Rick Perry knew.
If the polls suggest that there is a particular vulnerability in your campaign opponent's resumé, you make a calculated risk by ignoring the weakness. In the south, it is not a secret that evangelical Christians view Mormonism with a wary eye. According to a 2007 survey by the Pew Center, 57 percent of voters identifying themselves as Christians don't think of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as being a part of traditional Christendom. Consequently, logic suggests they might not vote for a person of that faith.
And Rick Perry is not going to ignore those numbers or that logic. The reason the Texas governor informally launched his campaign at a gigantic prayer rally with evangelical southern Christians was to let all of them know that he came from their tribe. He might as well have been telling them, "Vote for me. I'm not a Mormon," which, in a fairly obvious manner, is exactly what he accomplished. Perry did not denounce Mitt Romney's religious belief system but he knew there were others to do that important political work.
Perry's surrogates are running a campaign to spread the word that Christians ought not to support a Mormon for the president. Dallas mega church Pastor Robert Jeffress, who was having a conversation in the hallway after the Value Voters convention, went public with the message that Mormonism was a cult to most Christians. Jeffress found himself, perhaps not accidentally, on most of the political cable talk shows and news networks explaining his perception of Mormonism, and, by extension, speaking for millions of evangelicals. Rick Perry had asked Jeffress to introduce him to the Values Voters convention audience. Perry knew what Jeffress thought, and what he was going to say, on stage and off.
Using a well-established political protocol, though, Rick Perry distanced himself from Jeffress' comments, but just slightly. The standard approach in presidential campaigns is always to have third-party surrogates do the dirty work and allow the candidate to take the high road. In this case, Perry said that he did not believe that Mormonism was a cult. What he did not say, however, was whether he believes the religion is a part of Christendom and whether Mormons are true Christians. And he won't say that because it's not something he believes.
Mitt Romney has not pressed Perry on this question because Romney knows that his religion is an issue for southern evangelicals and the less it is discussed the less harm is done to his campaign, which is why Perry's surrogates will not drop the subject. Romney and Jon Huntsman, who is also a Mormon, have consistently suggested that discussions about their religion are a distracting sideshow from the important issues but Rick Perry and his strategist David Carney are counting on it being a weapon in their political fight for the GOP nomination. The argument that a person's faith ought not to play a role in the debate in the public square falls apart if a Muslim candidate enters the race; consequently, it is of relevance to the Republicans when they look to their nominee.
A conversation over religion in a presidential campaign can lead to some awkward assertions. Mormons might ask how Joseph Smith's never seen tablets are somehow less real than the one(s) on which Moses delivered the Ten Commandments. Is the foundational narrative of Mormonism and the appearance of the Angel Moroni any less believable than the story of a man who rose from the dead, moved a giant boulder in front of his tomb, and ascended into heaven to be with god? This is the discussion the Republican Party does not want to have on the airwaves. If neither Smith's tablets can be produced nor the Ark of the Covenant, how can Christians dismiss Mormons? Is one a story and the other history and where is the empirical proof that exists beyond faith?
Those questions will not be answered in a presidential campaign. There will simply be a continued and orchestrated effort via emails, phone calls, and a whisper campaign that Mitt Romney is part of an alternative belief system and is, therefore, not qualified to be president and Christians ought not to vote for a non-Christian. Perry's Make America Great Again super PAC, run by the governor's old roommate and his former chief of staff Mike Toomey, can be expected to provide resources to get out that message along with the New Apostolic Reformation's Prayer Warrior Network, which has operations in all 50 states.
The Perry family, seeking to distract from the full-frontal assault on Romney's religion, has been working to position the governor and his wife and children as victims. The governor's wife Anita made fatuous and emotional claims that the Perry's were being attacked for their Christian Faith. She offered no proof beyond her glistening eyes because there was none. But there is probably a bitter conversation coming for Republicans on the question of religion. When a presidential candidate like Perry offers up his faith as an attribute that makes him an attractive nominee, he can expect to be scrutinized.
