HMMMmmm...
85 + 11 = 96
Only 4% for anyone NON-MORMON.
Veddy interesting...
Posted on 08/10/2011 11:09:30 AM PDT by Colofornian
If Mitt Romney were to be elected president of the United States in 2012, the concern that some voters now have with his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would dissipate the same way it did with voters’ concerns about John F. Kennedy’s Catholicism, Newell Bringhurst said Friday morning at the opening presentation of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) Conference.
SNIP
In a question regarding how LDS Church members have reacted to the contrasting manner in which the two candidates have handled questions about their beliefs toward Mormonism, Bringhurst said that rank-and-file members of the church have leaned toward Romney, citing a recent Gallup poll that stated that Romney was the 85 percent choice of the state, while Huntsman had just 11 percent of the vote.
Audience questions ranged from Ezra Taft Benson’s highly conservative political views and his consideration for running for the presidency in 1968 and the relationship of his policies with those of current Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who doesn’t endorse either Romney or Huntsman.
And the presentation wasn’t without humor.
When Bringhurst responded to a question about whether or not Harry Reid would be called as a home teacher for an LDS president, the scholar didn’t hesitate.
“I’m not capable of answering that,” Bringhurst said, before mentioning a time while studying in Berkeley when a former Black Panther, who was a convert to the church, referred to him as “Brother Bringhurst,” emphasizing the dichotomy of members of the church holding varied political positions. “That’s my non-answer answer to that question.”
(Excerpt) Read more at deseretnews.com ...
Most of the excerpt is from "page 2" of this article: Perception of Mitt Romney election to presidency would be similar to that of John F. Kennedy, scholar says -- and was based upon a presentation given last weekend @ the annual FAIR conference.
FAIR is a Mormon group of apologists who attempt to defend Mormonism. In this case what FAIR shows is simply utter hypocrisy. How is that the case? Well, follow the track below:
From the article: In a question regarding how LDS Church members have reacted to the contrasting manner in which the two candidates have handled questions about their beliefs toward Mormonism, Bringhurst said that rank-and-file members of the church have leaned toward Romney, citing a recent Gallup poll that stated that Romney was the 85 percent choice of the state, while Huntsman had just 11 percent of the vote.
Let me get this straight. Utah GOP voters, 60% Mormon -- & probably who constitute almost 90% of the GOP in that state, would vote by a % of 96-4% for Mormon candidates. 96-4%!!! Talk about identity politics!
Imagine if...
...two strongly identified Christian candidates were running now...say Bachmann and say if Huckabee was running again [obviously he's not].
Now imagine...
...a highly Christian identified Southern state...
...one where church attendance was high...like Mississippi...which has the highest church attendance rate in the nation (63% attend either weekly or almost every week per Gallup...
...Source:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/125999/mississippians-go-church-most-vermonters-least.aspx)...
What if a state like Mississippi was polled so as to seemingly reduce the wide-open primary field to just two Christian candidates? What if 96% of Missippians said they would be voting for Bachmann & another Christian candidate? And only 4% said "other?"
Why, the MSM would have a field day with that! They would go nuts over such brazen identity politics. They would accuse Christian voters of being "bigoted" (intolerant) of non-Christian candidates. And many conservative non-Christian FREEPERS would join in such an MSM chorus!
But when Mormon-laced Utah does that...when their voters indicate leaning toward a candidate only or primarily because of their religion, that apparently is "A-OK." Why, they give Utahns a free pass.
Why is such a voting pattern being ignored by the MSM?
Now don't get me wrong. It's a Free Republic. Utahns can choose any candidate they want. And they can use any basis they want for choosing their candidates -- including religion. I don't think Utah voters are "bigoted" -- even with the Gallup poll that this FAIR speaker cites.
What I do find 100% inconsistent -- two-faced -- hypocritical -- ESPECIALLY ON FAIR's part -- is for those who would lambast voters for taking religion into consideration...yet say nothing & give this FAIR speaker and Utah voters a "free pass" when this issue comes up on the flip side of considerations.
