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A Different God? Mitt Romney, the Religious Right, and the Mormon Question
BYU Studies ^ | Reviewer Roger Terry of author Craig Foster's book

Posted on 06/12/2011 5:01:54 PM PDT by Colofornian

As can be expected from a book published by Greg Kofford, Craig L. Foster’s A Different God? is well researched and engaging. This book begins by examining the rise of the religious right and the power it exerts on the current political landscape. Foster presents a good deal of information that most Latter-day Saints will not be well acquainted with, such as the difference between evangelical and fundamentalist Christians, the emergence of the charismatic movement, the rise and fall of the Moral Majority, and the subsequent establishment of the Christian Coalition. This background is particularly pertinent to the majority of Mormons in the western United States who align themselves with the Republican Party.

Foster also gives a concise but surprisingly comprehensive summary of the political history of the Latter-day Saints. Because official Church curriculum does not address in detail the period from about 1850 until World War II or even later, most Mormons are rather uneducated regarding their political past, particularly the theocratic era that prevailed until the Edmunds–Tucker Act precipitated several changes, including the Manifesto in 1890 and the disbanding of the People’s Party in 1891. The fact that most Mormons at the time gravitated toward the Democratic Party might surprise some of their modern descendents.

While Foster, an ardent Romney supporter, is admirably objective about the many weaknesses that undermined Mitt Romney’s run for the Republican presidential nomination, his thesis in this book is that these flaws could have been overcome if not for a larger issue that eventually doomed the Romney campaign: the Mormon Question. This book apparently went to press after John McCain had secured his party’s nomination but before he had selected his running mate, but it still has validity far beyond the 2008 presidential primaries. His thorough examination of the strong anti-Mormon sentiment that still seethes in America, especially among the religious right, will be relevant if Romney runs again in 2012 or if any other Latter-day Saint takes aim at the presidency in a future election.

Even though Foster doesn’t quite arrive at this particular destination, the sobering conclusion that his presentation inevitably yields is that if a Mormon is to be elected United States president in the foreseeable future, he or she may have to run as a moderate Republican or, perhaps even more realistically, as a moderate Democrat.


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Other Christian; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: antimormonfatwa; antimormonjihad; antimormontant; bigot; bitterantimormon; bitterformermormon; evangelical; formermormon; hatespeech; lds; mormoaner; mormon; mormonbashing; mormophobic; pharisees; religiousbigot; religiousextremist; religiousintolerance; religiouszealot; romney; romney2012; throwthefirststone; usedtobeamormon; whiningmormons; zealot
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To: Turtlepower

The point is that you don’t know the truth. You just believe that you do. And because you believe it so strongly, you must brand all those who disagree with you as “heretics.” It’s a strategy that goes back thousands of years.

As far as I can see, the practice of Mormonism poses no threat to me, my freedom, or my country. And as tiny a number as it is, I’m stunned by the number of people here who think otherwise to the point of attacking them. This isn’t simply a theological discussion. The posts against Mormons and Mormonism goes well beyond that. If it were a simple discussion, the Mormo-phobes would be satisfied to simply say “they’re going to hell” and be done with it. But you know it’s much more than that, it runs much deeper than that.


101 posted on 06/13/2011 11:37:18 AM PDT by sand lake bar (This bag may be used as a toy)
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To: Biggirl
What part of THIS is so hard to understand?
102 posted on 06/13/2011 11:45:33 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: sand lake bar
(Your contempt just drips from the screen.)

SLB, I just gotta love ya, man...

...but your lack of knowledge - just drips from the screen.

103 posted on 06/13/2011 11:48:22 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: sand lake bar
I love the way you capitalize “MORMON.”


104 posted on 06/13/2011 11:50:05 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: sand lake bar
Our prima facie case is obvious to anyone browsing these threads.

If it is so obvious: prove it; Accuser.

105 posted on 06/13/2011 11:51:11 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Turtlepower
Why are you concerned about spiritual debates on the Religion forum, since you don't claim to have a Bible-based faith?

A LOT of folks go to DOG FIGHTS that have no dog.

(I suppose the same could be said for cockfights as well...)

106 posted on 06/13/2011 11:52:42 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Elsie

Ball games???


107 posted on 06/13/2011 11:54:18 AM PDT by Utah Binger (Inman FReepers Meet July 23 in Southern Utah JR Too!)
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To: Sherman Logan
The problem, dear, is that a goodly number of the posts on this thread and hundreds of others bear out my point.

Then PROVE it easily by actually SHOWING some; and then we can move on to the next item on the agenda.

108 posted on 06/13/2011 11:54:33 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Elsie

You miss the point. For me to point out that you’re waging a witchhunt, there’s no need for me to by highly knowledgeable about what’s in that book. If you were waging a witchhunt against Buddhists or Unitarians, I wouldn’t need to closely read all of their texts either. All I need is a reasonable amount of knowledge, including knowing that that the beliefs *and acts* of Mormons, Buddhists, or Unitarians pose no threat to me.


