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.

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

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Resty, what are you going to say to God, as you sit in Judgement, when He tells you that he didn’t want you to TRY to keep the law, but rather to TRUST the ONLY one who has ever kept the whole law (Jesus)?

***

All of you have given your understanding of what I was trying to convey.

There have been some who like to play on words one example is when the late Pres. Hinckley said we believe in a different Jesus.

The LDS understood what he met by that it is that many dismiss or over look what is written in the scriptures.

I will point out what I mean shortly.

My message is on covenants aka commandments.

Our laws to live by come from the Lord, be they laws for just living and getting along in the earth or a more refine knowledge we need to live in Heaven.

In my humble understanding (IMHU) I take literal that when the Lords speak they are not suggestion his word is to guild us in how to prepare to live in heaven.

Something like a child who has to learn how to use his indoor voice because his outdoor voice should not be used in door.
I have chosen reaganaut post because I have seen variation of this statement.

Those who love the Lord learn of his Plan of Salvation and striving to keep His commandments! ~ restornu
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Resty, what are you going to say to God, as you sit in Judgement, when He tells you that he didn’t want you to TRY to keep the law, but rather to TRUST the ONLY one who has ever kept the whole law (Jesus)? ~ reaganaut

But when one search the scriptures ( John 5:39; Acts 17:11;Jacob 17:23; Alma 14:1; Alma 17:2) this is not totally accurate

First of all our hearts must be right by the Lord over and over in the scriptures the Lord tells us to Love One Another

Before I converted I had many sayings to excuse my behavior like the Lord knows my heart I did not really mean to be unkind, or it’s just the way I am I can’t help and the Lord knows I mean well etc.

That way I was let off of the hook when the natural man reared its ugly head.

LDS does recognized that the Lord gave all of the children agency we believe and know that is why the War in Heaven was fought and is being carried on earth today.

Jesus Christ our Redeemer told Heavenly Father that he would do the will of the Father and all the Glory belong to the Father.

Lucifer said he would save everyone he also wanted all of the Glory and tried to over throw Heavenly Father from his throne but we know that did not turn out to good for Lucifer who is the fallen star Isa 14:12

Lucifer main objective of saving everyone was to deny their agency aka sovereignty.

If we ponder enough we will see we are witnessing that agenda being played out on the world stage today as the forces of today is trying to remove/deny the sovereignty of this nation as well as the sovereignty or agency of each individual.

Ok I digress laying the foundation.

Many believe as reaganaut believes...

“ when He tells you that he didn’t want you to TRY to keep the law, but rather to TRUST the

ONLY one who has ever kept the whole law (Jesus)? ~ reaganaut

Yet when we search the scriptures and read what Jesus has commended us to do as in Romans

1. Rom. 13: 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Is it not so when we Love One Another we should not speak ill of another?

1 John 5
Saints are born of God through belief in Christ—Water, blood, and Spirit testify of Christ—Belief in Christ required in order to gain eternal life.

1 WHOSOEVER believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_jn/5/2-3#2

Always as you search the Lord’s Scriptures the Lord says in His Scripture “If ye Love Me Keep My Commandments.

1. 15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

1. John 15:

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

The LDS understood when the Late president Hinckley said we believe in a different Jesus it was the Jesus who said

If ye Love Me Keep my Commandments!

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