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Mitt dodges questions about LDS faith
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Have you all missed that last 187 years of religious and political history in America?
Evangelical and Fundamental Christians are ticked that they don't have a man in the race. Bob Jones was hardly enthusiastic with his endorsement of Romney. And remember that these folks are Trinitarians, which means that they are always going to scowl at the Latter-day Saint concept of deity.
The question was really stupid if you ask me, it should be asked of those who say they are afraid of or would not vote for someone just because of their religion.
He's already claimed that a weird novel by the scientologist guy was his favorite. Could there be anything stranger for him to believe?
Most voters already know about Catholicism, Judism and the other orthodox Protestant factions. Mormonism is a mystery outside of Utah.
Since proselytism is a huge part of Mormonism, this looks like an excellent opportunity for Mitt Romney to talk about it.
also,... the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has always held a neutral position on political candidates. The issue is addressed before each election.
Besides, when has the LDS church been straightforward about beliefs which are controversial? Believing you become a god? Issues of native americans and blacks? etc.
People are afraid of these things because they haven't heard them before. To them it's no less odd than Scientology. To many the LDS church is a cult (if you haven't heard this, do some research, it's wide-spread) due to their communal beginnings.
Anyway, the point is Mitt dodges the questions because he can't answer them all and not be thought of as odd by the American public. So he never will.
You can thank the originator of this, The Reagan administration for hijacking the word "liberal" to demonize an entire political party. Watch how often this word is used today.
I think it may be payback time.
Fraser's character answers angrily that his roommate never mentioned his own religion (which happened to be Methodist.) The roommate weakly answered that "that's different."
Why is Romney's religion "different"? Why does he have to answer an inquisition about what Mormons believe (as if we could ever agree on that -- are we talking Benson/Skousen Mormons, Sunstoners, world-wife Marriott Mormons, latitudinarian Thomist-influenced Mormons like me, or what have you)?
Romney ought to declare himself proud of the faith of his fathers and leave it at that. He's not responsible for every aspect of historical Mormonism that people might find controversial, any more than we'd expect Rudy Giuliani to take ownership of Aquinas' justifications for executing heretics. He should make it clear that his personal faith is his own business, and that people should be cautious in automatically assuming too much about his personal beliefs from the mere fact of his Mormonism.
He might paraphrase Henry of Navarre, and say "Washington is not worth a mass." (Or a praise-band session, or whatever megachurches have.)
Although I should point out that I do think the world of my wife. Must've been a Freudian slip.
Man at forum asks why voters fear Mormonism
By Suzanne Struglinski
Suzanne,
Why did you choose that headline for the story? What was your goal in doing so? I do not see how he "dodged" the question at all, as you allege, and see this as nothing but an opportunity to denigrate Mitt Romney.
I can tell you that this is a question I have pondered for several years, and have not answered in my own mind. The only partial answer I came up with is that we believe in modern day revelation, and while they say they do, that is what they do not accept; and while we believe God can do anything, they question.
A simplistic response, I suppose, but from the heart, none-the-less. I can tell you that it hurts to have a church I Know to be true, beliefs I Know to be true and my belief in My Savior, which I Know to be Jesus Christ maligned and misrepresented by others who SAY they believe the same thing, in America (founded on religious freedom) by Americans who say they believe in that same thing. It is very disillusioning.
Surely you must know how that must rankle your fellow Americans?
Jimbo the American needs to come clean about his beliefs so we can disect them for all the world to see...I bet we could find out he is just a small minded bigot with no lernin' but what he was taught at the local KKK.
"We Mormons don't believe in forcing our religion on anybody..." (Rich, 5:59 pm
Care to tell to two Mormon missionaries who were just at my door?
Romney can start off by saying infant baptism is an abomination (as it says in D&C and Moroni) so vote for me.
Giuliani can speak his peace and in the end both can shake hands and smile at each other.
Many Christians believe in creationism, and that it took 7 earth days to create the earth. Others believe in intelligent design.
When my non-LDS friends (several are Jewish)ask me about my beliefs, I am very general with them, and they respect that (The Jewish religion is very "peculiar" also, and there was no one drilling Lieberman about circumcision with stones or animal sacrifice). I probably share my deepest beliefs about my father in heaven only with my wife.
