Mormonism and Mitt Romney’s “Weirdness”

New York Times ^ | Aug. 9, 2011 | Ross Douthat

[Colofornian]

...we pretty much know what kind of re-election campaign Barack Obama is going to wage: A relentlessly negative one, which...will focus almost exclusively on making the challenger seem unacceptable rather than defending the sitting president’s accomplishments. Thanks to Ben Smith at Politico, we also know roughly how the White House plans to “destroy Mitt Romney,”...By “attacking him as inauthentic, unprincipled and, in a word used repeatedly by Obama’s advisers in about a dozen interviews, ‘weird.’”

Weird how, you ask? Here’s Smith:

The character attacks on Romney will focus on what critics view as a makeover, both personal (skinny jeans) and political (abortion) … Democrats also plan to amplify what Obama strategists described as the “weirdness” quotient, the sum of awkward public encounters and famous off-kilter anecdotes, first among them the tale of Romney having strapped his dog to the roof of his car.

SNIP

...The crucial thing to understand here is that Romney’s Latter Day Saint affiliation isn’t just a potential liability among evangelical voters in Republican primaries. It’s a potential general election liability as well. In a recent Gallup poll, 18 percent of Republicans described themselves as unwilling to vote for a Mormon candidate — but that number actually climbed to 19 percent among Independents, and 27 percent among Democrats.

Who are these non-conservative Mormon skeptics?... theologically conservative/politically liberal Christians (mainly African American and Hispanic) who regard Mormonism as a dangerous heresy...secular liberals...who dislike L.D.S...positions...people who don’t have a particular theological or political ax to grind, who know Mormonism primarily through pop culture (from “Big Love” and “Sister Wives” to “South Park” and “The Book of Mormon”) and the occasional encounter with bicycling missionaries, and who have a vague sense of the L.D.S. church as little bit cultish, a little bit outside-the-mainstream, and a little bit, well, weird...

[mel]

That is what I can’t understand

[Elsie]

To put the frosting on the cake, every little mormon believes they are preparing to become a god and create universes of their own, or a wife to a god (being divine is an all-males club) and as a wife to a god you are eternally “spiritually pregnant” making souls to populate worlds while hubby god is off making them.

SOME won't believe you without DOCUMENTATION.

OTHERs won't believe you WITH it!!

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The Doctrine and Covenants

 

Section 132

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded 12 July 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, and also the plurality of wives (see History of the Church, 5:501–7). Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.

1–6, Exaltation is gained through the new and everlasting covenant; 7–14, The terms and conditions of that covenant are set forth; 15–20, Celestial marriage and a continuation of the family unit enable men to become gods; 21–25, The strait and narrow way leads to eternal lives; 26–27, The law is given relative to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; 28–39, Promises of eternal increase and exaltation are made to prophets and Saints in all ages; 40–47, Joseph Smith is given the power to bind and seal on earth and in heaven; 48–50, The Lord seals upon him his exaltation; 51–57, Emma Smith is counseled to be faithful and true; 58–66, Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.

 

---

 

 16Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in ^amarriage; but are appointed angels in ^bheaven, which angels are ministering ^cservants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.

 17For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are ^aangels of God forever and ever.

 18And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that ^acovenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.

 19And again, verily I say unto you, if a man ^amarry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and ^beverlasting covenant, and it is ^csealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of ^dpromise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the ^ekeys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit ^fthrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s ^gBook of Life, that he shall commit no ^hmurder whereby to shed innocent ⁱblood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their ^jexaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the ^kseeds forever and ever.

 20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from ^aeverlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be ^bgods, because they have ^call power, and the angels are subject unto them.

 21Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my ^alaw ye cannot attain to this glory.

 22For ^astrait is the gate, and narrow the ^bway that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the ^clives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.

 23But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that ^awhere I am ye shall be also.

 24This is ^aeternal lives—to ^bknow the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath ^csent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.

 25^aBroad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the ^bdeaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they ^creceive me not, neither do they abide in my law.

[Elsie]

If they believe that the state should legislate morality, then there’s a big problem.

Last time I looked, murder, theft, lying... are all things that the STATE looks disfavorably upon.

[chargers fan]

Mormons don’t blow us up.

[GraceG]

Times like this I am glad I live in a predominately Mormon neighborhood a block away from a Mormon Mega Church.

No where near the amount of foreclosures in my neighborhood than there are in the surrounding neighborhood. So this “program” shouldn’t have the same effect on my neighborhood.

