“Not An Issue” and Other Frightening Things
LATimes political cartoonist/blogger David Horsey, under a cartoon that manages to make fun of religiosity generally says:
Jokes about polygamy and funny long underwear aside, Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith has not been, and will not become, a factor in the presidential campaign of 2012.
Horsey’s cartoon and post make it an issue, even if he says it’s not an issue. You cannot set aside jokes about “long underwear” in drawing a conclusion. The six remaining readers of the LATimes know that the LAT has rung the Mormon bell in re: Romney more times in the last year than Big Ben has chimed the hour. No, of course Obama is not going to get up and say “Don’t vote for my opponent, he’s a Mormon.” But not an issue?! Already is and has been for quite some time.
If it wasn’t an issue, why would the BBC go to all this trouble?:
A startling investigation into America’s fastest growing religion and the former Mormon bishop who says he now wants to be President of the United States.
[...]
“Mitt Romney and the Mormons”, reported by John Sweeney and presented by Kerry O’Brien, goes to air on Monday 30th April at 8.30pm on ABC1. It is replayed on Tuesday 1st May at 11.35pm. It can also be seen on ABC News 24 at 8.00pm on Saturdays or on ABC iview .
If it wasn’t an issue, why would McKay Coppins, who has is trying to carve out a niche for himself as the “Mormon guy” in the media keep playing this kind of gotcha:
But in a 2002 interview with the Mormon newspaper Church News, Romney was much more forthright about the extent to which he is influenced by his faith.[...]
In October 2000, just a few days before the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games, Brother Romney flew from Sydney, Australia, to Boston, Mass., to attend the dedication of the [Boston, MA Mormon] temple.
While he needed to be in Australia for the closing ceremonies, he felt it more important to attend the dedication. With no time to rest following a 24-hour flight, he was among the throng waiting in line early that morning for the dedication.
“My commitment to my Church and faith is all encompassing,” he said. “The opportunity to attend a temple dedication in the presence of a prophet in my hometown, where I served as stake president and bishop, is an opportunity that I would never miss.”
Coppins will no doubt defend himself by saying what he said when he started the Mormons and women meme, “This may be the way Dems will raise Mormon issue: not attack it, but say Mitt’s afraid to talk about it (thus making it sound spooky)” Oh good Coppins, so you’ll just use an out of context quotation to make it sound like a brainwashing cult. Coppins cannot blame the Dems for an attack that he is clearly making.
Amazing Stuff
Mitt Romney may not be the first Mormon president of a nation. The story concerns the heavily Islamic African nation of Mali. If a Muslim nation elects a Mormon president, and Romney’s Mormonism is a factor HERE – something is very wrong in America.
Amazing levels of hatred. It is frightening that such levels exist in our nation.
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JLF9999 on 28 Apr 2012 at 3:02 pm #
“It is frightening that such levels exist in our nation” says John. It is frightening I grant but not unexpected, not in the minds of Mormons anyway. According to our theology there must be opposition in all things. The more power and presence the Church has the more power and influence Satan will be allowed. It is part of God’s plan to test us to see which way we choose even in the face of the most challenging time of our earthly experience. These last couple of generations have been given much.
We are a particularly strong people spiritually so the test must be difficult in order to challenge us. Godly people have been challenged through out history according to their ability to withstand. But in these latter days, Godly people have been given even more than previous generations so the test is harder. We have to do more than just survive. We have to prevail.