Is Mitt Romney’s love for America a Mormon thing?

The Washington Post ^ | May 11, 2012 | Michelle Boorstein,

[Cincinatus' Wife]

When it comes to American exceptionalism, Mitt Romney is going all in.

His book “No Apology: The Case for American Greatness” is a love song to the idea that this country merits “the protection of Providence” and has a singular “calling” to be a beacon for freedom. A major theme for him on the campaign trail is the nation’s divine destiny, a heritage Romney said has made him “stand a little taller, a little straighter” when overseas.

But what Romney doesn’t say is that, for followers of his made-in-America religion, Mormonism, exceptionalism isn’t political metaphor. It’s theology.

The faith’s sacred text, the Book of Mormon, describes the United States as “a land of promise . . . a land which is choice above all other lands.” It describes Jesus coming down from heaven, to America, and teaching to people there. Joseph Smith, Mormonism’s founder and prophet, quotes God as saying that he established the U.S. Constitution. Mormons’ Garden of Eden is in Missouri. Their version of the hajj begins in Upstate New York and ends in Illinois.

Other post-Reagan candidates may passionately preach beliefs like Romney’s, but he’s the only one who can say American exceptionalism is his religion.

Except he doesn’t.

.........Romney’s reticence on the subject of God and country makes him a typical Mormon. Persecuted by the government in the 1800s, Mormons grew wary of how to merge their faith with their love for the land it blesses....

[betty boop]

Rather than parse the twit sentence, I think you should just apologize.

I did apologize.

I only parsed what I deliberately chose to write, to indicate the spirit in which it was written.

Why do you suggest that I don't remember that we have been FRiends for years?

Do you believe that, just because we disagree, that I have removed you from my "friends list?"

Were that the case, I'd have to "unfriend" several members of my own family....

[betty boop]

I think Clintonian adage “It’s the economy, stupid” will be Obama’s undoing.

I hope and pray that you are right about this, AppyPappy!

Thanks so much for writing!

[Elsie]

You don’t need to make every post of yours a huge, impersonal, cut and paste, history dump, I’m on your side and I just scroll right past them because they are rarely more than just massive spam rather than something that you personally wrote to the poster.

I know; but even though it was in response to one of your relies; the LARGER audience is to those who may NOT have ever seen it before.

---

They are impersonal on purpose.

I do not need to be making judgements on other posters, but to the organization which continues to push it's heresy on an unsuspecting populace.

---

They are massive on purpose, to show that the thing addressed is NOT some isolated rant from an insignificant rank and file member of the Organization; but a LEADER and a POLICY maker therein.

[Alamo-Girl]

This is a simple acknowledgement that, as far as I am concerned at least, I have never seen a more unsettled state of affairs political in this nation in my lifetime, nor have felt so helpless about "fixing it." I have never seen a time where abject, calculated lies are accepted by the populace without demur, when the very language is being traduced (e.g., the very definition of "marriage" must be changed for "social justice" reasons, etc.), when class warfare is being assiduously cultivated by the Swindler in Chief, etc., etc. There is so much deliberately propagated chaos, some days it's hard to tell what's going on.... I'm suffocating in the Kultursmog....

As am I, dearest sister in Christ!

This administration under the leadership of Obama is the most pro-Islam, anti-Christianity, anti-Israel I have ever seen.

Those of us particularly interested in Bible prophecy (I'm pre-wrath) will recognize the significance of the most powerful nation on earth turning its back on Israel, empowering her enemy-neighbors and generally setting up the situation in the Middle East like dominoes aligned to topple Israel into the sea. That coupled with the steep economic decline especially in Europe has some of us wondering whether the Gentile's clock has run out?

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. - Romans 11:25

Then again, Satan has tried repeatedly to derail God's agenda and timing, e.g. Pharaoh and Herod era killing of infants. Could he be trying again to thwart the will of God by taking Israel out of play?

If so, I doubt God will use a basket-down-the-river or flee-to-Egypt escape to protect Israel from Satan's attempts. Since He already rescued her in power in the six day war of '67 - I imagine His rescuing her this time would be all the more miraculous.

I am certain that no one and no thing can thwart the will of God. Yet in the grand scheme of God's plans, I simply, as one of His kids called by His Name Christian, want to be on His "right" side.

If the former, the Gentiles clock running out, there's not a thing I can do to stop it nor would I want to stop it. My vote could go to anyone because no one has a prayer to stop the Obama pro-Islam, anti-Christianity, anti-Israel agenda. I would say: "... Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22:20)

However, if the latter, Satan trying to derail God's plan, perhaps I should be using my vote to get Obama out of office as job number 1 and replace him with a proven strong pro-Israel Christian.

