Posted on 01/08/2008 4:09:13 PM PST by tantiboh
Mitt Romney is facing an unexpected challenge in Iowa from rival Mike Huckabee, who has enjoyed a groundswell of support from religious voters, particularly evangelical Christians wary of the clean-cut former Massachusetts governor because of his Mormon religion.
The common worry among evangelicals is that if Romney were to capture the White House, his presidency would give legitimacy to a religion they believe is a cult. Since the LDS church places heavy emphasis on proselytizing -- there are 53,000 LDS missionaries worldwide -- many mainstream Christians are afraid that Mormon recruiting efforts would increase and that LDS membership rolls would swell.
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THE ONLY PROBLEM with those fears is that they don't add up. Evangelicals may be surprised to learn that the growth of church membership in Massachusetts slowed substantially during Romney's tenure as governor. In fact, one could make the absurdly simplistic argument that Romney was bad for Mormonism.
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ONE WAY TO GAUGE what might happen under a President Romney would be to look at what happened during the period of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Held in Salt Lake City, they were dubbed the "Mormon Olympics."
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Despite all the increased attention, worldwide the Church grew only slightly, and in fact in the year leading up to the games the total number of congregations fell. Overall, from 2000 to 2004, there was a 10.9 percent increase in memberships and a 3.6 percent increase in congregations.
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The LDS church is likely to continue its current modest-but-impressive growth whether or not Romney wins the White House. Perhaps the only real worry for evangelicals is that, if elected, the former Massachusetts governor will demonstrate to Americans that Mormons don't have horns.
Carrie Sheffield, a member of the LDS Church, is a writer living in Washington, D.C.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
You’re pointing to the fact that he didn’t use Boy Scouts in the 2002 Olympics as an indicator that he is pro-gay?!?
Oh, man.
Look. The next time you handle a multi-country, multi-billion dollar, security and logistical nightmare event—oh and by the way you have to turn a profit on it—let me know the first priority for you will be to get Boy Scout volunteers.
That is laughable.
Your reading comprehension skills are lacking somewhat. I inferred you could be technically RIGHT. Sheesh. You didn't stay in the fetal position long enough.
You also have to take into account his changed attitude toward abortion; you can choose not to believe he changed his mind, I guess. But then you are going to have to apply that to EVERYONE when they say they change their mind about an issue. Otherwise you are not being fair.
The Newt Gingrich thing is nearly 15 years old. Do people change in 15 years? What about Mitt saying he thinks Reagan is a wiser man now than he did earlier? Is he lying about that too? I find it absolutely stunning that some Mitt bashers here cannot find problems with his current positions. Mitt is not like John Kerry; Kerry was a liberal all his life and promised to govern like a liberal. Mitt at least says he WAS a liberal on some issues, but has become more conservative on them.
Maybe it is because I used to be a liberal that I can see where he is coming from. But mostly it just amazes me there are so many people who refuse to believe change is possible, and they view all men with suspicion. Even when it isn't warranted.
Ya better tell that to Tant....
Some of the Church farms are “welfare farms,” meaning that they produce food for the Bishop’s Storehouses, to provide for the needy. The members are called on to provide free labor on those farms. Other farms are regular commercial farms.
Once again....ya better inform Tant...LOL!!
As Tantiboh said, “So what?” You act as if there is something shameful about it.
So what??? HA!!
First off...Tant claimed the WHOLE CHURCH was A CHARITY. Secondly when pushed a bit...he "decided" that maybe there were profitable corp's within the LD$, Inc. umbrella. And that's when he said, "So what?"
IMO...LD$, Inc is MORE about building wealth here on earth. They are obsessed with riches. Apparently the LOVE of MONEY has been running LD$, Inc. for decades now. Yes, I think that is shameful. They have multi-BILLIONS in assets. I'd think as a CHURCH they could be doing more for the world's sick, poor..You act like that giving 3-5% of BILLIONS to charity is extremely charitable. I call that greedy as sin.
Planet ownership? LDS??? What are you talking about???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeqQ1gAzGtw
Mitt Romney - If You Could Hie to Kolob
You do know that it's generally interpreted that that clause had a higher object; to cut off forever every pretence of any alliance between church and state in the national government. The framers of the constitution were fully aware of the dangers from this source, marked out in the history of other ages and countries; and not wholly unknown to our own.
It didn't / doesn't mean that we weren't supposed to ask about or question a politicians religion.
One of my favorite movies....
The article doesn't address whether you should "ask" or not. It encourages that a religious test not be given. The article's intent and the spirit of the writing is abundantly clear.
~”FUNDAMENTALIST Latter Days Saints are Mormons.
Is THIS a lie or the truth?”~
They could reasonably be classified into that category.
~”I have chatted enough.”~
Ain’t that the truth...
~”Proof: ????”~
Keep reading, Buttinski
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:You almost Got it, but it's Jesus everyone will confess, not loqutus of Borg.
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
You might find this blurb interesting. Vanderbilt has demonstrated a significant statistical correlation between people who are biased against Mormons and people who buy into the “flip-flopper” meme:
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/news/releases/2008/1/18/vanderbilt-poll-explains-why-romneys-flip-flopper-label-sticks-political-scientist-says-anti-mormon-bias-finds-cover
Got a reading comprehension problem? I said the whole church is a charity. I also acknowledged that the LDS Church controls some for-profit entities. Deseret Management Corporation, however, is not part of the LDS Church. It is a controlled entity.
Once again, so what? The Church controls several industrial entities designed to further its own interests. That’s how we -help- so many millions of people each year, in myriad ways.
Not only are your arguments petty and envious, now you have to rewrite mine to make yours stick. Additionally, you just can’t seem to bring yourself to trust the justice of God. You have to rely on jealousy instead.
Doesn’t speak well to your spiritual foundation, OO.
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