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August 4th, 2011
01:16 PM ET
Mormon presidential politics(CNN)–America is not ready for a Mormon president, according to Christian author Tricia Erickson. On Wednesday she told CNN's Tom Foreman on In the Arena that she believes a practicing Mormon should not be president because of their theological views on the afterlife and governance. CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor Eric Marrapodi jumped into the fray on the topic with Foreman as well. He said while religious views shape Mormon politicians on a macro level, there is no evidence Mormon politicians have a "bat phone" to Utah and take orders from the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the church is formally known. While the U.S. Constitution says "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States," Republican candidates for the White House Mitt Romney and John Huntsman – who are both Mormons – may have more ground to make up on this issue than previously thought. Erickson, an ex-Mormon who has long been critical of the church, is not alone in her views. A June poll by the Quinnipiac Poll found 36% of Americans would be somewhat or entirely uncomfortable with a Mormon president. A June Gallup poll found 22% of Americans would not vote for an otherwise qualified Mormon candidate. There may be a silver lining for Mormon candidates though. A July poll by the Public Research Research Institute and Religion News Service, found four of ten Americans know that the Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is a Mormon and about half (46%) said they do not know his religious affiliation. Of the 3,000,000 people who live in Iowa there are only 24,000 LDS members, according to the Deseret News' 2011 Church Almanac. The Deseret News is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, but is independently operated. The percentage breakdown of Mormons living in South Carolina is similar too. With so few practicing Mormons in those early primary states, voters with questions about the tenets of Mormonism may not have many places to turn to ask impolite questions about the faith, allowing rumors and speculation to go unchallenged. This year the church has gone on a PR blitz with its campaign, "I'm a Mormon." It's goal is to break Mormon stereotypes and features a diverse group church members like a motorcycle builder, an African American couple, and Latinos. They bought an electronic billboard in Times Square just down the street from the Broadway Show the "Book of Mormon.” The satirical musical features the adventures of buttoned up and earnest white Mormon missionaries in Africa. "Our Church is known for our efforts to share our message,” Richard G. Hinckley, Executive Director of the Missionary Department for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told the Belief Blog when the ad went up. “This is one way to get to know us — through the lives of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” The campaign is set to expand to more cities this fall but The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday the church would not be buying ads in primary states to avoid the appearance of political meddling. "We know people will draw the wrong conclusions," Michael Otterson a church spokesman told the Journal. We want to hear from you. What do you think? Does a candidate's religion play into your decision to vote for them? What matters more to you policy or theology?
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Obama has faith and all anyone on the extreme right ever does is criticize him because he doesn't fall in the mold of a fundamental evangelical right wing racist facist sociopath. So I say to him – Keep the faith. It works for me.
"...she believes a practicing Mormon should not be president because of their theological views on the afterlife..."
No one gullible enough to believe any flavour of religious drivel asserting an "afterlife" should be allowed to be President.
“…anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister…” Alabama REPUBLICAN Gov. R. Bentley. To your point Henry...These chrizzjun nationalists are nothing more than power freaks and bigots who look at the rest of us who are not aboard their crazy train of jesus freaks and buy-bull pounders as not worthy of their "blessin's" once they get into political office...
Mixing evangelical christian nationalism with politics is what has us in the economic and disfunctional government we are in now...After all, the jesus freaks think that "lettin' jesus take the wheel" of governance is all we need to do – To bad this Jesus guy like his sociopathic and delusional followers know nuthin' about fixin' potholes, creating jobs or any other things that government do...BULLETIN – Prayin' don't do nuthin' but waste time so give it up already...
When you combine religion and nationalism , you have big problems !
Pakistan , Israel , India , Mexico , Indonesia , on and on !
Ones spirituality is personal , to PROSELYTIZE is selfish !
Theology is synonymous with Mythology and has no place in politics or government. Who are we, Iran?
Amazing. Now the right wing Evangelicals will be dumping on the right wing Mormons. This should be interesting for the Republican Party.
“…anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister…” Alabama REPUBLICAN Gov. R. Bentley. To your point gw...These chrizzjun nationalists are nothing more than power freaks and bigots who look at the rest of us who are not aboard their crazy train of jesus freaks and buy-bull pounders as not worthy of their "blessin's" once they get into political office...
George Bush injected his religious views into a lot of his decisions. Stem cell research comes immediately to mind.
One theocracy this century is enough. Any presidential candicate that invokes god, jesus, or his religion as giving him/her guidance is off my list no matter what they promise.
Plus they take actions without having evidence. WMD anyone?
Does a candidate's religion play into your decision to vote for them?
Only if it's an evangelical christian tea party-type, dominionist or not. That they are determined to turn America into a theocratic nation, because God told them to, is a real candidate buster for me and many others.
The woman who was on CNN to bash mormanism was a complete flake. NO credibility.
What do you mean no credibility? Look at her credentials: Trisha Erickson, makes the following claims of herself on several of her websites-
"Tricia Erickson is a veteran media pro. Tricia is and was the first Damage Control/Crisis Communications/Media Manager and Crisis Management Expert in the country as stated by Barbara Walters on the show, "20/20".
