Category: Mitt Romney

Ruffini thinks the GOP race is now Romney’s to lose. I can see the logic. But IBM? Is that really the analogy you want?

Here’s a fascinating exploration of the question raised by Mike Huckabee with respect to certain Mormon beliefs. Money quote:

In their book No More Strangers, Emeritus General Authority Hartman Rector, Jr., and his wife Connie, record the following story as told by LDS Church member Naomi Adair Hendrickson:

"This is what they [the Mormon missionaries] told me: God has a physical body shaped like a man’s except that it is a resurrected and perfected body of flesh and bones and spirit-no longer corruptible. He has a head, body, legs, and arms such as ours. He has feelings and emotions-love, compassion, jealousy, anger, and so on-much as we have, though in him they are controlled and exercised to perfection. He once was as we are now, and we may some day become as he is now. He once lived in accordance with eternal laws on a planet such as ours. In due time he obtained the power to beget spirit children—to become a God or Father in heaven. Jesus Christ was the first born of his children in heaven. Probably Lucifer similarly was among those early born spirits. Both are older brothers of ours, Jesus Christ being our eldest brother. We were created in God’s image." (No More Strangers, 3:91)

God also has sex, it seems. I reproduce this solely because it’s interesting. Mormonism really is very different from Christianity in its theology and doctrines. I don’t think it’s inherently stranger. As a Catholic, I am obliged to believe that the mother of Jesus was whooshed physically into the sky rather than dying. (This is a more binding teaching than the bar on sex with my husband, by the way.) Once you start subjecting religious doctrines to secular, empirical standards, not many would survive. But, as long as we have a secular politics, this doesn’t and shouldn’t matter in a presidential election. For me, it doesn’t. But here’s the point: for those who believe no politics is meaningful without religion dictating its meaning and direction, i.e. today’s Republican leadership, it’s a legitimate question.

So quit the whining, Mr Romney, and enjoy the bed you’ve made for yourself.

Just keeping you up to date with the latest analysis:

I think this was a very good day for Team Romney, and a very bad day for Huck and the MSM.

Developing …

Gallup’s findings directly afterwards suggest it failed to change public attitudes about Mormonism.

Hey, you gotta up the ante at this point:

As John Cole puts it:

Grab the popcorn and soda, because the GOP is providing the nuts.

Here is a section from the official LDS site, explaining Mormon theology on the question:

On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25–27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)

How could two such great spirits become so totally opposite? The answer lies in the principle of agency, which has existed from all eternity. (See D&C 93:30–31.) Of Lucifer, the scripture says that because of rebellion “he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies.” (Moses 4:4.) Note that he was not created evil, but became Satan by his own choice.

When our Father in Heaven presented his plan of salvation, Jesus sustained the plan and his part in it, giving the glory to God, to whom it properly belonged. Lucifer, on the other hand, sought power, honor, and glory only for himself. (See Isa. 14:13–14; Moses 4:1–2.) When his modification of the Father’s plan was rejected, he rebelled against God and was subsequently cast out of heaven with those who had sided with him. (See Rev. 12:7–9; D&C 29:36–37.)

I know this is relatively obscure theology, but, hey, this is the GOP. If they insist on fusing religion with politics, the rest of us have to bone up on Mormon teachings.

It’s getting classier and classier in Iowa.

Ambers gets Romney to talk to the AtlantiCamera. "Non-believers" are "subsumed" within the notion of people of faith, according to the Plastic One. Tell that to Hitch. Poor Marc is stuck in the Embassy Suites.

"I’m still not convinced that I will vote for Romney. I’m sorting through his views on domestic issues, as well as his views on Iraq. Among some of my Mormon friends, my hesitancy is unimaginable. After generations of being the brunt of water cooler jokes and ugly stereotypes, we’re fiercely loyal to one another. But since Romney’s speech, I’m relieved that the man who is currently the face of my religion can in fact be admired. I am relieved that I can trust him to honor the thing most sacred to me: my faith," – Neylan McBaine, 30, a religion writer living in Boston.