Mormonism in the Spotlight

The American Spectator ^ | 12/18/06

[Valin]

The Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing increasingly concerned about the public-perception hit the presidential candidacy of Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney may have on the Mormon Church.

That's one reason the church is looking at what is being called a "public education" campaign that could reach a budget in the tens of millions in media buys for TV, radio and print.

"There is an expectation that some of the church's more archaic traditions and obscure points of history will become more widely publicized by Governor Romney's opponents in an effort to embarrass him and raise doubts about his faith in the minds of the public," says a New York-based media consultant who has heard buzz of the potential campaign.

Already, the Mormon Church runs a series of radio ads about family issues that are branded as messages from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is also a small TV campaign that runs occasionally highlighting the church and some of its faith-based publications.

But the current campaign is of a different sort, one that would be high profile in as much as the church would be openly discussing and clarifying points of the Mormon faith that have long been either misunderstood or misreported.

One individual said to be concerned about the Romney effect on the church is Sen. Harry Reid, who although a Mormon is so socially liberal in his positions that few people outside of Washington beyond his Nevada constituents are aware of that he even belongs to an organized church.

"Reid doesn't want to have to explain his faith in any greater detail than he already has," says a political consultant in Washington who works with Democrats in the Senate.

[AnAmericanMother]

You know, being a Catholic, I obviously don't agree theologically with the Mormons.

But from a public square point of view, they are the LEAST of our worries, given that they are solid citizens, look after their own, and don't engage in terrorist acts.

Gov. Romney's religious beliefs are the least of my concerns when it comes to whether or not I support him.

[RebelBanker]

This Lutheran agrees with you!

[kellynch]

As does this Anglican.

[Manic_Episode]

We have at least several prominant FReepers who are Mormons whose opinions I very much respect, but make no mistake, Mormans are not Christians.

I would vote for one if only if I absolutely had to but with serious misgivings due to the severe nature of their lack of discernment.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I dislike a person that can get elected statewide in the COMMIE wealth.
He is anti gun, for Hillary care and flip flops on abortion.

[SENTINEL]

Mormons are christians.

Your opinion otherwise is irrevelevant, we know who we worship.

[Malone LaVeigh]

Better a Mormon whose values are consistent with my own than another "Christian" like Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter.

[Valin]

Old joke (and not very funny)
A bunch of people die and go to heaven
St Peter is giving them a tour.
Now over here is Lutheran heaven...
over here is Methodist heaven...etc etc....


Shhh be quiet, we're going by Baptist heaven and they think they're the only ones here.
/rimshot.

[JamesP81]

Romney's mormonism isn't what concerns me: it's his stance on gun control on spending that I'm concerned about.

As for the Mormon church being Christian or not, you have to realize that it's bordering on foolishness to label an organization Christian or not. Many organizations claim that they are Christian organizations whether they are or not, so individual Mormons certainly cannot be judged by the Mormon Church, nor can any other Christian be judged by his membership in any given church. These things might be useful as indicators, but certainly can't tell us what's truly in a man's heart.

As for whether or not individual Mormons are Christians, this is no different than asking if individual baptists, catholics, etc are Christians. God will make His own righteous judgment in the matter; it's not for any of us to say.

There is, however, one thing we can do. We can compare the teachings of the Mormon church against God's Word. And the unassailable fact is this: the Mormon Church teaches doctrines that are not found in God's Word. The most apparent of these is the Mormon teaching that Christians who are good enough people on this Earth and are married in a Temple will become gods themselves upon their deaths.

I've got no 'problems' as such with Mormons, only disagreements theologically. If Romney seems to be the best man available come election time, he'll get my vote.

[RebelBanker]

You're going to the hot place for that one!

I think I might email it to my pastor...

[Gelato]

"Remember, this isn't just about the church's image. This about Governor Romney's image, too," says the political consultant. "I think increasingly the two are becoming bound together."

That's a shame, since Romney is an atypical Mormon, more like Harry Reid than not.

Most Mormons aren't liberal and (hopefully) not dishonest like Romney.

[gcruse]

This atheist agrees, too.

