Mitt Romney
Posted on 04/05/2005 8:40:34 PM PDT by Utah Girl
Millions of Americans think John F. Kennedy put to rest the issue of religion in presidential politics when, in 1960, he became the first Roman Catholic to win the White House.
Mitt Romney |
Romney is a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormons. Its members, however, are not considered Christians by a number of other denominations, including the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church, the largest Protestant denominations in America and two faiths whose membership is heavily concentrated in the South.
Given that the South has become a GOP stronghold in recent presidential races, some believe Romney's religion would emerge as an issue there should he seek to become the 44th president.
"I think it likely will matter," said Charles Reagan Wilson, director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi. "I think he will have to be very savvy and skillful in talking with evangelicals, and I don't know what experience he has doing that."
Wilson, who has heard Baptist ministers denounce Mormonism from the pulpit, said the Latter-day Saints are viewed as "an odd religious phenomenon" by Southern evangelicals, most of whom are Republicans. Aggressive Mormon proselytizing has not helped the religion's image in the region, Wilson said.
"In the South we talk about religion, and so he's got to find a way to diffuse the issue of his religion," he said. "He's got to make morality the issue."
"I think he's got a hard row to hoe," Wilson said.
J. Ferrel Guillory, director of the Program on Southern Politics, Media and Public Life at the University of North Carolina, sees the situation differently. Guillory said the fact Romney is Mormon would not be as significant to voters as his positions on issues like abortion and school prayer, his church attendance, whether he is comfortable with his faith, and what sense voters get of his family life.
"It's how he deals with those that are more potent than he being a Mormon rather than a Methodist," Guillory said.
In many ways, Romney is in step with evangelicals. He is a dedicated family man who does not smoke or drink and who has been a church leader.
He is a governor who personally opposes abortion and gay marriage but has said he would never interfere with a woman's right to choose and that he favors benefits for same-sex partners.
Romney rarely speaks about his faith in public, saying religion is a private matter. That stance proved largely a nonissue in his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, and his communications director, Eric P. Fehrnstrom, said recently, "His faith is something he shares with his family, and he keeps it separate from his public duties."
In a national race, however, Romney is certain to face questions about his religion, which has been called a cult.
William E. Gordon Jr., who serves as an expert in comparative religions for the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, would not label the Mormons a cult. But he said there are major theological differences between Southern Baptists and Mormons.
"We believe in a different God, and we believe in a different Jesus, and we believe in a different plan of salvation," Gordon said.
Mormons consider themselves Christians and believe God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate beings; the church leader is a prophet; and the Bible and the Book of Mormon are among four books of scripture. Many people may also associate Latter-day Saints with polygamy, though the church discontinued the practice more than a century ago.
The church was founded in 1830 in New York state by Joseph Smith, who reported he had been in possession of a set of gold plates that were a record of God's dealings with ancient people who lived in the Americas. He reported that he transcribed the plates with divine assistance, and published the record as the Book of Mormon.
Thomas S. Derr, who taught religion and ethics at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., for 42 years, said the Mormon Church is not a Christian faith.
"There's no way that a person with knowledge of history could regard the Mormons . . . as authentically within the Christian tradition," Derr said.
The Rev. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches and a former Pennsylvania congressman, believes Romney's faith will be an issue he will have to deal with should he run for president. Edgar does not, however, think being a Mormon automatically condemns a presidential bid. "I don't think it's a death sentence for a candidate or a super big obstacle," Edgar said. "I do think that people who express what their faith tradition is have to be authentic about expressing it.
"I think Lieberman did that well when he ran for vice president," Edgar said, referring to Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., Al Gore's 2000 running mate. "You know he's an observant Jew, and he's not ashamed of that and you connected with that."
Still, while the polling data may be in short supply, there is evidence voters have been much more accepting of the idea of a Jew, a Catholic or a Baptist running for president than of a Mormon running for the office. In fact, opposition to a Mormon presidential candidate failed to decrease in separate polls taken nearly 32 years apart.
