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Who is afraid of Mitt Romney's Mormonism?
Washington Post ^ | October 7, 2011 | Michael Gerson

Posted on 10/08/2011 9:42:43 AM PDT by greyfoxx39

As a Mormon who did his missionary work in France, Mitt Romney knows something of uphill battles. Imagine spreading a faith that renounces smoking, coffee and alcohol in the cafes of Paris.

-SNIP-

Even without recourse to calumny, it is clear that evangelicals will not be reconciled to Mormon doctrines without ceasing to be evangelicals.

 Presidents are elected for their policy views, leadership skills and character, not their soteriology. Such theological convictions about salvation may be infinitely important, but they are politically irrelevant.

But presidential primaries are not always the best place to maintain such distinctions. In interfaith relations, it is the lack of familiarity that breeds contempt — and portions of America still view Mormonism as a threatening novelty. Among conservatives, however, this opposition is more likely to fade than build. No primary opponent of Romney's can exploit these sentiments, at least in an overt way.

-SNIP-

Mormons are one of the nation's strongest conservative voting blocks. A serious Republican candidate simply can't run an anti-Mormon campaign.

-SNIP-

..the desire for influence tends to overwhelm theological differences. If Romney looks like the likely nominee, mainstream religious conservatives are more likely to build bridges than torch them.

-SNIP-

.. in 2008, Mormon leaders raised their heads in support of Proposition 8 — the California initiative against gay marriage. Their commitment to the traditional family runs deep, and no issue is currently more likely to provoke liberal ire. Secular progressives will add this transgression to a history of Mormon offenses against women and minorities and raise, as usual, the specter of theocracy.

-SNIP-

Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are, by most measures, the moderates in the current field.



(Excerpt) Read more at deseretnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: antimormonjihad; antimormonzealotry; hemanmormonhaters; inman; propaganda; religiousintolerance; romney; zots4romneybots
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WTH is going on with WAPO and the mormon church? Are these mormon writers dumb enough to think that if/when Mitt is running against Obama the WAPO will continue to pimp for Mitt?

One has to wonder who/what is behind the scenes on this...and how much money.

And, who are these "mainstream religious conservatives" spoken of?

1 posted on 10/08/2011 9:42:49 AM PDT by greyfoxx39
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To: greyfoxx39; P-Marlowe
I wonder if this post might have something to do with it. The writer posits that the liberals want Romney, because they can easily tear him down.
2 posted on 10/08/2011 9:48:43 AM PDT by MizSterious (Apparently, there's no honor when it comes to someone else's retirement funds.)
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To: greyfoxx39

I’m not afraid of Romney’s Mormonism. I’m afraid of his insincerity and fakery.


3 posted on 10/08/2011 9:49:01 AM PDT by freespirited (Stupid people are ruining America. --Herman Cain)
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To: greyfoxx39

Should they ever start preaching about killing innocent Americans that’s when Mormonism will bother me.


4 posted on 10/08/2011 9:51:26 AM PDT by South40 (I will vote for Perry if he's the last man standing against Romney. ~ Jim Robinson 10/5/2011)
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To: greyfoxx39

I’m not afraid of it. It’s simply another one of the many things I don’t like about Romney, who is the only candidate who is 100% RINO. And that’s why he’s the favorite of the press.


5 posted on 10/08/2011 9:51:35 AM PDT by livius
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To: greyfoxx39

I’m more afraid of Mitt’s covert devotion to Obamaism...


6 posted on 10/08/2011 9:52:33 AM PDT by Le Chien Rouge
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To: greyfoxx39
As a Mormon who did his missionary work in France, Mitt Romney knows something of uphill battles. Imagine spreading a faith that renounces smoking, coffee and alcohol in the cafes of Paris.
Wow! How tough he had!

While all those other lazy Americans were kicking back and sipping Vietnamese beer in the Iron Triangle.

7 posted on 10/08/2011 9:57:26 AM PDT by samtheman (Palin. In your heart you know she's right.)
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To: greyfoxx39

The only ones who will be exploiting Mitt’s mormonism is Mitt and, should he win, the dems.


8 posted on 10/08/2011 10:01:02 AM PDT by McGavin999 (Please don't be a Freeploader, help to keep the lights on.)
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To: greyfoxx39

“Mormons are one of the nation’s strongest conservative...”

Like Reid, Romney, and Huntsman??


9 posted on 10/08/2011 10:02:02 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: greyfoxx39

“Would you support a conservative Mormon that can beat a liberal in November “

Yes, but who cause Romney is no conservative. I don’t think there hasn’t been a real conservative Mormon involved in national politics since Ezra Taft Benson


10 posted on 10/08/2011 10:03:19 AM PDT by Domandred (Fdisk, format, and reinstall the entire .gov system.)
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To: greyfoxx39

No, the WAPO will not be shilling for Mitt if/when he runs against obama. They are laying in the weeds. They are chomping at the bit to sandbag him.