[zek157]

It apears there's some unussual doctrines out there that would be hard to classify as christian? I don't think I could ever vote for Mitch.

- God was once a man like us: http://home.teleport.com/~packham/gbh-god.htm
- God has a tangible body of flesh and bone: D&C 130:22
- God lives on a planet near the star Kolob: Book of Abraham 3:3-16
- God has at least one wife, our "Mother in Heaven": Joseph Fielding Smith, Man, His Origin and Destiny, p 348-355: "All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother..." (More citations in The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7)
- We can become like God and rule over our own universe. http://home.teleport.com/~packham/gbh-god.htm
- There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds: Citations in The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7
- Jesus and Satan ("Lucifer") are brothers: D&C 76:25, Moses 4:1-4
- Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary: Citations in The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7
- We should not try to feel a personal relationship with Jesus: "Our Relationship With The Lord" by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie
- God ("Jehovah") in the Old Testament is the same being named Jesus in the New Testament: D&C 110:2-4; Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, article "Jehovah"; 1 Nephi 19:10
- In the the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife: D&C 132:63
- "Pre-existence": See Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, ch 4, esp pp 60-61
- Dark skin is a curse from God: 1 Nephi 12:23, 2 Nephi 5:21, Alma 3:6, Jacob 3:8, 3 Nephi 2:15, Morm 5:15.
- The Garden of Eden was in Missouri: D&C 116:1; see also D&C 107:53.

Many doctrines which were once taught by the LDS church, and held to be fundamental, essential and "eternal", have been abandoned. Whether we feel that the church was correct in abandoning them is not the point; rather, the point is that a church claiming to be the church of God takes one "everlasting" position at one time and the opposite position at another, all the time claiming to be proclaiming the word of God. Some examples are:

- The Adam-God doctrine (Adam is God the Father); NOTES
- the United Order (all property of church members is to be held in common, with title in the church);
- Plural Marriage (polygamy; a man must have more than one wife to attain the highest degree of heaven); NOTES
- the Curse of Cain (the black race is not entitled to hold God's priesthood because it is cursed; this doctrine was not abandoned until 1978); NOTES
- Blood Atonement (some sins - apostasy, adultery, murder, interracial marriage - must be atoned for by the shedding of the sinner's blood, preferably by someone appointed to do so by church authorities); NOTES

[AppyPappy]

Mormans are not Christians

You lost me on this one. Our Salvation is not corporate. We are not Saved through a church. It is an individual issue. God can certainly elect a Mormo as easy as a Methodist.

[Gridley_here]

Mormons are in general very fine people and good citizens. I have worked with many over the years. Good people. But they are NOT Christians. Not in the traditional sense.

Christians believe they are saved by Grace through Faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe they are saved by their works in addition to Jesus' atonement. That is why they have never been classified as part of the Christian church.

Until the last few years they never even considered themselves Christians. They taught the Christian Church was an "abomination" and that the Mormon church was the only true church.

That being said, I would vote for Mitt Romney in a heartbeat. He is pro-life, and socially and fiscally conservative. He would be a good president.

[mnehring]

You lost me on this one. Our Salvation is not corporate. We are not Saved through a church. It is an individual issue. God can certainly elect a Mormo as easy as a Methodist.

Well said..
There have been a lot of Mormon threads popping up lately- I assume to stir the anti-Romney sentiment as this is a known theological hot issue here.. and always one or two pop up and say 'Mormons aren't Christians'...
I always thought that was for God to decide...

I am not Mormon but I would much have a good Mormon leader than some who claim to be Christians.. (Churchanity wing..)

[lasereye]

I guess the correct thing to say is Mormon theology is not Christian.

[Gelato]

He is pro-life . . .

"I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country. I have since the time when my Mom took that position when she ran in 1970 as a U.S. Senate candidate. I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years that we should sustain and support it, and I sustain and support that law and the right of a woman to make that choice." - Mitt Romney in a 1994 Senatorial debate

"I respect and will fully protect a woman's right to choose. That choice is a deeply personal one, and the women of our state should make it based on their beliefs, not mine and not the government's." - Mitt Romney in a 2002 GOP acceptance speech