Romney bid was a crucible for Mormons

Associated Press ^ | February 9, 2008 | Rachael Zoll

[Zakeet]

Mitt Romney isn't the only casualty in his failed presidential bid. The Mormon church, yearning for broad acceptance, also took a beating.

Extremists denounced Romney's campaign as a Mormon plot to take over the country. Some Evangelicals feared that a Mormon in the White House would draw more converts to his faith.

Mormon practices were picked apart, even ones that had been abandoned long ago such as polygamy. Romney tried to focus on politics, but was often asked about sacred Mormon undergarments.

"It is prejudice," said Richard Bushman, an emeritus professor at Columbia University, who is a leading historian and devout Mormon. "Underlying all these questions is that these beliefs are basically crazy so you've got to explain them to us."

[Snip]

"I was surprised at the level of intensity and sometimes flat out animosity," said Lowell C. Brown, a Los Angeles attorney who is Mormon. "I had no idea. I'm in my 50s, I've been a Mormon all my life, I've lived in L.A. for 25 years, and it floored me."

Many Christians said they were raising legitimate theological concerns, not Mormon-bashing.

The news service of the Southern Baptist Convention, which considers the LDS church a cult, ran a six-part series through December explaining why they don't consider Mormonism to be Christian.

[Snip]

Mormons were especially outraged when GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee, a Southern Baptist pastor, asked whether Mormons consider Jesus and the devil brothers. Latter-day Saints say Huckabee's question is usually raised by those who wish to smear the Mormon faith rather than clarify doctrine.

[nicmarlo]

Not according to Christ, and that is the “standard” by which the Mormons claim they are Christians.

[Reagan Man]

Many folks do believe Mormonism is a cult -— a 19th century religious fictional cult, promoting deception. But thats not why Romney lost.

Romney lost because he was an “unconservative” candidate. Not to mention a phony, a fraud and a liar.

[dan1123]

How bad is the anti-evangelical bigotry? Look at this:

Percentage of 1,006 adults who said they were very uncomfortable or have some reservations about voting for a presidential candidate who is:

• Jewish: 19%
• Mormon: 53%
• An evangelical Christian: 54%

source

Now tell me which candidate suffered most from religious bigotry.

[tortdog]

I agree with you. Some polls had 65% of people saying that they would never vote for a Mormon. Unfortunately for Romney, most of the religious bigots find a home in the GOP. It has soured by view of the party (having already soured on various GOP leaders having significant failures in ethics and morals).

When the Left talks about the bigotry of the right, I now see their point (whereas in the past I thought it was just a few people).

[dan1123]

fake

[wardaddy]

no kidding.

FR is overrun with folks who are prejudiced against Southern Christian Conservatives.

The word bigot like racist is overplayed by folks to lazy to argue their point intellectually.

They are so used to folks rolling over.

I’m Southern Baptist. We were mostly Fred here and Romney after that.

We don’t accept Mormonism entirely probably but that doesn’t make us bigots or incapable of supporting one for POTUS.

Had Romney been true blue Mormon all along he probably would have fared better but he was low Sodium Salt Lake.

Huckabee whooped him because we were fractured with too many candidates, strange early primary rules which favored moderates and independents...even Dems, and Romney simply didn’t have the social conservatism credentials even though in my view Romney was no less conservative overall.

Huckabee gave folks a here a chance to vent their natural snottiness towards social conservatism in my region and the Mormon talk came later.

btw....did I ever see a straight answer....are Jesus and Satan spiritual brothers in any LDS writings?

asking that question did not make Huckabee a bigot.

[Tennessee Nana]

Nothing is impossible through God!
_____________________________________________

Resty, the scriptures are ...

..Jesus beheld them and said unto them..”With men this is immpossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

..Jesus looking upon them said..”With men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

For with God nothing shall be impossible.. Luke 1:37

[GOP_Lady]

FYI ... Mr. Romney was the ONLY Presidential candidate that I heard say the words “12th Imom (spelling).” He gets it.

[Theo]

Mormons are the bigots. They voted against the Christian far more than the Christians voted against the Mormons.

Mormons are bigots. That’s why Huckabee isn’t winning.

[Andy'smom]

Plenty of us saw it as well.

[Rider on the Rain]

Well, God bless you. You have a point. I’m not for huckelberry. I’m for the guy (or gal) who can lead us in taking the fight to the those bastards who are trying to destroy us.

[SkyPilot]

No, it was a real reason, esp in the south among the baptists who tend to be bigoted.

Does that mean that the Mormons in Utah who voted for Romney, and not Huckabee (a Baptist) were "bigoted" too?

[tortdog]

>Among white evangelicals, more than half expressed reservations about backing a Latter-day Saint.

Bingo.

[Ace's Dad]

I also remember Gov George Romney, Mitt s Dad going through the same stuff when he briefly ran for Pres. as well.

I don't think George Romney got anywhere near "the same stuff" as Mitt. I was a working TV newsman (please forgive me) during the campaign, was from GR's home state of Mich (again, please forgive me, I did move South as soon as I was an adult) and GR was such an imposing intellect that his faith didn't get in the way, IMO.

[GOP_Lady]

Ahhh, I think there are more Christians voters than there are Mormon voters, don’t you?

[restornu]

Oh please you are talking from your prejudice and using the world yardstick

You never read things like this from the Lord, only those who think they are better than the rest!

cult

Collective veneration or worship (e.g., the cult of the saints — meaning collective veneration of the saints — in Roman Catholicism). In the West, the term has come to be used for groups that are perceived to have deviated from normative religions in belief and practice. They typically have a charismatic leader and attract followers who are in some way disenfranchised from the mainstream of society. Cults as thus defined are often viewed as foreign or dangerous.

For more information on cult
http://www.answers.com/cult&r=67

[wardaddy]

proven faked probably designed online by the poster

this lady should have a timeout.

a blatant lie ....made up

“churchsigngenerator .com”

[Jokelahoma]

Absolutely a major reason in Romney never "catching fire" was the bigotry of so-called "Christians" against Mormonism. There are far too many on here and out in the "real" world who have stated they couldn't vote for a "cult member", or that Mormons aren't Christians so they could never vote for Mitt.

Saddest part are the apologists who will deny that ever took place, and will do everything in their power to place blame elsewhere. Yes, there are other reasons Romney wasn't "the" choice. But to deny the "he don't look like me, do he?" bigotry of supposed Christians against Romney is to justify their actions. It's disgusting, and I'd hope that eventually these holier than thou types will gow up and grow out of that. I'm not holding my breath, however.

And I wasn't even a Romney supporter.

[Petronski]

...esp in the south among the baptists who tend to be bigoted.

You don't see the irony in your statement, do you?

[ScratInTheHat]

Didnt Huckabee ask this TEN years ago ????

No this was hit job. He said he didn't know much about the faith? Well he knew enough to do the hit job that people have used for years on Mormons.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/us/politics/14mormon.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2s-iuHFjao