Evangelical leaders worry Romney's Mormonism could suppress conservative turnout

[TomCADem]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Some evangelical leaders, worried that Mitt Romney's Mormonism could suppress conservative turnout on Election Day, are intensifying appeals for Christians to vote.

In poll after poll, evangelicals have overwhelmingly said they would back the Republican presidential nominee despite theological differences with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But what had been thought of as a hypothetical question for American evangelicals for years, Southern Baptist leader Al Mohler said recently, is now a reality with this election and is being tested in a contest that will likely be decided by slim margins.

"The fact is that Mitt Romney is a Mormon, and many of our people are very, very uncomfortable about voting for a Mormon, as I am. I supported somebody else in the primary. But, hey, we have no option," said Steve Strang, an influential Pentecostal publisher, in a conference call with pastors last week.

Strang was speaking to participants in Pulpit Freedom Sunday, an annual challenge to IRS rules on churches' political activity. While arguing that the government regulations had the effect of silencing pastors, he also cited Mormonism as one reason clergy haven't more forcefully urged congregants to vote this year.


Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/evangelical_leaders_worry_romn.html

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In light of Romney's recent comments on abortions, it appears that Romney is a spinning top of lies that Evangelicals are backing.

[McCamy Taylor]

1. Mormons are polytheists. I can see how that might bother some Christians.

[AAO]

30. Maybe some scary ads could point that out - strongly... did I say scary? n/t

[hedda_foil]

2. Let us pray.

[Tutonic]

3. "But hey we have no option"

This defense did not work for the German peoples at the close of WWII and it ain't gonna work on November 6th. Mr. Strang, you deceive the people.

[Richard D]

4. No real Christian should vote for Romney

Nor any non Christians nor should else who is sane or not, for that matter.

[BE10sCoach]

5. They should worry

From all I've seen through research it seems it has all the making of a CULT. So evangelicals in the GOP, BEWARE of what you wish for!

[Politicalboi]

6. Rmoney will

Baptize us ALL, and then we will All be Mormons.

[freshwest]

8. Uh, thought you had to be dead for them to baptize you. Doesn't sound like a good deal. Also...

[defacto7]

14. Redundancy....

We probably already have been baptised. But not as real Mormons but as servants and concubines on some Mormon's personal planet.

[mountain grammy]

7. Funny how Republicons spent so much time and money

trying to convince Americans that Obama's not a Christian and then they go and nominate someone who really isn't.

[SoapBox]

9. Funny.

[Judi Lynn]

23. Good one! n/t

[AAO]

31. Laughing through the tears!

[Berlum]

34. Indeed!

[closeupready]

36. +1 Million.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. God I sure hope so.

[TlalocW]

11. It's their own fault

Hell, Evangelical leaders, when they feel like changing things up a bit from the usual attacks on homosexuals, have attacked Mormonism as a cult (it is) for years. Now they're doing a 180 and trying to undo the damage they've done so they can win this election, but after years and years of Mormon != Christian and years of Obama != Christian, I bet a lot of their flock don't feel much incentive to vote if their only choices are between the Mormon and the "Muslim."

One of my friends who's a conservative recently admitted to me that he's not feeling all that thrilled with Romney although he will probably vote for him, and he's usually pretty gung-ho on politics.

TlalocW

[lumpy]

18. Ironic isn't it, that so many Evangelical so-called ministers have preached for eons

that Mormans are not Christians and are nothing less than cultists. Certainly, it is their own damned fault if their 'flocks' are in a quandry.

[Fuddnik]

12. Good.

Any fundies or good, God-fearing christians I run across, I tell them they're wandering into Jim Jones territory with Mormonism.

[hrmjustin]

13. Don't judge him on religion, but judge him by the lies he tells.

[defacto7]

15. Wow...

I never thought of that!

[budkin]

16. My southern wife has been saying this from day one

The southern baptists and evangelicals will simply not vote for a mormon. I told her I didn't agree but I hope she's right.

[pstokely]

28. but will they vote for who they think is a Muslim

nt

[COLGATE4]

29. All of my Mom's family are

staunch Southern Baptists/evangelicals in deep, deep south Georgia and every one of them is going to vote for Rmoney in a heartbeat rather than have that 'n----r continue in the Whitehouse'. Racism trumps religious identity every time.

