Does the thought of a Mormon in the White House scare the Shit out of you?
- Thread starter earllogjam
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Well, I guess I can chalk myself up for most Americans, because I believed gossip....gah, that makes me upset. Anyway, I thought Dick Cheney was Jewish, have thought this for years and have been all happy that finally, finally we have someone in the White House that isn't a Protestant, Methodist or white bread whatever. Sorry. My bad. He's Methodist. So goes the idea that we can move from the bell curve and into something different. Not that your religion -- well, maybe Mormon religion -- makes you any better/worse at being in office.
Sigh. I'll stop.
Sigh. I'll stop.
ConanTheBarber
Legendary Member
Well, I guess I can chalk myself up for most Americans, because I believed gossip....gah, that makes me upset. Anyway, I thought Dick Cheney was Jewish, have thought this for years and have been all happy that finally, finally we have someone in the White House that isn't a Protestant, Methodist or white bread whatever. Sorry. My bad. He's Methodist. So goes the idea that we can move from the bell curve and into something different. Not that your religion -- well, maybe Mormon religion -- makes you any better/worse at being in office.
Sigh. I'll stop.
As far as I know, Joe Lieberman was the only Jewish candidate for vice president that the U.S. has ever had.
And of course, he didn't get in.
Al Gore lost the 2000 election and a reborn Methodist came in.
Now, I generally don't worry about politicians' religious beliefs, but I really think that Dubya's religious beliefs may have sent him on a few crusades too many.
(We'll never know, of course. But he did say that Jesus was his favourite philosopher, iirc. Kinda scary.)
I can't tell what the intended antecedent is of the word "their" in your last sentence. Grammatically, the only possible antecedent is "the evangelicals," mentioned in the previous sentence. Yes, it certainly would be scary to have their brand of morality imposed on the nation, though so far they have only been able to do that locally and in small measures. But the set-up of your post, and in particular the thread title, suggest that you meant to refer to Mormons. To that, I would say that, while the prospect is, in theory, just as scary, its chances of coming into effect are even smaller. It is certainly not the sort of thing that the president is empowered to do.
Romney's salary as president would be chicken feed compared to his income from business and investments. As for the idea that he would be appointing thousands of Mormons to government positions, I would dismiss that as mere silliness if it did not carry a rather ugly reminiscence of the speculations from the right on what would happen if a Roman Catholic (John Kennedy) became president.
It is one of the more backward and idiotic characteristics of our political life.
Of course if you're white, straight and married with kids, you have nothing to worry about a Mormon president - you're the poster child for the LDS. God is on your side. But if you don't fit into their "ideal"...or god forbid a homosexual it's another story.
The very well monied Mormon church out of Salt Lake City has called it upon itself to fund practically every anti-gay legislation here in California. Why would I, as a gay man not be weary of a president who belongs to an organization that sees me as sub human and not deserving of the same rights they enjoy?
If a political candidate was known to belong to the KKK can you divorce his association with such a heinous organized group from what he will do in his power as an elected official? Just ask any black person in Mississippi.
I think an elected officials beliefs and organizations he belongs to including his religious beliefs give a reflection of his character and his view of the world and how things should be. I don't see how I can ignore the fact that Romney being a Mormon would take away my freedoms as the Mormon church would have it under the pretense of their "morality" and directive from their "God".
Mind you, on a personal level I have known Mormons as individuals and they have been friendly and cordial but the organized church with an anti-gay political agenda they are pure evil.
ConanTheBarber
Legendary Member
Not strange that you fear that, but I can't see Romney doing that in power.
He might like to do that ... but I doubt he would consider it politically possible.
If his Mormonism were foregrounded in any way, public opinion would turn completely against him.
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Actually Huntsman (a Mormon) is the least objectionable of all the Republican candidates. However, I would not put a Republican into the Presidential office, because that would give the rest of the crazies more power.
Of the GOP Candidates Mit Romney has a track record that has so far indicated that his religious belief system has not been a factor in his decision making for those he represents.
There are many religious belief systems with which I personally do not agree. At the same time it is the right of every American to adopt and practice the religious belief system that is their own.
As long as the religious belief system does not play a role in decision making I have no preference on that issue. The same question was raised with regards to Kennedy because he was Catholic.
I am far more scared of the rabid "born agains" who promise to make changes based on their own belief system and impose that belief system on others than Romney who has had a track record proven of not doing so.
Currently bowing to Brigham Young is far less heinous than some of the other nut-jobs.
There are many religious belief systems with which I personally do not agree. At the same time it is the right of every American to adopt and practice the religious belief system that is their own.
As long as the religious belief system does not play a role in decision making I have no preference on that issue. The same question was raised with regards to Kennedy because he was Catholic.
I am far more scared of the rabid "born agains" who promise to make changes based on their own belief system and impose that belief system on others than Romney who has had a track record proven of not doing so.
Currently bowing to Brigham Young is far less heinous than some of the other nut-jobs.
Then why didn't you just name the topic "Does the thought of a Republican in the White House scare you then?" Don't know why you had to bring up a religious affiliation.
George W. Bush single handedly put an end to government funding for stem cell research because of his religious beliefs - which BTW ran contrary to public opinion and the medical establishment.
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Tell me how any member of the established Mormon Church has challenged its own doctrine without becoming an ostracized Jack Mormon and suffered the consequences.
Highly unlikely that Romney would leave his church to stand up for us homosexuals on any moral imperative let alone decency.
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FRE
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I made part of the quoted text bold and underlined it. That is the part that concerns me. Moreover, he personally has taken a position against same-sex marriage. It looks as though he intends to enact his religious beliefs into law. There is sufficient reason to oppose him.
It is fine to enact into law those religious principles which support fairness and justice, such as by enacting laws against fraud, murder, etc. But enacting religious principles into law is not acceptable when such principles are not directly related to fraud, murder, and other acts that are contrary to social justice.
ConanTheBarber
Legendary Member
Well, GWB was really dumb and head strong.
I don't think of Romney that way.
Moreover, Bush was, as a Methodist, far closer to the centre of the religious right than any Mormon can be. Much of the religious right already is distrustful of his Mormonism.
Romney won't want to act in a way that will close the presidency to other Mormon contenders -- and the Mormon church won't want him to either.
My guess, anyway.
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You missed the point. The argument was to show how a President can act against the majority public opinion and medical establishment and follow his religious beliefs.