Free Republic

(CBS News) Pastor Joel Osteen, one of America's most popular religious figures, said on "CBS This Morning" that GOP candidate Mitt Romney believes in Jesus like he does. "What I see about Governor Romney is that he says, 'I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God, he's raised from the dead and he's my savior.' I see him as being a believer in Christ, like me." Charlie Rose said, "That's enough for you?" "That's enough for me," Osteen said. "There's differences in all religion. I realize Mormonism is different from Christianity, but you know what, he's a man of...

Shawnie Cannon is tired of hearing people spit out misinformation and believe rumors about her religion. "We are not barefoot and pregnant," said Cannon, who was born into an inactive Mormon family and found the religion herself at age 12. Cannon and four other Southern Oregon mothers — Kitti Chandler, Kirsten Savage, Heidi Jarvis and Lisa Anderson — have dubbed themselves the "Mysterious Mormon Moms" and banded together to produce a podcast about their religion. The podcast debuted early last month, and aims to dismiss what Cannon believes are common misconceptions about being a Mormon, a member of The Church...

In a press release this afternoon, Club for Growth criticized Newt Gingrich for his attacks on Mitt Romney’s career at Bain Capital, calling them unbecoming a “Reagan Conservative.” Club for Growth’s statement: Yesterday, Gingrich said “Those of us who believe in free markets and those of us who believe that in fact the whole goal of investment is entrepreneurship and job creation…we find it pretty hard to justify rich people figuring out clever legal ways to loot a company, leaving behind 1,700 families without a job.” Gingrich’s attack was echoed that same day that by the Democratic National Committee, which...

Two Christian religions came together in December to present a Christmas concert and to collect food for the local pantry. The interfaith Christmas benefit concert was held at the Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale, New Jersey. The event’s co-host was the Clinton congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “We come together with our common connection being Christ,” said Catholic Monsignor Randall J. Vashon. “We come together in prayerful thanksgiving and music. Indeed, it is a benefit for us all to celebrate that which we have in common.” The program featured combined church choirs, soloists, a combined...

During the time my family and I lived in Europe, we visited the Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark, where many of the Carl Bloch paintings of the Savior are displayed. The paintings are crowded into a small room, sometimes called the King’s Oratory. There is a glass partition on the floor in front of the altar. As we viewed the paintings, our family members took turns explaining what was happening in each one. We progressed from the birth of the Lord through His temptation by the devil and His preaching and healing. When we got to the Crucifixion I said, “And...

On December 19th, 2011, David Archuleta performed his Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. The Lyceum Philharmonic, whose musicians range from 13-18, was invited to perform alongside David.

When the Duggar family announced last week that the baby Michelle was carrying had died in utero, it seemed the Internet couldn’t have any less sympathy toward the fertile-to-a-fault brood. Commenters right here on Salon called them “an obscenity” who are “unfairly crowding the planet with [their] disgusting obsession” and “selfish, polluting choices,” who were, in essence, “asking for it.” Then the Duggars really ticked people off. Making good on their promise to both name and hold a memorial for the baby, the Duggars had a service Wednesday for the child they named Jubilee Shalom Duggar. At it, they shared...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — News reporters and editors from around the country were urged to allow members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to define themselves rather than to exclusively look to sources outside the church for definitions of what it means to be a Mormon or to explain LDS doctrine or history. "Define us by who we are and by our central beliefs rather than who we are not or by obscure or irrelevant beliefs," Michael R. Otterson, managing director of public affairs for the LDS Church, said during a Thursday morning session of a conference called,...

They may seem drastically different: a nonprofit that helps children build lemonade stands, an organization that encourages character building through sports and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But they all have the same underlying goal: to promote economic self-reliance. The LDS Church Thursday was the last stop on a nationwide tour highlighting best practices in economic self-reliance. During a two day conference sponsored by The Philanthropy Roundtable, representatives from charitable foundations across the country took a tour through Welfare Square, the LDS Humanitarian Center and the Bishop's Central Storehouse.

Video of Dad out of work and a struggling family . . .

Known to some is the fact that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormon Church) wear a special kind of underwear in connection with their religion. This is true of most faithful adult members of the Church. (Mormon children are generally dressed the same as any other children.) The special underwear is called a "garment" by Mormons, and it is directly related to Mormon temples. Garments are a symbolic gesture of the promises that Mormons have made to God. The garment is always worn under other clothing, next to the skin. In fact, for most...

