Evangelicals, more than other GOP voter groups, deeply distrust Romney

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/may/28/republicans-mittromney

Mitt Romney: underwhelming in IowaMitt Romney's lacklustre campaigning in Des Moines typifies his status as the Republicans' unfancied frontrunner for 2012

Stewart J Lawrence

guardian.co.uk, Saturday 28 May 2011 15.09 BST

Are Republicans planning to choose the party "heir apparent" as their 2012 presidential candidiate, as they have in so many years past, regardless of his popularity or electability? Or faced with an historic Democratic opponent like Barack Obama, and under pressure from Tea Party insurgents, will the GOP finally decide to "go rogue"?

That's the big question facing party leaders and voters as the Republican field narrows but continues to fragment, with different candidates starting to secure footholds in different states and with potentially competing voter groups.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who finished second to John McCain in 2008, is still widely viewed as the presumptive GOP frontrunner. He has the largest war chest, the best field organisation, and the most presidential campaign experience of any Republican candidate currently running or planning a bid. But persistent questions about his candidacy – fuelled by his embrace of "RomneyCare", his devout Mormonism and his persistent flip-flopping on social issues – remain.

[mzteris]

1. Fundies don't believe Mormons are "Christians"

They won't support him.

[The Magistrate]

2. And They Are Right, Ma'am: Mormonism Is Not Christianity

[KamaAina]

6. But Sir, the Mormon Church's official name is "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"

and the Book of Mormon is billed as "another testament of Jesus Christ", to be used alongside the more familiar Old and New ones.

[The Magistrate]

11. Which Just Makes The Whole Mess Even Cuter, Sir

[KamaAina]

14. Sir, I sill don't understand what separates them from other Christians

I have them down as a fourth branch of Christianity, alongside Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant.

[The Magistrate]

15. It Depends, Sir, On How deep You Want to Go

The attributes Mormonism ascribes to the Christ bear little relation to either Catholic or Protestant Chriatology. There are also doctrins of human spiritual perfectibility, amounting to claims humans can become angels or gods. Some of these differences are played down a good deal nowadays, but they remain genuine features.

Being a hard old infidel myself, there is no dog of mine in this particular scrap; the title 'Christian' contains for me no connotation of right or good or superior whatever.

[WinkyDink]

16. They can call it a kumquat if they want. Christianity does not accept post-Biblical "books."

That whole "Latter-Day" element is not Christian.

Polygamy is not Christian.

Thinking there are more gods and goddesses extant is not Christian.
"In Mormonism, the concept of divinity centers around an idea of "exaltation" and "eternal progression": the idea that mortals themselves may become gods and goddesses in the afterlife, be rulers of their own heavenly kingdoms, have spirit children, and increase in power and glory forever as a result of their cosmic posterity. Mormons understand that there are many gods and goddesses in the cosmos, including a Heavenly Mother. However, the three persons of the Christian Trinity (God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit) are to be the only objects of worship."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_cosmology

And men becoming gods of their own planets post-mortem is DECIDEDLY not Christian!!
http://www.mormondoctrine.net/articles/God_became_God.htm

[mzteris]

7. did you know

most Southern Baptists and related evangelical fundies - don't consider Catholics to be Christian, either.

[The Magistrate]

10. Very True, Ma'am

The attitudes range from considering a corruption and distortion all the way to viewing it as the active manifestation of the Anti-Christ.

If you are in the mood for some serious fun, look into one Rev. Hislop....

[WinkyDink]

17. They are simply ignorant, as Catholics preceded, get this, the PROTESTants.

Catholicism at least bases its tenets (e.g., the Pope as successor to Peter) on Biblical writings. Protestants may eschew such Catholic sacraments as Confession, but there is no disagreement as to the divinity and nature of Christ.

Anglicans/Episcopalians, whose church is based on a king's wish for a divorce (from a wife he later beheaded), ought to descend from their high horse.

[mzteris]

19. well of course they're ignorant

they build their lives around an imaginary being!

The argument is - they're IDOLATORS. They worship images. They pray to "saints" instead of to gawd. et cetera ad nauseum

[mwb970]

5. *I* don't believe that Mormons are "Christians" either!

I believe that they are weirdoes. So are the fundies.

[JoePhilly]

12. I love watching each sect of Christianity explain how it is the one true Christianity.

Of course for the Christian right, they try to HIDE this reality. Each wants the others to think they are all part of the same "Christian" team.

Let's face it ... you don't need 1000 flavors of Christianity ... in fact, it makes no sense.

But politically, they all hide behind the one term "Christianity", as a way to hold the voting block. Press them on it, and these rifts emerge ... Fundies think Mormons and Catholics are FALSE Christians ... Mormons think Fundies and Catholics are "stalled" Christians who have yet to accect the truth they know.

Speaking from a politicaly perspective, I think we on the left should pit them against each other. Make them explain their differences. They hate to do it.

I once saw Wolf ask Ralph Reed and James Carville if they thought Mormons where Christians. Carville says ... "they say they are, who am I to say they are not." Then former head of the Christian Coalition Reed says ... "well, umm, well, umm ... ya see ... umm ... well .... " and he goes on for 5 minutes saying nothing. He doesn't want to admit the truth, that the sects of Christianity like his are quietly terrified of each other.

That battle is for later, after they get rid of those who don't believe at all.

[cleanhippie]

21. Bingo!

[LetTimmySmoke]

3. They're just jealous of all his wives.

[mzteris]

8. nah - they want his

underwear.

:hide:

[Old and In the Way]

4. Their convention ought to be fun to watch.

Mitt's gonna have everything going for him - money,organization,experience. What he won't have is primary votes.

[JoePhilly]

13. For years ... the Christian right has wanted the Mormon votes enough ...

to let them think that they were "real Christians" ... of course that's not what fundies think ... but letting Mormons THINK that they are accepted has been useful politically.

But those same fundies never counted on a mormon leading the race. That scares them to death.

It will be fun to watch.

[TlalocW]

9. I've been saying this since I first learned about Romney

Oh, the big-name evangelicals will come out in support of him if he happens to win the nomination - Pat Robertson, Falwell would have if he were still alive, etc. If he wins the nomination, those guys will be his new best friends since they're not really about any message they preach except whatever makes them money and allows them to keep trying to turn America into a theocracy. But they're going to have to really work triple overtime to undo years of telling their followers from Nascar Bubbas to the conservative soccer moms to the preachers of small, backwater Baptist churches that Mormonism is a Satanic cult. A lot of those people will be pretty disillusioned, and I think a lot of them will stay home rather than have to vote for a Mormon.

TlalocW

[Scottybeamer70]

18. If you were around when Kennedy was elected, it is the same

kind of insane hysteria because he was catholic. It was outright insane how the "christians" went ballistic.
Will be about the same if Romney is nominated, I think. Couldn't be any worse that it was in 1960.......that's
for sure.

[mzteris]

20. I hope I live to see the day

an atheist/agnostic is elected!

[NNN0LHI]

22. I am sure one or more already has been elected

They just are not going to ever admit it or they would be unelectable.

Don

[mzteris]

23. Openly.

Please don't say "ever". Maybe someday, eh? Maybe well after I'm dead, but still, a girl can dream, can't she?


(Maybe I should pray for it? )

:hide: