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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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In regards to the Q-Poll and the Gallup Poll, I would be willing to bet that a large number of the negative respondents identified themselves as Evangelical Christians and Republicans. Also, those numbers tell me that 64% (Q-Poll) or 78% (Gallup) of Americans would be willing to vote for a Mormon and that Mormons are qualified candidates.
Anyone remember the problems Jack Kennedy had with these same folks back in '60? A significant portion of his time was spent trying to convince these folks that he would not be taking his marching orders from the Vatican, or the American Cardinals. So what did he do? He went about courting the votes of the people who were not opposed to a Catholic being elected, instead of trying to convert those who would never support a Catholic (or Black, Mormon, Jew, Muslim, Woman, etc.) even if Christ Jesus came down from Heaven and commanded them to do so.
It should not matter what religion, creed, or color a candidate is; the only thing that matters to the American people is exactly how we are going to get back on the road of financial success and getting our friends and family back to work. We just let congress, the senate, and the president (who I support) get away with giving us half of a debt/deficit deal that they argued like children and almost ruined America over. So who really cares about religion, at this point we could have a smurf running, as long as he/she has a plan to put us back on the path to financial prosperity and a job for me when I graduate. What will it take for people to finally realize...those things are juvenile in comparison to OUR real PROBLEMS.
Well, more that mormons these two candidates look like MORONS!!!!!!
Matthew
Yo, JSperry, Question, How many white elders in this cult? Yea 0, zilch, notta Welcome to the group of 14 million biggots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Where does he talk about "elders"?
It's OK lilly God still loves you anyway!
I have a doctorate in engineering and am a Mormon convert. My previous religion taught that when I died, I would join numberless concourses of angels singing God's praises for eternity. I would literally spend eternity wandering around in a garden or singing in a choir. I don't know about you, but that sounds like hell to me. I doubt that my inquisitive nature and basic personality is going to change that much if I get to go to heaven. Given my predisposition to continue to learn and an eternity to do so, I'm pretty sure I could come up some pretty niffty shi... stuff within 10,000 years. I think Arthur C. Clarke, an atheist, said it best: 1) Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic; 2) It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God – but to create him.
Self-proclamation of higher education is almost always followed by words of insanity in public forums like this.
Yo, JSperry, Question, How many white elders in this cult? Yea 0, zilch, notta Welcome to the group of 14 million biggots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JSperry, you are obviously a liar, because there is no such doctrine in Mormon teachings, nice try though. For someone who thinks he's so smart, you sound pretty stupid.
It's too bad that so many people equate rationalism with Nihilism. (Nihilism inherently must incorporate principles of rationalism, but rationalism does not have to incorporate Nihilism). They've obviously never read any of Thomas Kuhn, Imre Lakatos, and Paul Feyerabend's works on the philosophy of science–not that I ascribe a belief system to any of them, mind you. But after reading them, I would have a hard time reconciling my quest for knowledge with an utter lack of hope for a better future–there would be no point, and it would be so very depressing.
oh wait.. those aren't inches rather centimeters... 🙁
JSperry
It's too bad that so many people equate rationalism with Nihilism. (Nihilism inherently must incorporate principles of rationalism, but rationalism does not have to incorporate Nihilism). They've obviously never read any of Thomas Kuhn, Imre Lakatos, and Paul Feyerabend's works on the philosophy of science–not that I ascribe a belief system to any of them, mind you. But after reading them, I would have a hard time reconciling my quest for knowledge with an utter lack of hope for a better future–there would be no point, and it would be so very depressing.
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It is my hunch that you have no intention on discussing the subject, rather you are using this blog as a way to thrust the hot air that sits in your lungs down to your finger tips. Yes?
Wade, are you claiming Mormons don't believe in eternal life, or are you claiming that other Christian denominations don't believe in praising God in numberless choirs? Anti-christian we would have to use an electron microscope after 6 months of testosterone injection just to detect yours–it would measure in the microns. So, farewell trolls.
Is it true that Mormons also believe in poligamy in the afterlife? Do Mormons believe that man can gain enough knowledge/greatness to become Gods? Do Mormon's believe that only Mormons can get to the highest level of heaven?
If you in the GOP religion dosen't matter. You just need to be a WASP. You need to lean KLAN.
Tricia Erikson's status as an ex-Mormon is a great benefit to Mormonism.
She describes herself as a "Damage Control/Crisis Communications/Media Manager and Crisis Management Expert."
Translation: publicity leech.
If there's no damage to profit from, she'll create her own. Fame or defamation are the same to her, if she can use either to promote herself. Her vaunted "research" on Mormonism is a shop-worn rehash of long-discredited anti-Mormon boiler plate.
