrants come here to contribute rather than to suckle the taxpayer teat.
   
7. Ensuring equal treatment of the law for all Americans and legal residents rather than pandering to favored ethnic groups, genders or lifestyle choices.

These are the type of things which matter, not the crap you are throwing up which may, or may not be Mormon Doctrine. I tend to think it is the poster's view of Mormon Doctrince, since he obviously hates them.

FWIW, Duncan Hunter happens to be my first choice because I think he is the most qualified, not because I agree with his religious denomination. I'm not going to ask him if he, as a Baptist, literally beleives he will rise up in the air to meet Jesus at the second coming. It sounds a little quirky to me, but it is totally irrelevant to Rep. Hunter's views and track record on the above list of key issues.

People need to evaluate Gov. Romney the same way I've evaluated Rep. Hunter.

[onja]

I really don’t see how this matters at all. He is not a good little Mormon. He is just like most Americans. Religious in name only. The fact that he is a Mormon really doesn’t affect his life much.

[Bonaparte]

"We didn’t hear any of this when Harry Reid became Senate Majority Leader. "

True enough.

But we sure heard about it when George Allen was running for re-election to the Senate, didn't we -- even though Allen's Jewish ancestry had nothing to do with his personal beliefs and religious practices.

The media are free to ask any questions they want to ask -- even if they cherry-pick which questions they ask of which candidates, all in the service of their own idealogical persuasion.

[Capt. Cox]

yes, the mormon faith sure seems like a rich religion. Full of allegory, rituals and inspiring tales.

Thanks for sharing the elements of your faith with us but I suspect Mitt Romney might be too busy to respond because at the moment he is running for president. Try contacting your local pastor or something and he might be able to help you out.

[Bonaparte]

"He is just like most Americans. Religious in name only."

I'm not sure I would agree with you that most Americans are "religious in name only," ie. are mostly a bunch of insincere, religious hypocrites.

That said, I don't recall hearing Romney himself say that his religious adherence is strictly pro forma and that he doesn't really take it seriously.

If that is what he actually believes, then this voter (and probably his church) would want to know it.

Can you provide me a source for any statement the candidate has made, disavowing the sincerity of his Mormon conviction?

[Bonaparte]

"Thanks for sharing the elements of your faith with us..."

I did not do that.

"... but I suspect Mitt Romney might be too busy to respond because at the moment he is running for president."

If Mr. Romney were "too busy to respond" to legitimate questions voters have concerning the sincerity of his religious belief and the role it might play in his performance as President of the United States, then this voter would be "too busy" to vote for him.

I have to wonder why you would be so fearful of such questions being posed to your candidate?

"Try contacting your local pastor or something and he might be able to help you out."

The proposed questions are not addressed to my pastor, nor would he consider himself qualified to speak for Mr. Romney, who is perfectly capable of answering such questions himself.

[Bonaparte]

"These are the type of things which matter..."

I do not recognize you as the final arbiter of "what matters" to all voters. Nor do I consider you an unimpeachable authority on the right method by which all voters must evaluate candidates.

There are many on this forum, including myself, to whom such questions matter a great deal. And before you claim that this is our only issue, let me assure you that it is not.

Every deserves to have the candidate's answers to his questions, even those you may not happen to agree with.

[Bonaparte]

In my first post to you, make that, "Every voter deserves..."

[onja]

He openly has said that his religion does not really affect his life.

As to whether or not most people truly are religious in name only... I’ll leave it for you to decide. I can’t prove it. Still, nearly every American professes to believe in god but only a tiny fraction attend church or show any sign at all of being religious. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, you can reasonably assume that it is a duck.

[Bonaparte]

As for the relevancy of the proposed questions, let me ask you both --

If Mr. Romney answered, "yes," to the third question above, how likely is it that he would be able to work with the diverse American religious community in our country? In fact, if he answered, "yes," how likely is it that he would alienate too many voters to be elected in the first place?

If Mr. Romney answered, "yes," to the fourth question above, how like is it that he would be able to work with minority communities and leaders as President? How like is it that he would get their votes?

Of course, if Mr. Romney answered, "no" to these two questions, he might get more votes and he might be able to work well with diverse religious and ethnic groups, but he might also risk losing his good standing in the Mormon Church also.

I hope you can see why such questions as these do, in fact, "matter." At least, to some of us they do.

[JCEccles]

And what is your religion? Give me an hour and I will propound a similar list to you.

[JCEccles]

You’re a total fruitcake to a lot of other people. I guarantee it.

[Bonaparte]

"... but only a tiny fraction [of Americans] attend church or show any sign at all of being religious."

Polling data says otherwise.

82% of Americans believe in God.

60% of Americans say religion is very important to them.

60% of American pray often.

40% of Americans attend church nearly every week.

"If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, you can reasonably assume that it is a duck."

We agree!

[Vigilanteman]

To avoid restating the obvious, we are electing a president, not a spiritual adviser. I think most Americans are smart enough to realize that. Forgive me for making a statement which you felt included you in that group.

If I was in the market for a new religion, I might ask Mitt Romney some of your questions. More likely, I'd look up the local Mormon Missionaries or Bishop and ask them.

Since I am not in the market for a new religion, but I am in the market for a presidential candidate who can propose workable solutions to some of the key problems I've listed, I'll ask my questions and you are free to be a moron and invoke your narrow little religious test.

In all likelihood, you will drive people toward the object of your hatred because Americans, by and large, do not like bigots. By handing Romney the religious persecution card to play, you will win him sympathy votes which, in turn, might divert votes away from my first choice Duncan Hunter.

But that's okay too, because if Duncan Hunter falters, I'm willing to look at Mitt Romney. Like Ann Couter says, any real conservative has got to love the Mormon view on government considering that Bill Clinton finished in third place in Utah and John Kerry managed 26% in 2004.

What's not to like about that kind of voting record?

Good hell, it's enough to make me want to visit the local Mormon congregation next Sunday, because if they are that right in their views on government, maybe there is something to their theology too.

Unfortunately, Sunday is the only day I have to catch up on my sleep.

[onja]

I’ll just also say that I’ve known a number of Mormons and none of them believed this stuff. They have long since stopped believing in much of this stuff just as many Jews and Christians (all of us included) don’t follow much of the Old Testament any more.

[Bonaparte]

"You’re a total fruitcake..."

Thankyou for your thoughtful, well-reasoned and fact-laden response.

[Bonaparte]

Yes, I believe you most likely have met some Mormons who do not believe in all of their holy writ.

However, I doubt that those Mormons are running for the office of President of the United States.

Romney, on the other hand, is running for that office.

All voters have every right to ask any questions they want when considering a candidate.

These questions are just as legitimate as the questions on your "approved list," and whether Romney answers or evades, we will have our answers from him.