Mitt Romney is many things. An entrepreneur, family man, a multi-millionaire, a politician. He is also a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In other words, a Mormon.
Horrors! Those people?
If you thought we went down this "attack Mormons" road four years ago, and it's a non-issue because voters and the media are more enlightened now, guess again.
In the last day, the tabloid website Gawker published an article, using two anonymous sources, that mocked Romney for his religious beliefs. The "charge" is that Romney converted his self-proclaimed atheist father-in-law to Mormonism posthumously.
Gawker, calling the practice "strange" and disrespectful, writes: "It's an exceedingly odd way for the Romney family to honor the memory of a man who was committed, for his entire life, to the notion that organized religion is a fraud."
In other words: if Romney's beliefs, rituals and religious practices aren't within an arbitrary sphere of normal, it's appropriate to judge him and presumably his ability to govern America.
As a side note, the practice was commonly used to convert Jews and Catholics (of which I am one) posthumously. It rightfully came under fire and in 1995, Mormons ceased the practice of converting -- after death - souls of people who belonged to religions other than Mormonism and thereby seemingly acknowledging and accepting other peoples' religious beliefs.
It's worth noting Gawker is writing about the "strange" practice four days before a crucial Republican vote in Florida. Hey, politics is dirty, I get that. And, I'm not saying that the Romney campaign isn't taking a no-holds-barred approach to attacking other candidates, especially Newt Gingrich. If you watched Tuesday's CNN debate, you know the gloves are off and that attack is the new black.
It doesn't matter where this oppo is coming from. What does matter is that in the land of the free - where the right to religious freedom is written into the First Amendment - anyone would mock the tenets and beliefs of an organized religion. Especially one that claims 13 million followers worldwide, nearly the same as the number of Jews.
Every person's religion or lack thereof can be perceived as bizarre. Catholics believe that Jesus' mother's body was taken into heaven; Many Jews hold a bris ceremony where a rabbi circumcises an 8 day-old boy in a room full of guests.
Unfortunately, this is the kind of ammo that could sink Romney's presidential aspirations come fall if he wins the Republican nomination and Americans are faced with voting for a black Democrat or voting for a Mormon.
Many people I've spoken to about Gawker's hit job snicker and shrug that they've always thought Mormonism was "weird." All you have to do is sit in a red velvet seat on Broadway for two hours and listen to the audience howling at the Tony-winning musical Book of Mormon song "I Believe" to know that freedom of religion is on permanent hiatus and mockery is alive and well. In case you've missed the well-acted, well-produced spectacle, cue the music:
"I believe that God lives on a planet called Kolob.
I believe that Jesus has his own planet as well.
And I believe that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri.
If you believe, the Lord will reveal it.
And you'll know it's all true. You'll just feel it."
While I understand the musical is satire and yes, I did laugh during parts of the show, what I don't understand is why voters, not theatergoers out for a night of entertainment, delight in mocking a presumably faithful man's religion, but others are just fine with fellow candidate Newt Gingrich's uncanny ability to convince two women at a time, a wife and a mistress, to love him. At last check adultery is something that the Bible condemns. And it's likely even atheists would believe that it's not a good idea to uh, bed another women while married.
If you want to talk character, look a little closer at the "strange" Mormon Romney. He has never attacked fellow candidate Newt Gingrich for his three wives and two affairs. Or for allegedly asking wife number two for an "open marriage." Or for calling his second wife at her mother's birthday party to ask for a divorce, as "strange" and disrespectful, and worthy of a Broadway musical as that may be.
Hmm. I smell a double standard. Let's get this straight. Voters think it's no one's business that a married man trying to impeach a president for sexual misconduct is himself getting it on the side?
Yet, it's fine to consider disqualifying a man running for president who is acting within the bounds of his religious beliefs?
Come again?
We have become a society of strange bedfellows when it comes to analyzing our potential leaders' personal lives . Adultery, okay. Some organized religions, not ok. Endangering the soul of a Catholic woman (Callista), okay. Converting the soul of your father-in-law posthumously, not okay. And not just not okay, strange and weird and icky.
Voters in South Carolina, a Bible Belt state, basically gave Gingrich a pass on his immoral behavior with a laissez faire I-don't-care-what-he-does-in-his-private-life attitude, giving him a 12- point win - a thumpin'-- over Romney.
If the Gawker article is any indication, we are back to - or never stopped - Mormon-bashing. By his own admission, Romney has big shoulders and can take it. But maybe, instead of judging Romney's religious practices or Gingrich's lapses of morality, maybe, just maybe, voters need to take a hard look at what this land of equality truly stands for.
Follow Lauren Ashburn on Twitter: www.twitter.com/laurenashburn
Barbara Sibbald: Adultery: Someone Always Loses
Emma Lou Thayne: The Mormon Moment
Andy Watts: Would Jesus Belong to a Country Club?
Mormonism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A wise member of the council arose to give his input regarding what should be done to those disciples now spreading Christ. Gamaliel adviced, “Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.” He cited several cases of energetic advocates that had created a momentary flurry with their causes only to fail, fade away, and be forgotten. “And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.”
It seems that herein is a profound principle. Any cause having only the energy and power of its creators and proponents to sustain it, cannot abide the test of time. Whether it is a good or an evil cause, if it is not of God it will not survive. Why the great stir over the Latter-day Saint cause? They claim to be of God. Leave them alone and let time be their judge.
