First of all, I could not easily reply earlier as I was posting from my cell phone while at work. I work shifts and was on today from 6:00am to 2:00pm Pacific time.
Secondly, the title of this thread is, "Mitt Romney's Mormonism: A TNR online debate." My contribution to this debate was and is to say that religious bigotry against political candidates has no place in our Constitutional Republic. There are many reasons for conservatives to oppose Mitt Romney on policy grounds. We need not oppose him on religious grounds. I oppose Romney on several policy grounds, state-run health care being at the top of my list. But I do not give a fig about his religion.
You ask, "why play the bigot card?" Please read this carefully, because I'm choosing my words carefully. If Romney's religion is the SOLE reason someone opposes him, then that is religious bigotry.
You say Mormons are practicing anti-Christian bigotry every day. I was raised a Roman Catholic, and still consider myself a Catholic, thus Christian, even though I do not now practice any organized religion. Yet I have been offended here several times over the years by FReepers who self-identify as Christians, yet who call Catholicism a cult and deny its history as the first Christian church.
So you see, Mormons have no corner on religious bigotry. Look what Muslims do to non-believers, for whom they invented the word "infidel." Me, personally, I'm disgusted with ALL organized religions. Look at the priest sexual abuse scandals. Look at the recent admission by the Dalai Lama that he is a Marxist (barf!). Look at the so-called liberal Christian churches. I remember one of their leaders being heavily involved in forcing Elian Gonzalez to go back to communist Cuba.
I believe in God, the bible and Christ's beautiful teachings, but I don't believe in any organized religion. The person who started this thread wanted a debate. This is my contribution to the debate.
I do so wish this point could be gotten across to the MANY folks on FR that say they are MUCH more worried about ISLAM than MORMONism!
Playing the bigot card does nothing to add to the debate...it just shows that one presumes to be superior to everyone who takes part IN the debate. A very liberal tactic.