A Mormon President?

[The Joey-O]

I wanted to ask this question, not because I believe that it would reveal our prejudices (which it could), nor because I want to speak about Mitt Romney. Rather, I wanted to ask whether there is indeed something suspicious or sinister about Mormonism in general that we would find a Mormon President to carry on in his presidency. I've heard rumors that the Mormon leadership has a great deal of political influence in Utah and Idaho, and I've heard that the same Mormon leadership influences Mormon businessmen to perform unethical things to gain further influence and money. Now, these are rumors and are, as far as I know, totally unfounded. However, for some reason, I am inclined to believe them. I want to hear other people's thoughts on this issue to "clear the air".

In Christ,
JoeyO.

[N/A Gone]

Go do ur hmwk...

read theopolitical imagination. This gov't is not ours

[The Joey-O]

[quote name='Revprodeji' post='1200490' date='Feb 19 2007, 03:31 PM']This gov't is not ours[/quote]

True, but I have a responsibility to transform whatever institutions that I participate in for the better, whether that institution be social, economic, political or familial.

[N/A Gone]

oh cute...you think you have a say or control..

I wanna pinch ur lil cheeks right now

[catholicinsd]

I don't think this nation is ready for more than 1 First Lady at a time.

[kujo]

My opinion...who cares what the President's religion is? I was under the impression that there wasn't a religious litmus test in order to run for public office. The only things I take into consideration are:

1. Is this person qualified to be the President of the US?
2. Does this person have integrity? Is he/she honest? Consistent? Competent?
3. Will this person protect life from it's beginning to its natural end?
4. What are this person's other views? Are they consistent with Church teaching? Will they lead this country in a better/safer direction.

If a mormon or a Jew or a Muslim or a Catholic or a Buddhist happens to come out looking good after examining them through those 4 steps, then they're getting my vote. The name of their Church/house of worship makes no difference to me. Its the same reason I didn't vote for Kerry in the last election...so what if he's Catholic? What does that mean, especially if he/she doesn't even vote in line with their so-called Catholic/Christian beliefs?

[kujo]

[quote name='catholicinsd' post='1201209' date='Feb 20 2007, 02:03 AM']I don't think this nation is ready for more than 1 First Lady at a time.[/quote]

Wow, that could've been humorous if it wasn't completely narrowminded and ignorant.

Check out the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmunds_Act"]Edmunds Act[/url], my friend.

Polygamy happens but it is a felony.

We really shouldn't be disrespectful of other people's religions. Afterall, how mad do we get when someone makes a pedophile-priest joke?

Edited February 20, 2007 by kujo

[Paddington]

[quote name='Revprodeji' post='1201204' date='Feb 20 2007, 04:29 AM']oh cute...you think you have a say or control..

I wanna pinch ur lil cheeks right now[/quote]

This thread went to weird-land in no time!

[The Joey-O]

I agree that we shouldn't judge a candidates presidential quality based on his/her religion. I have two Mormon friends that are people of tromendous character. My question isn't "Should we persecute Mormons?". I guess my question is two-fold: 1) Are the rumors that I've heard about the Mormon hierarchy true? And, 2) If they are, what does that mean for voting in a Mormon president?

[N/A Gone]

oh, sorry Paddington. I should explain for you

Joey-O is a long time friend, and a groomsman at my wedding. We went to an evangelical protestant school together (I am still doing time there, Joey has gone on to St. Thomas CSMA)

Before college I was active duty for a special ops groups that has access to information that a conspircy theorist like my dear Fluffy Joey would probably cut off his tiny toe for. So when I make a comment like that I am pre-stating the obvious that I know things that Joey would desire to know. One of the jokes of course is that the pres doesnt do anything and is just a figure head to distract from the real authortity. That is the joke I was playing into right there. I have seen deployments, I have the blood of many on my hands, and I am apathetic in political matters. Joey listens to MPR and is a news-addict.

[Paddington]

[quote name='Revprodeji' post='1201401' date='Feb 20 2007, 02:00 PM']oh, sorry Paddington. I should explain for you

Joey-O is a long time friend, and a groomsman at my wedding. We went to an evangelical protestant school together (I am still doing time there, Joey has gone on to St. Thomas CSMA)[/quote]


That is awesome!

[Paddington]

[quote name='Revprodeji' post='1201401' date='Feb 20 2007, 02:00 PM'].................I am apathetic in political matters. Joey listens to MPR and is a news-addict.[/quote]


Thanks for explaining. And sorry if I was rude.

[N/A Gone]

I did not consider it rude friend, I was simply clarify in order for you to properly understand.

[Selah]

I don't care about his religion...as long as he knows how to do his job

[Thomist-in-Training]

I discussed Romney with a woman I know who is very clever and an Opus Dei numerary and our consensus was, "It's not so much that Mormonism is weird, which it is... it's more that, if you BELIEVE Mormonism is true, it says something about you as a person."

Now, my next-door neighbors are Mormon and I wouldn't necessarily say the above about the ones who are teenage or younger. But forty- or fifty-year-olds, in the usual run of things, should have had enough chances to notice something odd about their 'faith.'

[Galloglasses]

I have no idea nor experience of Mormonism nor have I ever spoken or interacted with any mormons, so I have no right to comment in this regard what so ever. Also I is not an American.

But here's a scarier question.

