Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman and the GOP: America is ready for a Mormon president

Telegraph UK ^ | June 3, 2011 | Tim Stanley

[greyfoxx39]

The GOP race now has two Mormon candidates – Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman. Predictably, the question of whether or not America is ready for a Mormon President has been raised on both sides of the Atlantic. To be fair to the critics, the theology and history of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints is a little eccentric.

-SNIP-

But Romney and Huntsman should not run away from their church. Indeed, they would do well to put it front and centre of their campaigns, to challenge the fragile tolerance of the 21^st century electorate. They should seize this opportunity to promote a much-maligned and misunderstood faith – a faith that, coincidentally, could have electoral benefits. Mormons tend to be well-educated and surprisingly cosmopolitan people.

-SNIP-

Romney and Huntsman could exploit the Church of Latter-Day Saints’ history of terrible persecution. Joseph Smith and his army of wives were driven from state to state, fleeing angry mobs wherever he settled. In 1844, the prophet was dragged from jail by an angry mob and murdered. His killers were acquitted by sympathetic juries. The Mormons have a narrative of suffering and survival against the odds that makes their story far more universal than their peculiar theology suggests. 

-SNIP-

The story of persecution would play well among a Christian minority who feel similarly neglected, or oppressed, by the modern liberal state. The Church’s reputation for social conservatism could help cover up the flip-flopping that Romney has pulled off on abortion.

[svcw]

America is not ready for another obama liberal. Romney will never make it out of the primaries not because he is lds but because he is a stink’n liberal.

[svcw]

Then explain the 92% vote in Utah. They may tell you that, I can tell you (have lds relatives) lds trumps everything else.

[svcw]

Name one lds elected to a federal or high state level that is not a liberal. Romney and Hunstman would be better served running as democrats.

[Verginius Rufus]

I think that should be Independence, Missouri. Independence, KS, is a small town in the southeastern part of Kansas and probably wasn't settled until after the migration to Utah. Indpendence, Missouri, is the county seat of Jackson County and was the main city in the area when the early Mormons lived in that part of Missouri (Kansas City wasn't started until about 1845).

Some of my ancestors were early settlers in Jackson County (about 1831) but I don't know if they had any interactions with the Mormons--probably too busy farming. A great-uncle (by marriage) went on a wagon trail to Salt Lake City in 1865. According to his memoir, written about 1925, the Mormons had very negative attitudes towards Missourians at that time ("if they had known I was from Missouri, my hide wouldn't have been worth shucks").

[Godzilla]

But Romney and Huntsman should not run away from their church. Indeed, they would do well to put it front and centre of their campaigns, to challenge the fragile tolerance of the 21st century electorate. They should seize this opportunity to promote a much-maligned and misunderstood faith – a faith that, coincidentally, could have electoral benefits. Mormons tend to be well-educated and surprisingly cosmopolitan people.

Right - put it out there front and center - and then try to explain the work of fiction that is the book of mormon and the book of abraham. Put it out there front and center the mormon belief that they will progress to be gods. Put it out there front and center that mormons believe THEY are the only true church and that the rest of us belong to the church of the devil. Put it out there mutt/huntsman supporters.

And for the nay-sayers who say that their mormon beliefs have nothing to do with their ability to be president and we should discuss it - better pass the memo to the mittbots and huntsmanites out there. THEY want to make it part of their campaigns - WE can and most certainly do have the privilage of examining the religion that forms THEIR WORLDVIEW and is the basis for their judgements and decisions.

[MrB]

You’re right, it is Independence, Mo...

Regardless, Independence Mo/Ks will not be the New Jeruselem, Jesus is not Satan’s brother, God was not once a man, and we will not be gods with our own planets and harems.

[LegendHasIt]

I’m not sure if that is an argument with what I posted, a misreading of what I posted, or merely a convenience reply click.

I couldn’t answer your question either way, because I don’t care what religion that federal or state level are unless they make a big deal of it. I only care about how they govern.

