Mitt Romney's victory in the Iowa Republican caucus is not, by itself, very significant. But it does show Romney's strength among conservative activists, and it confirms that his candidacy cannot be dismissed. Many analysts across the political spectrum believe that Romney won' t have a chance to be a serious contender until he addresses the Mormon issue. Many political strategists have suggested that Romney make a move similar to the one that John F. Kennedy made when he went before the Baptists and essentially told them that his Catholicism would have no bearing whatsoever on his decisions as president. So should Romney make a similar declaration?
No. What Kennedy did was perhaps politically necessary to diffuse anti-Catholic prejudice. Yet this is not the correct meaning of separation of church and state, which as the founders envisioned it would merely forbid the establishment of a national church or official theological orthodoxy. (In fact the founders had no problem with states having their own established churches, and several of them did.) Nowhere did Washington, Adams, Madison or even Jefferson (perhaps the least devout of the founders) claim that presidents could not be influenced by their own religious convictions. They would rightly have recognized this as absurd. Of course what was absurd for the founders is not necessarily absurd in the Kennedy household. If President John F. Kennedy knew how to govern without his Catholicism, Senator Ted Kennedy's moral values are so private that he refuses to impose them even on himself!
Leaving aside our peculiar Camelot crew, most people cannot separate their religious beliefs from who they are. Romney has a wonderful opportunity to make an important distinction. The distinction is between Mormon theology and Mormon morality. Theology is the province of revelation, and it is in the nature of revelation to be outside the province of rational debate. I cannot, for example, give you reasons why I believe in the Trinity. Morality, however, may derive from religion but it is entirely defensible in terms of reason. I don't need to appeal to the Book of Daniel or Jonah in the belly of the whale in order to convince you why government policy should protect human life or support the family as the institution for raising the next generation. Moral argument is at the core of what democratic debate and democratically-approved legislation is all about, as the debates over slavery and the civil rights movement clearly show.
Mormon theology is, at least for us non-Mormons, very strange. But Mormon morality is not strange at all. In fact, it is generally the same morality espoused by traditional Christianity and also by traditional Judaism, traditional Islam, and traditional Hinduism. Mormons as a group are wonderful people: creatively entrepreneurial, thoroughly devoted to their families, law-abiding and decent. They are, in fact, exemplary Republicans and conservatives. Romney should argue that his Mormon theology is a private belief but Mormon ethics and values are precisely those traditional American principles that built this country and now need to be revived.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 8)
16. So what I gather from this article is that all the wonderful, creatively entrepreneurial, law abiding and decent, moral human beings that conservatives have ceaselessly bashed as "Godless Liberals" deserve an apology, which should be issued personally by Mitt Romney.
JWinn at 10:41AM on Aug 13th 2007
17. Emelpe, the reason why Dinesh cannot explain it is because he has something called FAITH, not because he was brainwashed as a child. Surely, every religion has nasty people in it, but you cannot blame it on the religion itself. Everyone just needs to get over our differences of religion and opinion, and stop being so judgmental.
Amy at 2:48PM on Aug 13th 2007
18. Ever notice how people that know nothing about the core beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are always the first to tell you everything that is wrong with the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
strangerthings at 10:44AM on Aug 13th 2007
19. Too bad. I feel Romney's religion should not matter. Unfortunately, it does, and it will. The GOP just can't put forward a Mormon, even though it's a conservative religion. And he's probably the best candidate available for them, but he won't be elected, and will likely splinter the GOP base, and it's due solely to religious bias. Of course Republicans are less open and less progressive in general, right? They think that's a virtue. Should they lose the White House, which seems highly likely to me, perhaps they will think hard about the nature of conservatism.
I lived in Utah for years and came away very impressed with Mormonism. However, many women I knew had issues with it. So be it.