What we haven’t seen yet is the weekly “Kolob” question. Those questions are being held back UNTIL Mitt is the nominee. If Mitt insists that isn’t a proper question, that will just pour gasoline on the fire until he answers it, which will generate still more questions about what most of the country would consider bizarre doctrines.

If/when Mitt becomes the nominee, those will be the only questions that monopolize the news cycles. The degree of meanness over these questions will know no bounds.

THAT and that alone is the fear over Mitt’s Mormonism. He is capable of governing OK, more or less conservatively; but he is the ONLY candidate on the Republican side who could NOT defeat obama (for the “Kolob problem” stated above). Note: R Paul is NOT a Republican.


11 posted on 10/08/2011 10:04:09 AM PDT by Migraine
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To: South40
“Should they ever start preaching about killing innocent Americans that’s when Mormonism will bother me.”

Mountain Meadow ?

12 posted on 10/08/2011 10:05:08 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: greyfoxx39

Of all the issues I have with Romney and all the reasons why I hope he isn’t the Republican nominee his Mormon faith isn’t even on the list.


13 posted on 10/08/2011 10:11:19 AM PDT by SoJoCo
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To: greyfoxx39

I’m afraid of his liberalism not his Mormonism.

However the sleaze has sent out flyers attacking conservatives and conservative positives so I really could care less if his faith hurts him. He hasn’t acted with integrity in this campaign cycle so let people use whatever they want against him.

And no, mormons are not Christians. Nice people many of them and spirtual and happy to be political allies...but Jews, Christians and Mormons have separate positions on Faith.


14 posted on 10/08/2011 10:11:57 AM PDT by Soul Seeker (I will work every day to make Washington, D.C., as inconsequential in your lives as I can - Perry)
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To: Beagle8U
Mountain Meadow -- really? 150+ years ago?

Using that 'logic' I should be holding a grudge against the northern states because of the Civil War, which I don't.

Can you cite anything more recent wherein Mormonism preaches the killing of innocents?

15 posted on 10/08/2011 10:12:49 AM PDT by South40 (I will vote for Perry if he's the last man standing against Romney. ~ Jim Robinson 10/5/2011)
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To: greyfoxx39
I am afraid of his mormonism.

How am I supposed to trust someone of such poor judgement to distinguish truth from lies and lead our country properly?

Not politically irrelevant at all.

And then his supposed conservative credentials are severely in question on top of that.

Horrible candidate.

Horrible.

16 posted on 10/08/2011 10:13:53 AM PDT by Manic_Episode (Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps...)
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To: greyfoxx39

I think Mitt’s Mormonism, together with other things about him, make him unelectable.

The Mormon thing is interesting. Before the convention, the MSM will use it to claim anyone AGAINST Mitt is a religious bigot.

The day the convention ends, a nine week MSM course in LDS theology, practice, and customs will begin.


17 posted on 10/08/2011 10:14:27 AM PDT by Jim Noble (To live peacefully with credit-based consumption and fiat money, men would have to be angels.)
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To: greyfoxx39
One has to wonder who/what is behind the scenes on this...and how much money.

This is how the leftists in the media and liberal Republicans innoculate Romney against Cain, Perry, Gingrich, etc.

You see, when the next attack is launched against Romney by one of the other candidates, it will be because he is Mormon, not because of the issues.

Make no mistake, folks.......the left wants Romney bad because they know he will not turn back as much of liberalism as the others will turn back.

18 posted on 10/08/2011 10:16:52 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (Cain for President - Because I like the content of his character)
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To: Migraine
What we haven’t seen yet is the weekly “Kolob” question. Those questions are being held back UNTIL Mitt is the nominee. If Mitt insists that isn’t a proper question, that will just pour gasoline on the fire until he answers it, which will generate still more questions about what most of the country would consider bizarre doctrines.

"If/when Mitt becomes the nominee, those will be the only questions that monopolize the news cycles. The degree of meanness over these questions will know no bounds.

/ THAT and that alone is the fear over Mitt’s Mormonism. He is capable of governing OK, more or less conservatively; but he is the ONLY candidate on the Republican side who could NOT defeat obama (for the “Kolob problem” stated above). Note: R Paul is NOT a Republican.

Good post. One has to wonder if Mitt's mind is so affected by his belief in mormon men becoming gods, not to mention the mormons who will vote in lockstep because of his mormonism that they can't see what is plainly in store from the media should he be the nominee,

I posted on another thread my opinion that conservatives are so disillusioned by the travesty of the '08 election that they want nothing to do with anyone who is a reminder of the incompetence that allowed Obama to now reside in the WH. Romney is a glaring reminder of that travesty.

19 posted on 10/08/2011 10:19:29 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (Joseph Smith, AmericaÂ’s first Comic Book author. He Produced the Adventures of Nephi-Mormon-Moroni)
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To: freespirited

Romney doesn’t “look comfortable in his own skin,” IMO.


20 posted on 10/08/2011 10:22:53 AM PDT by lonestar (It takes a village of idiots to elect a village idiot.)
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