The Evidence Mounts…
That lends credence to a theory I am working on about the election just passed. That is that in 2008 the issue was rendered “too awkward to discuss,” but that it remained an issue in the minds of many during this cycle. I would draw an analogy to racism in the deep South. Once segregation was outlawed and racist utterances were rendered politically incorrect, it was not discussed publicly in the South. But it lived, and still does to some much lesser extent, in dinner parties and bridge clubs. We do not have data, and likely cannot get since it is “too awkward to discuss,” whether this was an unspoken issue this election.
Last night on the Hugh Hewitt show, Hugh interviewed Brad Miller of “CitzenLink” which is a fund-raising/action arm of James Dobson’s old “Focus on the Family.” If you are a subscriber you can listen here. The interview is not transcribed and I do not have time right now. In the interview Miller cites state after state where social issue initiatives outperformed Mitt Romney in the vote, even when losing. Now some of that is the African-American vote which is socially conservative, but belongs to Obama, but statistically it cannot account for all of the difference. After the African-American vote is subtracted you have a pretty large group of people that voted conservative in some aspects but not for Romney.
It is pretty easy to imagine that group being people, maybe even Evangelicals, saying “no” to Romney’s Mormonism. Also makes you wonder how many people just stayed home. Stay tuned, we’ll try and find some time to transcribe the pertinent portion to the interview.
Posted in Religious Bigotry | 4 Comments » | 
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mahonri on 16 Nov 2012 at 9:26 am #
John: I think you are on the right track.
From my perspective, what I saw was an underlying backlash – at least from some of the evangelicals I talked to – over the perceived hypocritical political expediency shown by evangelical leaders to get a Mormon elected POTUS. For these individuals, it was just too much to take.
I distinctly remember the punch-in-the-gut effect that Graham’s endorsement had on these individuals. For them – and I’ll include myself in that crowd – a theological stand was more important than the political expediency. Even with all the platform values pointing to the conservative agenda, the idea of indirectly supporting and promoting a faith with such a dubious history, and embraces theological doctrines which are antithetical to biblical christianity, appeared to be – in itself – a values statement and bellwether decision.
I rather liken the whole episode to trying to elect a devout Muslim to POTUS. In present times, that’s just not going to happen.
Even a devout Muslim follows good values for which most Americans can agree and embrace. But… well, I think you get my point.
So, I believe you are going in the right direction.
With Evidence Comes Discussion | Article VI Blog | John Schroeder on 17 Nov 2012 at 10:16 am #
[...] CommentsGottaZoom on A Mormon’s Eye Viewmahonri on The Evidence Mounts…The Evidence Mounts… | Article VI Blog | John Schroeder on A Mormon’s Eye ViewCarlH on A [...]
JLF9999 on 17 Nov 2012 at 10:24 am #
Mormon detractors have no more idea what they are talking about concerning LDS theology than a baby sitting on its mother’s lap. When asked to describe what they know they come up only with the most inane and convoluted gobbledygook imaginable not the least of which is their version of the Joseph Smith “story” and his supposed infidelities and abuses. Yet we see their nonsense plastered all over the internet and in hate filled magazines and books, all “explaining” the reasons Mormonism is evil, backward, false or in some other way a highly dangerous to the unwary. It is almost like some unseen hand is in control of their meandering and mindless utterances. It reminds me that when I was a newly minted policeman the first thing my sergeant told me was to never argue with a drunk. So it is with Mormon haters. Thiers is a state of mind devoid of everything except their hateful hissing. You might as well be talking to a tree stump. Until people who think like that want to know, they will not listen.
Examing Evidence in Detail | Article VI Blog | John Schroeder on 19 Nov 2012 at 4:03 am #
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