Tricia is also a frequent on-air expert, called to speak on various current media issues. She has appeared on every major network and most cable networks numerous times over the years. Some of the issues Tricia has been called to comment on are the strategy and imaging of Presidential Candidates, Islam, Mormonism, Wal-Mart, Michael Jackson, politics, Hollywood, Ethics in the Media and more….."
I am curious as to where her expertise on all these topics come from- I have never seen her on the news or even heard of her. I guess these days, anyone can make themselves out to be anything they want to be!
Her parents must be proud...NOT! What an dummy! She cant even answer the guys question! Its not like Mitt Romney is going to mormonize the government. All you people who think religion should play into your decision are just dumb. We have many different religions in the government and they all have their OWN beliefs but we don't go criticizing them if what they believe to be true sound odd to us. Get over yourselves and grow up!
Tricia Erickson apparently never made it to that ultra-high-super-secret level where it's explained how all of those wacky things that Mormons apparently believe are actually best understood allegorically. 😛
Does no one remember the brouhaha over having a CATHOLIC in the White House? Many folks were sure the Pope would come over here and set up residency in the Lincoln bedroom.
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Same song, different day . . .
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Personally I find bible-thumpers of any ilk very frightening. Try reading Hutchins's "God is Not Great" - open your mind . . .
Mormons put the church ahead of everything. We have a separation of church and state resolution. Morman in the white house ? Not a good idea. Mormans have an extremely narrow and one way only view of life, the afterlife and everything else for that matter. Extremely rigid and uncompromising. The word brainwashed comes to mind instantly.
Funny you call them narrow minded when you are the one casting judgement on millions of people you don't even know, the word hypocrisy comes to mind
The poll numbers are troubling for Mitt and Jon. Because, you know that the people that wouldn't vote for a Mormon are all on the right. Now, if they have to choose between a Mormon and a Black man, who knows. They might just stay at home. On the bright side for Mitt, that 46% that don't know his religious affliation are all on the right too!
So those on the left would have trouble voting for a fundamental Christian but no trouble voting for a Mormon?
It's also hypocritical when a once so-called preacher Huckabee used his pulpit to enrich himself and went to Fox News to work for Satan.
From what I've gathered, Americans would rather a president who professes some kind of faith instead of an atheist.
The most important thing is for the candidate to make sure everyone knows that they believe things without the slightest shred of evidence.
After all, Dubya's faith that the Iraqis would for sure have SOME kind of WMD worked out well for everyone, didn't it?
Speaking of believing things without supporting evidence (or in spite of evidence to the contrary), everyone knows that being on the right-hand side of the Laffer curve is a permanent condition such that lowering tax rates ALWAYS results in rising revenues... 😛
From the article...
> On Wednesday she told CNN's Tom Foreman on In the Arena that she believes a practicing Mormon should not be president because of their theological views on the afterlife and governance.
Pot calling kettle. Come in kettle. We need you out here!
I was amazed and feel sorry for Ms. Erickson who is a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, referred to as Mormon. She obviously has a chip on her shoulder against the Church. As for the guest representing a positive side; he looked and acted like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. All he had to do was refer and read the Articles of Faith. If your commentator will go to lds.org and look up the articles of faith he will have the proper answer regarding Mormon's in Politics. Ms. Erickson did not address Mitt Romney's policies, she just railed against the church.
Please post on your show the Articles of Faith so that those who do not understand the church and the seperation of Church and government will be able to make an honest decision.
Thank You
After watching that video Tricia Erickson has no credibility and I hope everyone can see that. She left the church but can't leave the church alone. His question was spot on, has any Mormon created a policy to favor their own religion? NO... The are Dems. and Rep. Mormons. It doesn't matter the religion it matters what the candidate stands for fiscally and socially.
If a person's faith doesn't impact their decision making, it's not much of a faith.
> "If a person's faith doesn't impact their decision making, it's not much of a faith."
I totally agree.
Hez123 you miss the point. Eric Marrapodi explained it quite accurately. Perhaps a religious individual's belief's affect their decisions and behavior on a macro level in terms of their morals and standards. But on a micro level, the level where national policies and decisions are made, there is not evidence of any kind of impact. Eric pointed out the example of Senators Harry Reid and Orin Hatch. Both share the same beliefs, morally they are both likely trying to do what they believe is right, but at a policy level they are on opposite ends of the political spectrum.
Hez123- I agree with that, someone's faith can cause them to vote different ways on the debt deal or on taxes, a person with Mormon or Christian faith doesn't grantee a person will have fiscal beliefs one way or the other.
The faith of a candidate should not matter, but too often it does: http://www.amazon.com/Presidential-Campaign-Rhetoric-Confessional-Politics/dp/0739148788
I don't care what religion the POTUS follows as long as he/she continues to uphold separation of church and state. Better yet, I'd rather have an atheist in the White House.
President who is part of a cult started less than 200 years ago?