Posted on 08/20/2007 9:18:44 AM PDT by mojito
Even though Mitt Romney can't seem to dislodge Rudy Giuliani atop the national GOP polls, and can't even draw as much poll support as Fred Thompson, who isn't even running yet, there is an understandable anticipatory buzz about him.
He may well be the eventual choice of his party if the Thompson phenomenon fizzles or if Giuliani supporters simply grow weary of navigating the obstacles posed by his past and his politics.
In an appearance in Texas last week, I saw Romney energize a crowd with just the kind of speech a GOP nominee should give-- strong and unapologetic on the war, upbeat and resolute about the future. This is a typical Romney performance, and it earns him speculation that he has nowhere to go but up.
This is wholly deserved. But the issue of his religion, which some say has been overplayed, has in fact not been addressed with nearly the thoroughness and honesty that will be necessary to satisfy some in the Republican voting base.
It has not been addressed well by the candidate, and it has not been handled honestly by pundits. Until it is, it lurks as a torpedo that could spell the doom of his promising candidacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
I was an atheist for 20 years. I got involved with every weirdness that came along...astrology, wicca, new age, occult.Wrong!
You were as far away from being an atheist believing in those things as you were from being an Orthodox Jew. Farther, actually.
Reading back over your posts, I do not see where you tried to come between a Mormon and 'his savior'. This strawman construct is a trick used by skilled ones who seek to deceive by misdirecting from truth to a constructed syllogism they know how / have been taught to defeat.
There is also a discernable effort (by Mormons adamently serving Mitt Romney's candidacy) to transpose opposition to the cult of Mormonism as attacking Mormons (the individuals). Don't get sucked in dear Lady by those who purpose to deceive.
>> I’m a Christian from a mixed marriage - Southern Baptist and Primitive Baptist.
I take no offense at all, particularly since none was intended.
Its funny now but back then my father’s Primitive Baptist church thought the Southern Baptists were going to hell for having seat cushions and and organ in church
OTOH my Mother’s Southern Baptist family was worried about one of the daughters because she married a Missionary Baptist Preacher and was going to dark and distant Puerto Rico to convert the natives rather than staying home like she was supposed to do.
All this when an outsider would have said “Hey, two country kids from good Baptist families with multiple preachers in each family go off to the big city, meet and get married - good match.”
And the lesson I learned was that faith in God, forgiveness through Jesus and doing right by people is what really counts in this life, not the details.
I think you should change your tag. Comparing Mormons to Muslims is, in my book, committing a crime against free people everywhere. Ask yourself: who will be trekking across the border with a suitcase nuke in tow? Who wants to destroy your way of life and force you into submission and slavery? These are very serious questions, and to conflate them with some silly doctrinaire dispute between Americans who otherwise would never harm one another is to seriously degrade that dispute into a thing of extreme darkness and evil.
For you to compare any group on earth with Muslims is to display a childish ignorance of the world of 2007 that surpasseth all understanding, and that removes all credibility from any arguments you might make.
Twisting my words may be fun sport, but it doesn’t change my testimony about Christ giving me the gift of grace and salvation. As I have also stated in this thread, works are not sufficient. Now, I know that will be a sticking point with those who do belong to the LDS faith, but it won’t shake my resolve. No man can take away that which God has given to me.
I was an atheist after I was involved with those empty, silly inventions of man.
I guess you don’t know how old I am do you?
Attacking my tagline is foolish in the extreme.
I quoted Joseph Smith. I think the quote is VERY telling.
My goal is to get people THINKING.
NO man of Christ would use Mohammed’s name to further his faith. Using the name of Mohammed shows just how far Joseph fell from the mark.
FLDS?.... I would say the chances are pretty high. Of course you will differ with my opinion.
And I’m the guy who fixed your link for you. That’s the last time I do you a favor. :)
But seriously, comparing Mormons to Muslims just because someone in the 1800s did it... Well, all I can say is we’re not in the 1800s anymore and we should all know better. Including you. Especially you. You are being mean-spirited and un-Christian in the extreme. And I, for one, am losing interest in reading anything more you have to say.
Your age isn’t important. I do find it somewhat unlikely that someone who has dabbled in every form of cult and occult and ended up a strong Christian was ever really an atheist.
During your atheist period, what books did you read?
What’s an FLDS? Former LDS?
Yes, I strongly disagree with your opinion.
Only the muzzies are out to commit murder and mayhem on a grand scale.
Only a muzzie will be flying that plane.
As someone who has been in the military I would NOT support Romney as CIC.
Dawkins was a favorite author. Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan.
LOL...you don’t know what FLDS is, but you discount that they would fly a plane into a building. ....cool.
Ayn Rand...Atlas Shrugged, Fountain Head...
I haven’t thought about atheist books for several years. It may take some time for me to remember. I’ll go through my books at home and see if I can find others that had specific impact on me.
“Do the polling companies and political scientists who study these things make a differentiation between Christian Conservatives and Mormon Conservatives? If not, then when someone talks about Christian Conservatives in a political sense, they’re including Mormon Conservatives.”
Good questions. I’m not sure if the polling companies or others lump Mormons with Christians. I’m just trying to point out why I think Romney has a huge problem with Christians. It’s a legitimate issue that is probably not understood by a lot of people. My guess is that most people couldn’t care less about Mormon and Christian differences and DO lump them together.
Even though it isn’t specificly athiest, Elie Weisel’s “Night” made a very large impact on my disbelief about God.
A book I read a very, very long time ago (probably the first atheist book I read) was Psycho-cybernetics. Opened my small-town Mormon mind in a huge way.
Actually, at some of the big high schools around here there are actually LDS seminaries right next door to the schools. If I recall correctly, the one in Page, Arizona, is actually on school property.
your words:
But seriously, comparing Mormons to Muslims just because someone in the 1800s did it...
It wasn't just someone, it was the founder of the Mormon church, Joseph Smith.
“I will be to this generation a second Mohammed" -Joseph Smith
He was, too... it got him a lot of wives!
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