Posted on 06/30/2007 11:32:18 AM PDT by Calpernia
GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, courting Iowa conservatives, found himself answering questions Saturday about the role his Mormon faith would play should he win the race.
Romney told one questioner "we have exactly the same values" and said there is no religious litmus test for candidates. The former Massachusetts governor dismissed suggestions of a conflict between his religion and his ability to govern. He also hastened to offer assurances of his faith.
"The Bible for me is the word of God," Romney said. "I also believe that Jesus Christ is my savior."
The questions arose as Romney prepared to join five other Republican candidates at a forum sponsored by two of the most important forces in Iowa Republican politics _ the Iowa Christian Alliance and Iowans for Tax Relief.
Many conservative Christians are quietly nervous about Romney's religion and the issue surfaced as Romney opened his campaigning at a forum in Pella, about 40 miles south of Des Moines.
Mary Van Steenis asked Romney how he would ponder important decisions as president and which source of inspiration he would seek.
"Where would the Bible be in that process?" she asked. "Would it be above the Book of Mormon or would it be beneath it?"
"I don't know that there's any conflict at all between the values of great faiths like mine, like yours, like other faiths, like Jews who don't believe in the New Testament," Romney said.
"People of faith have different doctrines and different beliefs on various topics of a theological nature. But in terms of what it is we are going to believe and also based on our values for our country, I think we come from the same place," Romney said.
The answer did not satisfy Van Steenis.
"I asked if you had to look to one source what would it be? He didn't really respond to that," she told reporters after the event. "This is serious to me."
Romney said he thinks that as people "look at me and my values and look at my family and myself they'll recognize that we have exactly the same values. This is a nation where people come from different faiths, different doctrines and different churches."
Romney aide Eric Fehrnstrom quickly issued a statement to reporters that said Romney took the oath of office as governor on his family Bible.
"He swore to follow the constitution and uphold the laws of the land," said Fehrnstrom. "That would continue to be his highest duty as president."
Some of Romney's critics says he has shifted his views on positions such as abortion and gay rights as he moves from governor to presidential contender.
Romney sought to assure activists of his hard-line views. He said the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in 1973 should be overturned and states should be allowed to decide the issue.
He also said he fought an overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature in Boston by pushing for the death sentence during his time in office.
Romney and his rivals _ minus top tier candidates Rudy Giuliani and John McCain _ were scheduled to appear at the forum. Joining Romney were Tommy Thompson, Mike Huckabee, Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo and Jim Gilmore.
LOL
Mitt should ignore the nuts who want a religious test for the Presidency, you are not going to influence such people anyway.
Mitt is a good man with strong family values, conservative and a supporter of capitalism and free markets, thats good enough for Republican voters.
So, I am nuts because I want the Pope to remain an Observer to the UN?
Nuts are those who want a religious test for the office of the Presidency.
The Republican nominee should be conservative and of sound morals and character, these are the necessary qualifications.
Interesting...but unfortunately, there are too many flaggerate, illogical, unscriptual, and unbiblical prophecies your self-proclaimed prophet has certainly gotten totally wrong. Therefore, no doubt making him a FALSE profit as well as your religion spuriously outside of Christianity classifying it rightly as a known cult.
I don't have time, and I doubt you'd read my responses. I have to take off with the Grandkids and see the In-laws. In Genesis; God refers to himself in the plural. Why? That alone will answer more than a few of your 'points'.
I'd be glad to discuss any/all of the point you made below. I don't need to even reference the Book of Mormon to support them - that alone should give you pause. Have you actually studied the bible yourself - or have you had someone else teach you what they considered important? I suspect you have gaping chasms of learning to do.
Ditto. I disagree with Romney on theological beliefs (welcome to America), but many of his political positions on government, fiscal, terrorism, crime, economics, taxes and etc I do agree with. On a personal level, he seems to manage his familly well (one wife, wholesome kids) gives you a clue that he personally has his stuff together. If one cannot manage his own wife and children, one should not be head of the church (Ephesians, section on qualification for the head of the church, which also serves as a good guideline for how to be head of the familly and chosing your leaders). I think that is one of the problems with our leaders, politicians, elites and celebrities, despite wealth and power, they are never happy nor fullfilled, and thus end up with destructive behavior (substance abuse, adultery, and etc). And we are willing to overlook that and put many of them into power.
Since his religion doesn’t recognize any other Christians, that is a valid and important question [Holy See status].
Do Catholics really recognise other non-Catholic Churches as legitimate.
There are pentacostals who dont recognise other non-pentacostals as Christian groups.
Infact there are many Christian groups who consider their Church as real and others not which does not belong to their group.
This is a silly question and Mitt does not have to answer it.
This thread is about religion
I'm more concerned about his state mandated interference with healthcare and the private citizen.
He should be ostracized for the concept alone.
>>>>This is a silly question and Mitt does not have to answer it.
If he wants my vote he does. If he wants the vote of the Catholic community, he does. I can throw in segments of Protestants that recognize the Pope as our Christian guidence.
This is the Iowa conference. It is a Presidential Conference. It is live today.
I agree with you completely.
It concerns me that we almost have a theological litmus test. We can pick and choose doctrines of many faiths whether it be Mormon, Catholic, Episocopalian, etc that we disagree with. Political philosophy and not theological philosophy should be our litmus test.
Well good for you. His religion issue is relevant in reference to my post 1.
Fine but you are anti LDS, so this thread will turn about religion about LDS Freepers be they for Mitt or not many are not for Mitt.
But I am bothered by his shifty way of dodging questions. We see a pretty good example of it right here.
As soon as I heard about Mitt transporting his dog for long distances on the roof of the family car, I concluded that he’s not the man for me. No one that mistreats an animal is worthy to run America.
Some will argue that it happened a quarter of a century ago — but he still defends it today, so it is current.
It probably sounds like a silly litmus test to some — but I believe that one’s treatment of dumb animals reveals their true makeup.
Maybe for your vote, if you think all Catholics are the same as you then you are mistaken.
I am a Christian(Protestant denomination) and I have no problem in supporting Mitt for the Presidency. He does not have to answer such ridiculous questions, most clear thinking voters dont care about such things for their voters.
Correction.. it should read
most clear thinking voters dont care about such things for their votes and the qualifications necessary for the office of the Presidency.
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