best,
mw
michael white at 10:45AM on Aug 13th 2007
20. What is it with people? Either poeple are furious about a persons religion or their party affiliation. One way or the other there is no way to please everyone nor should they try. Stick to the issues at hand, the problems facing this country. A presidential candidate is being scrutinized over theological idealogy during a debate! When I saw it I almost wondered if it was an inquisition. This so called beleifs litmus is insane. Especially comming from a body of people that have for so long demonstrated an urge to control every facet of life in Amarica and take it away from the people and to see that the people are actually going along with this surrender of their personal freedoms is beyond the twilight zone of horrores. Conservative Chrisitans don't want the competition of someone who belongs to a church they have always held to be cultish. But of course anything not mainstream is cultish to them thats a no brainer there. And the behavior of the majority again demonstrates how little we have learned from our own exedus from European relgious dominance that freedom to have a difference of faith and such the like is only as tangible as our tolerance for others that don't belong to the majority. Please don't get suckored into the abismal notion taking away the credibility and freedom of the minority groups in any regard will somehow ensure your own prviliged standing. Once freedom is gone for one group it tends to disappear for all. A republican Mormon is as good as a Democratic Mormon such as Majority leader of democratic senate Harry Reid. What is important is that they beleive in America and are very politically active and community active too. I love the fact that America has room in its collective heart for diversity a thing that is wanting in many nations of the world. Diversity of faiths, politics, language, ethnic groups and races. There is a place for all of that to dwell peacefully and usually does. It takes all of this to make America what it is. I would not want to change a single aspect of it. Infinite diversity and infinite combinations is what makes us the best nation on the planet. It truly is disheartening to hear and read that some people simply cannot embrace the pearl of such great worth that we have in what is called America.
patrice ferguson at 10:59AM on Aug 13th 2007
21. I don't mean to be cold blooded here - but I've had it up to my eyebrows with DD's fake chritianity...
I mean how deep does Rethugly ugliness run?
They are the only people in the world who have to pay someone to let them give them a blow job.
I mean ... Da-yam!
No wonder these perverts were so pissed off at Clinton...
He was getting it for free!
BT at 10:48AM on Aug 13th 2007
22. Stangerthings, I was born and raised Mormon in the same Utah city and county that my polygamist ancestors first settled. I can tell you anything and everything about the LDS culture and faith, and most of it is all wrong. There are plenty of apostates out here.
JWinn at 10:56AM on Aug 13th 2007
23. Please o please stop trying to push Romney on us.
for political commentary & blogs, visit:
http://www.politidose.com/
Patrick at 11:13AM on Aug 13th 2007
24. If you want to know what the LDS (Mormon) church believes, why not check out their website. I always like to go directly to the source to find out things, in addition to reading peoples opinions on blogs.
http:www.mormon.org
Kstimp at 11:26AM on Aug 13th 2007
25. My idea of being conservative consists of using a bit of common sence. Take financing for example. We hear alot of about forclosures and the houseing markets. The loans that are turning out to bite. Buying a big house with for a small short time price that later grows to expensive for the buyer. Bad for the buyer in that they should have purchased within their means, terrible for the loaner in that they were to crooked and greedy in giving out a product they new in advance was going to jeapardize both the buyer and the banks, and for what a healthy commission. Sad real sad.
Credit card debt, one of the biggist problems with people is that they tend to borrow far more then they can pay. Frankly if you don't have the money for it you don't need it. Stick to what you have and don't keep up the with Jones's.
Health care, and pharmacy prices are ever going up, up and a way. Someone please explain why? The fact that there are millions of working people out there who can not afford to live and pay health care coverage is sad, and I might even add greedy.
Most of the problems facing America in this day in age consist of what we can do as apposed to what we should be doing. Rightly we should be asking our selves if the can do is the right thing to do. A good Presidential candidate in my estimation would be the guy that is practical minded in tackling common sence issues of goverment policy, spending, and balancing our goals with our needs. Not controlling the day to day decisions of life. I don't agree that a court should tell me whether or not to abort a baby but rather say the community of people should espouse in their homes moral values, and strong family bonding. I don't espouse a government saying wether it should be legal for certain people to marry or not. Its not their business. Again thats a personal thing. Marriage is personal, as any relationship is personal. Why ask the courts to get into personal issues. Aren't we mature enough to deal with that at home?
Immigration.. Now thats a tuffy. For many years both business and goverment have ignored the stupid ways they have conducted business regarding illegals. A cheap form of labor that has turned out not to be so cheap after for either of them. But again say common sence should prevail. These are human beings we are talking about. Human beings with needs that brought them on this soil to meet those needs that we all have. I think the best way to deal with this is not to punish them for seeking ways to get those needs met, but the businesses should realize that they can't get away with cheap fair in the payroll. If they know that no matter who they hire they should be paid the prevailing wage of any worker then they would not be so willing to hire out under the table. Let them provide the health care for all their workers and the pensions and what not for every single worker regardless of their national standing since they worked so hard to bring them here under the fence they should be made to care for them as well. Stick it to the people who's greed caused the problem in the first place. Kicking them all out won't work most will just come back. Punishing them for doing what is human will only cause more problems and likely highten crime. Deporting those that violate the laws as any of us would go to jail is sensable. They should not need fake id's and fake ss cards. What ever their needs are should be met by the people that employ them. Provide working cards and thats it. If they aren't working they should not be here. If they commit a crime they need to be gone. Otherwise leave em alone and let them do what jobs they have been working. Don't harrass them and remember all of us but the Indians, were once immigrants and rather rude ones at that.
