What 2012 means to Mormons

The Washington Post's On Faith ^ | January 11, 2012 | Joanna Brooks

[2ndDivisionVet]

Every Mormon I know has been watching Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign with close interest because of the kinship we feel with him. And, for his part, Romney has used Mormon social and business networks to enlist bundlers, donors, and volunteers. Those networks may play a role in key campaign states like Nevada. But it would be a mistake to believe that all Mormons plan to vote for Romney this fall. Some Mormon conservatives feel strongly about Ron Paul’s economic message, and a substantial minority of us-about 15 to 20 percent--are Democrats and will vote for Barack Obama this November.

However we vote and whatever happens to Mitt Romney, Mormons across the political spectrum are riveted by the kind of attention our faith is getting in the national media. Mormons know that our religion seems exotic and even esoteric, and we chuckle when we compare sensationalistic media depictions of Mormonism to our everyday lives. Surveys show that most Americans still have little to no understanding of what Mormons believe. Mormon habits of social insularity may inadvertently contribute to this understanding: like many religious minorities, LDS people often prefer to socialize and marry within our own communities.

But 2012 will challenge Latter-day Saints to retool their relationship to the American public and public scrutiny. Demand for information about Romney and his background will build as he marches towards the GOP nomination. Certainly there will be thoughtful, in-depth reporting on Mormon history, belief, and culture. Many Mormons are also nervous that media outlets will try to “expose” LDS temple ceremonies that the community honors in private....

[SECURE AMERICA]

and a substantial minority of us-about 15 to 20 percent—are Democrats and will vote for Barack Obama this November.

Why?
Are you voting for him BECAUSE he is the Democrat or because you believe he can do the job or has done the job?
I am a Republican and I can assure you that I will not be voting for either Romney or Paul...

[Pan_Yans Wife]

We can use our awareness of how it feels to be misunderstood and mistreated to build solidarity with other minorities in the U.S.--particularly Muslims, a community of faith that faces far greater discrimination than Mormons now do. If we find it painful when our faith is stereotyped as a cult, how must American Muslims feel when they are stereotyped as terrorists? This campaign year offers an opportunity to refine and adjust our perspective on anti-Mormonism.

[CainConservative]

“we find it painful when our faith is stereotyped as a cult”

Deal with it. Mormonism IS a cult.

[ansel12]

Of course, Bishop Romney has already come out against having a Muslim in his cabinet.

[Lazlo in PA]

and a substantial minority of us-about 15 to 20 percent--are Democrats and will vote for Barack Obama this November.

Because above Faith, Country and Family, being a Commie Pinko WaPo reporter trumps all. What a cliched leftist hack.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

What worries me is that this religion is easy to paint as racist, and this has been a GREAT strategy for the ‘RATs of late.

While Mormon’s themselves are great, the church didn’t allow blacks to join until 1978.

Since percentagewise they are not that large, it would mean the ‘RATs could run with it without much backlash.

[svcw]

Voting records indicate that 94% will vote for Romney.

[svcw]

That is just strange as mormons and islam have been partnering for decades. They hold joint prayers, lds lend money to build mosques.
I just do not believe Romney about this.

[Tennessee Nana]

ansel12: Of course, Bishop Romney has already come out against having a Muslim in his cabinet.

svcw: I just do not believe Romney about this.
_______________________________________

In 2007-08 Romney was asked about having a Moslem in his cabinet if he was elected POTUS

He said No, there are not enough Moslems in the US. Their persentage is too small...

Someone must have reminded him that while at the time there were about 2% Moslems, the Mormons only made up 1%...

There were about half the amount of Mormons...

He backtracked a day or so later...

Makes one wonder if Romney would be eligible to be able to work in the White House himself using his own rules...

anyhoo

;)

[tinamina]

I was wondering where all the money and support comes from. I have heard that there are many very rich Mormon companies. Among them Marriott Hotels, Albertson’s Foodstores....Others?
I know that Mormon towns are very exclusive in supporting ther Mormons so I assume that it would be the same in business and politics.

[Tennessee Nana]

Sorry

PING to #10

[1010RD]

I’m guessing she’s a Democrat and will be voting for Obama in November... no matter what.

[deoetdoctrinae]

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[Colofornian]

From the article: Every Mormon I know has been watching Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign with close interest because of the kinship we feel with him. And, for his part, Romney has used Mormon social and business networks to enlist bundlers, donors, and volunteers. Those networks may play a role in key campaign states like Nevada. But it would be a mistake to believe that all Mormons plan to vote for Romney this fall.

Is Joanna Brooks naive or what?

I mean what? Just because "only" 94% of Mormons (vs. 100% of Mormons) will vote for Mitt, that she's technically "right" in her article assertions here?

Where do I get the 94% figure?

#1: 94% of Mormons in Utah voted for Romney in 2008:

"While the former Massachusetts governor’s faith has been a flashpoint in his campaign, it was perhaps one of his strongest assets in Utah, where more than 60% of the state’s residents share his faith. Exit poll data shows Romney swept voters across the board, handily winning every social, economic, and generational demographic in the state, as well as 94% of all Mormon voters." (Susan Davis, Wall Street Journal, Feb. 5, 2008, Romney Wins Utah With Help From Friends [Note: The Wall Street Journal was citing MSNBC.msn.com...]

