Are Mitt Romney’s Mormon beliefs something we should worry about?

Charlotte City Buzz Examiner (Examiner.com) ^ | March 21, 2012 | Robert Tilford

[Colofornian]

Mormons are not Christians in the traditional sense. They hold queer beliefs that would shock many people. Some of these beliefs are downright racist and have some black leaders in Charlotte, N.C. very worried what could happen if Romney manages to get elected as President of the United States. Mormon literature says "dark skinned people" are from "the seed of Cain." "According to this doctrine, it is forbidden to have “interracial marriages” with black people and those that do, will be “cursed” …

Their doctrine said the Negro race is cursed as we come from “the seed of Cain."

Yet Romney has said he is proud of his Mormon faith. "I am very proud of my faith and the faith of my fathers," Romney said. "Well, it's true and I love my faith. And I will… distance myself in any way from my faith."

WE SHOULD QUESTION CANDIDATES RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Bill McKeever, founder of Mormonism Research Ministry, a Evangelical Christian ministry challenging the claims of Mormonism, said "people need to ask themselves if Romney's Mormonism will affect them personally, and if so, in what way."

McKeever said it is not rare for Mormons to excuse the comments of their past leaders by classifying them as "speculation or opinion."

"To imply that the ban on blacks holding the priesthood was mere ‘policy' is also misleading," McKeever said.

Jabriel Ballentine, seminarian at Virginia Theological Seminary, said “everyone should question the beliefs of all the candidates”.

"We might not agree with all of the beliefs of any candidate. However, we must pay attention to the implications of one enacting their beliefs," Ballentine said.

SNIP

...The Mormons famously put their heresy this way: “As man is now, God once was. As God is now, man may become.”

[Elsie]

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"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind.

The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings.

This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race--that they should be the 'servant of servants', and they will be, until that curse is removed."

Brigham Young-President and second 'Prophet' of the Mormon Church, 1844-1877- Extract from Journal of Discourses.

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Here are two examples from their 'other testament', the Book of Mormon.

2 Nephi 5: 21 'And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.'

Alma 3: 6 'And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men.'

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August 27, 1954 in an address at Brigham Young University (BYU), Mormon Elder, Mark E Peterson, in speaking to a convention of teachers of religion at the college level, said:

"The discussion on civil rights, especially over the last 20 years, has drawn some very sharp lines. It has blinded the thinking of some of our own people, I believe. They have allowed their political affiliations to color their thinking to some extent.I think I have read enough to give you an idea of what the Negro is after."

"He is not just seeking the opportunity of sitting down in a cafe where white people eat. He isn't just trying to ride on the same streetcar or the same Pullman car with white people. It isn't that he just desires to go to the same theater as the white people. From this, and other interviews I have read, it appears that the Negro seeks absorption with the white race. He will not be satisfied until he achieves it by intermarriage."

"That is his objective and we must face it. We must not allow our feelings to carry us away, nor must we feel so sorry for Negroes that we will open our arms and embrace them with everything we have. Remember the little statement that we used to say about sin, 'First we pity, then endure, then embrace'...."

(Rosa Parks would have probably told Petersen under which wheel of the bus he should go sit.)

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1967, (then) Mormon President Ezra Taft Benson said,

"The Communist program for revolution in America has been in progress for many years and is far advanced. First of all, we must not place the blame upon Negroes. They are merely the unfortunate group that has been selected by professional Communist agitators to be used as the primary source of cannon fodder."

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We are told that on June 8, 1978, it was 'revealed' to the then president, Spencer Kimball, that people of color could now gain entry into the priesthood.

According to the church, Kimball spent many long hours petitioning God, begging him to give worthy black people the priesthood. God finally relented.

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Sometime before the 'revelation' came to chief 'Prophet' Spencer Kimball in June 1978, General Authority, Bruce R McConkie had said:

"The Blacks are denied the Priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty.

The Negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow there from, but this inequality is not of man's origin, it is the Lord's doings."

(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 526-527).

