Article VI Blog

There is a serious strain of creedal Christian college students who want to live in a little, isolated bubble.  Not all of them, mind you, but some just do not want to be challenged.  They chose a Christian college because they wish to avoid contrary thought and ideas.  Gotta think a bunch of them landed at Pat Robertson's Regent University.  Romney is going to be their commencement speaker, and apparently that has created some controversy.  There is; however, a big question:

Some students have posted negative – and positive – messages on Regent's internal electronic bulletin board and sent e-mails to faculty members and administrators since Romney's selection was announced Feb. 14, said Regent spokeswoman Sherri Stocks. [emphasis added]

Two weeks until this becomes a story?  And the story breaks on the day Romney makes what is by many reports a great speech at CPAC.  Hmmmm.  And of course, there is the usual ignorance.

"What we're against is the fact that Mormonism is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Christian values and what we believe," said Doug Dowdey, a Virginia Beach pastor who said he graduated from Regent's divinity school last year.

WHAT? HOW?  Historically, Christian clergy were the most learned, best informed people in a community, but that obviously is not the case here.  Mormonism is not the same as traditional Christianity and there is much that could be said about that, but that Mormonism is "on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Christian values and what we believe" is just flat out not one of them.  What about Wiccan, or Satanism? – I'm thinking that's a whole lot farther down than spectrum than Mormonism.  You'd think the press would be smart enough not to quote the completely ignorant.

Romney says he'll punt on The Question for now.  Smart move, despite what this lady thinks.  If nothing else, it is waaaaaay to early in the game.  Fact of the matter is, not enough people are paying attention to make any grand gesture effective.  Consider the difference in general populace polling and the LATimes insider poll mentioned in an item below.  And who knows where the issue will be when enough people are paying attention?  I share the frustration of many thinking this just isn't that big a deal and there ought to be a quick and dirty way to dispose of the issue and get serious.  Alas, we are stuck with it.  In this new media age, an issue like this will not die – it is going to bounce around in whispers and blog posts for the rest of history.

Politico interviews Romney.  He likes us, he really likes us!

A long and scholarly essay on protestant, reformed (that's me!) thought and politics.  (HT: Broken Bonds, Loosed Chains) It's by a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary.  Here's the money quote:

No one person or group of individuals may rise up and impose its will even in the name of God and Christ.

Amen!

The Kennedy/Romney "parallel."  You know, the more it keeps coming up, the more I see it as mildly interesting, but not very deep, religiously, politically, or any other way.  The fact of the matter is Mitt Romney will or will not win based on here, today.  The political and religious spheres now are very different than they were in 1960.

Thank goodness there are some smart people that write in South Carolina.  I was beginning to worry.  Meanwhile more small papers publish pieces saying pretty much the same thing – It just doesn't matter. — Alabama — Connecticut — Kentucky.

I keep telling my creedal Christian brethren, religious bias against Romney reflects a lot worse on us than it does on him.

One guy in Vegas reminds us, Romney is not the one making his religiousity an issue.

EFM saves us the trouble of transcribing Rick Santorum from Thursday's Hugh Hewitt show.  He is making a whole lot of sense.

The LATimes polls "insiders" and finds Romney is leading.  Not surprising actually, but I'm not sure it's great news.  "Insiders" are precisely the people I would least expect to carry the bias and prejudice related to The Question.  They are also the people most likely to change their minds if bias and prejudice rear their heads amongst the electorate and the votes look like they will swing the other way.  "Insiders" are one-issue voters – Who can win?  This gives Romney one heck of an advantage at the moment, but I don't think it says much about the religious aspects of this election.

Hey Lowell! – do you think it would help if we went to the NCAA Final Four together?  

Lowell:  I need no excuse to go to the Final Four.  I do need tickets, however . . . .

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