I just don’t answer my door when there are people in clean white shirts and backpacks ring my doorbell on the weekend. Heck since the neighborhood is already mostly Mormon they don’t even feel the need to “preach to the choir” so it has been months since any visit... LOL

[Tennessee Nana]

Why the () are we letting the liberals persecute a fellow American for a religion that has played a key, no pivotal role in the history and foundation of our nation?!?
_____________________________________________

And what religion would that be ???

[ETL]

Excerpt from The American Thinker
Article: Obama, Black Liberation Theology, and Karl Marx
May 28, 2008

Just one nugget from the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, "Instruction on Certain Aspects of the ‘Theology of Liberation': "...it would be illusory and dangerous to ignore the intimate bond which radically unites them liberation theologies), and to accept elements of the marxist analysis without recognizing its connections with the (Marxist) ideology, or to enter into the practice of the class-struggle and of its marxist interpretation while failing to see the kind of totalitarian society to which this process slowly leads."--Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect, now Pope Benedict XVI; written in 1984

Understanding that black liberation theology is Marxism dressed up to look like Christianity helps explain why there is no conflict between Cone's "Christianity" [i.e. 'reverend Wright's thing] and Farrakhan's "Nation of Islam." They are two prophets in the same philosophical (Marxist) pod, merely using different religions as backdrops for their black-power aims.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/05/obama_black_liberation_theolog.html

[GraceG]

[ If they believe that the state should legislate morality, then there’s a big problem.

Last time I looked, murder, theft, lying... are all things that the STATE looks dis favorably upon.]

6 “You shall not murder.

7 “You shall not commit adultery.

8 “You shall not steal.

9 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.”

I think 5 our of 10 of them should be legislated. and that ain't bad.

Of course Liberalism is all about coveting you neighbor's stuff be it their income, their house, their wife, their childhood, their life circumstances. So while you cannot outlaw the act of coveting, we could at least outlaw laws that are made with coveting other people's things in mind.

And the media OWNS number 9 especially when they talk about someone who isn't "progressive"...

[ETL]

Mormons don’t blow us up.

The 1981 Black Liberation Army/Weather Underground-related Triple Murder in Nyack, NY (Brinks truck robbery)

The suspects were often described as "urban terrorists" in the press and cops everywhere were deeply worried about the role of the Black Liberation Army.

The B.L.A. was a notorious and violent group of extremists who planned and carried out unprovoked shootings of uniformed police officers. During the 1970s and early 1980s, there were several of these types of killings of which the B.L.A. were suspect. On May 20, 1971, New York City Police Officers Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones were shot and killed in an ambush in Harlem. The following year, on January 28, 1972, officers Gregory Foster and Rocco Laurie were murdered outside a restaurant in Manhattan. Another such shooting occurred on the night of April 16, 1981 when uniform cops pulled over a suspicious van in the St. Alban's section of Queens. Without any warning, two men jumped out of the rear of the van with machine guns and opened up on the unsuspecting cops. Both were immediately killed. This cold-blooded killing enraged cops everywhere. A later investigation indicated that an escaped radical, Joannne Chesimard, one of the most sought after individuals in America, may have been in that van. She was serving a life sentence for her role in the murder of a New Jersey State trooper in 1973 when she escaped from custody in 1979. This theory was never proven, but to this day, many of the investigators who worked on that case believed it to be true.

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/terrorists_spies/terrorists/brinks/10.html

http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/index#Section%205

[ForAmerica]

Funny, the people who go after LDS as heresy (which I think it is) don’t seem to have a problem with black liberation theology? Interesting.

I have a problem with both, along with other groups that claim to be Christians. The LDS has been heretical from the beginning and black liberation theology is too and I'm black.

So what's your point?

[P-Marlowe]

Funny, the people who go after LDS as heresy (which I think it is) don’t seem to have a problem with black liberation theology? Interesting.

So YOU don't have a problem with Black Liberation theology? Interesting.

[ForAmerica]

I would like to hear a few things to describe what exactly Mormonism has done in a pivotal way for the history and foundation of our nation. Sure, they settled on free land in the west as a place to hide once again as they ran from the law. Pivotal? Please.

Joseph made up the BOM fairy-tale that Mormons believe is true, I would say that's a pivotal point in history.

Jesus said that this would happen in the "last days" (Church of "Latter-Day" Saints) and God also warned us about this through Paul, very pivotal!