Shame on CNN for giving this pathetic publicity hound a soap box!
Tracy Hall Jr
hthalljr'gmail'com
Very well said!
His 'faith' should not be a factor all, not should it be for any candiate. But how many of you who say it dosen't matter would say the same if he was an atheist or agnostic? I'm not suggesting anyone should hide their beleifs, although those with unpopular beleifs will never have a chance, but we have at least two candidates now who claim that God has spoken to them guided them to decide to run. If that were true, in my opinion, a decent person would keep that to his or her self rather than pandering and using it as campaign fodder.
I always find it unethical that journalist continue to quote ex-mormons who have an obvious negative bias as subject matter experts on what others think about the Mormon faith. Going to the source (the LDS faith) or at least finding neutral sources is fair reporting.
God told TWO candidates to run?....hmm..LOL
I do not care about a politician's religion. If the politician pledges to protect me from that religion.
So what if the canidate has a line tto the morman church. The all tea baggers have a direct line to Norquest, and big corparations so they know when to crap, and if they should wipe
Well, A Religious man should be elected president.. But not a Muslim, or a jew, or a hindu.. It should be a Christian .. But not a mormom.. or a protestent or a Lutherian.. Does that sum up your argument?
Why don't you just say that you want someone from your neighborhood church who doesn't know the first thing about ruling a country should sit in the chair.. just because he has the right religious outlook!
What faith someone is should have NOTHING to do with running for office!!!
The requirement that the president be a person of faith is because the citizen's of america expect thier leaders to be of sound moral character, be able to distinguish between good and evil. I do not care what name he gives to the invisible man in the sky. As long as he leads he's got my respect and vote.
>>What are the tenets of the Morman religion?
They're explained here.
http://mormon.org/
Yo Mark, It must be great to worship a guy who had many, many wives & many , many slaves!!!!!! I AM SURE JESUS IS VERY PROUD OF YOU!!
Trying to get balanced information about the church from mormon.org is like trying to get balanced information about a company or product by going to their website. Wikipedia is a much better place to start!
Mark, don't bother telling the people posting these messages where to find what Mormons ACTUALLY believe, it really messes things up for them when they'd prefer to just make up stuff.
Adam
Trying to get balanced information about the church from mormon.org is like trying to get balanced information about a company or product by going to their website. Wikipedia is a much better place to start!
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I don't think the mormon churches talks about the real history of their founder. lol
Wade
Mark, don't bother telling the people posting these messages where to find what Mormons ACTUALLY believe, it really messes things up for them when they'd prefer to just make up stuff.
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I heard they conduct Satanic rituals in their temples.
Mark, don't confuse the people posting these messages with facts, it really messes things up for them when they'd prefer to just make up stuff.
Adam... you wrote "trying to get balanced information about the church from mormon.org is like trying to get balanced information about a company or product by going to their website. Wikipedia is a much better place to start!"
Nonsense. Spoken like a true pessimist. Everybody has something to hide. The only balance is to find dirt, a negative perspective, to find what is wrong with something. There is plenty of that out there about The Church.
But lds.org presents the "official" position and beliefs of the church. The same information being shared by missionaries and drawing converts everyday. And mormon.org presents the actual commentary and beliefs of regular members of the church (members are invited to submit their own profiles, answer FAQ with their own take on things). This is the point. What do practicing Mormons believe? Actual people in The Church - many like myself converts with decades withing the faith to discover any hidden gotchas.
There are none. I weary of reading of and into sites where others are exposing facts and minutia about things I know absolutely no one within The Church believes. The opinions of outsiders are interesting. As regards Wiki and other such sources - interesting. perhaps factual, certainly lacking the filter of faith as those inside The Church...
As regards voting for a Mormon POTUS... any politician living completely the tenets of his or her faith, whatever faith that might be... aces in my book. The question with Huntsman and Romney is not if they are LDS, but how well do they live (and there is no one perfectly doing so) by the covenants and oaths they've made with their God?
Dear Anti Christian....,
I'd like to know what YOU believe?
I trust mormons about as much as I trust evangelicals when it comes to government. SLC is its own country for a reason. What is sad is this is the best there is to offer??????
I don't care if he's a Mormon. In my opinion a Mormon is no crazier than a mainstream Christian. What I care is how religious the guy is. I don't want someone like Rick Perry who would only resort to prayers when things go wrong. I want someone who could come up with practical solutions.
Well said.
Harry Reid and Mitt Romney are Mormons with very different political views. The Mormon church teaches them to be good people and doesnt guide their political positions. Simple minded people looking to discriminate
Christian author Tricia Erickson "believes a practicing Mormon should not be president because of their theological views on the afterlife and governance."