And you can't ask for more of a contextual contrast than a FAIR speaker using the Kennedy analogy. Here the focus of Newell Bringhurst is voters who might take Kennedy's religion into consideration -- and how that would be "bad"...yet when Mormon voters take Romney's & Huntsman's religion into consideration -- and vote for such a personal quality...that's supposedly "good."
Sorry, FAIR. You can't have it both ways.
One other note: When the #s-crunching extrapolations are done, this 96% stat becomes even more lopsided:
Guestimates on Utah voter breakdowns:
* Over 70% [of non- Mormon voters in Utah are Democrat or Independent/other]
* Probably about 1 in 9 Utahns is a GOP non-Mormon.
Result? Extrapolating those ratios probably means that even if over 2/3rds of the non-Mormon GOP voters said they would vote for either Romney or Huntsman, that probably means that 100% of Mormon GOP voters indicated to Gallup in this poll they would vote for either Romney or Huntsman. [That's 100% rounded off; not literally every GOP Mormon voter]
We already know from 2008 exit poll data that 94% of GOP Mormon voters in both Utah and Nevada voted for Romney despite his liberal track record. Now when another Mormon candidate not known for his stalwart conservatism is added to the recipe that % seems to rise to a likely 100% rounded off...or at the very least, 99%!
Imagine that! Almost every GOP Mormon voter in Utah pulling for a Mormon candidate that's not even conservative! (And we thought Mormon voters were our allies in true conservative causes?)
Can you say...identity politics automatons????
The only similarity I can see is that they're both good democrats and nothing more.
For those of you who might think that Harry Reid is an inactive Mormon, that’s not the case at all. This Q was raised because the Mormon church has already “called” Harry Reid as a “home teacher”…and Harry Reid goes into others’ homes and provides Mormon teaching lessons. The Q just applied that “calling” as a humorous hypothetical – would Reid add the “White House” to his in-home visitations if Romney was elected.
The Mormon church has rolled out the red carpet for Reid. They’ve “called” him in an official capacity. And in 2007, they invited him to speak before all students & faculty @ BYU. Reid took the opportunity to slam Evangelicals. Some @ BYU gave him a standing ovation; others respectfully applauded him.
More "proof" that identity politics trumps vying against socialism like Reid's.
(Btw, Reid also took that BYU speaking engagement opportunity to say that he was a Democrat because he was a Mormon)
Tell you what, FAIR...Please show us where the Pope has made similar spiritual-political imposing statements such as what you find from Lds leaders below...except for the first three statements, ALL of them were made by Lds leaders between the 1960s and 1980s...and even the third statement was being reprinted in official publications ranging from 1984 in a book -->July 7, 2011 in the Lds church-owned Deseret News -- made by a FAIR apologist!
| Lds Leader | Chronological 'Prophet' or Fundamental # (or Other Title) | Overlap Areas: Could the President of the U.S. become a 'puppet' to an Lds 'Prophet?' (The Lds Prophets -- in their own words) | |
| John Taylor | Lds 'Prophet' #3 | “The Almighty has established this kingdom with order and laws and every thing pertaining thereto…[so] that when the nations shall be convulsed, we may stand forth as saviours…and finally redeem a ruined world, not only in a religious but in a political point of view.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p. 342, April 13, 1862) | |
| Orson Hyde | President of the Lds Quorum of the 12 Apostles for 28 years (1847-1875) | “What the world calls ‘Mormonism’ will rule every nation...God has decreed it, and his own right arm will accomplish it. This will make the heathen rage.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 53) | |
| Heber J. Grant | Lds 'Prophet' #7 | "Elder Marion G. Romney recalled the counsel of President Heber J. Grant: 'My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.' Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, 'But you don't need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray'" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1960, p. 78)." Cited in Official Lds publication Search the Commandments: Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide, p. 209 (1984) | |
| Harold B. Lee | Lds 'Prophet' #11 | ...President Harold B. Lee said: 'We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet, '...as if from mine own mouth...(D&C 21:4-5)...You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself..." Cited in official Lds publication Remember Me: Relief Society Personal Study Guide I, p. 27 (1989) | |