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When Mormon 'Apostle' Mark E Petersen spoke on 'Race Problems- As they affect the Church' at the BYU campus in 1954, the following was also said:

"...if the negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory."

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When Mormon 'Prophet' and second President of the Church, Brigham Young, spoke in 1863 the following was also said:

"Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God is death on the spot. This will always be so."

(Journal of Discourses, Vo. 10, p. 110)

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Yeah; Native Americans are althroughout the Book of MORMON; too.

 

“I saw a striking contrast in the progress of the Indian people today ... they are fast becoming a white and delightsome people.... For years they have been growing delightsome, and they are now becoming white and delightsome, as they were promised.... The children in the home placement program in Utah are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation.

At one meeting a father and mother and their sixteen-year-old daughter were present, the little member girl-sixteen-sitting between the dark father and mother, and it was evident she was several shades lighter than her parents—on the same reservation, in the same hogan, subject to the same sun and wind and weather.... These young members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness.

One white elder jokingly said that he and his companion were donating blood regularly to the hospital in the hope that the process might be accelerated.

 

(Improvement Era, December 1960, pp.922-23). (p. 209)

 

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[Elsie]

Also, there will be a heapin helping of anti-Mormon spam soon to follow, complete with fancy fonts and BOLD print and maybe some nice pictures.

Dang!

It appears that you are a PROPHET!!!

You may want to check your closet to see if there is a MORMON skeleton there.

[Elsie]

Have Mitt Romney’s mormon beliefs ever negatively impacted anything he’s ever accompished or promoted?

Nice question; but, it appears to be the WRONG one.

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Has MORMONism ever butted heads against the United States Government?

[Miss Behave]

Let's put it this way: Does a Mormon believe that if an unbelievers don't convert to Mormonism, they should be KILLED?

[caww]

Well so far Palin hasn’t united the people beind Newt...who is the very best we have. So how much clout she has now is obviously questionable. I wish it were not so but her impact has fizzled. The only one Obama’s responding to is Newt....and of recent Romney as he’s moved up.

[Envisioning]

Have Mitt Romney’s mormon beliefs ever negatively impacted anything he’s ever accompished or promoted?

Where in my post did I even say ANYTHING about Romney's Mormon beliefs?

[Elsie]

Have you NOTHING positive to say about being a NOAHIDE?

[Elsie]

Come on!

Please tell us just WHY The Seven Laws of Noah are SO much better than the Ten Laws of MOSES.

[Envisioning]

Both left and right are going to ream Etch-A-Sketch a new one as soon as he gets the nomination. He was never vetted by Republicans on the Mormon cult issue, this will haunt us.

Bingo!

We seem to be having trouble with that a lot as a country. Vetting that is.

[Elsie]

Both left and right are going to ream Etch-A-Sketch® a new one as soon as he gets the nomination.

It appears that you have access to Indianapolis' own Gary Varvel!!

[Elsie]

... in some way Mormons are generally good folks.

No 'gooder' or 'badder' than the rest of us; but they DO seem to have a LOT more of certain types of sin amounst them.

[Elsie]

Many Mormon beliefs are absolutely silly as you frequently point out...

True, dat; but so MANY of them are downright HERETICAL!!

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THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

SECTION 89

 

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. HC 1: 327–329. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result. The first three verses were originally written as an inspired introduction and description by the Prophet.

 

1–9, Use of wine, strong drinks, tobacco, and hot drinks proscribed; 10–17, Herbs, fruits, flesh, and grain are ordained for the use of man and of animals; 18–21, Obedience to gospel law, including the Word of Wisdom, brings temporal and spiritual blessings.

 

  1 A ^aWord OF Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—

  2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the ^aword of wisdom, showing forth the order and ^bwill of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—

  3 Given for a principle with ^apromise, adapted to the capacity of the ^bweak and the weakest of all ^csaints, who are or can be called saints.

  4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of ^aevils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of ^bconspiring men in the last days, I have ^cwarned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—

  5 That inasmuch as any man ^adrinketh ^bwine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.

  6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, ^apure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.