But let them argue over whose god is right. And the voters can focus on how the Republicans are all wrong.
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According to logic, they are all part and parcel of the 2nd century makeover of the 1st century, completely human being, Yehoshua ben Yoseph. What does it matter if the LDS doesn't hold to every part of the the "fundamentalist" wish list? To say US protestant Christianity is fundamentalist is a blatant historical inaccuracy since the spawning mother of Hellenist Rome still exists in the Papal City. She is fundamental Christianity and her fundamental doctrine is rejection of the true 1st century man....take a seat now.....a Torah observant Jew, and feigned acceptance of a non-biological Zeus figure! So as long as the US continues to reject history, they will continue on the misojudaic, hedonistic path of their mother Rome and destroy itself as Rome (the country) destroyed itself by hedonism. It matters not if it is Roman, "neo-fundamentalist", or "Latter Day Saints." They despise Obama so they will vote for any of the myriad artificial flavors of Hellenism. netzarim.co.il
"Joseph Smith's never seen tablets" [golden plates] were seen and handled by many people, eleven of whom gave sworn statements published in every Book of Mormon since 1830.
My father's family was right wing hard core Pentecostal and my mother's family was Morman. My own parents were neither *thank goodness* and didn't discuss the religions of the other family members unless it was to PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN. That's right, folks. Pentecostals believe they have a mandate to force their views on anyone and everyone. When my father's family came around my siblings and I would be confused for we were children being told we were burning in hell for not being Christians and going to the Pentecostal church.
My mother's Morman family was different. Religion was not discussed unless we ask questions. We were loved for who we were, and not demeaned for who we were not. I have wonderful memories of my Morman family while growing up.
The Pentecostals are still haters and we have nothing to do with them.
So, Perry, you can take your religion and shove it for I know how the evangelical's in the South are haters to the MAX!
1. Their faith is so weak that they have to beat their chests about it in order to convince themselves that their faith is strong.
2. They're using their so-called faith as a ploy to sucker in the weak-minde¬d for some kind of political, monetary and/or power gain.
A truly faithful person is confident enough in their faith to be calm and relaxed about it, and not use it as a tool for personal gain.
the world of Texas Governor Rick Perry....
Look at him folks! He don't love Jesus like we do.
...or how about an agnostic or atheist? We've never had a candidate for major office have the courage to say that s/he believes in no religious dogma at all.
Why not? Because it automatically disqualifies you from running for higher office.
That would do. Just so we wouldn't have to listen to them argue about whose god is God.
Mormon officials in three states conspired to abduct and conceal my kids in a series of remote Mormon enclaves in order to immerse them in a completely Mormon environment, despite an order for joint custody. This is the story of a Mormon shunning.
Oregon's landmark 2005 kidnapping law is named "Aaron's Law" after my late son Aaron Cruz, who died in Payson, Utah. Aarons Law (Senate Bill 1041) is designed to remedy several common failures of the criminal and family law systems in preventing and resolving cases of child abduction.
Aarons Law provides abduction victims tools to hold their abductors, and those who provide financial, planning or logistical support to the abduction accountable financially, including religious organizations that engage in shunning, like the Mormons.
Personally, I’m glad Romney’s in the race. The more people understand the ins and outs of Mormonism, the more will reject it. Bring it on, Mitt! You too, Mr. Huntsman.
Every candidate for public office has the right to believe whatever he or she believes, to belong or not belong to any religious organization.
But the public does have a legitimate right to know the specifics of those beliefs, and to vote accordingly.
There is far too much at stake in the election of a President to give candidates a pass on such a fundamental part of their character and how they view the world.
Exactly. It's a win-win for everyone except republicans.
Either they are going to increase their religious tolerance, or they will end up with a candidate with zero chance to convince the center (even less after having played the religion card to eliminate a rival).
Privately practicing if they so choose is fine, but braodcasting loudly and proudly about their devotion is suspect. Especially when their politics points in a less-godly direction.