However, there is no candidate with such proven credentials. So should I vote for the one with the best chance of defeating Obama and pray that he can and will stand against Israel's enemies?

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. - Genesis 12:3

What a quandary!

This calls for a lot of prayer and meditation.

Thank you so very much for outstanding essay-post, dearest sister in Christ!

[Alamo-Girl]

The Progressive Left (be it Marxist, Communist, or anarchist) has "re-educated" a couple of generations of school children by now into rejecting any idea of ultimate universal Truth, as grounded in the Logos of God....

Absent an anchor in Truth, everything becomes simply a matter of opinion, and one man's opinion is just as good as any other man's — unless the opinion is offered by a progressive elitist who deems the people must be governed for their own good. THAT opinion must be always be deferred to.

Well and truly said, dearest sister in Christ!

Thank you so very much for your insights and encouragements!

[ansel12]

I know; but even though it was in response to one of your relies; the LARGER audience is to those who may NOT have ever seen it before.

Gee, You even admit that you post to the wide world, not individuals, it is unreadable cut and paste spam that when you dump dozens of them all at once, can make a thread unreadable.

If you know your subject well, it seems like you could do more focused responses to individual freepers, rather than document dumping on everyone.

[Agamemnon]

Three successive postings and you still can't back up that silly 1993 allegation, I see.

You should wish to have 1/2 as rich a history in the conservative movement as I have been blessed with having. You are clearly in need of a far more mature perspective on the nature of politics than you presently have.

All your sniping at Romney does nothing to defeat Obama.

At present you are part of the problem: shrill self-righteousness coupled with no credible plans to defeat Obama.

You have been successfully Alinsky-ed; you pose no threat to Obama and in fact I suspect his thugs are laughing at you and your kind at this very minute.

Romney's former challengers know how the game is played. They're lining up behind him, not sniping from the cheap seats like sore losers -- folks like you who won't let go of campaigns that have ended -- or never even started.

You can choose to be led by the losers and their circular firing squads, or by contrast you can choose instead to be a winner and to become a part of the solution in 2012 -- even as Romney's credible primary challengers have chosen to do.

FReegards!

[ansel12]

You do like to write long personal attacks as some sort of substitute for conservative politics.

Your ignorance is displayed by you not knowing something as routine as that Romney reregistered Republican in October 1993. As Ann said ‘We didn’t know a single Republican when we jumped in in December,’.

It has been 7 years since Bishop Romney sought permission from his Prophet to run for President, we have been vetting Romney heavily since at least 2006 here at freerepublic, and you are only starting to look at the man.

You might do us all a favor and do some catching up by reading a little of JRs truth file on Romney, and learning why many of us conservatives won’t be voting for him.

[betty boop]

This administration under the leadership of Obama is the most pro-Islam, anti-Christianity, anti-Israel I have ever seen....

Those of us particularly interested in Bible prophecy (I'm pre-wrath) will recognize the significance of the most powerful nation on earth turning its back on Israel.....

I am certain that no one and no thing can thwart the will of God. Yet in the grand scheme of God's plans, I simply, as one of His kids called by His Name Christian, want to be on His "right" side....

So should I vote for the one with the best chance of defeating Obama and pray that he can and will stand against Israel's enemies? ...

This calls for a lot of prayer and meditation.....

YES; and all I can say is: I am constantly ON MY KNEES these days....

God alone sees the big picture here. I am just trying to see as much of it as I, a sinful mortal, can, according to the Light He grants me, in and through His Holy Spirit.

May His Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven, now and always.

I really don't have anything further to add to this "debate."

Thank you my dearest sister in Christ for your outstanding essay/post, and for your kind words of support!

[Alamo-Girl]

May His Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven, now and always.

Amen!

I am on my knees joining with you in prayer for our country.

Thank you oh so very much for your insights and encouragements, dearest sister in Christ!

[GiovannaNicoletta]

Thank you so much for the ping, Alamo-Girl!

Mitt Romney's Mormonism aside, I have no doubt that while Barack Obama is a hardcore promoter of the socialist, homosexual, anti-God agenda, Romney would be on a parallel track, promoting the same agenda, just maybe not so in-your-face about it.

Mitt Romney has an unfortunate record with "gay" rights and abortion support, not to mention his own government health care system.