-- He projects OBLIGATION and DUTY, not ambition for the job
HE HAS FLOPPED SO MANY TIMES ON POSITIONS
That he seems to be in Mary Magdalene's old profession
HE TRUMPETED "3000 YEARS OF TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE" in a debate
--- but his great-great grandpa fled the country with the US in pursuit, due to polygamy
SO WE HAVE, FOLLOWING MORMON POLICY
--- People with history of being persecuted for their sexual differences
--- Persecuting other Americans who are sexually different and harm no one
THEN, there is the matter that Prop 8 is the result of everyone BUT mormons, according to them, while everyone knows the mormons ran it and funded it
SO MUCH FOR "THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS"
WHEN IT GETS IN THE WAY OF MORMON CHURCH POLICY, IT'S TOAST!
But let's set the record straight. Mormonism is more akin to traditional Greed mythology then traditional "Christian" mythology.
Mormons believe that "God is an exalted man" and that as we (or at least all good Mormon men) will all become "Gods" of their own worlds (and with a pantheon of exhalted wife/godesses).
That's just for starters.
Even though Mormon's use the exact terminology of traditional Christians their underlaying beliefs are very, very different.
This is why I think there's an unease about Mormons and particularly Mormon candidates for President like Romney. The gap between a Mormon and a Baptist is much wider then between a Baptist and a Catholic.
This isn't a personal slam against Mormons. I don't think God, whoever or whatever he/she is, gives a hoot about how we worship the divine. But this difference is HUGE if you're a Fundamentalist.
PERFECT!
And our mutual loving Father also sent His Son for those in the Spirit World. For it isn’t in this life only that we have hope in the Messiah. ALL who wish will be given opportunity to hear, and to accept or reject the glad tidings. All those accepting will have faith, and must be buried with Him according to the commandment, and be ordained, etc to enter the highest states of being, or Heaven. LDS don’t know who will accept, and we enjoy going up to the Temple (as early Christians and Jews did) and entering the waters (or, if you wish, the womb of mother earth, primordial sea, etc) on behalf of those we love.
(for preaching in Spirit world see 1Pet. 4:6&3:19; 1Cor. 15:19&29 (Baptism for Dead); Rom 14:9; John 5:25, etc)
This merciful omniscient God (who seeks to save all) is the God I know. He is real, and all are alike unto Him, both Jew and Gentile. His plan is wonderful and inclusive.
I hope our Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, etc friends do not believe Mormons or others will suffer forever because of differing ways of viewing our loving Father. I also hope they love me as much as I love them and would pray or do whatever they can to help me exit any suffering in purgatory, Hell, Gehenna, etc.
I hope we love each other as children of the same God, no matter how we view Him/Her. : )
Yep, that right to mockery is written right in there. Anyone can organize their religion, and anyone can mock anyone else's religion. (Heck, they can even mock their own religion if they want to.).
It's called "Freedom of Speech".
One question we should ask ourselves is: Are humans capable of intentionally being dishonest in order to stir up hatred against a religious minority? OR, is it the Mormons who are not telling the truth about who they really are and what they really believe? Could it be that Mormons, who are largely educated, female, brown skinned, etc, could it be that beneath that kind exterior they are all “sexist” “white supremacists” who are so moronic and foolish as to not even know what their Church really teaches and that their scriptures have all been proven false? (I’ve been accused of all these things). Or, for the more subtle hater, it’s “they control the banking system,” “they are trying to take over the Country and make a theocracy” they appear nice, but I lived in Utah once,” (some have learned that making a movie showing minorities “breeding like rats” doesn’t work so well anymore, so they tone it down a bit)
I think history bears out that fact that people really do lie about Mormons, and the idea that Mormons are really lying about themselves, and what they believe is as silly as claiming that atheists lie and say they believe in God to get people to be atheists... : )
1.Interfering in the civil rights of other people as in Prop 8 in California then maybe we can talk
2. When you take care and love your GLBTQ children that walk around on the streets homeless in SLC
3. When you stop appropriating Je wish symbols and stop posthumously baptizing our families (see your 1995 mediated agreement which you broke and then the new and improved 2010 agreement which seems to have been broken).
4. Add to that lying.f.o.r.th.e.lo.r.d and of course the White Horse Prophecy
After all of that is rectified then lets get some cheese with your huge whine ...
I would like to add that Baptism for the deceased is a Biblical practice and several Christians groups reportedly still participate in it. It does not make anyone Christian or members of the Church of Jesus Christ. It is not unlike praying, lighting candles, etc for the dead etc It is an act of love, burying for new life. It can do no harm, and, as we are all children of the same God, it just might help. Feel free to perform any Jewish, Catholic, Evangelical etc rituals you wish on behalf of my ancestors, even circumcision if you want : ). I have no fear that it will hurt anyone, God only will decide our fate.
constitution if to do so would counter directives from church authorties. Would you?
Did not think so ...
2) It is NOT conversion to the Church; they are not hereafter considered to be Mormons, listed on the rolls or asked to pay tithing and take part in service projects. See John 3:5. It is a simple service performed for those who did not or could not do it for themselves. Compare proxy marriages when one of the partners is not available at the moment, serving overseas for example.
3) In general, though not always, it is done for deceased family members. I myself for example performed the service for the deceased mother of a close friend, at his request. Being male, he could not do it but had to find a woman to do this for him, and for her.
The person receiving the ordinance has free agency; he/she may accept or reject it. But without it? Again, see John 3:5 and Corintians 15:29. And yes, Mormons do believe and live by the Bible to the best of thier ability.
To clarify: it is long standing policy by the LDS Church that people bringing in the names of people for whom to perform vicarious ordinances should only bring in names of their own relatives. Those who think they can tie themselves to a celebrity or historical event like the Holocaust are disobeying LDS Church rules. Anyone who defies those rules would have his privilege to perform any ordinances in the temple withdrawn.