Posted on 02/19/2008 4:46:10 PM PST by Zakeet
In his pursuit of the presidency, Mitt Romney held fast to his Mormon faith, though his religion remains controversial with evangelicals and some other Christians. But his determined (and ultimately futile) wooing of evangelicals led him to make some statements that didn't quite square with Mormon beliefs and culture. And the effort itself may have deepened the impression of him as inauthentic—even to some fellow Mormons.
Early in his presidential bid, Romney was asked what he thought of polygamy. Prompted by what they considered a divine revelation, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discontinued the practice more than a century ago, and the church distances itself from polygamist "fundamentalists." But Romney went one step further, saying he couldn't "imagine anything more awful than polygamy." Many Mormons were privately taken aback. Mormons believe that, in its time, "plural marriage" was a commandment from God, and they are, as a group, fiercely proud of their ancestors, hundreds of whom practiced polygamy. (Romney's own great-grandfather had five wives.) LDS church members loathe the polygamy stereotypes and jokes bandied by outsiders. But hearing Romney—the most recognizable face of their faith these days—disavow it in those terms was mildly unsettling to LDS insiders.
Others were puzzled to hear Romney say he reads the Gideon Bible—a version popular with evangelicals: Mormons uniformly study the King James version, in a Salt Lake edition that is cross-referenced to all other Mormon scripture. "Seems like he just figured he had to say the safest, most Protestant thing he could think of—that was kind of annoying," says Russell Arben Fox, a Mormon professor of political science at Friends University in Wichita, Kans.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
Thanks for the PINGy
RINO Romney was for the AMNESTY Bill and “a pathway to citizenship...we cant send them home”
And the latest from the mormons in Utah about the illegal aliens
Hot of the presses...
The mormons are joining with the Catholics to help the illegal aliens stay in the US...
This is unfamiliar territory to me, too. Many have said that Romney IS a bishop, which doesn’t seem to be accurate. He was a bishop, if the Christian Science Monitor article is to be believed.
Apparently a bishop is much like an unpaid pastor of a congregation. And here’s what the Monitor says about the other term:
“After that, he served nine years as ‘stake’ president, overseeing about a dozen Boston-area parishes.”
I gather that this job, too, is unpaid. But it would seem to require a certain amount of knowledge and authority concerning the teachings of the LDS church.
Young, unmarried Mormons in their twenties are also usually expected to spend two years serving as missionaries, to spread their faith.
It is somewhat unfair that he is expected to be a spokesman and expert in Mormonism. We didn’t expect Bill Clinton or Al Gore to be expert Southern Baptists.
______________________________________________
Bill Clinton and Al Gore were not preachers in the Baptist Church
Romney was a Bishop for the mormons for several years...
This is just another article where the author knows nothing about his subject.
__________________________________________
Kind of like how Joseph Smith knew nothing about the God of the Bible
God speaks to people NOW. We just don’t listen.
Indeed. And I suspect the comment was meant more in terms of saying he liked it when he found Gideon Bibles in his hotel rooms — a sideways criticism of the move by many hotel chains to ban Gideon Bibles to avoid offending non-Christian guests.
Yeah, isn’t that special? I wasted my vote in the primary.
Oh, don’t give up on us all yet.
The Gideon Bible is a translation? I thought it was a KJV.
Yea but to some just dropping out isn't enough. They have to kick him....and his religion....some more.
It’s been a while since I stayed at a Marriott Hotel, but back when I had paid travel, I remember that the rooms came equipped with a Gideon Bible and a Book of Mormon.
LOL!
BTTT.
Romney’s supporters were the only freepers ever to call me a bigot.
“Hopefully we who believe in the teachings of Christ, and the values he represents, can get passed the silly sectarianism.”
Joseph Smith would be very mad at you.
Well, on this thread I’ve seen you promote the “we’re all brothers in Christ and sadly divided by sectarianism” line and “the whole ‘Jesus and Satan are brothers’ ordeal was a misrepresentation of Mormon beliefs” line.
Are you really looking for “intelligence and sincerity”???
Because, so far, your comments seem either insincere or uninformed.
Thanks for the ping!
Don’t you ever get tired of stupid remarks like that? Romney dropped out - you obviously won - hurray - give it a rest. Now we all get to line up and vote for McCain because he is a “true” conservative and not a member of any evil cult (that we know of).
Romney stepped aside “for the good of the party . . . for the good of the country . . . in a time of war.” What a wonderful, honorable man. Yet the anti Romney hit pieces just keep rolling along. It is thoroughly creepy.
“Others were puzzled to hear Romney say he reads the Gideon Bible” - Mormons read the Bible all the time. In our home, we have several versions of the Bible.
This article was written by a bigot with an anti Mormon agenda. And it is thoroughly sickening. Enough already.
“Romney was a bishop and a stake president in the LDS church for 12 years. So he certainly is, or should be, a spokesman for his religion.”
For God’s sake, Romney was running for President, not a church position. The ignorance on this thread is deafening. Like a bunch of silly little mean snot-nose bullying kids. Grow up already!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.