Romney adds senior adviser, evangelical [Hurl Alert]

Boston Globe ^ | May 18, 2011 | Matt Viser

[Colofornian]

WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney announced this afternoon that a veteran public relations consultant was joining his burgeoning campaign as a senior adviser.

Mark DeMoss is currently president of the DeMoss Group, which is a large Atlanta-based public relations agency that focuses on serving Christian leaders, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

SNIP

The campaign press release did not mention any religious component to DeMoss’s role, although in 2008 he was on the Romney campaign’s Faith and Values Steering Committee and spoke out prominently about why evangelical Christians should not discount Romney because of his Mormon faith.

DeMoss said in an interview later that he would play a similar role this time.

"I’ll reach out to evangelicals I’m sure, because I know that audience pretty well," he said. "I’ll help organize meetings, to get people of influence in front of the governor or get him in front of them."

He said no such meetings have taken place so far this year, but that he'll begin arranging them soon. DeMoss also said he would continue to run his firm, and was not being paid by the Romney campaign.

"I don’t want to presume they would pay me but I told Governor Romney the very first day I met him that I wanted to help him but he couldn’t pay me ever, and I’m going to hold to that," he said.

SNIP

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mviser.

[ansel12]

Don’t attack Christian Americans for discussing what they choose about candidates, especially non Christian candidates.

Did you write a letter to Bishop Romney when he said that no practitioners of Islam would serve in his cabinet?

[Graybeard58]

Hewitt, a Presbyterian, was impressed by Romney's intelligence. I think a LOT of Mormons, including Romney, are as intelligent as Hewitt gushed about.

It always amazes me that someone can be "intelligent" and a member of a cult. The same with liberals, there are many highly successful, seemingly intelligent, liberals, I just don't get it.

[Colofornian]

What happens when the current ‘prophet’ gets on the phone to “president” romney?

Yes.

A very important question.

In fact, greyfoxx39 alerted me to some online content that actually raises this question.

I think I'll post it later this week. Stay tuned.

[Rome2000]

I'm afraid I'm not getting my point across, and I'm sorry about that.

Attacking Romney because he is a Mormon is unnecessary, and serves no purpose, he wont get the nomination because he's a dishonest SOB who will say or do anything to get elected and cant be trusted, not because he is Mormon.

And if you want to get into a freaking religious argument, Martin Luther was just as insane as Joseph Smith, and would be spinning in his grave and begging the Pope for forgiveness and breaking out his checkbook to pay for some indulgences if he could view what his heresy has wrought.

[newzjunkey]

Consult your Constitution, Article VI, paragraph 3: no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

You're applying such a test to candidates, in this case Mormons.

[Colofornian]

Attacking Romney because he is a Mormon is unnecessary, and serves no purpose, he wont get the nomination because he's a dishonest SOB who will say or do anything to get elected and cant be trusted, not because he is Mormon.

Sorry, it's not "either-or" as you and a host of FREEPERS continue to offer this false dichotomy. It's "both-and"...

The fact is: Evangelicals are a highly sizeable chunk of the GOP. (Whereas a LOT of Roman Catholics are socially liberal; or, for cultural reasons -- like a high % of of Hispanic Roman Catholics -- are Democrats despite what Dems stand for...therefore, Roman Catholics tend to be fairly balanced when it comes to party identification...and more might even be Democrat! Which isn't exactly a "compliment" to their faith)

Therefore, even if the GOP race was whittled down to between Romney and a pro-life candidate, many Evangelicals would say "no" to Romney almost no matter what the "other" candidate stood for.

And if you want to get into a freaking religious argument, Martin Luther was just as insane as Joseph Smith, and would be spinning in his grave and begging the Pope for forgiveness and breaking out his checkbook to pay for some indulgences if he could view what his heresy has wrought.

Well, sorry. Even the Pope in Rome doesn't agree with you. He questions the authority of the Protestant church, to be sure. (Such as the authority to administer the sacraments). But that generally is where they leave their primary probs with Protestantism these days.

