Are You Ready for a Mormon President or Another Roman Catholic President?
Better to be an adulterer and Roman Catholic than a straight laced Mormon?
For evangelicals, moral failure is an expectation and conversion a qualification. ~Michael Gerson
The race for the Republican Party's nomination for president is shaping up as a two-man contest between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Evangelical Christians may find it difficult, even impossible, to support either candidate. For Romney, what is most troubling is his membership in the Mormon (LDS) Church, which many regard as weird and cultic. For Gingrich, his conversion to Roman Catholicism may be an issue, but his past serial adultery may be a bigger sticking point.
Romney, a successful businessman whose net worth is estimated to be about $250 million and former governor of Massachusetts, is an active life-long member of the Mormon (LDS) Church. Mormonism has been called weird and a "cult" by some evangelical Christian pastors because its doctrines deviate from Biblical Christianity.
These include such beliefs as performing baptisms for the dead, marriage for eternity, that we had a premortal existence with God in the spirit world, that Church founder Joseph Smith was a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is sacred scripture, and that when we die we can become gods.
"As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." ~ Lorenzo Snow, former LDS Church Prophet and President. In the words of LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie, "Thus those who gain eternal life receive exaltation ... They are gods." (Mormon Doctrine, pg. 237).
Romney is no casual Mormon. Having previously served in a Mormon Church leadership position as a bishop, he is intimately familiar with and a devout believer in these doctrines. He tithes more than 10% of his income to the church. Some evangelical Christians are concerned that if he wins the nomination and is elected president in November, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) will come to be seen in a more favorable light by the American public, gain increasing acceptance, and that it will be even more successful in winning converts.
Gingrich, a Washington D.C. based consultant (or lobbyist as his critics contend) with ties to failed mortgage giant Freddie Mac, is a former long-time Congressman and House Speaker (during the Clinton era). At 68-years-old, he is now in his third marriage. His first two marriages ended in divorce when he married the mistresses with whom he was having extramarital affairs. He says that his conversion to the Roman Catholic Church on March 29, 2009 made him a different man. Gingrich has acknowledged his sins of marital infidelity and says God has forgiven him, and that he is at peace with himself.
From an Irish Voice editorial: "What is more puzzling is the embrace of Gingrich by the religious conservative movement that turned out in huge numbers for him in South Carolina. Years ago, especially in the pre-Kennedy era, a Catholic was verboten in that world. A Catholic with three marriages behind him would have never got elected as dogcatcher."
"So adultery is not disqualifying for high office, but it can reveal character traits that might be. Recklessness is relevant... Religious right leaders have compared Gingrich to the Apostle Paul and to King David, who managed to put that whole Bathsheba episode behind him...
For evangelicals, moral failure is an expectation and conversion a qualification. Their primary judgment is not the depth of the sin but the sincerity of the repentance. And many have found Gingrich's repentance to be sincere," writes Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson.
QUESTIONS
- As a Christian, could you support Romney or Gingrich for the Republican Party's nomination for president? Could you see yourself voting for Romney or Gingrich (perhaps as the lesser of two evils) to deny Obama reelection in November?
- Why or why not?
- To what extent (if at all) are you bothered by Romney's Mormonism or Gingrich's Roman Catholicism and/or past adultery?
Tags: LDS, adultery, catholic, cult, gingrich, mormon, president, romney
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on -
And as sad as this sounds, it's not going to happen. It's not that I've lost hope in the Lord but I feel the torch of salvation has moved on to other nations where the Lord's Word is becoming more acceptable. The US is a huge example of the guests at the marriage feast who have chosen not to attend. He's moved on. My opinion.
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
-
I am ashamed as well.
-
Permalink Reply by Colby on -
"What is an Evangelical Christian in this day and age?" This question gets to the crux of the matter. It's where the rubber meets the road.
Perhaps another reason why "Evangelical Christian" voters don't seem particularly concerned about Romney's Mormonism or Gingrich's Catholicism is that they see don't see President Obama's own religious faith as being any closer to Biblical Christianity.
-
Permalink Reply by Colby on
-
"Getting back to the Bible." Here's what Romney had to say about the Bible.
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
-
lolol. I bet he couldn't tell you one single word in it. They make such an idiot out of themselves when they even try to appeal to the Christians. Just stand for the issues at hand & leave us out of it. They know the minute they are elected, they are not going to the Word to make any decision so don't try using it beforehand. I would respect them so much more if they didn't say a word about the Word or about religion whatsoever.
-
Permalink Reply by Colby on
-
What Romney didn't say ...
- That the Bible is God's word, but only insofar as it's translated correctly.
- That the Book of Mormon is sacred scripture comparable to the Bible.
- That the Book of Mormon is the "most correct book ever written."
The prophet Joseph Smith stated in the 8th Article of Faith, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly." In a way, the LDS 8th Article of Faith could also read, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is interpreted correctly."
[Source: http://ldsdoctrine.blogspot.com/2008/11/as-far-as-it-is-translated-... ]
"The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel.
Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: 'I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.'"
[Source: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/introduction?lang=eng]
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
-
I think they should just elect me & they would have a whole lot more to sweat especially if they look at my past. I haven't really thought about it Colby but I enjoyed this info. Thanks.
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
-
lolol. You think you're in a sad state of affairs now, imagine if I was in the oval office. All I would want to do was redecorate & let the rest work itself out. Just as long as I spruced up the white house, bricked it up, took out the carpet & put in hard wood, made the oval office square or at least put a bowed bay window in it, I'd be good.
-
Permalink Reply by Colby on
-
Things have changed dramatically on the American political landscape over the past few decades. It seems that today a presidential candidate's religious affiliation is arguably of little importance.
Take, for example, South Carolina, a "Bible Belt" state. In the recent Republican presidential primary, Gingrich and Santorum, both Roman Catholics, picked up 40% and 17% of the vote respectively, a total of 57%, while Romney, a Mormon, polled an impressive 28%.
Fifty years ago, when John Kennedy, an Irish-American Senator from Massachusetts was running for president, his Roman Catholicism was a major issue. However, it did not prevent him from securing the nomination of his political party (he even won the primary in West Virginia with a miniscule Roman Catholic population) or from narrowly winning the presidency in 1960. He went to great lengths to assure the nation's Protestant majority that he would not be the "Catholic President" taking orders from the Roman Pontiff, but rather the President who happened to be a Catholic. Is Romney the Mormon JFK of 2012? Only time will tell.
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
-
Americans have no idea where they stand any more. They've lost their way. They are looking & seeking for something but the only thing that seems to fill that emptiness is in the political scene. They desire to be led but don't know where to go to get that leadership. Of course, we're blessed to know the power of being redeemed & we know where our hope lies & no amount of political affiliation can deter that.
I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men: for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:1-4.
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
-
oh. PS. The mormon beliefs are strange. lol
-
Permalink Reply by Colby on
-
I neglected to mention that Roman Catholicism subscribes to doctrines that are also at variance with those of Evangelical Christians. Examples include: papal infallibility (when speaking on matters of faith and morals), veneration of the saints and Mary the mother of Jesus, the assumption (or bodily taking up) of Mary into Heaven at the end of her life, and the existence of a way station known as purgatory where we are cleansed of our sins before we enter heaven. Also, the Roman Catholic Church rejects the Protestant claim of "sola scriptura," which holds that the Bible alone contains all that is necessary for our salvation. The Roman Catholic Church adds to the authority of scripture its own traditions to validate beliefs regarding faith, morals and practice.
Latest Activity
© 2013 Created by Pastor Greg.