A President needs smarts and most of all our support. A government needs law biding sencable people or it will fail. If we are failing its because we the people aren't doing our full share in keep the goverment in its prime. It's our nation people we make it what it is or we brake it down from what it was. Either way common sence conservativeness should prevail not socialism and bias judgement.
patrice ferguson at 11:47AM on Aug 13th 2007
26. I have been born and raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. One thing all should realize is that poligamy is no longer a belief of ours. You may hear of colonies of pologamists, but they are in no way related to the "Mormon" religion. We are not "sexist, racist, or autocratic." Pecuiar? Yes. Some of our beliefs are. Is that so wrong or bad? Varghese Jacob, i am sorry that your neighbors are so ignorant and narrow minded. That is one thing I don't understand. My best friends in High School were Jehovah's Witness and Jewish. I keep in contact with them to this very day. As for Senator Romney, I've yet to look into his take on the issues. No, I don't plan on voting for him because he is a "Mormon". I vote for the person I feel will do their best.
Joanna at 12:13PM on Aug 13th 2007
27. Again, Dinesh, what you are saying (as ususal) is you want more religion in government. However, the majority of Americans do not.
As to Romney's mormonism, it is not liberals who have the issue with it; it is the fundamentalist crowd who has the problem with it.
David S. at 12:42PM on Aug 13th 2007
28. At the heart of every religion is a belief in a "God"...We as people reject the idea of God, because we simply DON'T WANT TO ANSWER TO ANYONE about our lives, and the way we live our lives...We as people are soooo rebellious and Independent minded it isn't funny!...if someone can't have his way with us, the first thing the person does is start tearing down our character...well we do the same thing with God! If we can't have our way with God, we start tearing down His character, and tell everyone how bad God is...We don't want to answer to Him PERIOD ...to live a moral life requires dying of our selfish wants(our Adamic nature), and submitting to God's wants...God made us in His image...We are triune beings...Spirit=home of our conscience, creativity, and wisdom, Soul=our emotions and Body=taste, touch , smell...He expects us to live in that very order...to put Spiritual first, Soul second and Body last...How many people in a relationship put the body first in a relationship and have sex first without ever even knowing a person? Sort of putting the cart before the horse there...when God expects us to not even fornicate=have pre-marital sexual relations...How many of us would submit our sexual lives over to God spiritually and be willing to wait til marriage to have sex? hmmmm not many of us I can guarantee it!!! Why on earth do you think relationships don't work out? why on earth do think divorce is so prevalent in this country? We violate what God intended for their lives all the time...that was just ONE example of just ONE area of our lives, there are many more...God only wants what is best for us...sometimes that requires doing things a little different than what we want in ourselves...those boundaries set before us in the word of God are there for a reason...How many of us violate those boundaries to get what we think is right for us? and later find out maybe that wasn't such a good idea to do that...We cannot use hypocrisy as an excuse not to come to God...but it is used ALL THE TIME...we answer for ourselves...noone else in this life...and we must all live with ourselves...guilt is the function of our spirit...it is God's built-in alarm system...when it goes off, it means we are violating our conscience...which means we are crossing the boundary line...STOP! go back...seek out what God wants for you in His word...We are human, we are not God, we do make mistakes, we just need to realize when we do, and make a change for the beter...align our lives back up with what God wants...That is what is most important
Bridget at 12:33PM on Aug 13th 2007
29. I would just like to show some appreciation for patrice and what was said. The comment shows a lot of compassion and sense, and I would especially commend him/her (sorry, can't tell if Patrice is male or female) on the compassion shown to immigrants, especially given the times and the trends regarding that issue. That is indeed the core of the issue, that they are all human beings, who want the same things we all want; a home, food for their family, education, and health care. They aren't criminals or thieves or aliens, they are as human as any American. I doubt we would find ourselves agreeing about everything, but about the things you've said here today, we are. Best wishes.
Eric
Eric Barlow at 12:43PM on Aug 13th 2007
30. I have no problem with Romney being a Mormon. I do have a lot of trouble with many of the public policies he advocates, especially on the issues of civil rights for gay people. That's why I wouldn't vote for him even if he were one of my fellow Roman Catholics.
Grisha at 1:04PM on Aug 13th 2007