University of Virginia political guru Dr. Larry J. Sabato tells Newsmax that President Barack Obama’s re-election machine has launched an anti-Mitt Romney campaign that won’t stop attacking the former Massachusetts governor until Election Day 2012. “They are unloading on him early, and will never stop until Election Day,” Sabato tells Newsmax. “Now, if they can damage Romney early and get a weaker general election opponent like [former House Speaker] Newt Gingrich, they'll be delighted.” His remarks came as the Romney campaign fired back Wednesday at allegations they had distorted Obama’s words for a campaign ad running in New Hampshire. Romney's...

"The Mormon Defense League" is out. "MormonVoices" is in. That change became official Monday, when the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research announced a name change for its website aimed at defending the teachings and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FAIR is a non-profit organization that, according to a press release, is operated by "self-motivated Mormons who seek to improve the public understanding about the church" through conferences, workshops and scholarly articles posted on the organization's websites. While it is dedicated to "providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, beliefs and practices" of the...

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney received a coveted endorsement Sunday from New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte. Ayotte announced her support for Romney at a rally in Nashua, New Hampshire. Ayotte believes Romney is the GOP’s best chance to defeat President Barack Obama. “I have been impressed by the amount of time Mitt Romney has spent in New Hampshire, holding open town hall meetings, answering the tough questions and listening to voters,” Ayotte said in a Romney campaign press release. Ayotte’s popularity in New Hampshire should help Romney, who skipped a conservative Christian forum in Iowa Sunday where several of...

The LDS Church is politically neutral, as is MDL. Mormons hold elected office and positions of responsibility in both US political parties and various parties worldwide. When we respond to any issue regarding politics, we do so only to correct misinformation and misperceptions about the Church, not in an effort to promote a particular candidate or party. Recently, Politico reported that part of President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign strategy will be to portray Mitt Romney, a Mormon and possible Republican presidential nominee, as “weird.” The Politico report did not specifically tie the “weird” charge to Romney’s Mormon faith, but many...

Some public figures have labeled the “Mormon” church as a “cult”. Most recently, ABC News reported that Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress applied such a label in an interview following a political gathering where Jeffress introduced a political rival to Mormon candidate Mitt Romney. Use of such a term to describe Mormonism is highly offensive to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “Cult” carries the connotation of dangerous, even violent groups whose beliefs are irrational and whose practices are immoral and lawless (Koresh and the Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, Aum Shinrikyo, and The People’s Temple are all...

Many years ago I stood at the bedside of a young father as he hovered between life and death. His distraught wife and their two children stood nearby. He took my hand in his and, with a pleading look, said, “Bishop, I know I am about to die. Tell me what happens to my spirit when I do.” I offered a silent prayer for heavenly guidance and noticed on his bedside table a copy of the triple combination. I reached for the book and fanned the pages. Suddenly I discovered that I had, with no effort on my part, stopped...

You might say the oh so very Rev. Robert Jeffress, the Torquemada of Texas, has put the yuck into ecumenical. Or put another way, you're all going to hell. And that means you, by the way. Jewish? Please, don't even think about heaven. Catholic? One word: complete toast. Okay, two words. Muslim? Really, now. Mormon? Cue The Omen theme. And as for Buddhist, Quaker or anything else that doesn't comport with Jeffress' brand of puckered fundamentalist evangelicalism, well, you might as well just go ahead and set yourselves on fire right now. It was the scriptural snake oil salesman Jeffress,...

The creators of the play Book of Mormon have created the Amos and Andy for the South Park set. We may laugh, but our grandchildren will shudder as decent folk do at “wits” of the last century whose favorite dance was to “jump Jim Crow.” The parts of the Book of Mormon I have seen are as innovative as a Newsies revival and as funny as the cruel, tasteless jokes told by an inebriated coworker at a Christmas party. The difference is that the coworker might sober up in the morning, but the mindless mockery that also gave us South...

WASHINGTON — The mother of murdered intern Chandra Levy is asking a judge's permission to attend the trial of the accused killer. In a new legal filing, Modesto resident Susan Levy states she wants the opportunity to be in the courtroom "for the entire trial," set to start Oct. 4. She requires permission to watch because she could also be called to testify. "I'm a mother," Susan Levy explained in a telephone interview Friday. "As hard as it's going to be, it's something a mother has to do."