Today’s Reading List – April 5, 2007 | Article VI Blog

Finally, the MSM looks at Romney and the money primary seriously. Maybe they are coming to their senses? I think everybody initially wrote Romney off – "The Mormon is unelectable." Under such presuppositions, they would naturally try to explain the money as some sort of "Mormon bubble." However, that story has no traction, and to date no facts to back it up. So now they have to get serious . . . .

When thinking about the person in the White House, would you rather know their view of the Godhead is not in agreement with classic Christian formulations, or would you like them to say something like this:

When asked directly Wednesday if he still supported the use of public funding for abortions, Giuliani said "Yes."

Just trying to help draw the line about what matters when casting a vote and what does not.

So, the left does not have it in for religious people? Well, here is some evidence to the contrary. The Wonkette manages a "cult" crack and Hitler comparisions in a headline and one sentence. Meanwhile, we are now running terrorism drills where the imagined terrorists are called "members of a right-wing fundamentalist group called the “New Crusaders” who don't believe in separation of church and state."

One of the things the left does so well, is NOT connect the dots. I have not heard this advanced yet, but as the denials of religious prejudice stack up from the left, I cannot help but think they believe they are justified because they want all religion gone, and do not single out any particular religion. Oh sure, if they have to tackle Mormonism as the stand-in they can, that's just that whole "truthiness" thing. I think there is logic in their somewhere, but it escapes me.

Lowell chimes in from afar: I don't know that the Left wants all religion gone; it's hard to generalize. I do think that most hard-core liberals are really frightened and distrustful of organized religion and of religious people– or are at best very uncomfortable with both, and seem to want a very muted religious voice in the public square. Consider the Wonkette, a liberal darling, someone most liberals seem to consider very funny and a real voice for their views: "Mittler?" Aren't Hitler comparisons, applied to everyone to the right of Lincoln Chafee, losing their zing just a wee bit? Or does calling conservatives Nazis still delight a liberal audience? And I'm confused: If the "religious right" is so awful (those meanies– calling "Mittler's" religion a "cult!") why borrow their supposed terminology? Or is it awful to call Mormonism a cult only when the right does it?

OK, I know the Pew Forum's raison d'etre is religion in public life, but I am not sure this is such a hot idea. I cannot help but think a web site that monitors the entire election from a purely religious standpoint including most importantly, polling of various religious sub-groups, just helps to drive religious divides deeper in public life. Something that is, I think, antithetical to a proper American viewpoint.

Lowell will go a little farther: Frankly, as my teen-agers would say, the idea creeps me out.

Check this report of the general public asking Romney a bit about his faith. What is amazing is the NYTimes writing about what I as an Evangelical believe AND what Mormons believe. How do they know? What are their sources? Why are they attempting to create a divide where the strict reporting does not show one developing – apparently the questioner took Romney's answer at face value! Once again we see the left-leaning MSM just assume all religious people are irrational and if the facts won't let them make that point, then, by george, conjecture will.

Lowell notes wryly: Hey John! Welcome to the club. People have been telling me what I believe for years. Isn't it fun?

Finally, my goad yesterday to local SLC television reporter, Katie Baker, apparently got this blog on TV! Sadly, the piece is the usual for television, very surface, and went for the spectacular instead of the serious – she featured extensively an on-line video of two guys that are just ignorant about Mormonism, while giving us a quite kind, but very brief mention. All I have to say it's about time we got some MSM love instead of those people over at Evangelicals for Mitt.