I do not trust people who wear their religion on their sleeves. I respect Mr. Romney's right not to share his most personal beliefs.
It's too bad we can't look at the person and know him by his works.
Ben g. have no fears, when mitt wins the election for president he will have to much to do as president, to open up nations of the earth to the mormons.
As a president over cival affairs, he will not have time worry about sending out Mormon Missionaries.
Sending out missionaries is the full responsibity of the Church leaders. who hold completly differant resposibilities.
The constitution states there shall be NO Church run by the government. Which means government has no authority to regulate religion.
If the constitution did not make that clear, the Church Of Jesus Of Latter-Day Saints would. The leaders of the church will allow no political meetings in thier buildings, so never fear the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints will never team up with the united states Government.
The President Of The United has the right to meet with whomsoever he pleases to meet with, as all presidents has in the past. He may recieve council from leaders of the church, but he and he alone will have to make the decisions.
BE HAPPY.
I am LDS and I know that at my job, my secret motive is to get the people that I work with hypnotized into my satanistic plan of getting more missionaries into different countries through humanitarian services, helping them lead heathier lives and working on their relationship with their father in heaven. You, sir have found out the mormon secret. They will hunt you down and find you. Don't try to hide, you can't. The Mormons are gonna get you.
How can you be so paranoid at 7:56 AM? I don't usually start hearing vioces until early afternoon.
Anyhow, back to the first comment in this whole thread. Please help enlighten me on why it is that he refused to answer, not dodged?
I have always thought refusing to answer was explicitly stating that you wouldn't answer, along with that dodging is pretending to answer, but not.
Sir, you need to go back to Sunday School. Traditional Christian doctrine, as stated in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, is that Christ is fully God and fully man. (That's "man" as in genus homo, species sapiens, same as us.) Mormon doctrine is in accord. (Mormons reject the Nicene Creed for other reasons having to do with the precise nature of the unity of God.)
Jesus is emphatically *not* a "different species" than man, under either Mormon or traditional Christian theology.
You seriously need to get out more...You'll go blind reading so much Anti...Oh wait it's too late!
Not the white cane kind of blind, but the bigoted can't see the forest for the trees kind of blind.
Contrary to what some posters believe, most people find Mormon missionaries (or for that matter JW's or Billy Graham Ministries reps.) to be irritating and invasive. Mormons are still a fairly insular ethnic group that many Americans do not relate to. To make a point, typical LDS "ethnic" names would be Allred, Barlow, Bennion, Cannon, Hatch, etc, etc. Also, Romney is perceived to be very close to the LDS power structure, while Harry Reid is not.
Cirrus: Where are your statistics to back up your wild assumptions, ie: "most people," "Romney is preceived to be very close," "fairly insular ethnic group that many Americans," "and is not going to change," and "is going to be affected."
I spent a year in Southeast Asia and when I came home many of our freedoms had been taken away. When the government gives away money it has to take it from someone. If the Democrats win we will face gigantic losses to our freedom. Political correctness, rights for perverts, rights for criminals, murdering unborn babies are just a few of the bad things that are happening now. Put Hillary and office and say GOOD BYE, AMERICA and welcome tolatarianism. Romney is our best hope to stop this from happening. May God Bless Mitt.
Harry Reid is an embarrassment to the church!
From my perspective the only 2 questions that Romney should answer is does he believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith; and whether or not the Book of Mormon is true. All indications so far is that he refuses to answer or does not believe it.
As far as being insular, Mormons state themselves that they are a "peculiar people". They call non-Mormons "Gentiles", and that is not exactly a compliment.
This is not to say that Mormons are awful people as every group has its quirks. FYI, I will be voting for a Mormon in an upcoming local election.
However, political analysts are saying that in some fundamentalist areas such as the South, Mormons are not very popular. And they are crucial areas in the upcoming election. Again, feel free to research this subject further yourself.
Hilter killed 11 million people because of differences. Learn from the past and find the common ground- that is were tolerance is born. Only then can you appreciate the differences- because without it we would all be pretty boring.
Romney simply stated the common ground he has with Americans and Christians and running for President of the United States is no forum for explaining the LDS beliefs or contemplating on why others are "scared" of having a Mormon president.
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