Romney's late father, George, who was also Mormon, ran for president in 1968 when he was the governor of Michigan. He dropped out before the primaries, but in an April 1967 Gallup Poll 17 percent of respondents said they would not vote for a Mormon for president, even if their party "nominated a generally well-qualified person" of the faith. Thirteen percent said they would not vote for a Jew; 8 percent would not vote for a Catholic; and 3 percent would not vote for a Baptist.
A Gallup Poll in February 1999 that repeated the question again found 17 percent of respondents saying they would not vote for a Mormon, while 6 percent opposed a Jew and 4 percent said they would be against a Catholic or a Baptist candidate.
Your opinion and misinformation. Of course I've learned long ago that people would rather believe lies than find out the truth! Anyway, at least you're passionate in your beliefs!!
Actually I did search for the truth. What I wrote is in fact, fact.
Geez BillyBoy do you really think I have time to fly up to Providencetown to spread the word to the scarlet mafia? ;)
Yes, yes, Mitt don' like homomatrimony but he's all about civil onions which the gays in Vidalia country would eat up like .... well I think I've taken that far enough.
Lots of FReepers seem to be willing to compromise (read: abandon) social issues for any candidate they think will lead the fight against the radical Islamists. I guess they think it's more important that foreign enemies aren't able to destroy our freedom than that domestic liberals aren't able to destroy our freedom. I know they're both important but it's easy to lose perspective on that sort of thing.
"Joseph Smith was a sexual pervert."
A chief reason knowledge of such "truths" is so widespread and pervasive is because far too many Mormons are milquetoasts by nature and turn the other cheek so often our heads will soon start spinning like Linda Blair in the Exorcist.
I include myself in that assertion.
Astonishing! It seems you're confusing Mohammed's behavior with that of Joseph Smith.
If Joseph Smith was a "sexual pervert" for practicing polygyny; are Moses, Abraham, Jacob, David, and all the other biblical prophetic figures who ALSO practiced polygyny "sexual perverts" as well?
What about God? Was he also a "sexual pervert" for GIVING David his wives and for describing himself as the husband of TWO women?
Here you are pontificating morality and yet appear to be totally ignorant of the origins of monogamy! Just because monogamy is the CURRENT marital norm doesn't mean it always was such. You obviously don't know fully 88% of all human societies have been polygamous, including the Jews (and the Jewish and Samaritan societies where Jesus and the early Christians were raised); and it is only in the past two centuries that monogamy has triumphed over polygamy.
Here's some things to consider: the Romans were monogamous; the Jews were polygynous. The Bible NOWHERE condemns polygamy as an institution (the Timothy and Titus exhortions were specifically addressed to Roman converts) and the Bible itself approves of polygamy SIX times.
I can provide the passages to any who dispute it.
JFK put the religious question to rest by going down to Texas and swearing to be a bad Catholic.
Thank you. I couldn't have said that better myself.
Comparing Mormons to those posessed by Satan .... wow .... that's a really tempting opening but I'm gonna pass on it this time :) just because I take religion seriesly.
Maybe a Baptist will come along and lay down the hammer tho ;)
Mitt Romney's Dem foe in 2002 for Governor, Shannon O'Brien embarrassed herself mightily during the debates when she asked moderator Tim Russert if he wanted to see her tattoo. She was in favor of lowering the age of consent for abortions from 18 to 16. Finally, her camp's claim that Mitt's use of the word "unbecoming" to describe her behavior as sexist was incredibly over the top. Her insidious attitude didn't sit too well with just enough people to swing the election to Romney.
I do not disagree that there was polygamy in The Old Testament. But that is the differance, its in the old Testament. Those things changed in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus. Read what Jesus says about marriage. We would really have a differant society if we lived the way they do in the Old Testament.
I never thought I would see a defense of polygamy on FR.
His dad was a moderate/liberal republican as well based on what I've heard. He was governor before I was born(60's). I suspect he's similar to his dad on issues.
Baptist reporting for duty!