By 1983, Christianity Today was publishing an article entitled, "Lutherans and Catholics Reach Some Surprising Agreements." (12/16/83)

In fact, on p. 44, we find this comment: Father Tavard [of the Roman Catholic church] says that 'today many Catholic scholars think Luther was right in his central doctrine of justification by faith and the [16th century Catholic] church was blind to the point he was making...both Lutherans and Catholics agree that good works by Christian believers are the result of their faith and the working of divine grace in them, not their personal contributions to their own salvation. Christ is the only Savior. One does not save oneself."

Rather interesting, wouldn't you say, Rome2000?

[Colofornian]

Consult your Constitution, Article VI, paragraph 3: no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States. You're applying such a test to candidates, in this case Mormons.

Sorry. But you've flunked the Constitution.

Point 1- RELIGION: Religion IS NOT a qualification or disqualification for public office; but it's certainly one quality of voter discernment among many others...namely, voting record, present position statements & rampant inconsistency of past position statements, social issues' stances, character, viability, scandal-free past, etc. Article VI, section 3 of the Constitution is aimed at the candidate (must be of a certain age and must have resided in our country for a certain number of years) and the government so that religion does not become a disqualification to keep somebody otherwise eligible for running for public office. Article VI, section 3, is not aimed at the voter. Otherwise, voters would have to 100% disregard character, beliefs, other-dimensionly commitments, and spiritual discernment in weighing candidates.

POINT 2 - ELIGIBILITY: Newsflash!! Every person on the ballot, & even most write-in candidates, have proper "qualifications" to not be excluded from office consideration (based upon religious grounds). Of course, millions of us have the "qualifications" to be considered a potential POTUS & shouldn't be excluded outright from a ballot because of the religion we hold! Nobody has a "Religious Ineligibility" tattoo on their forehead!

POINT 3- BOTTOM LINE: You, Newzjunkey, and way too many others, confuse "qualifications" (language within the Constitution) with "qualities." (language that’s NOT in the Constitution). I focus on what voters base their votes on in the "real world": Qualities

Otherwise, Article VI says absolutely nothing...nada...zero...about how voters must weigh--or not weigh--the "qualities" of a candidate...So, nowhere does Article VI say that voters MUST 100% disregard character, beliefs, other-dimensionly commitments, and spiritual discernment in weighing candidates!

"Qualifications" have to do with what gets a man on a ballot. "Qualities" has to do with who gets elected.

[SaraJohnson]

Rino Romney: How can we fool ‘em next?

[230FMJ]

Willard the Rino hires a translator to help him communicate with us knuckle-dragging conservatives.....

[greyfoxx39]

Mormons aren't blowing things up and beheading people.

Mormons ARE sending out 52,000 missionaries every day, running hundreds of ads on TV and radio, swamping the internet with their propaganda in the attempt to lead Christians away from Christ while they are playing footsie with the muslims.

Muslims and Latter-Day Saints

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2568726/posts

A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Mohammad

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2571152/posts

The Muslim Mormon Connection

http://mormonism.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_muslim_mormon_connection

Church in the News Newsmakers Religion News Sports Mormons, Muslims break the fast in Southern California

"The LDS visitors were invited to observe the prayers. LDS women who attended wore head scarves, consistent with Muslim dress standards for women. After the evening prayer, the groups shared a large meal together. The dinners featured traditional Muslim foods such as lamb, couscous, rice and dates. About two dozen LDS members from each of the four stakes attended the events.

[Colofornian]

"Qualifications" have to do with what gets a man on a ballot. "Qualities" has to do with who gets elected. (My last line of my last comment)

Let me further reinforce this, so that you'll be "encouraged" to ne'er bring up this nefarious interpretation of the Constitution again:

It became known after the 2008 primary, thru CNN and other data, that 95% of Utah voters voted for Romney.

