Mitt Romney

[Rudyjohn]

Outstanding point. The kids were probably not wearing seat belts, or using car seats either. It was a totally different time. However, he should know that telling the story in this day and age would raise eyebrows ... the fact that he seemed not to think of this makes me wonder a little.

Actually, mandatory car seat usage was passed in the late 70's. And as far as seat belts being worn in the early 80's, I think so too. Unfortunately, I'm old enough to remember when these things were not the subject of safety.

"It was a totally different time" It hasn't been THAT long ago. If we were making comparisons to how things have changed since the 60's, then yes.

It's really a non-issue as far as the presidency, I just find it odd for a "family man."

 

[Smiling JOe]

Would you rather have had him put the dog in the car and the wife on top? lol. Back to the issues....

 

[Rudyjohn]

Would you rather have had him put the dog in the car and the wife on top? lol. Back to the issues....

sorry i got off the issues. just made a statement that it was strange to me.
good luck.

 

[seacrestkristi]

Shouldn't all living creatures be inside the vehicle? Well. at least not on top.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I guess I could answer that question with the question, shouldn't drivers focus on driving. Let's leave debating the issue of living creature transportation where it belongs.

 

[seacrestkristi]

Maybe his judgement isn't the best at times. ;-) I've never heard of anyone doing that before. While I was googling one reported it was a 12 hr. trip too.

 

[rapunzel]

Where to begin . . .

CCK, a question --

Last Spring, PBS aired a two part documentary called, "The Mormons," which I watched because I didn't know much about the religion and what I did know, I didn't understand. I wanted to learn more about the religion, in part because of Mitt Romney's candidacy.

I'd like to ask if you watched the documentary, and if so did you feel it was objective and accurate?


The part of the documentary that focused on the history and community of the LDS Church left me with a feeling of deep admiration for the social fabric the church had created for it's followers. It looks, from the outside, like the LDS have built one of the most Christ-like communities to ever exist on a large scale. I would feel very lucky to belong to Church that put such on emphasis on living Christ's teachings -- the positive, life-affirming, New Testament brotherhood of Christ ones, anyway.

When the second part of the show that focused on theology came on, my first thought was, "Hmmm...this seems a bit unlikely to me." Then I remembered the whole Angel with glad tidings and the Virgin Birth with the nice boyfriend who believed the story and married her anyway and how improbable that probably sounds to someone who encounters it for the first time at the age of thirty. Every religion contains some bit of something that seems improbable. Oh yeah, that's why it's called faith. And who are any of us to judge any other human beings' faith?

I think Romney was completely correct in his decision not to talk about the specifics of his faith. He is not running for King, we do not all have swear an oath to believe what he believes if he's elected. Faith is private. It has nothing to do with whether he's qualified to be president.

...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

I do wish, however, that he had addressed the whole "Mormonism is a cult" whisper campaign -- not to defend the LDS Church, but to point out the perhaps the party that holds the 4th amendment so sacred should show a bit more respect for the religious test clause that was so integral to the founders' intent that it wasn't left to the Bill of Rights but was part of the Constitution itself.

 

[Matt J]

I'm not trying to stir the pot, but when I read the mention of cult I had to check it out. It is listed on www.cultwatch.com and this is what they state about the religion:

Taken from this link: http://www.cultwatch.com/mormon.html

What they will tell you:
Mormons are Christians. (Mormons want very much to be recognised as a normal Christian denomination.)

What they won't tell you:
They believe that God is just an exalted man.

They believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers.

They believe we can become gods ourselves.

They believe that Mormon women are to be pregnant for eternity populating their own planets.

Absolutely no archeological evidence for the Book of Mormon has been discovered (except for the part that was copied straight from the King James Bible).

Over 4000 changes have been made to the Book of Mormon since it was first published - a far cry from what Smith called "The most correct book on earth."

I'm just curious if this is true or if they are blowing certain small, isolated, or one time issues up into something bigger?

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

I'm not trying to stir the pot, but when I read the mention of cult I had to check it out. It is listed on www.cultwatch.com and this is what they state about the religion:

Taken from this link: http://www.cultwatch.com/mormon.html

What they will tell you:
Mormons are Christians. (Mormons want very much to be recognised as a normal Christian denomination.)

What they won't tell you:
They believe that God is just an exalted man.

They believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers.

They believe we can become gods ourselves.

They believe that Mormon women are to be pregnant for eternity populating their own planets.

Absolutely no archeological evidence for the Book of Mormon has been discovered (except for the part that was copied straight from the King James Bible).

Over 4000 changes have been made to the Book of Mormon since it was first published - a far cry from what Smith called "The most correct book on earth."

I'm just curious if this is true or if they are blowing certain small, isolated, or one time issues up into something bigger?

My question: Who gave these people the authority to judge what is a cult? If you use their definition of a cult, then Christianity at the time of Jesus was a cult.

These types of groups have spewed hate and lies for decades. Perhaps a better use of their time would be to actually do some Christian service. They throw around the same handful of "talking points" and think that they're going to do some serious damage to a church. It is disgusting. But you are exactly right--they are blowing certain small issues, taken out of context, into something bigger.

You will not find accurate explanations of Mormon doctrine by searching the web. Way too much hate out there. If you must read the "anti-Mormon" websites, at least balance it by going to mormon.org

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

CCK, a question --

Last Spring, PBS aired a two part documentary called, "The Mormons," which I watched because I didn't know much about the religion and what I did know, I didn't understand. I wanted to learn more about the religion, in part because of Mitt Romney's candidacy.

I'd like to ask if you watched the documentary, and if so did you feel it was objective and accurate?

They did a pretty good job, in some ways. The major complaint that I have is that they didn't identify the "experts" that they interviewed as being "LDS", "Non-LDS", "Formerly LDS" so there was no way to put into context what they were saying. I pretty much knew who was who was who, but most people watching the show didn't. Also, they spent a disproportionate amount of time focusing on sensationalized issues.


The part of the documentary that focused on the history and community of the LDS Church left me with a feeling of deep admiration for the social fabric the church had created for it's followers. It looks, from the outside, like the LDS have built one of the most Christ-like communities to ever exist on a large scale. I would feel very lucky to belong to Church that put such on emphasis on living Christ's teachings -- the positive, life-affirming, New Testament brotherhood of Christ ones, anyway.

When the second part of the show that focused on theology came on, my first thought was, "Hmmm...this seems a bit unlikely to me." Then I remembered the whole Angel with glad tidings and the Virgin Birth with the nice boyfriend who believed the story and married her anyway and how improbable that probably sounds to someone who encounters it for the first time at the age of thirty. Every religion contains some bit of something that seems improbable. Oh yeah, that's why it's called faith. And who are any of us to judge any other human beings' faith?

You get it!

I think Romney was completely correct in his decision not to talk about the specifics of his faith. He is not running for King, we do not all have swear an oath to believe what he believes if he's elected. Faith is private. It has nothing to do with whether he's qualified to be president.

...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

I do wish, however, that he had addressed the whole "Mormonism is a cult" whisper campaign -- not to defend the LDS Church, but to point out the perhaps the party that holds the 4th amendment so sacred should show a bit more respect for the religious test clause that was so integral to the founders' intent that it wasn't left to the Bill of Rights but was part of the Constitution itself.

Rapunzel, those people who say Mormonism is a cult are on a campaign of hate and distortion. It has been going on since 1830. Nothing Mitt Romney could have said would have changed their minds. It is pointless. To acknowledge them is to validate them.

See blue above for my comments