My point was: All the Mormons I know are hardcore conservatives. Socially and fiscally. Romney and Huntsman are not. Therefore are “Not the Mormons that we are ready for”. I agree that Romney and Huntsman are, by their actions, centrist leaning Democrats : i.e. Populist / RINOs

Unless you are just a Mormon hater because of religious chauvinism, you, as an apparent strong conservative, would probably like the way that the Mormons that I KNOW would govern.

[svcw]

mormon hater - good grief
You said your lds acquaintances don't care for Romney or Huntsman, I am telling you because of who lds elect to office that lds trumps everything else.
That in no means I am a mormon hater, I do however loath morminISM.

[Red Badger]

All that presupposes that Harry Reid is a good practicing Mormon.
There are good and bad of every religious stripe, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist.
He may be a Mormon in name only, like the Kennedys were Catholic..............

[LegendHasIt]

We are apparently both misunderstanding each others point. And it isn’t worth wasting time trying to clarify. Have a good day.

[Emperor Palpatine]

You think that’s somethin’?

Wait until you find out about the cork submarines and the purple Planet Kolob.

[Emperor Palpatine]

Well, they’ve covered up their collaboration with and ties to the Nazis for years

[Verginius Rufus]

I doubt that Romney will be the nominee--too much of a "moderate Republican" to win the critical primaries. If he wins N.H., that will be discounted because he was governor of Massachusetts.

Obama wants to take the country to hell in a handbasket--at a mad dash. At worst Mitt wants to do the same at a more leisurely pace.

[greyfoxx39]

Unless you are just a Mormon hater because of religious chauvinism

The article states outright that the Romney/Huntsman campaigns would benefit from playing the "victim card" and that is acceptable. Someone takes exception with that and is in your eyes immediately a "mormon hater"?

The "mormon hate" began with Joseph Smith declaring that his god told him that all of Christianity "is an abomination" and leaders for more than 150 years have denigrated Christians and Christianity. When 52,000 mormon missionaries go out every day and proclaim that "god removed his "true" church from the earth for centuries and only restored it to a NY con man and the only way to salvation is through the mormon church...that's "hate".

Check out this example.

Mormon Leaders on Christianity

[greyfoxx39]

All that presupposes that Harry Reid is a good practicing Mormon.

The mormon church keeps Harry's temple recommend active. That's the badge of a "good practicing mormon".

[LegendHasIt]

I’m obviously not communicating my thoughts well today. You, an old FRiend, should know me better, though. I better quit while I’m behind before I get ‘behinder’. Have a good day, I’m outta here

[svcw]

“mormon hater” is the fall back when there are no facts or cogent thoughts, just like racist.
mormons love to play the victim card, just like all liberals. Now am I saying that mormons are liberals no, but they will vote for a liberal lds member before a conservative Christian.
I guess I am a Christ chauvinistic person, and I will respond to that by saying - hallelujah.

[svcw]

Actually Reid has a temple recommendation, which means he is a mormon in good standing, as well as BYU gave him an award last year for all his good works. I stand by “lds trumps all”.

[laweeks]

The reason you don’t give a RA about Mormon is because you do NOT understand the ideology of it...........and so you show you are ignorant

Oh, really . . . I'm ignorant? Tell me please, where is the planet Kolob? Do you really see Joseph Smith AND Jesus when you die? Where the hell are the "gold" plates? Why did Smith have 41 wives? Is the Christian God the only God? How many are there with Mr. Smith? You just got me started, Ace. I have a whole bunch more.

You have a man-made, poorly constructed religion by a fortune seeker who was run out of a number of cities for embezzlement, fooling around with other people's wives and daughters, and destroying public property.

Who is ignorant?

[Colofornian]

If Bachmann or Cain turn Mormon I guess I could live with it.

So if conservative candidate XYZ says @ a press conference tomorrow, "I'm a god-in-embryo on my way to full-grown-up godhood," that doesn't phase you in the least about...
...his/her spiritual gullibility (and general gullibility)?...
...his/her lack of discernment?...
...etc.