Support of Israel is the major concern, as the continued survival of our nation depends on it, but what assurance is there that Mitt Romney, who holds many of the same leftist positions as Obama, will stand by Israel? I don't really have any confidence in Romney on that point. At this time, I am seriously considering not voting, as I could not justify to God my support for either of these candidates.

It is indeed a quandry, and I think that the fact that we have two individuals who have no belief in, nor fear of, Jehovah God is indicative of the fact that we are already under judgment.

Let's have a mass homosexual wedding ceremony at the White House, shall we?

[Agamemnon]

You do like to write long personal attacks as some sort of substitute for conservative politics.

Seems that's all you've done to Elsie, who has actually taken the time to research Mormon doctrine, and post her research about it.

Very valuable from a theological discussion viewpoint in fact. It forms a religious basis for opposing Romney, and I respect her for that position. I oppose Romney's theological Mormonism too, but that's not what the election of 2012 is about.

Elsie's one of the good posters. Might want to leave her alone and stop picking on her.

I knew plenty of Bob Jones types that bought into all that "Curse of Ham" crap that the Mormon church at one time peddled too. Liberty Lobby sadly tended in that direction too. They were wrong and their positon is not conservative. God created a single human race, and Christianity is all about freedom found in Christ not rationales for perpetuating slavery and "racial" supremacies. Makes one wonder how Strom ever reconciled that kind of disconnect in his own life, doesn't it?

Let's leave that to the (D)-infested KKK shall we?

As Ann said ‘We didn’t know a single Republican when we jumped in in December,’.

What's laughable is that you actually think that is meanningful. You clearly don't know Massachusetts. Since there are more identified independents in MA than (R)'s Ann Romney's statement is nothing odd at all.

The State elects a 90% (D) legislature, the Kennedy stranglehold on the place intimidates most viable (R) opposition, and you're actually suprised they didn't know any (R)'s when he chose to run. Remarkable, but then again as I said before, it's clear that you know little to nothing about Massachusetts.

Takes guts to be an (R) and run as an (R) in MA. Assume Romney's an independent in MA - generally preferred over (R) -- especially in the venture cap world, it's no great leap to see him re-register formally as an (R). One in fact could even make the case that Romney had a lot of guts to challenge a (D) opponent in any political race of any kind. If he was less bold he could have run as an Independent, but, no, he chose to run as an (R).

So, again, what's your point?

It has been 7 years since Bishop Romney sought permission from his Prophet to run for President...

OK, let's see, Romney has been a registered (R) for ~20 years. Did you know that according to the Reagan Library, Ronald Reagan only switched his registration from (D) to (R) in 1962, yet he was being vetted for the 1st time for (R) Presidential nomination in 1968?

Again so what's your point?

You fire at me, and you fire at Elsie. You fire indiscriminately at those you consider to be your opponents and allies alike.

One might fairly describe you as at best a loose cannon, and at worse purposely divisive in the effort to unite conservatives against Obama.

One might fairly conclude that your contributions to strategy discussions involving unseating Obama are at this time both unfocused and valueless.

FReegards!

[ansel12]

Thanks for the wordy gibberish and the tired display of ignorance about Reagan, in service to the anti-Reagan Mitt Romney.

I think me and Elsie can get along fine without a romneybot trying to understand us or our long time friendly relationship of shared views and goals.

[Elsie]

If you know your subject well, it seems like you could do more focused responses to individual freepers, rather than document dumping on everyone.

Not so much the subject, but the audience.

We have MANY more readers that we have writers on FR. I'm trying to hit the highways and byways. Perhaps to compel them to come in.

I surely do my share of interacting with individuals.

I cannot compete in the same way as 50,000 MORMON missionairies do; double teaming on a doorstep; so I have to do whatever I feel will work.

---

Let me have the masses. If I catch one; I'll pass 'im on to you guys for the skinning and mounting.

[ansel12]

Did you know that according to the Reagan Library, Ronald Reagan only switched his registration from (D) to (R) in 1962, yet he was being vetted for the 1st time for (R) Presidential nomination in 1968?

You mean Governor "Ronnie Raygun" (I lived in California for a while during his time) the right wing Governor of California, deeply hated by the left, and loved by the right, unlike failed one term (34%) Gov Romney, the man who hated Reagan and was purely liberal, and anti-right?

You mean 7 years of military service Captain Reagan, who by the second half of the 1940s was already starting to be seen as a communist fighting conservative, testifying to Congress and naming names, working with the FBI, having to carry a gun for self defense from the left, Reagan?