| Spencer Kimball | Lds 'Prophet' #12 | "President Spencer W. Kimball said: '...We deal with many things which are thought to be not so spiritual; but all things are spiritual with the Lord, and he expects us to listen, and to obey..." (In Conference Report, Apr. 1977, p. 8; or Ensign, May 1977, p. 7) Cited in official Lds publication Come, Follow Me: Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide 1983, p.12 (1983) | |
| What about Marion G. Romney, cousin to Mitt's father? | Who was he in Lds hierarchy? (Title: 'President' - Top 3 of church as 2nd counselor to both #11 & #12 Lds 'prophets') | "Elder Neal A. Maxwell has said: 'Following the living prophets is something that must be done in all seasons and circumstances. We must be like President Marion G. Romney, who humbly said, '..I have never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional, and political life' (Conference Report, April 1941, p. 123). There are, or will be moments when prophetic declarations collide with our pride or our seeming personal interests...Do I believe in the living prophet even when he speaks on matters affecting me and my specialty directly? Or do I stop sustaining the prophet when his words fall in my territory? if the latter, the prophet is without honor in our country! (Things As They Really Are, p. 73). Cited in official Lds publication, Search the Commandments: Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide, pp. 275-276 (1984) | |
| Ezra Taft Benson | Lds 'Prophet' #13 | Benson speech given 2/26/80 @BYU. Summary: “…remember, if there is ever a conflict between earthly knowledge and the words of the prophet, you stand with the prophet…” (See excerpts re: 3 of 14 'fundamentals' below) Source: Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet | |
| Benson (cont'd) | Fundamental #5 | 5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time. (My Q: Ya hear that Mitt Romney? Ya hear that Jon Huntsman?) | |
| Benson (cont'd) | Fundamental #9 | 9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual. (My Q: Still listening, Mitt? Still listening, Jon?) | |
| Benson (cont'd) | Fundamental #10 | 10. The prophet may advise on civic matters. (My Q: What say ye Mitt? What say ye Jon?) | |
| Mitt Romney as POTUS??? | Aside from above prophetic impositions, why would Mitt not only honor what these 'prophets' have spoken, but what a future Lds 'prophet' may tell him to do? | The Law of Consecration Oath Mitt Romney has sworn in the Mormon temple (done before marriage/sealing in temple): "You and each of you covenant and promise before God, angels, and these witnesses at this altar, that you do accept the law of consecration as contained in this, the book of Doctrine and Covenants [he displays the book], in that you do consecrate yourselves, your time, talents, and EVERYTHING with which the Lord has blessed you, or WITH which he MAY bless you, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth and for the establishment of Zion." Source: What is an LDS Church/Mormon temple marriage/sealing? [Q: Please define 'Zion': The LDS PR Web site (lds.org) defines its primary meaning: "membership in the [LDS] church."] |
Mormons do not = Catholics.
It boggles the mind that lds keep pimping Romney. He is no different than obama. they are both stink’n liberals. It makes one wonder if the foundation of a person makes any difference, lds trumps everything else. Never ever question who a person is only that they are temple worthy.
JFK was far more conservative than Myth.
You're right. But Myth Romney, you have to admit, is everything a dummycrat should be: believer in taxpayer paid health care and a true friend to all homosexuals.
JFK was a Conservative...
Mitt is dogfood. I think he’s going to win way fewer delegates in 2012 than he did in 2008.
I don’t care about his current “frontrunner status”.
Too bad there wasn’t enough room to add BARF ALERT! in the article title box!!!
I don’t think so.
HMMMmmm...
85 + 11 = 96
Only 4% for anyone NON-MORMON.
Veddy interesting...
Why?
They keep pimping Joseph Smith, and HIS record is WAY outta whack!!
Yep. But you left out gun-grabber and lying phoney.
If its about the hair
I dont think JFK dyed his...
The Republican Party should stop pushing Mitt Romney as the lead candidate and allow us Americans to make that decision.
I’m tired of these old time Republicans thinking they have waited for their time and they are owed the Presidency.
As it is right Now the Republican party has two Excellant candidates in Palin and Bachman.Leave Romney out of the equation.
Ihave absolutelyno problem with whatever Church Romney belongs to.
My problem is with Romneycare and the fact that no real Conservative could have ever been elected in Massachusetts.
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