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.
Close; but no cigar.
I felt in my busom that you might be lurking...
For me to point out that you’re Wiener's TWEET buddy, it doesn't require me to show any e-mails to that effect.
I just LOVE the smell of LOGIC in the morning!
To prove to everyone else that what you are claiming actually exists.
YOU made the fantastic claims; YOU have to so show at least SOME evidence; or the assumption will be that you are a mere vapor; an Accuser with NO facts: just like the MSM.
Your Honor, SLB has just admitted that his lawsuit is FRIVOLOUS!
Have him held in contempt of court and warn him that his license to practice FREEPING is in danger.
Nope.
You seem to be rather aggressively antagonistic to this church.
DUH!
Is there any circumstance in which you would consider voting for a devout Mormon?
Sure!
Do you KNOW of any that are running?
I'll bet you are!
One does NOT have to sign a non-disclosure form to post on FR.
However, a ‘devout Mormon’ MUST pass a TR inquisition yearly to stay ‘devout’.
(Do ya wear yer GARMENT?)
(Do ya keep the Wow?)
You’re being hypocritical because you feel so strongly that Christians are wrong that you’re willing to label them and anyone who disagrees with you as “bigots”. Why don’t you practice what you preach?
Instead, you are merely stating your OPINION that what I speak is not the truth, when really you don’t know yourself what the truth is. You seem to see yourself as the arbitrator of truth, as if you are God. How do you know that I don’t know the truth? The only way you can state that with 100% certainty is if you absolutely have the truth and know that what I’m saying is absolutely false.
You engage in mind reading and assumptions of others’ motives and believe that what you state is absolutely fact.
If you bothered to try to understand where many of the posters in these threads come from instead of instantly claiming they are false and have evil motives, you might understand that they sincerely believe that mormons are being led astray by a false religion. Devout Christians would never say, “they’re going to Hell” and be done with it, because they have love for those that are perishing and truly wish that others, such as yourself, would embrace The Savior.
You also stated that Mormonism poses no threat to your freedom or country, but again, you have completely ignored the bigger issue, which is the eternal state of one’s soul. If you think the only things worth caring about are of a political nature then are completely missing the bigger picture. Posters on the Religion forum desire to tackle spiritual issues that are of more concern to them than just the temporary things of this world.
Do you find Elsie to have, how shall I state it? Bewitching characteristics?
Just wonderin'...
'Cause it seems to me that the people who like to paint other posters as religiously intolerant seem to be mighty intolerant religiously of other posters...
How self-refuting is that???
Seems to me that if you're preachin' the liberal line of tolerance, then why are you tolerant toward Elsie's religious views?
What should we believe: Your sermon topic of the day, or your practice of intolerance toward Elsie?
place marker
Oh sweet ride. Very nice.
Here comes the silencing threat.
As they say, if you can’t take the heat. I’m not dissing anyone’s religious views. I’m merely standing up against the obvious anti-Mormon stand taken by a handful of people here. And once again I’ll repeat, those who toss around the word “heresy” need to be watched closely.
No; it's a fact.
Speaking of which - you've not produced any.
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