The last time Reagan voted Dem for President was 1948, for Romney it was 1992, By 1952 Reagan was campaigning for Republicans as a "Democrat for Eisenhower", he kept using that anti-liberal, conservative club until 1962.

In 1952 Reagan was campaigning for Republicans like Eisenhower, who he campaigned for again in 1956, and then campaigned for Nixon against JFK in 1960, already having earned a reputation as an active speaker for conservatism for years.

The Reagan who formally registered Republican in 1962 and spoke at the Goldwater convention in 1964? Romney was already anti-Goldwater and anti-Reagan. Reagan was famous for his conservatism before the Vietnam War, and the Great Society, Roe V Wade, the abortion wars, Jimmy Carter, decades of Cold War defeats, and the radical 1960s, before the Reagan Revolution and the Contract with America, and Clinton, and the Gore election of 2000, Mitt Romney would not even register Republican during the Reagan Presidency or vote for him. Romney, at almost age 60, had a stroke (or something) and suddenly, unexplainedly, became a totally different person around 2006, merely to run for national office.

Reagan and Romney have nothing in common.

[Agamemnon]

Thanks for the wordy gibberish and the tired display of ignorance about Reagan, in service to the anti-Reagan Mitt Romney.

Sadly, it seems the one who has demonstrated no command of either his facts or of his knowledge of political history at all on this thread is you.

You are a hearsay peddler better suited to a gossip column somewhere, not a viable contributor to a constructive political strategy forum.

I think me and Elsie can get along fine without a romneybot trying to understand us or our long time friendly relationship of shared views and goals.

"Me and Elsie?" I believe that's "Elsie and I," young one. Repeat after me, say "Elsie and I." Go ahead. Say it again. I know you can, if you try. Just a reminder: this is a discussion for adults who actually have a command of facts not a kindergarten school yard where name calling still remains in fashion.

You can continue to snarl and call me a "romneybot" all you want, but you'll still be wrong, and your command of other facts will not be improved with your perpetual embrace of caricatures and factual errors.

Wow! Posting like what you just did to her in those multiple, successive, personally diminishing, if not outright insulting postings is your idea of what one does to their long-time friendly relationships?

As the saying goes: with friends like that who needs enemies?

If you would ever write anything like that at all to a real friend you'd take it off line and into a private posting, out of respect for them.

A real friend would not dress down another friend in a public forum like that.

If you continue to behave that way to your friends, you'll never be a winner at anything.

That was a perfectly classless act on your part, ansel12.

FReegards!

[Agamemnon]

You mean Governor "Ronnie Raygun" (I lived in California for a while during his time) ...

His opponents and detractors derisively called him that, it's true. Not his real friends and supporters.

You and Reagan have nothing in common.

Busted.

Posters like you just make it so easy for me sometimes.

FReegards!

[CynicalBear]

I will not be supporting Romney in any way, shape, fashion or form.

Jeremiah 7:15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. 16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee. 17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

"Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." —Isaiah 59:1-2

Gideon cries out in Judges 6:13 in anger against God, “but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Was God being unjust? Not one bit, Gideon was blind to the wickedness of his nation. Back in Judges 6:1 we read, "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years."

Pray that our leaders and others turn from their wicked ways but don’t pray for them to be blessed or for this nation to be blessed until they turn back to God. Go ahead and support Romney if you want but those of us who do our best to follow Biblical directives will not be with you.

[ansel12]

LOL, spoken like a true liberal, Romney devotee.

First you ignore all that conservative history about Reagan that you did not know, and how it compared to the anti-Reagan, Romney, but you also didn’t catch the reference to “Ronnie Raygun” as being reflective of how the left has always hated him as a conservative, while Romney has never been a conservative.

Only a very ignorant romneybot, would compare Reagan and Romney, not only does it reveal they know nothing about either one, it shows they cannot even grasp the difference between being a Democrat in 1948, and an anti-Reagan, pro-abortion, anti-gun, pro-homosexual radical agenda lefty, more than 60 years after those long ago days in a different era, predating the Goldwater convention in 1964, the Vietnam War, and the Great Society, Roe V Wade, the abortion wars, Jimmy Carter, decades of Cold War defeats, and the radical 1960s, before the Reagan Revolution and the Contract with America, and Clinton, and the Gore election of 2000.

You would save us time by just reading the Romney Truth Files that JR has gathered on your man Mitt.

[GiovannaNicoletta]

BTTT