Reader comments
Hard lessons for LDS Church from Romney's presidential campaign

The Evangical leaders do understand us. They aim to intentionally distort us, including the one who aspires to be president of the USA. It's all about retaining members, money, property, status, power, etc. It's very sad. Bigotry still exist is the United States. They will not prevail. God is in charge. He will take reign. History has proven that over and over. America should wake up and open their eyes to see what is happening and reject these people at the polls.

As someone who only discovered the Mormon faith a few years ago, I hardly knew it even existed. I have allways given close attention to events that shape our country and world. But I must say, I was introduced to the Latter Day Saints religion in a strange way, involving a "wrongfull adoption", of a grand child by the church's family services, which has brought a horrific amount of mental anguish to my family. When I was imformed that it was "LDS", I had no idea what or who this was. Since, I have become somewhat educated, trying to undertand how a "church of faith", could cause this to happen. I believe it was due to the church's well documented stance on removing a child from a single parent and adopting the child, resulting in the child being raised in a home with two "Mormon" parents, in which the haste to acomplish this, has caused this tragedy. But in my opinion, the overall view of America is the mystery of a private, cult-like, religion- mostly unknown to most of us outside the Church. It would do the church well to steer away from unpopular stances, portrayed by the public.

I agree that this has been a wake-up call and that the bigotry has been disheartening. What's surprising to me, however, is that no matter where I have lived, here and abroad, people who know us have, for the most part, been friendly and accepting to me and to others of my faith (I am LDS). This may be why so many of us have been surprised. It appears that thought we have been tolerated by most on the outside, there seems to have been this undercurrent of animosity that caught us completely off guard.

Now let someone LDS (not Romney nor Reid) run for President under the Democratic Party, where the evangelical bloc isn't a factor; where religion isn't as important as policy. Would Utahns, who so strongly supported Romney's bid, support an LDS Democrat in like manner?

I love Jesus Christ, the people, and the good I get from the church. The bad feelings from those outside the church has been with us since the early days of the church. We have brought this on our selves. We as a church have not been honest with our history or treatment of some groups of people. iIt will take a while for us to be accepted. Romney has done some good for the church, but I say to him save your money and try again in 200 years.

The close connection between organized religion and the U.S. government that has occurred over the past 28 years, since Reagan was elected to the office of President has forced the public debate of religion. Personal religious beliefs of candidates for office were once was kept fairly private and out of the public discourse but now have now become "fair game" in the vetting process. Moreover, when an organized religion claims to be the one and only true church of Christ and God and whose members are organized to zealously engage in aggressive recruitment of new members, a backlash should be expected. If the traditional separation of church and state, a foundation upon which this government was built, was again wholly and completely embraced, the privacy and right of personal religious belief issue might be allowed to re-establish itself. The key question facing Mormonism today is whether it is able to extend an olive branch by ameliorating its doctrine and positions relative to other religious systems of belief. Doing so would signal the arrival of the Mormon Church�s position in the mainstream of society and would lessen the tension and help alleviate the animosity and distrust towards Mormonism today.

The general populace has difficulty understanding mormonism because they try to measure and compare it using a christian gauge for reference. Mormonism is better understood using an islamic measure of muslim history and believe.

This article is DEAD WRONG! To attack Mitt Romney is not the same as attacking the Church.

Mitt Romney represents liberalism. The Church represents Truth Restored.

OK, let's make sure we actually read what was printed in the DN. Well before Mitt let it be known that he was going to run for President, the Mormon hurch went out across the nation to calm the waters about Mormanism. You know, the church that says categorically, daily, 24-7-365, that is doesn't get involved in politics. The Mormon church, by its own admission, went out and plowed the ground for its member.

Hmmmmmmmmm. No wonder the rest of the world rejected Mitt. I guess not enough money and time was spent on pouring oil on the raging waters. Was that tithing money? Well spent? Money for the poor? For the farm system? For scholarships for the Y?

Ah mitt, yah really let them down. But they tried to help yah. Love hypocracy, just love it.

