The new, ugly debate about Mitt Romney's Mormon faith will only push him closer to the nomination

The Telegraph ^ | October 10th, 2011 | Tim Stanley

[1010RD]

I expect it, which is why I will never vote for a Mormon.

In all your years (how many was it?) in the LDS church you never met a single person you could vote for? Not one worthy of holding elected office?

[Colofornian]

That isn't hard to understand as we make judgments concerning our children every day...who their playmates are requires a parents judgement and that means also judging children who are NOT good for our children. We also make judgments of other people in our workplaces, who can or not be trusted, as well as all areas of our life where other people are involved. Imagining that making judgments about people because of the danger of their religious practices certainly would be included if not more-so, people make determinations with those beliefs as their foundation for making decisions....even atheists have a foundation from which they base their life.

There's a "good" word for "judging" that some people -- who want to simply leave a negative taste in your mouth -- somehow seemingly forget. It's called "discernment."

It's as if it's "When I judge, I'm exercising discernment; but when you are exercising discerment, naughty, naughty, naughty, you judge you!"

[Colofornian]

Christians in my area have huge inter-faith activities that include the Mormon’s. They are an enormous help & we get along fabulously while accomplishing much in the name of the Lord even though there may be differences.

You know, Christians and Mormons can and do work together on some things well. I can think of things like food pantries and co-Boy Scout leaders as good examples.

Yet at the deepest levels of their identities, to be both a Christian who claims the Great Commission & to be a Mormon who's been told by their leaders that "every Mormon is a missionary" requires treating the other as a "mission field."

Now, granted, some Christians who engage in "inter-faith" activities do integrate them as a means to make friends and attempt to influence them to the reality of who Christ is in their lives -- and look for ops to share the Gospel.

But too many ecumenical activities have been diluded to the point where the Christians involved have utterly forgotten who their mission field is.

The bottom line, Confab, is that Christ treated the religious legalists of His day (Pharisees) as a "mission field"...they weren't just co-religionists to "tolerate" & have respect for...in fact, He wasn't "nice" to them most of the time. I've found exactly one compliment He gave the Pharisees -- and He didn't state it right to their faces. He said:

20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Yet, later, in Matthew 23, Jesus said:

25"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

If Jesus only looked upon outward assets, then the Pharisees & the teachers of the law passed such standards w/flying colors and Jesus was mistaken to "diss" them.

But legalism has NEVER been the way to heaven! (Which is also why the book of Galatians is often so negative...to the point the apostle Paul had to ask them who "bewitched" them into thinking that what was begun with the spirit could be completed with the flesh)

[SZonian]

LOL! You win.

[SZonian]

"What gives you the right to say what’s right & what’s wrong? You have your opinion that differs from many other Christians."

And yet, here you are attempting to tell us we're wrong for challenging mormonism.

Your opinion about us doesn't matter. The Bible is clear on what a follower is to do. "Name calling"? Where? Hyperbole again. Your position is weakening.

It's readily apparent that you're squishy or extremely selective about which commands in the Bible you'll follow.

Signed,

1%er.

[Elsie]

The Mormons I know truly believe what they believe & live accordingly.

Indeed!

Romans 10:2
New International Version

For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God,
but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

[Elsie]

The Mormons I know truly believe what they believe & live accordingly.

There were 19 MUSLIMs that I heard about that truly believed what they believed & died accordingly; too.

[greyfoxx39]

I would rather ere on the side of not judging & be happy rather than to judge people trying to do good things & be angry all day, every day.

Good! We are looking forward to seeing this from you. Especially the "not judging" thingy.

[Elsie]

Most Mormons are born into their faith.

Like THIS guy??

[Elsie]

My suspicion is the Lord will find a warm place for both.

Possibly; but in Jesus there is FORGIVENESS for sin: even as heinous as these...

[Elsie]

Most Mormons don't know what the church in Salt Lake believes. The are/were more locally flavored.

Just like 80% of the pew warmers in Christian churches.

[Elsie]

Unlike them damn Methodists - now there are some wacked out cultish people. Stay on your toes around them.

AMEN!!!

---

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off.   So I ran over and said, "Stop! Don't do it!"

"Why shouldn't I?" he said.

 

 I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"

He said, "Like what?"

 

I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?"

He said, "Religious."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you christian or buddhist?"

He said, "Christian."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you catholic or protestant?"

He said, "Protestant."

 

I said, "Me too! Are you episcopalian or baptist?"

He said, "Baptist!"

 

I said,"Wow! Me too! Are you baptist church of god or baptist church of the lord?"

He said, "Baptist church of god!"

 

I said, "Me too! Are you original baptist church of god, or are you reformed baptist church of god?"

He said,"Reformed Baptist church of god!"

 

I said, "Me too! Are you reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?"

He said, "Reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!"

 

I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.

 

 

-- Emo Phillips

[Utah Binger]

I know my Kubota is true. In the name of Sugarknoll, Amen!

I also know Utah Tribes were called Lamanites.

Pretty good, EH?

[reaganaut]

I have seen this behavior and actions in others....there is a “look” if you will about them. He’s so heavily indoctrinated I doubt much he says is a thought of his own.

- - - -

MrR calls that look he “mormon stare” and said when he saw it on my face it scared him.

[reaganaut]

Enjoy your break, I start a 10 day 24/7 care-giving job next Monday.

[reaganaut]

My point is that he doesn’t seem to be a strict LDS member. As with all religion and all people, 100% agreement on all aspects is not required and Romney appears to be too liberal to be a strict Mormon.

Mittens is active and a TBM.

[reaganaut]

You cannot be Mormon and be Christian. It isn’t possible, they believe in a very different Christ.

Where are you now, faithwise? Agnostic? Athiest?

[Hacksaw]

I'd vote for a Muslim if he was honestly committed to paying down the debt, getting federal regulations out of our lives, protecting religion, and preventing our tax dollars from going to socialist groups (ACLU, Planned Parenthood, etc). (Our current Muslim president is not an example of this)

The fact that Romney is a Mormon matters to me about as much as whether he likes cats or not. I'm Catholic, FWIW.

[caww]

It’s like they’re there but not there...more like the real person they are has gone deep within, replaced by an image of what they once were...but when they speak it is so revealing as their words lack conviction, like reading from a teleprompter...only in their case it’s simply years of indoctrination and brainwashing.

Interesting is Mormons follow a very similar style of brainwashing that cults use...they haven’t a clue what’s happening as the process proceeds...and not until their minds are dumb-downed are they presented with the hardcore rituals and rites...but by then they’ve pretty much lost their ability for critical thinking.

There’s a reason why it’s called “programming”..only it’s under the disguise of a religion. Create a “blank slate”, so to speak, and you can fill it with any agenda or false teaching....especially with the convincing measures mormons use. Wear them out and down via services and community involvement requiring many hours... is the norm.

[caww]

As for Lamanites and Nephits etc...

....With the missing DNA, missing archaeological finds,...e missing linguistic evidence, missing steel mills, swords, chariots, bones, horses, wheat, etc., I’d call that pretty strong evidence that there’s no such thing as a Nephite or a Lamanite.

“It is one thing to hope for things which are not seen, it is another to believe in the face of evidence to the contrary........The first is called faith, the second is defined as delusion.”

From an Ex-mormon site