Comments on: Romney Foes Mount Anti-Mormon Campaign

Campaign Prepared To Strongly Oppose Efforts To Paint Religion In Negative Light

[randalds]

No problem.

[dannylw]

I apologize, Rand.

[randalds]

Posted by dannylw at 05:56 PM : May 16, 2007

I wasn't relying to anyone. Just putting my thoughts out there.

[dannylw]

RanalDS, you know that is not what I was saying. Does you care to respond to my reasoning? I am trying to be civil and reasonable. Thank you for any thoughts.

[randalds]

I love it when fundamentalist Christian evangelicals start throwing around charges that other Christians in other Christian churches or who have other Christian beliefs aren't really Christians because they're not the same kind of Christian or as Christian as they are! LOL!

To paraphrase the only creature who ever existed who is worth worshipping, the one, the only, the GREAT Bugs Bunny, "What a bunch of maroons!"

[dannylw]

Its funny to hear people talk about how Mormons aren't Christians, etc. I would ask any "Christian" why he or she is a Christian. Is it because he/she believes in the Bible? Is it because of what a parent or minister has taught him/her? No one here was alive when Christ was on the earth. No one here watched the disciples write the books of the modern day Bible. Everyone that is actually Christian (Christ-like is actually a better way to say it) does so because of faith in something he/she can't prove. But no way can there be other scriptures that testify of God's interaction with mankind, no way can there be modern day revelation from our Heavenly Father. Tell me, does this make sense?

[woman76]

Conservative voters care about conservative values. Yet the leading candidate in the conservative party, Rudy Giuliani, has had a least one affair, possibly more. Why is the media ignoring the adultery? The liberal media wants a liberal in office, so the obvious strategy is ignore the subject, slant everything in Giuliani's favor and then trash him after he wins the GOP nomination. Hilary looks like one of the innocent victims, and Giuliani a tyrant. Who else is going to make Hilary look so good?

Poor America, manipulated by the media.

Does America really care about the "Mormon issue" or is it the media's tactic to abolish the most formidable opponent?

[conspiracygirl]

There's a great Republican candidate out there who has lived his life admirably and with integrity, and whose principles are in harmony with what most Republicans profess to believe.

Yet I read in blogs that voters prefer candidates who cheat on their wives
and otherwise behave abominably. Sometimes I get pretty discouraged at the direction people are willing to go in order to preserve their bigotry.

I just read a comment from someone who stated she wouldn't vote for Romney because Mormons think they have to earn their way to heaven -- and don't think they are instantly saved by Jesus.

Well, if Mormons have to earn their way to heaven, then what are the chances that Romney is going to do something shortsighted and wicked whilst in office...? Not terribly high.

When Clinton was messing around in the Oval Office, Republicans were united in affirming that a man who would lie to his wife would lie to the entire country. Now they are saying they'd prefer liars to an honest man because...?

Romney is something that the other guys are supposed to be, but aren't, because they don't have to be. And therefore it is WRONG to actually BE good, because that doesn't show enough faith in Jesus.

How is being a less honorable and less capable president a good thing for America? Is our world situation so rosy that Americans can afford to indulge their favorite prejudices for another decade?

[ixoye_02]

I will have to disagree with DroppingBy on the point that there are informed Christians who do serve the poor and needy and who also know that fundamentally Mormonism isn't aligned with orthodox christianity. Catholics and most protestant denominations have the same fundamental understanding of Jesus Christ. The fact that mormonism teaches that righteous married men eventually become "gods" in the "celestial" places goes against fundamental christian faith and teaching. And their masonic-inspired rituals and practices have no basis in old or new testament. Certainly Mormons teach and preach "upright" living and are probably no different from conservative christians as far as lifestyle. But that doesn't mean that their theology is christian. I was proselytized by mormons for years and considered their message. But, I eventually decided that the message and the revelation of Joseph Smith was not christian. They are a church of Jesus Christ in name only but they really worship the words of Joseph Smith and his successors.

[jsweeney67]

In following the discussion of the Romney campaign, I%u2019ve had occasion to read the comments of many Mormons attempting to answer criticism of their faith. It is impressive how well Mormons have learned and integrated the teachings of their church into their discourse with others. However, I%u2019ve noticed a pattern of echoing boilerplate rhetoric that actually serves more to divert than to inform.

Most common and unfortunately specious is the %u201Cif you want to know about Mormonism ask a Mormon%u201D suggestion. It might sound logical; however it presupposes that Mormon believers are the only ones who can become conversant about Mormonism. In fact, anyone can read Mormon scripture and other Mormon writing, listen to their words, and form opinions about how well they match up with the doctrines and teachings of other faiths. If Mormonism were defending itself in a court of law, we certainly wouldn%u2019t determine guilt or innocence by asking the defendant. In a search for the truth, it would be non-Mormon experts who would offer the most unbiased perspective, and most people you talk to will have an innate sense of this.

If Mormons intend to make cogent arguments defending their faith, they will have to do so by addressing opposing arguments rather than directing the conversation toward comfortable talking points or complaining about semantics.

[droppingby]

It may just be wishful thinking on my part, but I really think evangelicals shoot themselves in the foot when they do things like this. It just makes them seem so paranoid. If anyone has ever met a Mormon, been a classmate, neighbor, co-worker, or relative of a Mormon, these kinds of attacks fall utterly flat and -- I think, in the long-run -- quite help the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by making it seem like it's being unfairly maligned (which, of course, it is).

Christians (of every stripe) would be wiser, I think, to actually spend their time serving others, helping the poor, visiting the sick and elderly, seeking out the lonely -- rather than ignorantly bashing a faith they clearly do not understand.

Ken Kuykendall
MormonCentury.org

[infidel_us]

Mitt should get the Osmond Brothers in on his campaign. Donny, where are you when we need you most?!?!?!? :)

[cpaide]

I thought that Romney's father put an end to anti-Mormon attacks on presidential candidates when he ran for president. Or maybe it was Senator Hatch when he ran for president. Maybe it will never end.

JFK was able to charm his way into the presidency despite his religion; however, it didn't eliminate the negative perceptions that most Americans have of Catholic presidential candidates. We haven't had another Catholic president since then.

Of course, we haven't had a Jew, Seventh-day Adventist, Christian Scientist, Jehovah's Witness, woman, black, etc., etc. president either. The odd thing is that these "outsiders" are some of the most bigoted people around and that many of them are liberal Democrats!

[jerr11]

Mitt Romney is a saint compared to that self righteous Falwell who died yesterday.

Falwell, the leader of the "Immoral Majority" advocated hate and division. Very appropriate he died in a city that celebrates the southern sport of lynching in its name.

My only problem with Romney is with that permanent tan of his. Vain, vain!