The L.A. Times has a frontpage article today on the potential problem Romney’s Mormon faith could pose for him among evangelical Christians. It includes quotes such as:
“I don’t believe he would be guided by God.”
and
“When it comes right down to it, a Mormon’s strength is human. A Christian person’s strength is superhuman. I want [a president] who has that extra on his side.”
But the guy seems to have pretty strong faith, certainly from their perspective he’s right on the issues (this week at least) and his no-vice and novel faithful-to-one-wife lifestyle certainly must impress. So what is it exactly that makes Christians so nervous about voting for a Mormon?
The Times breaks it down:
- [Mormons] consider the Book of Mormon a holy text, a revelation from God, on par with the Bible.
- Mormons hold that God is made of flesh and bone…and he’s even married to a Heavenly Mother.
- man can become God-like after death, a concept called ultimate deification.
- Mormons fully accept the New Testament account of Christ’s life and resurrection…[b]ut they don’t accept the doctrine of the Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Ghost as one entity.
- the [Mormon] church permits abortion in cases of rape or incest, if the mother’s health is at risk, or if the fetus has severe deformities.
The article stresses, however, that these theological differences are not insurmountable; there’s a pragmatic streak in the evangelical community that preaches one overriding principle: ABD: Anybody But a Democrat. But in the primary, when the choice is among a field of candidates who share the same positions, well, as Jason Thurman, asst. manager of the Shepherd’s Fold bookstore puts it:
“If one’s a Christian and one’s Mitt Romney? I have a feeling I’d vote for the Christian.”
But which Christian? If the feelings of several members of a South Carolina Bible study are any indication, Romney may well have something to worry about come, oh, July 4 or so.
[they] favor former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister. They’re also eager to hear more from former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson.
6 Responses to “So, Why Is Being Mormon A Problem Anyway?”
[...] So, Why Is Being Mormon A Problem Anyway? [...]
I have read many Evangelicals comments that they would not vote for Romney even as the Republican nominee. This is silly and shows that even though many Evangelical do not consider Mormons Christians (& I am not disputing the noticeable difference between the LDS church and Orthodox Christianity), they cannot even see that Jesus stated that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself. As a Christian who used to attend a Baptist Church, I can tell that they may have good doctrine, but they did not show Christ’s love and therefore were not very good witnesses for the Kingdom of God. I should also note that this is not an isolated incident as these the Evangelical community where I moved to has picked up on the false rumors spread by these so called Christians and run with them, to my family’s detriment. Mean while I have seen much less judgment from LDS members.
This by the way is just a tiny sample of what we have had to endure while Evangelicals watched on (such as judgment for my son’s autism)
Mormons don’t cloud their own beliefs. They just get tired of Protestants who think they know Mormon doctrine better than Mormons do cloud those beliefs or take them out of context.
The problem with Christians is they like to tear each other apart! The sign of truth is that there will be peace and order… the LDS faith has exactly portrayed this. I was raised in the religious far right hand side of things and sat and watched church split over church split happen over the simplest of silliness. Having long left the conservative Baptist upbringing, yet holding the core values deep within my soul, I find that the Church of Jesus Christ has way more to offer as far as minding ones own business and not trying to play “control” games with your life, or in deciding what you can or can’t wear, or go or say… it is left between you and our Heavenly Father. I have found peace, real peace… the peace that I was always told we would have, but was never exemplified by the leaders of the conservative right! Vote your ethics and not your religion or your race card!
Something to say?
It’s good to see these Mormon doctrinal “distinctives” come to light. Mormoms like to cloud these things and then yell “we’re being persecuted” when these (doctrines) are pointed out.
Left by jr
June 17, 2007 at 7:30am