I think Mitt’s impressive. I know next to nothing about the Mormon Church. Somebody, please tell me why it makes any more difference that he’s a Mormon than a Presbyterian or an Episcopalian or whatever. I hate to be naive, but I don’t understand.
Seems there's a lot of people who believe "It's MY way of worshipping God, or it's a cult."
===================================
The Mormon "Church" was founded in the 1800s by Joseph Smith who claims he was visited by an angel named Moroni who had some golden plates that Smith then transcribed into The Book Of Mormon, the book upon which the cult is based.
Their origin is questionable and their beliefs even more so, so as to conflict with mainstream Christianity, which they desperately claim to be a part of or even superior to.
Their origin is very similar to the origin of Islam, where Muhammad claims to have been visited by an angel who then gave him the Koran to write down.
2 Corinthians 11:14
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
Galatians 1:8
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
=======================
I would have a tough time voting for someone who has not only bought into such an obvious lie hook, line and sinker, but also perpetuates it.
Read Under the Banner of Heaven. The beginnings of the Mormon church are “interesting” to say the least.
Full disclosure: I like Mitt, and I don't care that he's LDS.
BUT
If Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee (and not before), the MSM is going to DROWN you in understanding the LDS movement, WHY it is different than creedal Christianity, and (I venture to say) when you know more about the LDS, you will like it (and Mitt) less than you do today.
It makes no difference at all to anyone of any maturity or mental integrity. We have a few twisted sickies here who feel the need to work out their personal problems by attacking Romney's faith, just like their buddies who attack the Catholic Church. When you want to hate someone, any excuse will do.
“I think Mitt’s impressive. I know next to nothing about the Mormon Church. Somebody, please tell me why it makes any more difference that he’s a Mormon than a Presbyterian or an Episcopalian or whatever. I hate to be naive, but I don’t understand.”
The substantive issues are:
1) what kinds of decision making processes are altered at the presidential level by the fact that Mormon males believe they will become God’s with their own planets. Harry Reid’s mental state would be a prime example of what can happen.
2) many of us believe that at best Joseph Smith rose to the level of a two bit con artist not worthy of a carnival fortune telling act. Since these founding events are less than two hundred years old, and the documentation dense, it calls into question a presidential candidate’s powers of judgement if they are to hold such a character in esteem, much less to the point of divinity. Ask yourself if you would vote for a Koresh follower for president.
3) many Mormon doctrines will impinge on common politics. For example, will Romney be called on to defend the notion that American Indians (and Mexicans for that matter) are descendants of a lost tribe of Jews who came here in 600BC. That alone will be worthy of months of nonsensical debate.
4) If Joseph Smith was a huckster, will Romney be forced to lie during his presidency in order to maintain the facade, making him “by definition” slick.
Many other issues arise at the presidential level that do not appear even up to the level of governorship. I have many times been called a bigot for stating these objections, but as someone who lives in a state with a high Mormon concentration, I have seen many problems arise in the political and business sphere that gives me great pause. Hope that is a start towards explaining why some of us take this issue so seriously, though it is only a thin slice of the problems that present themselves with taking Mitt seriously - before we even get to his politics.
About 160 years ago (give or take) Joseph Smith claimed to have received certain golden tablets from the Angel Moroni which were later buried later on some hill in upstate New York.
Later certain of his witnesses recanted certain testimonies that they made and disavowed Smith's claims.
Joseph Smith was later killed after some confrontation in Missouri.
Followers of the nascent cult guided by Brigham Young moved on to modern day Utah and some seagulls ate a bunch of locusts, and that was a miracle.
If I had time I could explain also why millionaires go out of their way to don absurd attire and then spend boatloads of cash wearing silly shoes, carry metal clubs, whacking little white balls as far as they can, and then go looking for the very same balls in the woods in order to repeat the same experience over and over.
I might even delve into why rational folks put on silly shirts and spend a weeks pay to watch grown men toss and catch a ball around large pieces of real estate.
Mitt Romney's ridiculous religion has got nothing to do with nothing when it comes to obtaining the Office of President.