Mormonism is inherently blasphemous. It's foundational view of God is, quite simply, a standing insult to Divine dignity. It was, as another poster noted, founded by a sexual pervert who not only practiced polygamy, but took other men's wives. He was a con-man whose religion is as obviously false as any religion can be, contradicting the Bible (which it claims to accept) archeology, history, science (on several counts, from Indian DNA to the health effects of coffee), common sense, and itself.
Also they wear ugly underwear.
Pray tell, what EXACTLY did Jesus say about marriage and polygyny in particular?
FYI, Jesus said NOTHING about polygyny vis-a-vis monogamy. Neither did ANY NT writer. It was a non-issue for them. The only NT passages you can cite are 1 Tim 3:2,12 & Titus 1:5-7 where Paul was telling Timothy and Titus, the bishops and deacons there were to ordain from among their Gentile (i.e. Roman) converts need to keep adhering to the Roman law of monogamy. Naturally, since they were Romans and only the natural-born Jews had the exemption that allowed them to continue practicing polygyny and still remain Roman citizens.
Do you want to know why the Bible never opposes polygyny? Because polygyny was the NORMAL marital state of Jewish and Samaritan society - it lasted well into the 17th century. It would be absurd for Jesus to condemn polygyny when the Hebrew Scriptures make it very clear YHWH himself GAVE multiple wives to King David and would've given him MORE wives if David wanted additional wives.
FWIW, here are the six biblical passages I mentioned that PROVE polygamy, as an institution, is not a sin:
(1) 2 Chro 24:3,16 (Jehoiada was a polygynist and was righteous before God)
(2) 1 Kings 15:5 (David’s only sin despite being a polygamist, was concerning his affair with Bath-sheba and having her husband Uriah killed. If polygamy was a sin; why didn’t God say so, and why did God do the giving - 2 Sam 12:7-8?)
(3) Matt 8:11 (Abraham and Jacob were polygynists. What are they doing in heaven if polygamy is such an abomination?)
(4) 1 Sam 1:1-3 (Elkanah was a polygynist and was blessed by God - 1 Sam 2:20-21)
(5) Ezek 23:1-4 (God refers to himself as the husband of TWO wives! If polygamy itself was such an abomination, why did God use this “abomination” as the bedrock of his teaching in this chapter?)
(6) Matt 25 (Jesus referred to himself as the groom of the church which is represented by numerous brides. If polygamy is so evil, why did Christ utilize such an evil to teach an eternal truth?)
You see, people in our society (such as yourself apparently) have been conditioned into a knee-jerk reaction against polygyny without realizing it is actually monogamy that is the abberration to the human condition. The funny thing is there are many things in the Bible (and even in the NT in particular) that are explicitly condemned such as remarriage of divorcees; homosexuality; women speaking in church; eating blood products; etc. and yet our society disregards them. The first is actually practiced like a sacrament! And yet "Christians" like yourself don't find it odd something that is never condemned like polygyny is viewed as a great sin whereas these others aren't?
Polygyny is NOT adultery. Adultery is defined as having sexual relations with someone who isn't one's spouse. Polygyny is identical to monogamy whereby both parties are joined by marriage. It just so happens one gender contains more than one person.
I'm not advocating polygyny, neither am I saying we should abandon monogamy. I'm not going to take a second wife while still together with my current one. All I'm doing is pointing out the truth.
Oh really? Care to elaborate O bigoted one?
"It's foundational view of God is, quite simply, a standing insult to Divine dignity."
This I gotta see.
Also, the biblical contradiction you mentioned.
The ironic thing is I've lost interest in defending Mormonism - I barely attend church anymore and then people like you invariably show up and spout idiotic denunciations oozing self-righteous hypocrisy which drags me back into Mormonism all over again. Thanks a lot!
Not true! Just like the MSM lies today to move their agenda foward so have others about Joseph Smith. But go ahead and believe it!
Add killing terrorists to that list, and he's got my vote.
I'm not mormon, but I disagree.
Such mindless religious bigotry paints you as a liberal, not a conservative.
So, if the GOP candidate for President was pro-life, pro-guns, pro-tax cuts, pro-border control and pro-killing terrorists but happened to be a member of the LDS, you would rather have Hillary Clinton in the White House?
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.