Posted on 11/20/2006 8:24:45 AM PST by areafiftyone
Mitt Romney (R) begins the 2008 campaign season in fourth place among those seeking the GOP Presidential nomination, trailing Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Condoleezza Rice. While many Republican insiders believe the Massachusetts Governor could become an attractive candidate to the party's social conservatives, a Rasmussen Reports survey finds that Romney's faith may initially be more of a hindrance than a help.
Forty-three percent (43%) of American voters say they would never even consider voting for a Mormon Presidential candidate. Only 38% say they would consider casting such a vote while 19% are not sure. Half (53%) of all Evangelical Christians say that they would not consider voting for a Mormon candidate.
Overall, 29% of Likely Voters have a favorable opinion of Romney while 30% hold an unfavorable view. Most of those opinions are less than firmly held. Ten percent (10%) hold a very favorable opinion while 11% have a very unfavorable assessment. Among the 41% with no opinion of Romney, just 27% say they would consider voting for a Mormon.
It is possible, of course, that these perceptions might change as Romney becomes better known and his faith is considered in the context of his campaign. Currently, just 19% of Likely Voters are able to identify Romney as the Mormon candidate from a list of six potential Presidential candidates.
The response to a theoretical Mormon candidate is far less negative than the response to a Muslim candidate or an atheist. Sixty-one percent (61%) of Likely Voters say they would never consider voting for a Muslim Presidential candidate. Sixty percent (60%) say the same about an atheist.
The Rasmussen Reports survey found that 35% say that a candidate's faith and religious beliefs are very important in their voting decision. Another 27% say faith and religious beliefs are somewhat important. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Evangelical Christian voters consider a candidate's faith and beliefs important.
On the partisan front, 78% of Republicans say that a candidate's faith is an important consideration, a view shared by 55% of Democrats. However, there is also a significant divide on this topic within the Democratic Party. Among minority Democrats, 71% consider faith and religious beliefs an important consideration for voting. Just 44% of white Democrats agree.
The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports November 16-17, 2006. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Do you see the same similarities in Joseph Smith as I do in Mohammad. Both claim personal visitation by angels who dictated the "complete" truth to them...both had multiple wives, some under the age of 15. Both believed in afterlives and history not supported by either Scripture or science...and, ironically, both Islam and LDS sects split into factions after succession questions of whom was given the authority to succeed Smith and Mohammad. And while they both claim to be tolerant of other "people of the book" these religions are very dictatorial in that they do not allow return after excommunication for being involved with other religions nor do they allow even "free agency" questioning and followers who do are severely punished--just ask Salamin Rushdie and Fawn Brodie
Well, Jesus was like you and me, but pure. If we are as pure as him, we'll rule over other worlds. We can become gods. That's mormonism, in a simplistic sense. Jesus=pure=god=pure us=gods of other worlds.
/s
sarcasm tagged added for those who had their 'facetious gene' surgically removed.
If mormons stick to only the family values stuff, it's good. Just don't look behind the veil. Believe me, you don't want to look back there or actually read their scriptures.
Keyes cites Romney as sole author of Massachusetts gay marriage policy
http://www.renewamerica.us/
*snip*
Said Keyes, "Mitt Romney, who's now running around the country telling people he's an opponent of same-sex marriage, forced the justices of the peace and others [in the state system] to perform same-sex marriage--all on his own with no authorization or requirement from the court."
Noting that the court's "decision did not make any change in the law," Keyes inquired of his audience: "Since [the court's] decision didn't make any change in the existing law of the state of Massachusetts, and since the legislature has not acted on the subject, you might be wondering how it is that homosexuals are being married in Massachusetts."
Keyes answered his own question:
"[This] tells you how twisted our politicians have become. On the first day [after the court's deadline for the legislature to act, Romney] forces homosexual marriage through in the state of Massachusetts without any warrant or requirement from the court. And the day after that, he goes to a conference sponsored by Focus on the Family to announce what a strong supporter he is of traditional marriage. Ah! God help us, please."
*snip*
He's already going to be a God of his own planets for eternity, why bother with becoming president.
That's just selfish.
It went further than that. Joseph Smith's first version included the "revelation" of the restoration...which was based upon the spiritual entity that appeared to Joseph telling thim that every creed of Christendom was an "abomination." (The "corrupt" reference was to the "professors" of Christ...especially indicting all Christian leaders).
So, an LDS person who holds to all aspects of the original vision for the LDS church (does this include Romney?...don't know it would be good for him to answer this) would hold that all of Christendom's creeds are an abomination before God and that its leadership is corrupt.
:-)
Sorry, too late.
Excellent point. Many of those who claim that religion doesn't matter would hesitate voting for a Satanist, I would think. All seem to draw the line somewhere.
See, this is why I like FR
In order to get that joke, you not only had to know the "Babbit" reference, but what a "bris" was.
Double obscurity.
Ping...
Guiliani and McCain can't win because the base knows they are Rino's. Gingrich is yesterdays damaged goods. George 'macaca' Allen was just toasted by Webb. And Romney is (gasp) a Mormon with no chance of carrying his state - Massachusetts.
It's time for us to rally behind...
So what? Why should it affect your belief one way or another if someone of a different denomination/religion/belief system thinks or says you are going to hell?
If someone is a devout believer in their denomination/religion/belief and their sacred text says that those outside will go to hell, I sure hope they believe their sacred text. What's the big deal of someone actually believing the teachings of their faith in regards to persons being saved or condemned? It doesn't change who I am or what I believe. Just another form of PC that we are way too uptight about.
If I am going to share my faith (which is that the only way to heaven is through God and Jesus) how can I be upset (other than sad) if someone expresses a different belief? Matters of faith are for each person to decide and accept or reject, you can't force (because that isn't true acceptance.) If they don't accept your evangelizing you may shake the dust from your sandals, but we still are commanded to treat everyone with dignity and respect. I have no problem with someone of another religion believing that I may be going to hell since I am Christian, as long as that doesn't cross over from belief into pushing for political action or worse in regards to religious interpretations. The latter happens in some radical Muslim dominated countries, but is nonexistent in places like Utah. Somewhat bizarre that I would even have to point this out.
Haley Barbour
"43% Would Never Vote for Mormon Candidate"
Wow. I find that absolutely astonishing.
If Mr. Romney were a conservative, I wouldn't hesitate to vote for him.
Well, I know that "Babbitt" is a Sinclair Lewis novel from the 1920s. Did you mean "Bobbitt", as in the man whose wife cut off his 'best friend'?
To get jokes on FR, you not only have to get the references, but also compensate for what people say as opposed to what they mean. :)
"There must be some reason that the lamestream media is worried about the sheeple not endorsing one of their hand-picked candidates (McClain or Guilani) or they wouldn't even be bringing up this s*** now"
Bingo!!!! The '08 mud is starting to get thrown early. Next they'll try to paint Mormons/and by association Romney as religeous kooks - "out of the mainstream".
Why do you give in to the "left's" persective that every vote based upon worldview selection is one of surface "bigotry"?
So, what you're not voting for a Satanist would be an act of "bigotry?" (Give me a break)
We all have an identity. It cannot be cut loose from our deepest commitments, faith-based or otherwise. The fact that you would think a liberal/secularist not voting for an evangelical is an automatic act of "bigotry"--or that an evangelical not voting for a Satanist is an automatic act of "bigotry" shows that you've been listening to the liberal rhetoric too long.
Yes!
(It's a quote of a little kid mis-speaking in the original post; so you have to give some leeway.)
Yes, it's wonderful isn't it? Welcome to the 16th century Amerika.
A burka or a baptism? You're choice.
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