[ArrogantBustard]

Last time I looked, murder, theft, lying... are all things that the STATE looks disfavorably upon.

Thank you. I can't think of any law prohibiting some action that isn't "legislating morality".

In its original context, the phrase "you can't legislate morality" did not mean that one cannot pass laws embodying moral principles. It meant that doing so doesn't for people to act in a morally upright manner. Doing so only allows the State to punish folks who are caught acting in the proscribed immoral manner. Legislation doesn't make people moral.

[ForAmerica]

Mormons don’t blow us up.

Correct, they just attack men, women and children! Mountain Meadows.

They are a little more subtle now and spiritually kill you for eternity with a different gospel, a different Jesus and a different Spirit. 2 Cor. 11:4 and Gal. 1:6-9

[ForAmerica]

Times like this I am glad I live in a predominately Mormon neighborhood a block away from a Mormon Mega Church.

No where near the amount of foreclosures in my neighborhood than there are in the surrounding neighborhood. So this “program” shouldn’t have the same effect on my neighborhood.

I just don’t answer my door when there are people in clean white shirts and backpacks ring my doorbell on the weekend. Heck since the neighborhood is already mostly Mormon they don’t even feel the need to “preach to the choir” so it has been months since any visit... LOL

Man, I need to live in your neighborhood, I would stay busy talking to them!

I would have a witnessing block party!

[ansel12]

In Romney’s case you mean Gods, plus he is only a few years from becoming a God himself, I believe his father the Presidential candidate George Romney, is already a God ruling over a planet somewhere, with a bunch of wives.

Perhaps George Stephanopoulos can ask Mitt to fill us in on the current status of his father, that should make for some interesting cover stories for the news magazines.

[SZonian]

A red herring since no one here has even come close to indicating such a thing.

But from a spiritual and eternal perspective, mormons “blow up” the Bible and the nature of God. Whilst claiming that they’re the only true Christians and that all others are apostate, whores of Babylon, etc.

[Graybeard58]

and a little bit, well, weird...

A little bit? These people need to be educated.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Mormons don’t blow us up.”

That’s an ignorant comment that reduces all arguments to one issue that isn’t an issue for any Presidential candidate on any side...

FACT: Mormons have killed many Americans - then looted the bodies of all valuables. Do they have to blow them up too?

[Colofornian]

Times like this I am glad I live in a predominately Mormon neighborhood a block away from a Mormon Mega Church. No where near the amount of foreclosures in my neighborhood than there are in the surrounding neighborhood. So this “program” shouldn’t have the same effect on my neighborhood.

Well, foreclosure rates vary from Mormon neighborhood to Mormon neighborhood. Overall, it hasn't looked well for Utah. According to one February 2010 Christian Science Monitor article:

A RealtyTrac report released Thursday showed they [Utah] had the fifth-highest foreclosure rate among the states, with 1 in 231 homes receiving a foreclosure notice in January. That's nearly double the national rate and not far from No. 4 Florida's rate of 1 in 187...In mid-decade, when Utah was tops in bankruptcies, various commentators pinned the blame on Mormon religious and cultural practices, such as tithing, creating large families, buying homes at a young age, and as one critic put it: "the pressure in Mormonism to be, or at least appear, financially successful as proof the Lord is blessing them." Indeed, Mormons in 2004 had a bankruptcy rate that was approaching twice that of the national average.
Source: Foreclosure mystery: Why can't conservative Utahns afford their mortgage?

According to a July 2009 Salt Lake Tribune article, Provo-Orem at that time was topping Utah in foreclosure-related filings. That area -- Utah County --"coincidentally" has the HIGHEST % of Lds concentration in the entire state!)

In fact a 2003 article says that 88% of this county is LDS! 88% of Utah County is LDS And the 2009 Trib article says: The Provo-Orem area is ranked No. 31 in foreclosure-related filings among more than 200 areas nationwide, a new report shows.

According to the Trib, the other 2 areas (known for having 56-58% Lds population) that were responsible for the second & third highest rates: The Salt Lake metro area was at No. 58, with Ogden-Clearfield at No. 59 in the report by RealtyTrac, which monitors a wide range of filings from default notices -- in which homeowners are simply behind on their payments but not yet in danger of losing their properties -- to notices that the bank is taking possession of the property. In the Salt Lake metro area, 5,322 properties -- 1.4 percent of all housing units...