Romney questioned about interracial marriage stance

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, accompanied by House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speaks at a building supply store in Green Bay, Wis., Monday, April 2, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Steven Senne

HOWARD, Wisconsin - Mitt Romney's faith was thrust into the spotlight on Monday, when a Ron Paul supporter tried to quote a passage from a Mormon text and asked Romney if he believed interracial marriage is a sin.

The question arose during a town hall in this suburb of Green Bay by 28 year-old Bret Hatch, who came prepared with a piece of paper that contained quotes from Mormon scripture.

"I guess a lot of people say that your Mormon faith cannot be a concern in the election," Hatch said as a Romney staffer held a microphone so he could be heard throughout the room. "But I think, it might be, as well as I found these verses from the Mormon book."

Hatch tried to read a section from a religious text that has been quoted by some to suggest racist beliefs in the Church of Latter Day Saints.

"I'm sorry, we're just not going to have a discussion about religion in my view," the former Massachusetts governor said. "But if you have a question, I'll be happy to answer your question."

Hatch then asked Romney if he believed "it's a sin for a white man to marry and procreate with a black woman?"

"No. Next question." Romney responded.

The Mormon Church has been accused in the past of barring interracial marriage, but church officials say emphatically that is not the case.

Romney later returned to the topic of his religion on his own, saying he wanted to speak about "the practices of my faith." He spoke of serving as a pastor in his church for about ten years, an experience he said gave him the opportunity to work with those dealing with personal difficulties such as unemployment, marital problems, and health issues.

"When you get a chance to know people on a very personal basis, whether you're serving as a pastor or perhaps as a counselor or in other kinds of roles," Romney said, "you understand that every kind of person you see is facing some challenges. And one of the reasons I'm running for president of the United States is I want to help people, I want to lighten that burden."

After the town hall was over Hatch told reporters that he considered the subject "an important issue. He's going up against a black guy. He's going against Obama. This is a racial issue."

Hatch said he voted for Ron Paul in 2008 and planned to do so again Tuesday in Wisconsin's primary.

[churchstate]

Grant it The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) - The Mormons in 1979 did begin to allow black men to hold the priesthood in their church, but what puzzles me most is why it took over 30 years for the top LDS church leaders to update The Book of Mormon (the foundation of the teachings of the church) to reflect the changes. It was only recently in 2012 that the changes were made - was the timing a coincidence or a convienence to influence the outcome of the US Presidentail Election?

[Demiourgos]

The question that was put to Romney was rather interesting, IMHO. They asked him whether a white guy could marry and procreate with a black woman, or if it was a sin. I want to know his answer to whether a black man can do the same with a white woman.

There's a very subtle difference within the tribal mentality.

It's seen as a matter of "We're taking their women" vs. "They're taking our women".

Romney's answer was a NON-answer. I would expect him to permit white men taking on black wives. If he's truly not a racist Tribalist, I would need to know whether he supports members of the opposite race 'taking' the females of his race.

Does Romney support black men marrying white woman. That is the key question. This questioner probably asked this question in order to make it appear that Romney is more race-tolerant than he really is. It may well be downright deceptive.

[brown313]

Mitt Romney is so clean people are trying to attack him through the church. They know they can get people riled up playing the race card. How sad and how stupid do these people think we (all races) are. There are over one million blacks in the church. Blacks have been in the church since 1836. Don't be bullied into voting someone else's mind, get the truth at www.blacklds.org

[tacitus7]

The purpose of this election is not to determine whose theology is the most correct. Romney could believe in the tooth fairy for all I care, so long as he will reverse the reckless socialist spending and anti-growth policies of Barack Obama.

[cbsnews_viewer]

Two weeks ago I saw the broadcast from BBC 2 of The Mormon Candidate, a documentary presented by John Sweeney. I watch it on the most popular internet video channel. Mitt Romney provides a path to general discussion of the religion, focusing on various controversies: the fringe polygamists, the special underwear, the secret oaths, the baptisms of the dead, and complaints from ex-members in Utah about shunning and harassment.

[cbsnews_viewer]

Mormonism is to interracial marriage like Romney is to the Presidency; it will bend with-the-times to keep itself in power.

[dibaskin]

I may be wrong for the way I feel but I just have a hard time believing that all of a sudden Mormons love Blacks. I do believe Romney was part of the church when blacks were excluded. Sorry that is just how I feel. I will say out of all the candidates Romney has appeared to be less racist. I have a lot of other reasons to not like him other then whether he likes blacks or not. I don't consider my feeling as wacky since all I have to go by is what they have believed. If I like him on other areas I wouldn't not vote for him unless he came out against Blacks, something I haven't seen him do.

[cbsnews_viewer]

Interracial marriage is to Mormonism like Romney is the Presidency: it will bend with-the-times to keep its self in power.

[Hales_Swift]

In the church interracial marriage is completely allowed. There is some encouragement to make sure you know the person and understand their culture, because its nice for people to have some idea what each other are expecting in a marriage, but we're perfectly willing to marry people of whatever races they may be.

[CR_23]

The reality of things.......

There are thousands upon thousands of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) who are African/African-American. They obviously don't believe the LDS faith to be racist - then why should anyone else?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing fast in Africa in areas such as Nigeria, Ghana, The Congo etc - i.e BLACK Africa. Blacks have access to all blessings of the Church as anyone else of whatever color or race.

My son served his mission for the LDS Church in South Africa, mainly in the townships around Johannesburg - ALL his missionary companions were BLACK.

I don't hear critics of the LDS faith also mentioning the segregation of Black and White Congregations by other 'Christian' faiths in the US - nor do they tell you that at the same time people of African descent were ALWAYS welcome in LDS congregations, despite the restriction on holding the Priesthood for a time. You would NEVER have seen a Black minister in any White Congregations of many other Christian Churches before the 1960's.

The bottom line is that the LDS Church and the Book of Mormon teaches "all are alike unto God'. That is the position of the LDS Church and its members today. Racism has NO part in the LDS Church.

[Reed Markham]

The most important statement from Governor Romney is found in the comment: "I want to help people. I want to lighten that burden." This statement speaks volumes about the perspective of the LDS Church to people throughout the world. Examples of the efforst to lighten the burdens of others can be found in the recent Church welfare program efforts in Haiti, Japan, and many other parts of the world.

[dibaskin]

This is nice but I don't believe a word he says since he changes with the weather and will say or do anything to win. If he really wants to help people he can give some of his riches to the poor like the Bible says. There are poor that aren't lazy and work hard and just can't get ahead. He has enough money to help make things better for some people. What has he done to show he wants to lighten the burden of others?