On Feb. 7, 2008, the Salt Lake Tribune elaborated upon the "exit poll data" in which Utah voters, most Lds, were quizzed as to what influenced their vote:

Per the Trib, "Exit poll data from Tuesday's primary elections showed Utah Republican voters cared more about presidential candidates' personal QUALITIES than their positions on issues, the opposite of the national trend in Super Tuesday voting." (Source headline: "Romney's exit disappoints strong Utah following")

("Personal qualities" was Mormon voter exit "talk" to convey, "He's a fellow Mormon")

Now do I, like you might, or other Article VI false interpreters, brush up vs. Utah voters and say to them, "What an umbrage your '08 vote was! Here you're not supposed to gauge your vote upon a religious test, and yet what did you do...and what you most of you Mormons do in any given election? Why you vote for fellow Mormons! Here 40% of your state is non-Lds...and yet you keep applying religious tests to your vote! How unconstitutional!" ???

The answer is "no," I would not say such a thing to Utah voters, including Lds Utah voters. They can vote for who they want for any reason. It is, after all, a Free Republic. The Constitution does NOT place handcuffs upon voters!

What always amazes me from the "keep religion out of this" finger-waggers is they never seem to get around wagging their fingers at all the Lds voters in Western states who voted for Romney in margins by 91, 93, and even 94-95% (AZ and Nevada are each 8% lds...Their margins were by that much!)

Mormons continually vote for Mormon candidates! I say, "So what?" (That's their Free Republic right!)

But if that's an issue to you and other FREEPERS, then wouldn't you say it's about time to show some consistency re: your concerns? Where's your finger-wagging when it comes to Mormon voters?

[Gamecock]

that focuses on serving Christian leaders

So he's branching out?

[Salvation]

I want to hear what the evangelicals are saying about this.

[Colofornian]

So he's branching out?

Yup. Now he's going beyond Christians by serving those who call Christians "apostates."

Of course, DeMoss volunteered in the same role in '07. So in that sense is not "Now"...just a continuation of the same.

[magritte]

The Demoss Group is a big-time Christian rep firm and for them to accept Romney's business is very interesting. They represent:

Liberty University
Potters House / T.D. Jakes
American Center for Law & Justice
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Campus Crusade for Christ

Their blurb: "Founded by Mark DeMoss in 1991, The DeMoss Group is the nation’s first and largest public relations agency exclusively serving Christian leaders, businesses, non-profit organizations and causes."

[Colofornian]

I want to hear what the evangelicals are saying about this.

I looked for other responses; couldn't find any.

Alas, too many Evangelicals asleep at the wheel.

See. Even FR reports on a 6-day old article, embodying responses from Evangelicals...and we're still "cutting-edge" compared to other sources.

[FourtySeven]

No one with a functioning brain stem believes Mitt Romney is in any way conservative. :)

[greyfoxx39]

Dollars talk. The DeMoss Group is for sale to the highest bidder.

[magritte]

Or they believe Romney and his Mormon religion fit perfectly well in their Christian client list. Not all Christian organizations see the Mormons as boogeymen.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Mormons aren’t blowing things up and beheading people.”

... no, you are right. They are leading people to a Christless eternity. I consider that far worse.

“He wants to belong to a ridiculous religion, thats his business, as long as they are not hurting anybody”

... ah, but it is up to the individual voter to determine whether it matters to them or not.

“I strongly suggest you take your Mormon bashing somewhere else, it’s anti-American, and not productive.”

... um, have you noticed this is the RELIGION forum. People talk about Religion here. Maybe you should
take your dislike for religious discussion to one of the other forums... Freedom of religion includes the
right to not only adhere to a religion, but to reject others as false. Freedom of speech allows AMERICANS
to talk and express those opinions. As such, it is highly American. Is it productive? If it warns others
about RINOmney and the falsehood of mormonism, highly productive.

ampu