Who's concerned about a Mormon president?

[Eleven Mike]

I assume we've all heard that many people are uncomfortable with Mitt Romney's Mormonism.  I believe the polls I have heard about put this at the forty-percent range.  It seems to be assumed that this resistance is coming from the dreaded Religious Right, or at least that's the impression I get.  So far, I've only met one of my fellow Christian Conservatives who was worried by the idea of a Mormon president.  So, I wonder if the discomfort is not actually coming from people who fear Romney's religion because he IS the Religious Right.  And from people that just don't like the Mormons because of their door-to-door evangelising. 

Or is it all three? 

[Manedwolf]

I don't care what religion he is. He could believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

I care that he's a lying hypocrite, a total leftist who just bought a new Reagan hat and thinks he's fooling anybody.

[BrokenPaw]

I think that (as a Pagan) I would be less concerned about a Mormon president than about some other denominations.  In my experience, Mormons tend to be exactly what they say they are; they preach a faith I don't agree with, sure, but they're honest about their motives and they practice what they preach.  I've never met a Mormon who wasn't exactly what he (or she) claimed to be.  I can't say the same thing about other paths people follow (including my own).

I'd rather have an honest president who disagreed with me on some issues, than a dishonest one who told me he agreed with me on everything.

-BP

[RocketMan]

His religion doesn't bother me.
However, his seeming inability to research basic things about his target audience causes concern.  Witness his address to some in Miami's Cuban community last week where he said, "Patria o muerte, venceremos!" to close.  It is a slogan used by Castro for decades at the end of his speeches, meaning, "Fatherland or death, we shall overcome."
Romney apparently meant to say something else.  Careless, if you ask me.

[mtnbkr]

I've known quite a few Mormons and they all lived according to their beliefs. 

I went to a Baptist college that happened to have a fairly large Mormon community.  The Mormons were among the more principled of the student body.

Chris

[K Frame]

Funny how history repeats itself...

Campaign of 1960 there were huge numbers of people who said they would never vote for John Kennedy because he would be more beholden to the Pope than to the US Constitution.

[Matthew Carberry]

I'm voting for Fred Thompson.  Problem solved.

[Perd Hapley]

His religion is of little consequence to me as a candidate or as President.

On a related note, Thompson is getting some attention from radio talk hosts.  This is a good sign. 

[charby]

I'm waiting for the "none of the above" spot on my ballot.

[Marnoot]

While I have no problem voting for a Mormon (being one myself), I do have hangups about Romney. His flip-floppery on some issues bothers me. If his opinion on these issues has, in fact, changed and evolved, I don't have a problem. But if he's just changing them to be politically expedient, then I've got a problem. If it came down to a choice between Romney and Fred Thompson for me, at the moment I'm leaning towards Thompson.

[BakerMikeRomeo]

We didn't elect a catholic president for almost 200 years because we thought they might be more loyal to the Pope than to the United States. 

I dan't care what he believes. Actually, I'd prefer a Mormon president: confusion to our enemies!

~GnSx

[Car Knocker]

As a non-Mormon living in Salt Lake City, I would have to say that the Mormon church, like any other religious group, has some members that live up to the tenents of their faith, some who don't and some who observe those principles that are convenient.  I recall reading several years ago in the newspaper that the state prison religious demographics closely mirror those of the state population.

As for Romney, his religion isn't an issue for me but I believe his political views expouse whatever he thinks will get him nominated and elected.

[Racehorse]

As a non-Mormon living in Salt Lake City, I would have to say that the Mormon church, like any other religious group, has some members that live up to the tenents of their faith, some who don't and some who observe those principles that are convenient.  I recall reading several years ago in the newspaper that the state prison religious demographics closely mirror those of the state population.

As a Mormon living in Salt Lake City, I would have to say that that's entirely accurate.

[Manedwolf]

As a non-Mormon living in Salt Lake City, I would have to say that the Mormon church, like any other religious group, has some members that live up to the tenents of their faith, some who don't and some who observe those principles that are convenient.  I recall reading several years ago in the newspaper that the state prison religious demographics closely mirror those of the state population.

As for Romney, his religion isn't an issue for me but I believe his political views expouse whatever he thinks will get him nominated and elected.

Though I still wonder at religions that have a headquarters that looks like this:

Mormon headquarters, Salt Lake City

[HankB]

I'm not a Mormon, and don't agree with their religion, but those I've met are just people . . . like the Jews I've met, like the Lutherans I've met, like the Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, etc.

Some are fine folks, some are not so fine folks.

Just people.

So Romney's Mormonism is a non-issue, as far as I'm concerned. But like the other front-running GOP candidates, I have to ask myself . . . would this clown be any better than (barf, gag) Hillary?

[Car Knocker]

Though I still wonder at religions that have a headquarters that looks like this:

Mormon headquarters, Salt Lake City
[/quote]
Why?

[Marnoot]

Though I still wonder at religions that have a headquarters that looks like this

What are our administrative headquarters supposed to look like? It looks like an office building because that's what it is. It's full of offices to manage all the administrative, charitable, and other affairs of the church.

I believe his political views expouse whatever he thinks will get him nominated and elected.

That's what sours me towards him. Unless his campaign can convince me otherwise, that's the sense that will stay with me.

[Manedwolf]

Though I still wonder at religions that have a headquarters that looks like this

What are our administrative headquarters supposed to look like? It looks like an office building because that's what it is. It's full of offices to manage all the administrative, charitable, and other affairs of the church.

Something other than a soul-less postmodern block of horrendous blandness! Religions are supposed to make people look up in wonder, a la cathedrals, not look up and go "yuck".

It was an architectural criticism. 

[Ron]

Not knowing much about him I was hopeful that he was a true conservative.

From what i have heard he hasn't taken enough of his religion to heart, oh well.

I'm with carebear, Fred Thompson for president.

[BrokenPaw]

Something other than a soul-less postmodern block of horrendous blandness!

Does their temple in Maryland make up for it?



When I was a kid, I thought it was a castle.
-BP

[Marnoot]

It was an architectural criticism.

Oh, we're in a agreement on the architecture of that building , but it's a functional form for an administrative building.

Religions are supposed to make people look up in wonder, a la cathedrals, not look up and go "yuck".

The headquarters isn't a center of the church in that sense. Our temples serve more that function, as BrokenPaw mentioned.

[Standing Wolf]

I'm not voting for any RINOsperiod.

[Eleven Mike]

To keep this thread on topic, let's pretend we don't care whether Romney is a hypocrite, a conservative, a RINO, or a gun rights supporter.  Let's just talk about who is scared of a Mormon president.

Is it the Christian Right that is uncomfortable with it, or is it the secular left? 

[roo_ster]

I'm not scared of a Mormon prez.  Romney, though, would have to do a LOT of convincing for me to buy his flip-floppery & Multiple Issue Conversion Syndrome (MICS).

I think it is liklely the same folks who don't like conservative Christians don't like the idea of a Mormon prez.

[Ron]

Well I'm rightwing,  Protestant and I was looking forward to supporting him if he was a true conservative.

He hasn't passed the smell test. The one thing you can count on a flip flopper to do is flip flop.