By the way, I do not want to imply that I think you have described any Mormon beliefs accurately. To my mind, you have caricatured them– at best! But let’s stop there and talk about politics.

Best, Lowell Brown

Yes, the DNC texts are on my website and presumably published “not once, but twice.” One is in the form of a press release – and filed in my press release section – which includes press releases sent by me, as part of a coalition I participate in, or mentioning me or my work. The other – which appeared on the DNC website as an article – is included in my press coverage folder.

As I have a bit of a history with regard to Bob Jones University and their interracial marriage policies – I reprinted the texts – and then issued a blog entry with a disclaimer (much like your own that I’ve read on this site regarding Gov. Romney’s campaign) to the effect that the DNC’s use of my name in campaign materials is a factual matter and not an endorsement of any particular candidate.

I’m not concerned with Gov. Romney’s religious beliefs. As I took my lumps, death threats, and tons of hate mail from “Christians” (I use quotes when someone identifies themself as such but grossly exhibits un-Christian-like behaviour) I republished the texts on my website and issued yet another blog entry that chronicled the history of that particular issue in an effort to stymie such nasty behaviour yet again. Perhaps it makes sense to link the DNC texts to the disclaimer blog entry so that those who come by it via google or other sources will understand why it appears on my website or why my name is mentioned.

Again, I’m not concerned one bit with Gov. Romney’s religious beliefs. I want your readers to be perfectly clear on that – lest they be misled into thinking I’m some kind of evil demon who has it in for the Governor on the basis of his Mormon beliefs.

I consider any statements to the contrary or intentional inferences toward that direction to be bearing false witness.

These are legitimate questions that Romney is going to have to answer. Otherwise, when Christians find out what Mormons actually believe (and the Democrats and media will make sure of that), all Romney is going to accomplish by going around saying “Jesus is my savior but not my God” (which violates John 20:28) and “the God that I do believe in is not a spirit” (which violates John 4:24) is offend a lot of Christians. There is no way around it. It would be like a Scientologist going around claiming that Joseph Smith was a prophet of Scientology and that the Scientologists are the true Mormons, and that instead of being a “theo – nerd” by talking about the differences between Scientologists and Mormons on doctrine and other irrelevant things like that, let’s talk about what we have in common, like values and how we both help people overcome poverty and drug addiction.

Would you go for that? NO. So why do you expect Christians to? The thing is that one does not have to be a Christian to be a solid principled social conservative. The only reason why Romney is going around saying “Jesus is my savior” is because he is determined to force Christians to accept him as one of them on some level, and be in position to denounce them as a bunch of bigots if they do not. Well, that may give him – and other self righteous people – some solace, but we all know that the result would be a Clinton – Giuliani presidential race, with Clinton being the winner. Romney needs to stop putting his personal feelings ahead of the interests of the country and stop trying to get evangelical Christians to validate his candidacy.