Posted on 10/09/2011 8:44:42 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
..........Now that Chris Christie and Sarah Palin have decided not to run, many political watchers are predicting that there is room on the right for one more contender to join the top ranks. Santorum said his path to victory lies in the Iowa caucuses, “The strategy is to go down and talk to the people of Iowa and do town hall meetings. And I have been to 70 counties of the 99 counties. … We are not hitting huge crowds but we are hitting the people who are the engine of the Iowa caucuses. And they are talking and have influence in their community.”
This week at the “Value Voters Summit” in Washington, DC, the big news did not come from a candidate for president, but rather a supporter of Texas Governor Rick Perry. Baptist minister Robert Jeffress introduced Perry and after the candidate’s speech said that Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney’s Mormon religion is a “cult.”
When asked to comment about Romney’s faith, Santorum who’s a favorite of Christian conservatives, said that he does not believe Mormonism is a cult and that Mitt Romney is a Christian.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“.........................[hard to make sense of that]
The fox reporters who wrote this piece up sure didn’t know how either. I take it to mean he didn’t want to just come out and say he was or wasn’t. He should have just said, something like “he acts like a Christian to me, but as far as LDS as a whole go, I stick to the teaching of my Church.”
But he definately didn’t say he was a Christian, he said he thinks he calls himself a Christian in a garbled way.
Freegards
I think part of Huntsman’s failure to really catch on has to do with the fact he spent a couple years as US Ambassador to China.
As Ambassador, he was a professional diplomat. In China for as long as he was, he undoubtedly “went native” to some degree. He speaks Mandarin, and probably internalized a lot of the less expressive customs of the Chinese.
Thing is, that’s not how Americans are. So he learned a bunch of habits - qualities really - which won’t work for him in a GOP primary.
I think he’s probably a very capable guy. More than anyone gives him credit for.
He did seem “measured”, but pleasant. I want to find out more about him and try to get a perspective on his strengths and flaws.
Little weasel. I used to like and respect Santorum.
That explains why he is “measured”. Thank you for the info.
I’m not attacking anybody. My firm position is that a candidate who opines about who is and who is not a Christian makes me want to vomit.
However, a candidate who opines that the LDS phenomenon IS Christian in the usual sense is a dope.
There is abundant information from the founders of the LDS whatever-it-is on what they thought about Christianity for anyone who cares to look.
A better way to say it is that LDS is about as Christian ans bishopess Schorl.
Quite welcome.
Well put.
Without pronouncing it a cult, I must say that Mormonism does have some cultish aspects. Santorum probably hurt himself with mainstream Christians by pronouncing his belief that Mormonism is not a cult.
The best I can say is that I'm "agnostic" as to whether Mormonism is a cult. I won't say that it is, but neither can I say that I am convinced it is not.
It hurts Romney, regardless, but there are so many other things which disqualify Romney. His Mormonism is way down the list...
You should have seen the hit piece on Perry in the WSJ. I couldn’t even read the whole thing, lots of meaningless criticism about his days at Texas A&M, including his grades, as if Obama’s school records would be any better.
“Can you clear up this confusion? What is Baptist definition of a Christian and ‘a cult’?”
I was raised Presbyterian - don’t remember how long ago I heard this, but the definition of a cult (per Christianity) is anything that adds to, or takes away from, the Bible.
I believe a pastor told me this. If that’s the case, why can’t or won’t any of our self-proclaimed Christian candidates just state the above for clarification? It would (or should) eliminate the mystery or seeming outlandishness of using the Cult label. All of them, including Herman, are capable of simply explaining this standard definition and not that “cult” in this context is anything like the Jim Jones type most of the public envisions when they hear the word.
This whole thing could get put to rest if just one candidate had the courage to explain what the conference minister meant, in one simple sentence.
“it’s more then obvious the establishment and conservatives would rather lie to protect Romney then say the truth about that.”
The conservatives aren’t trying to protect Romney - I think they either don’t know the simple answer of what’s a cult or they lack the courage to say it for fear of looking like nut jobs (which wouldn’t have to be if they knew the right answer).
But if they don’t wish to commit and want to be politically correct, the best response might be, “it’s not for me to say whether another person is Christian or not - only God knows what’s in his/her heart.”
I did like that Herman wouldn’t take the bait today, saying he refused to get into a discussion about people’s religion or be distracted from the immediate, more important issues facing Americans now.
“none defended Rick Perry against the smear that he’s a racist (if one did, I apologize for the omission as I’m not aware of one).”
Although, when asked about the N word being part of the original camp’s name, Herman Cain said that was very insensitive (which it was, by whoever first put it there), he’s also said that no way does he think Perry’s a racist.
“What negatives does Huntsman have other than being Morman? I liked the looks of him when Huck interviewed him. Firs time I’ve seen him. He sounds conservative.”
Bless your heart.
He’s TRYING to sound conservative - he is not. He’s a globalist, extreme “moderate” (or further Left), was an appointee of BHO (and praised him highly both while serving and in a farewell letter). Yes, he’s a charming, pretty boy, I’ll grant you that.
But he’s no fan of American exceptionalism (or sovreignty, for that matter).
“He looks and sounds presidential.”
I personally think Herman Cain looks and sounds just as presidential.
But for someone who’s straight out of Central Casting as presidential appearance is concerned, look no further than Mitt Romney.
“He was I believe a competent respected Governor.”
And b. hussein’s appointed Chinese ambassador.
“And he’s got deep pockets to run with.”
(Billionaire) daddy’s money.
“and I find them all wanting, and boring.”
Have you listened to Herman Cain’s speeches? He brings crowds to their feet, cheering, wherever he goes.
A remarkable person with a most impressive resume to rival any of the others.
The “cult” classification is not what I was focusing on either. Rather, it is the fact that Mormonism (even though Mormons are often people of good conscious) is a polytheistic religion. It is NOT Christian.
And, yes, those things that most disqualify Romney for me have to do with his perspective of the role of government. I think he is basically a good man, but that he stands on shifting, sandy ground when it comes to Constitutional principles.
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