Apostle Orson Hyde: “I discover that some of the Eastern papers represent me as a great blasphemer, because I said, in my lecture on Marriage, at our last Conference, that JESUS CHRIST WAS MARRIED at Cana of Galilee, THAT MARY, MARTHA, AND OTHERS WERE HIS WIVES, AND THAT HE BEGAT CHILDREN. All I have to say in reply to that charge [that Jesus was married and had children] is this --- they worship a Savior that is too pure and holy to fulfil the commands of his Father. I worship one that is just pure and holy enough "to fulfil all righteousness;" not only the righteous law of baptism, but the still more righteous and important law "to multiply and replenish the earth." Startle not at this ! for even the Father himself honored that law by coming down to Mary, without a natural body, and begetting a son; and if Jesus begat children, he only "did that which he had seen his father do." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 2, page 210; brackets mine)
They would unleash on him if he won the primiary, and we CHRISTIANS would not back him up. No Romney !!
IMHO, if Bambi’s camp went down that road (IF Romney won the primary) it would have seriously backfired. First, Obama sure doesn’t have a clean history regarding religion. Secondly, I believe that most people have a positive view of Mormons as individuals. Some of the theology may be odd to us non-Mormons, but we know people who are true of heart when we see it (not saying Romney was, but Mormons in general). Attacking the religion with some of the dogmatic oddities could have actually painted Romney more Conservative than he was, aligning him with a very Conservative faith. It would mask some of the moderate/liberal baggage.
Plus Romney was video taped while on the radio in Iowa and after the interview, the tape kept rolling while he argued with the interview guy...
He said stuff like “Jesus is returning to Missouri”...
That would have gone over big...
/s
People can put things in perspective if they want to.
Orson Hyde said something stupid. That was over 100 years ago. Any intelligent person would know that what he said was not Mormon doctrine, he was speculating on his own, and probably was brought on the carpet for it in privacy. Orson Hyde was not running for office in the last election. When a Presbyterian runs for office, do we need to bring up the fact that Calvin supported having someone burned at the stake? If a Catholic runs, do we bring up medieval activities?
The only reason Democrats would use such material is because Republicans in the primary show they are sensitive to it. And if they had done it, that would have opened up the whole issue of Rev. Wright, etc. I doubt if they would want that.