Russ, what in the world are you talking about? Why don't you take a few minutes to collect your thoughts and reply with less emotion and more reason.

I think " Paper Boy " is brilliant ! Has it ever occured to the fine LDS supporters of Mitt Romney that he was rejected NOT because of is religion, as much as his "slick" personna ?
And like " Paper Boy " wisely opined, when you go out and tell everyone that your religion is right because God told you so, expect some flack.
Sorry, it was not the church that lost but Romney the man. I am not LDS btw.

We all recognize that whoever wins the bid for the White House is the one person that is able to control their identity. The purpose of campaigns is to get one's identity and values across. The opponent's job is to distort their identity. I don't see this changing. LDS church is part of Mitt's identity, so many in politics see it is as open game. The same if it was a Muslim running. Barak's case it is his Black roots, and Hillary's identity of a woman. Opponents will do what they can to distort their identity in whatever form it may be.

I think the problem is that we as members did not have enough faith. Had we been more faithful, more obedient, put more trust in the Lord, he would have blessed our nation with a president that is not only the most powerful man in the world, but a priesthood holder as well.

We need to BE taller, BE more faithful, BE more obedient. We need to BE better, then the Lord will bless our nation.

The results of these elections have shown us all that religous bigotry is alive and well--not to mention encouraged by other "christian" religions ie. Southern Baptists and Evangelicals. Something they ought to be very proud of. Spreading propaganda in order to confuse and confound.

They obviously fear something that the LDS faith has that they don't possess. Hmmm, I wonder what that could be?

Yes every religion should "ameliorate" their doctrines so they are all roughly the same. Just accommodate what "mainstream" society wants--then it will be real a religion.

Afterall that is what religion is--what man wants--right? The sooner we eradicate how God actually asked us to conduct our lives and switch to what is easier and more convenient for everyone the less "tension" we will all have. That is what Christ was after when He was here on earth--adjusting His doctrines to what was mainstream and easy for people to do. Yes I am sure of it--that is exactly how He ended up on the cross--amelioration of His doctines.

PLEASE!!!!!

I agree with MARK
I think LDS get a bit too critical of others and sometimes condemn the non-members and our in-active brothers and sisters. We need to be gentler and not place ourselves above the rest of the world. We are no better than the next guy if we are full of hate and displaying such to others. It�s time to change our look and do what God would have us do. Hateful vengeful actions will only keep us out of the highest kingdom. As it looks not many of are going to obtain this glory. If we don�t change we can�t expect to dwell with the righteous in the hereafter.

Perhaps Mitt will run again. Don�t give up on him just yet.

Actually, RoseMary, I'm really sorry, but when I posted that it was tongue-in-cheek.

The church that we are discussing here ALWAYS puts the fault on the member. NEVER the church/leaders. Always the member. If you don't feel the spirit, YOU are doing something wrong. You're either not fulfilling your 'calling' well enough, or you don't have enough 'faith', or you're not praying hard enough or some such nonsense.

Mitt Romney didn't make it because of other reasons. God had absolutely NOTHING to do with it.

Mark,
I agree with you as well. You are absolutely correct in what you say. Good thinking. Perhaps some eyes will be opened.
I agree with you also that it was for other reasons that Mitt didn't make it.
Thanks

Facts are facts: The polls showed many people openly stating that they had serious reservations about supporting a Mormon for president. Of course there were other factors that lost votes for Mitt, but religious intolerance against Mormons in general is alive and well.

Although I think Paperboy's worn-out assertion that our problems are all because of the evil bogeyman of "organized religion," sadly he may be right about one thing -- perhaps it's because our missionaries are out knocking on doors, which irritates people like paperboy.

No matter the dispensation, the Lord's Kingdom has never been accepted by the outside. There have been times of relative peace and tolerance, but never an embrace.

The onslaught of biogtry and prejudice that resulted from Romney's campaign was as Robert Millet noted in the article, a bit of "wake up call."

I'm grateful to be a member. I love the Church.

A relevant reminder:

"These things I command you, that ye love one another.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." -John 15:17-19