Uh...what? That's special pleading and hypocritical.
I suspect the religious right is very nervous about any non-protestant president.
In my opinion, the voting public already spends too much time concerning itself with the self-professed religious views of candidates for public office – to the point where some (such as, say, Rick Perry the current governor of Texas and likely Presidential candidate) taint their public service in pandering to the religious right. We would all benefit by being more concerned about the actual policy positions of our potential executive & legislative candidates and less concerned about where (or if) they go to worship. We are, after all, electing them to advance said policies and not to teach Sunday school classes for our children.
As an aside – similar questions were raised years ago regarding Catholic candidates – (i.e. – would they be taking their marching orders from Rome). We seem to have mostly moved past that predjudice.
Actually, being Catholic was used against JFK. The right/wrong wing said the Pope would be leading the country. *sigh* – sometimes the more things change, the more they remain the same..........
I would have more faith in a candidate's grip on reality if they were not religious. Subscribing to a world view that there is an invisible being that made everything (and for which there is no objective proof) does not strike me as being reality based. Especially if they believe that scientific theories must reflect the religious myths they were raised on.
Mormons have two basic problems. First is Joseph Smith. To believe in The Book of Mormon, you have to believe in Joseph Smith. How can any rational person do that? Second is the well-known Mormon tendency to nepotism. There's a real fear that if we elect a Mormon president, the entire cabinet, half the ambassadors, and the next three Supreme Court nominees will be LDS.
More special pleading. Belief in Jesus is on equal footing with belief in Joseph Smith, which by the way, you rightly say is irrational.
By the way, "nepotism" is the wrong word. Try "cronyism." And so what? Presidents always appoint those with similar politics.
Believing Joseph Smith was a prophet is not a problem for Mormons any more than anyone believing that Moses was a prophet, you either believe in prophets or you don't, but Mormons believing Joseph Smith was one, is not a problem.
To a certain extent, yes, Joseph Smith is on a par with Jesus, and religious faith always takes an irrational "leap." But you have to acknowledge that Jesus is not demonstrably a total fraud, like Joseph Smith. The evidence, by now, is incontrovertible.
And call it cronyism, or what you will - a man whose religion considers it a test of faith and community has at least a couple strikes against him coming out of the box.
Nordic,
I'm really not sure why you say Joseph Smith is a fraud. You don't think he had other things to do than spend untold hours on a book that testifies of Jesus Christ, that requires knowledge of many lands across the ocean that wouldn't have been commonly known at the time, that would require a lot of making sure the tribe names and stories meshed and that would require knowledge of the many people who fled the Jerusalem area around 600 BC? And then, after completing the book which would take some time, especially considering that he was 14 and pretty uneducated, you don't think he had better things to do than be tarred and feathered, beaten repeatedly, driven out of multiple cities, imprisoned on false charges repeatedly, had his name dragged through the mud and then to top it all off, be killed for his book and beliefs? I just can't go along with your "fraud" label of Joseph Smith. Besides that, do you see Harry Reid hiring a bunch of his fellow Mormons to run his offices and to be in his inner circle? I think not. Just in case you didn't know, Harry is a Mormon. But that just doesn't seem to bother people much and I haven't quite figured out why. Would you care to explain it to me?
Yes I like Romney.I think he'd do a good job!McCain would have us at war for four more years.I hope they derail the Straight Jacket Express and send that McCain pnakicg for voting for Amnesty for Illegal Aliens!
What are the tenets of the Morman religion?
http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,106-1-2-1,FF.html
believe that a guy in New York found some gold plates with the book of Mormon written in an ancient Egyptian language that are conveniently unavailable, and this was less than 200 years ago. That's pretty ridiculous.
Actually, the beliefs of ANY religion are pretty ridiculous when you really look at them. Wake up. Why should Mormons be singled out as "crazy" or "ridiculous" because their beliefs revolve around more recent events. Is an angel appearing to a 14 year old boy in upstate NY 270+ years ago any more unbelievable than an angel appearing to Samuel in the Jewish temple over 2500+ years ago? Why? Moses talking to God in a burning bush and turning a stick into a snake? Christ being resurrected? Mohamed ascending into heaven? Believing these things involves faith. The faith of a Mormon is no more ridiculous than that of a Muslim or a Jew or a mainstream Christian.
Thats what the devil wants poeple to BELIEVE! That there is no GOD!!!
It should never matter what religion a presidential candidate practices, or if he/she practices ANY religion. There are people of all religions that would be terrible presidents, and there are people of all religions who might be great presidents. We need to have a president who respects others' an accepts the faith or lack of faith that the rest of us follow.
I'm not sure I like presidents that believe in this without evidence, that's how we went into Iraq.