[budkin]

39. This was my argument to my wife

[jamal49]

17. Very Sick and Tired of Evangelicals

Yeah. I am SICK and TIRED of evangelicals and the constant kowtowing to them. Whose America is this anyway? Do we really have to permit that these evangelical Talibans have any say on the future of America? We need to move this country forward not backward. Evangelicals mean this nation of ours no good. They are a cancer on the American body politic, a cancer that needs to be excised now.

[SoapBox]

20. Totally agree!

[alp227]

22. At least the most stubborn of evangelicals are going galt

http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/10/04/welcome-the-new-independent-christian-party/

[Permanut]

19. I haven't had the opportunity yet..

to ask my fundy thumper Sister-in-law if I should vote for the Mormon or the Christian. I can hardly wait, aren't I a devil?

[Bluenorthwest]

25. No, you are a good campaigner.

Mormons are polytheists, more than one god, Christians, Muslims and Jews are very monotheistic, one God and no more.
Mormons do not believe in the immaculate conception of Jesus, they teach that Mary and Joseph conceived Jesus the regular way, by fucking good and hard. The virgin birth is one of the basic tenents of Christianity, Muslims also believe Jesus was born of a virgin.
The Mormons use the 'Book of Mormon' as Scriptural addition to the Bible, Christians are told they can not add nor remove a single letter from the Bible.
Mormons have 'Bible Plus'.
It goes on and on. Of course you do not have to believe in either to know the differences between them, and they are simply not the same faith, nor is Mormonism a branch of Christianity. It is a completley different faith with none of the same principles or dogmas.

[BlueMTexpat]

21. If only ... eom

[mojo2012]

24. Duh

Duh...and this is just coming out? The decision will have to be their own. Whether they wanted a Republican in the White House that badly or have a Mormon president and become one of Romney's flock (sheep) and have the Constitution replaced by the Book of Mormon

[merrily]

26. You would think evangelicals would worry more that Romney, Huntsman and Rubio may make Mormonism

seem mainstream.

Republicans and evangelicals made an unholy symbiotic relationship that served both Republicans and evangelicals very well, especially after Roe v. Wade.

Uber religion is part of the Republican myth, but, despite all the Republican chickenhawks, so is uber patriotism.

What could appeal more to an uber patriot than a religion born and bred in the United States of America?

Until lately, evangelicals have succeeded in convincing their flocks that Mormonism is Satanic, or close to it. So they politely close their doors and their hearts to those nice Mormon missionaries.

If, for political purposes, evangelicals now devote themselves to making Mormonism seem acceptable to their flocks. they may find themselves with less credibility and less in their collection plates within a decade or two.

[Utah_liberal]

27. I was raised Mormon and went on a mission just like Romney

That's because I was brainwashed for the first 19 years of my life in the cult. It wasn't until I was on my mission that I began to wonder about what I was teaching to all these people I was converting. All it took for me was a bit of objective research on my own religion to convince me I had been brainwashed my whole life. I consider myself an expert on Mormons because I lived it and know all the negative history of Mormonism which faithful Mormons will never learn because they are instructed not to subject themselves to anything that is not faith promoting. If non Mormons actually knew what Mormons think of non Mormons, Romney would get blown out in the election. It's amazing this joker is actually leading in recent polls. I'm terrified.

[madrchsod]

32. the mormons and the baptists had a running gun battle during the 1800`s

even the passage of over a hundred years the feud still lingers on today...

[toby jo]

33. All this natural good brilliance of man wiped out by a middle eastern

misogynist, theocratic, anthropomorphic loving tribe.

The loonies behind door #1 are afraid of the ones behind door # 2 etc.

Get a grip, burn the damn doors down and walk away from it all.

[closeupready]

35. FWIU, Mormons are polytheistic; if a Christian can believe in many gods,

then I guess Hindus are Christian, too?

[SemperEadem]

37. they should be turned off by a liar, not by his religion

jeez! what is up with these knuckleheads?

I guess that part in the bible that says "a doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways" got past them.

[Eddie Haskell]

38. In my opinion, any Church that tells "parisoners" how to vote

should lose their non-profit status. The LDS and SB are not religions, they're cults.

[warrior1]

40. Yea

Lets hope so!

[FiveGoodMen]

41. If evangelical leaders cared about the teachings of their savior

they'd be worried that the GOP might win.

Apparently that Jesus guy and his ideas are not as important to them as they let on.