Judge Romney By His Religion? I Do It, and So Should You.

Before a defense of any kind of religious discrimination, one ought to make all of the necessary disclaimers: of course I oppose government-sponsored discrimination, and I certainly would not support the kind of absurd treatment described by Steven Reinhart in his piece featured below. That being said, there is a legitimate case to be made for judging any candidate for office by his religious convictions.

In late 2007, Mitt Romney made his somewhat-famous speech on religion, where he spoke the following words:

“Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.”

Similarly, Romney has stated: “I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it…my faith is the faith of my fathers. I will be true to them and to my beliefs.”

If freedom requires religion, if his Mormon faith sustains his life and he will be true to those practices, then I’m at an utter loss as to why we should ignore Romney’s religious beliefs when evaluating his fitness for the White House.

We ask plenty of questions of any Evangelical Christian candidate: what do his beliefs about the nature of God, the nature of the cosmos, and the meaning of man’s life mean for his potential tenure in office? But for whatever reason, these questions are looked at as unnecessarily piercing and prejudiced when asked of a member of a minority faith.

When Sarah Palin gave her fumbling answer about Israel’s settlements, several commentators jumped on her faith, wondering whether she subscribed to the bizarre but potent sect of modern Christianity that believes in the imminence of the End Times. Will anyone ask Mitt Romney about the oddities of the dogma of the Mormon Church? There are plenty of Mormon doctrines that may strike people as a bit odd — and rightly so. It is established in the church that the devout can reach the upper echelons of heaven and eventually become gods themselves, able to create their own universes and govern them as they see fit (all while supervised by the One True God). Why is it that when I bring this up to Romney fans, I am dismissed as a bigot?

As an atheist, I both understand and accept that in a predominantly Christian society, my thoughts on religion are necessarily going to open me up to questions. If I were to ever run for office (don’t count on that, by the way), I would not expect my supporters would try to ward off any questions about my atheism with the victim-card of discrimination. One’s philosophy of religion contributes profoundly to his worldview and thus is a completely valid criterion by which to partially evaluate a candidate’s fitness for office.

I view all religions as equally bizarre and irrational. But mainstream Christianity is often adopted as a cultural guise, meant for purposes of assimilation with the majority. Probe most self-described Christians and you’ll find plenty of deviation from standard dogma. Devotion to Mormonism, which is completely outside of the American mainstream, requires a certain level of commitment. To what extent will Romney’s faith influence his decision-making? I ask that question of devoted Evangelicals and judge them accordingly, and I will do the same of a Mormon. And I am not going to apologize for that.

That's an honest approach at least, I appreciate it. Some here are saying they would never support a Mormon because it would spread the church, yet they have no problem supporting Glenn Beck and the important work he is doing. It smells of hypocrisy to me. [Ripliancum]

My problem with Romney’s religious beliefs is that if he were elected as POTUS that would be used as a tool by the Mormons to seduce others to join their cult. It would be an attempt to show that Mormonism is mainstream Christianity. [Nosterrex, post #53]

I've been making essentially the same point Nosterrex has brought up on FReeper threads for a few years. (The last time I mentioned it was April):

'Problemo Point 1: Wide open door for massive LDS PR prop campaign. Just as Bill Clinton was a presidential role-model disaster for our young generation via his scandals, any POTUS that the voting block elevates to the highest role model position in our land accords the highest vote of respectability to the public aspects of what that person stands for. If that person, for example, is a neatly tucked-away communist who's adopted a mask of "family values," & we elect him president, we are telling our kids that communism is OK to emulate. Furthermore, we are handing proselytizing fuel to communists everywhere. It would fuel their door-to-door boldness & other aggressive campaigns to be able to say, "See. Our respectable Communist leader holds the highest office in the land. Come study what helped make the man he is today!"

Now, Rip, as for your pt about how this also applies to Beck. In some ways it does; in most ways, no way. I mean, for example, how many easily-influenced kids say, "When I grow up, I want to be a radio & TV talk show host who critiques the president!"??? The influence of the two positions can, ultimately, IN NO WAY, be compared.

Still, you've encouraged consistency, which is always good. And I've been consistent on this. On two FR threads (Oct 8 & Oct. 26-27), I pointed out an excerpt from Joanna Brooks article posted at ReligionDispatches.org:

Beck, who was raised Catholic in Washington state, has produced, with the help of Mormon Church-owned Deseret Book Company, the DVD An Unlikely Mormon: The Conversion Story of Glenn Beck (2008); Mormon fansites invite visitors to learn more about Beck’s beliefs by clicking through to the official Web site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Later in the month I mentioned the Lds Web site where Beck's above-mentioned resource is -- http://deseretbook.com with an excerpt of their description of GLENN BECK's PRESENTATION that GLENN BECK APPROVED for his religious body to circulate worldwide!: An Unlikely Mormon shows the real Glenn Beck. But be careful, Glenn's enthusiasm for his faith is contagious...In this presentation, Glenn Beck tells an audience of nearly 7,000 about his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...Glenn bears his testimony about home teaching, tithing, and the transforming power of the Spirit. ...Glenn's story will strengthen the testimony of any Latter-day Saint. In addition, An Unlikely Mormon will be an ideal missionary tool.