  7 And, again, ^astrong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.

  8 And again, tobacco is not for the ^abody, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

  9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.

  10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome ^aherbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

  11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with ^aprudence and ^bthanksgiving.

  12 Yea, ^aflesh also of ^bbeasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used ^csparingly;

  13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be ^aused, only in times of winter, or of cold, or ^bfamine.

  14 All ^agrain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

  15 And ^athese hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

  16 All grain is good for the ^afood of man; as also the ^bfruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

  17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

  18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, ^ashall receive ^bhealth in their navel and marrow to their bones;

  19 And shall ^afind ^bwisdom and great ^ctreasures of ^dknowledge, even hidden treasures;

  20 And shall ^arun and not be ^bweary, and shall walk and not faint.

  21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the ^adestroying angel shall ^bpass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

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The Official Scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © 2006 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Rights and use information. Privacy policy.

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I'd just HATE to be an Indiana MORMON these last few days! All this WARM weather and they can NOT eat MEAT!!!!

[Elsie]

I am speaking empirically upon my personal experience with Mormons. You are speaking theoretically.

So your ONLY contact with MORMONs are ones that do NOT follow what their chosen religious organization teaches?

[Elsie]

Does a Mormon believe that if an unbelievers don't convert to Mormonism, they should be KILLED?

Someone else asked a similar question a few days ago:

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I do not feel threatened by it because I don’t think that they will be attempting to convert by the sword.

 

The gruesome be headings of some 40 Ute corpses in 1850, heads stacked in boxes,

and hung by their long hair from the eves of buildings at Fort Utah,

 has long been ignored, “You didn’t see the Indians beheading the Mormons.”

 

-- Historian Robert Carter

[magritte]

Sure! Do you have anything positive to say about whatever religion you happen to be?

[OldNavyVet]

Many .... beliefs are absolutely silly.

"Heaven for climate, hell for society." ... Mark Twain

[Elsie]

Has MORMONism ever butted heads against the United States Government?

...the presidential campaign of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith in 1844: “Challenging Democrat James Polk and Whig Henry Clay, Smith prophesied that if the U.S. Congress did not accede to his demands that ‘they shall be broken up as a government and God shall damn them.’

Smith viewed capturing the presidency as part of the mission of the church.

Well...

Isn't THIS interesting!!

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

I am speaking about the Mormons I have worked with, shopped from, been treated by and met socially. That experience has led me to believe we have no reason to fear that Romney’s religion shall harm us.

[caww]

If Mitt is President, I expect OUR SIDE to hold him to Conservative principles.

LOLOLOLOLOLOOL! Our side has dropped the ball purposely more times than we can count. What makes you even begin to think anyone in congress is going to "fight" for Conservatism. They give it lip service only.

The only man who did that has been shoved aside time and again and that's Newt, and the only man who has proved he can handle congress and bend their arms to Conservatism..and he successfully did so.

But no....instead of supporting this brilliant man with his outstanding record of achievement for Conservatism.....The "people" took the bait the media, Obama and the Elite Republicans set out for them.... and here we are with two no-nothing candidates at the top who will never have the inner strength, or conviction to topple the Obama machine for the good of our country, let alone move congress. Those two are all about themselves and those within their circle...Washington get alongs!

America gets exactly what it deserves for not taking seriously the state of our country and putting the Honorable Newt at the helm to clean the mess up and get it back on course. ....I have no empathy for our people anymore....none...they easily drink the kool-aid they're given...and frankly I don't see any difference between those who voted for Obama and those now voting for Romney or Santorum. ...Both are willingly blinded.

[magritte]

Please tell us just WHY The Seven Laws of Noah are SO much better than the Ten Laws of MOSES.

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Lol, I’ll post this for the lurkers since your Comparative Religions knowledge is limited to whatever is in your cut-n-paste slush pile. Apparently, your main religion is “Anti-Mormon”

The 7 Laws of Noah are for Gentiles.
The 10 Commandments of Moses are for Jews.

That’s pretty much all the God of Abraham had to say on the matter. Good enough for him, good enough for me.