What if the President was Scientologist.

[Hassan]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1599529' date='Jul 13 2008, 09:19 PM']I discussed Romney with a woman I know who is very clever and an Opus Dei numerary and our consensus was, "It's not so much that Mormonism is weird, which it is... it's more that, if you BELIEVE Mormonism is true, it says something about you as a person."

Now, my next-door neighbors are Mormon and I wouldn't necessarily say the above about the ones who are teenage or younger. But forty- or fifty-year-olds, in the usual run of things, should have had enough chances to notice something odd about their 'faith.'[/quote]

With all due respect I don't think that's to fair.

Yes Mormons believe in some, I believe, silly things. However do you consider how Catholicism looks to outsiders? I mean I can characterize Catholicism to sound very silly as well.

"Can I really trust someone who is 50 and still believes that Catholicism is true? I mean they kneel for hours in front of a piece of bread which they claim, despite all appearances to the contrary, is the 'body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ'? Their faith is founded upon a rather cruel Jewish tribal God who places Adam and Eve in a garden and tells them not to eat from a specially designated tree. When they do not only are Adam and Eve punished for taking the advise of a talking the advise of a talking snake but all of humanity is irreparably separated from God. A short time later Gad makes a deal with Abraham, he tells him to murder his eldest son(don't worry, God was really just joking around, Abrahams son was fine). They believe, despite all historical evidence to the contrary that Moses led a massive population out of Egypt by parting the Red Sea. God then set's up a detailed corpus of rules permitting slavery, polygamy, stoning children, and calls eating Shell Fish an "abomination". God orders quite a few rather barbaric conquests and then seems to mellow out around the 1st century AD. Around this time God decides to provide a sacrifice for Adams sin by sending Jesus(who is the Son of God, not biological son though mind you) to be born of a virgin and then get crucified in a rather horrific fashion. His son is a first century Palestinian Jewish Carpenter who chills until he's thirty, and then goes on a three year campaign informing people that God is not one person, but three people of one essence, and that in order to get into heaven believers must eat his flesh and drink his blood. "

I mean I understand that's a cumbersome and patronizing description and does not do justice to the brilliant work of numerous Christian philosophers and theologian. My point is that most religions sound silly to one who is not a member of that religion. I mean Mormons believe a con man was a prophet of God, you all believe you must eat God's flesh and blood to get into heaven.

It's a matter of familiarity and perspective

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='Galloglasses' post='1599799' date='Jul 14 2008, 03:15 PM']I have no idea nor experience of Mormonism nor have I ever spoken or interacted with any mormons, so I have no right to comment in this regard what so ever. Also I is not an American.

But here's a scarier question.

What if the President was Scientologist. [/quote]

Tom Cruise for President!!
Or John Travolta.

Either way, ladies will get nice birthing rooms, right?

[Galloglasses]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1600040' date='Jul 14 2008, 05:13 PM']Tom Cruise for President!!
Or John Travolta.

Either way, ladies will get nice birthing rooms, right?[/quote]
Not sure I got that last joke =/

[Deb]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1600006' date='Jul 14 2008, 03:54 PM']With all due respect I don't think that's to fair.

Yes Mormons believe in some, I believe, silly things. However do you consider how Catholicism looks to outsiders? I mean I can characterize Catholicism to sound very silly as well.

"Can I really trust someone who is 50 and still believes that Catholicism is true? I mean they kneel for hours in front of a piece of bread which they claim, despite all appearances to the contrary, is the 'body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ'? Their faith is founded upon a rather cruel Jewish tribal God who places Adam and Eve in a garden and tells them not to eat from a specially designated tree. When they do not only are Adam and Eve punished for taking the advise of a talking the advise of a talking snake but all of humanity is irreparably separated from God. A short time later Gad makes a deal with Abraham, he tells him to murder his eldest son(don't worry, God was really just joking around, Abrahams son was fine). They believe, despite all historical evidence to the contrary that Moses led a massive population out of Egypt by parting the Red Sea. God then set's up a detailed corpus of rules permitting slavery, polygamy, stoning children, and calls eating Shell Fish an "abomination". God orders quite a few rather barbaric conquests and then seems to mellow out around the 1st century AD. Around this time God decides to provide a sacrifice for Adams sin by sending Jesus(who is the Son of God, not biological son though mind you) to be born of a virgin and then get crucified in a rather horrific fashion. His son is a first century Palestinian Jewish Carpenter who chills until he's thirty, and then goes on a three year campaign informing people that God is not one person, but three people of one essence, and that in order to get into heaven believers must eat his flesh and drink his blood. "

I mean I understand that's a cumbersome and patronizing description and does not do justice to the brilliant work of numerous Christian philosophers and theologian. My point is that most religions sound silly to one who is not a member of that religion. I mean Mormons believe a con man was a prophet of God, you all believe you must eat God's flesh and blood to get into heaven.

It's a matter of familiarity and perspective [/quote]

No, it is a matter of truth. Now, if you research the Catholic religion, you will find historical documents to back up every single thing we believe in. Mormonism, you got nothing. Scientology, nothing. Wiccan, nothing. Mormons don't deny Christ but, they do believe him and Satan are brothers and that God used to be a man on another planet.
Yep, I would judge people by what they believe. Would you vote for a Satanist? Could you believe him? Would I vote for an atheist? No way.