Now, I like Glenn (just like I like my Lds family & friends). But that doesn't mean I'd vote for any of them for POTUS.

Marriage is an ordinance of God
____________________________________________

The God of the Bible: ONE man ONE woman

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his (WIFE), and they will become one flesh.

“Haven’t you read,” Jesus replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ And He said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? Matthew 19:4, 5

The mormon god: ONE man MANY women

D&C 132

6 And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fullness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fullness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God

61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.

62 And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.

the “holy practice” of earthly polygamy would be re-instituted when the Mormon jesus returns (Bruce McConkie, “Mormon Doctrine”)

“I have identified thirty-three well-documented wives of Joseph Smith, which some may regard as an overly conservative numbering... Historians Fawn Brodie, D. Michael Quinn, and George D. Smith list forty-eight, forty-six, and forty-three, respectfully. Yet in problematic areas it may be advisable to err on the side of caution.” (Todd Compton, In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith, p.1)

Joseph Smith “proposed to at least five more women who turned him down.” (Compton)

Mr. W.: “Joseph kept eight girls in his house, calling them his ‘daughters.’ Emma threatened that she would leave the house, and Joseph told her, “All right, you can go.” She went, but when Joseph reflected that such a scandal would hurt his prophetic dignity, he followed his wife and brought her back. But the eight ‘daughters’ had to leave the house (Dr. W. Wyl, Mormon Portraits)

Miss” Eliza R. Snow, ... was one of the first (willing) victims of Joseph in Nauvoo. She used to be much at the prophet’s house he made her one of his celestial brides... . Feeling outraged as a wife and betrayed as a friend, Emma is currently reported as having had recourse to a vulgar broomstick as an instrument of revenge: and the harsh treatment received at Emma’s hands is said to have destroyed Eliza’s hopes of becoming the mother of a prophet’s son (Dr. W. Wyl, Mormon Portraits, 1886, pp.57-58).

The Mormon writer Claire Noall acknowledged: “Willard realized that Emma had refused to believe that any of the young women boarding at the Mansion when it was first used as a hotel had been married to Joseph. She had struck Eliza Snow at the head of the stairs, and Eliza, it was whispered, had lost her unborn child” (Intimate Disciple, a Portrait of Willard Richards, 1957, p.407).

What would a man of God say, who felt aright, when Joseph asked him for his money? He would say, “Yes, and I wish I had more to help to build up the kingdom of God.” Or if he came and said, “I want your wife?” “O Yes,” he would say, “here she is, there are plenty more.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, Feb. 19, 1854, pp.13-14)

“The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy... I heard the revelation on polygamy, and I believed it with all my heart … ‘Do you think that we shall ever be admitted as a State into the Union without denying the principle of polygamy?’ If we are not admitted until then, we shall never be admitted.” ( Brigham Young, August 19th, 1866, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269)

“We are told that if we would give up polygamy—which we know to be a doctrine revealed from heaven, and it is of God and the world for it—but suppose this Church should give up this holy order of marriage, then would the devil, and all who are in league with him against the cause of God, rejoice that they had prevailed upon the Saints to refuse to obey one of the revelations and commandments of God to them … Will the Latter-day Saints do this? No; they will not to please anybody.” (Brigham Young, June 3, 1866, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 239)

Lorenzo Snow, who became president of the church in 1898, strongly argued that the church would never cease plural marriage.(Deseret News and Journal of Discourses.)

Many in the world has no desire to learn nor have a covenant with the Lord.
_________________________________________

Half of the world are female...

What woman in her right mind wants to be a sex slave forever ???

Jesus came to set us all free...

So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. John 8:36

Who would want to go back to bondage ???

The bondage of mormonism is described in the Bible...

These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error; While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 2 Peter 2:17-20

ask one of your male mormon “friends” if they would want to be a mormon female ???

Those who love the Lord learn of his Plan of Salvation and striving to keep His commandments!

- - - - - - - -
Those who love the Lord, accept His sacrifice on their behalf and allow Him to work good works thru us.

God’s plan of salvation is simple, believe on the one whom God has sent. That is ALL.

John 6:28-29 (New International Version)

28Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

29Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

We CANNOT, in our fallen state, keep His commandments. The law exists as a schoolmaster, to teach us that we, in ourselves, are UNABLE to keep it. Add to this all the additional “commandments” the LDS add on, and it is indeed a very harsh taskmaster.

(Hebrews 10:1-4)

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.

But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.(Hebrews 10:1-4)

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.