#2: 94% of Mormons in Nevada voted for Romney in 2008:

Per the Mormon Church, Mormons make up about 7.5% of Nevada's population. But according to the entrance polls so far, a whopping 25% of those who participated in the state's GOP caucuses are Mormons. And 94% of those people went with Romney.
Source: Nevada Mormons turn out for Romney (Mark Murray, MSNBC, Jan. 19, 2008)

#3 I'd say that with two states contributing the exact same Mormon data -- with similar data I saw posted on FR back in '08 re: the 8% of AZ Mormons...my take would be that both Idaho & Wyoming Mormons fell into the same 2008 voting patterns when it came to Romney.

#4 For more recent confirmation, see how in the Summer of 2011, the Mormon apologetics group, FAIR, had a conference and revealed a Gallup poll of GOP voters in Utah. It said that 85% of Utah GOP voters planned to vote for Romney; another 11% for Huntsman. Both are Mormons. That means only 4% of Utah Mormons had a non-Mormon in mind.
Source: Perception of Mitt Romney election to presidency would be similar to that of John F. Kennedy...

Can you say lock-step, anyone?

Now I don't think it's "bigoted" of Mormons to vote on the basis of a fellow Mormon -- and for them to be intolerant toward non-Mormon candidates. Hey, we live in a FREE Republic and Mormon voters can use ANY criteria they want in voting.

But why does the "Bigot Patrol" that we see operating here on FR give Mormons a free pass? Same with the MSM? If they vote for a Mormon only because or primarily because the candidate is also a Mormon, shouldn't the "Bigot Patrol" accuse them of bigotry?

And then with the MSM, could you imagine 94-96% of Catholics saying they would vote for Santorum and Gingrich (the Catholics in the race)?

Can you imagine what the MSM would do with that?

But with Mormons? We see the Washington Post and the rest of the lamestream press giving Mormon voters a free pass.

The info above? Hard to come by. Why? Because the lamestream press is once again asleep at the keyboard.

Bottom line: See my tagline

[Colofornian]

From the article: ...this year will bring an opportunity for self-examination as controversial dimensions of our Mormonism come in for increased scrutiny. Mormons tend to be very careful about the way we present ourselves in public. This guardedness is a legacy of our rocky transition into modern American society. In the late nineteenth-century, a national movement against polygamy planted in the American imagination an image of Mormons as deviant, crazed, alien, and untrustworthy and stripped some LDS people of their rights to vote and serve on juries. Consequently, for most of the twentieth century, Mormons tried very hard to present ourselves as exemplary conservative citizens. We continue to be very reluctant to acknowledge contentious facets of our tradition, including the practice of polygamy and its continuation in Mormon doctrine today, the historic ban on full participation by people of African descent...

Interesting that Joanna Brooks, a Mormon, acknowledges how polygamy remains in Mormon doctrine to this very day!

That's true both doctrinally (Doctrine & Covenants 132 is STILL on the books)...
...as well as policy wise...meaning that an Lds person...as long as he or she marries spouses consecutively and not simultaneously...
...can still be married to each partner supposedly "for eternity" [Lds believe in myth of eternal marriage]...

So that means, there's going to be a LOT of eternal polygamists among Mormons who are alive right now!

But, of course, Mormons deceitfully would have you believe that polygamy doesn't have a thing to do with what's going on now in another colony (Kolob), or that Mormons aren't in 2012 lining up multiple spouses in heaven...And, btw, that's male AND female (Yes, a Mormon woman can have multiple husbands all at the same time in the Mormon afterlife!)

Don't hold your breath waiting for Mormons to admit that to you!

[Colofornian]

From the article: ...the historic ban on full participation by people of African descent...

Wow! Nice softball-like treatment of something otherwise known quite frankly as open racism!

Think of it. It's early Spring 1978...and Mitt Romney is age 31...and Mitt Romney's "good old boy network" that he has membership in...otherwise known as the "Mormon church"...still wouldn't let blacks...
...be married in their temples...
...or be part of their male priesthood.

All because they are not "white and delightsome" (a phrase in the Book of Mormon)

Now. You need to understand something here. Mormon doctrine is that unless you have a temple recommend, you won't be eligible for the highest degree of Mormon heavenly glory. And if you don't reach that level, you won't live forever with Heavenly Father.

That means that until 1978, the bad news of the Mormon "gospel" proclaimed that exactly 0% of blacks would live forever with Heavenly Father.

Mormonism essentially "shut the door" of living with God based upon skin color alone.

And we think Obama and his cohorts won't notice this little historical fact why in 2012?

[Saundra Duffy]

“But it would be a mistake to believe that all Mormons plan to vote for Romney this fall.”

Hello. It would also be a mistake to believe that all evangelicals plan to NOT vote for Romney this fall.

[FastCoyote]

So, it is okay to form your vote solely around being a Mormon, but according to many Freepers, I am bigoted if I oppose Romney on religious grounds.I’m pretty sick of the hypocrisy.

Not that I like Romney’s politics either.

[wolfcreek]

I don't know about the rest of the country but, here in central Texas, we've been getting bombarded with Mormon commercials for months now.

Coincidence?