109 posted on 06/13/2011 11:55:49 AM PDT by sand lake bar (This bag may be used as a toy)
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To: Sherman Logan
I do think it is odd for others to claim nobody holds this position, in defiance of the massive evidence available to the contrary on FR.

Your Honor; once again a claim has been made to some items that have NOT been placed in EVIDENCE.

If there IS such data, please have it available to be looked at or else the claim will be invalid.

110 posted on 06/13/2011 11:57:01 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Elsie

What would be the point of me reposting what you and others have already posted on this and other threads? My purpose here is not to persuade you to stop doing what you’re doing. My purpose is to mess with you the same way I might mess with any street-level Witchfinder General.

Another reason I don’t repost is because I realize that because you believe you know the truth, you will use that belief to defend every slur you’ve made. To paraphrase Gary Cooper’s Marshal Kane (in High Noon), because someone needs to explain it to you, you’ll never understand it.


111 posted on 06/13/2011 12:01:02 PM PDT by sand lake bar (This bag may be used as a toy)
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To: sand lake bar; Sherman Logan
What claims have I made? (Let’s see if you’ve really been paying attention.)
#42 Oh, there’s many of us here who will defend them against the crap that gets tossed around here.
#56 You actually believe all this stuff and you believe it’s necessary to keep attacking a group of people who are generally good, honest, etc.
#62 Smells a bit like Islamofascism.
#67 Fortunately, you folks are teenie weenie.
#81 Your contempt just drips from the screen.
#82 Our prima facie case is obvious to anyone browsing these threads.
(See Sherman? THIS is how you present your 'evidence. It's called CUT and PASTE.)

112 posted on 06/13/2011 12:07:40 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: sand lake bar
I do it because I feel it's wrong to remain silent when others launch attacks against people of different faiths,

And you've complained to MORMON, Inc. about it's MISSIONARY program?

It's STATUES?


113 posted on 06/13/2011 12:09:49 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Bean Counter
Referring to “The Mormon Question” is just this side of Nazism.

GODWIN's Law!

114 posted on 06/13/2011 12:10:43 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Bean Counter
Take the Mormon hatred someplace else.

OK...


 
 
Praise to the Man!
 
 
Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!
Jesus annointed that Prophet and Seer.
Blessed to open the last dispensation,
Kings shall extol him, and nations revere.

Chorus
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.
 
 

Praise to his mem'ry, he died as a martyr;
Honored and blest be his ever great name!
Long shall his blood, which was shed by assasins,
Plead unto heav'n while the earth lauds his fame.

Chorus
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.

 

Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.
Ever and ever the keys he will hold.
Faithful and true he will enter his kingdom,
Crowned in the midst of the prophets of old.

Chorus
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.

 

Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven;
Earth must atone for the blood of that man.
Wake up the world for the conflict of justice.
Millions shall know 'Brother Joseph' again.
 
Chorus
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with
Gods
, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.


115 posted on 06/13/2011 12:12:52 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: sand lake bar
My claim in post 89 is self evident from the material that the Mormo-phobes keep posting.


Instructions given by Joseph Smith:

          "Doctrine & Covenants" Section 129:
1  There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones;
2  For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 
3  Secondly: the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory. 
When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you. 
5  If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand. 
If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear;
7  Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message. 
8  If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him. 
9  These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.

Joseph Smith,   Nauvoo, Illinois,   February 9, 1843.   History of the Church 5:267


116 posted on 06/13/2011 12:14:37 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Elsie

With all the back and forth, it might be helpful to restate what I’m saying.

My claim is that a good many of those who post here on FR would not vote for any Mormon. Do you disagree?

You seem to be rather aggressively antagonistic to this church. Is there any circumstance in which you would consider voting for a devout Mormon? If not, you pretty much prove my point.

If yes, I’m curious how you square your extreme opposition to Mormonism with voting for one as president. Other than as “the lesser of two weevils,” of course.


117 posted on 06/13/2011 12:15:31 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Elsie
Don't you find it interesting that there are those who admit they know nothing of mormonISM yet want to fight to the death over their perceived biases against mormonISM YET do not express the same outrage over the mormonISM assault against God Himself and Christians that mormonISM practices everyday.
118 posted on 06/13/2011 12:15:44 PM PDT by svcw (Non forgiveness is like holding a hot coal thinking the other person will be blistered)
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To: sand lake bar
No need for me to re-post.

Your Honor, SLB is refering to a trial that was held last year, but has NO evidence for THIS one.

What say ye?

Mistrial or no?

119 posted on 06/13/2011 12:16:03 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Turtlepower
Do you consider yourself the arbitrator of truth?

I have read, in THIS thread, that some things are self evident...

120 posted on 06/13/2011 12:17:17 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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