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![]() Early in his campaign, Mitt Romney spoke at Liberty University, the largest evangelical Christian university in the world.
September 14th, 2012
03:14 PM ET
On campaign trail, Romney ratchets ups God rhetoricBy Dan Merica, CNN Washington (CNN) – At campaign events these days, Mitt Romney often says that if he is elected president, he will emphasize the role of God in American society and will not “take God out of the public square.” That kind of rhetoric is a departure from earlier less God-focused versions of the Republican candidate’s stump speech and his early apprehension with discussing his Mormon faith. According to Mark DeMoss, Romney’s adviser to the evangelical community, such lines are designed to create a contrast with a Democratic Party that had to fight to get God into its platform at its recent convention. “I will not take God out of my heart, I will not take God out of the public square, and I will not take it out of the platform of my party,” Romney has been saying in his stump speech since the Democratic platform fight this month. The former Massachusetts governor used the line at a campaign stop in Mansfield, Ohio, on Monday. In nearly the same breath, he said that “we are nation under God.” CNN Belief: Can Mitt Romney’s evangelical ambassador seal the deal before Election Day? DeMoss says the new rhetoric is not a departure from anything but is “as much as a response to something that really shocked a lot of people.” “I think the governor is probably doing two things,” said DeMoss, a senior adviser to the Romney campaign: “reinforcing his own commitment to God and, secondly, showing some contrast.” Some religious leaders and scholars see Romney's new God talk in a somewhat different light. The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and media commentator, said Romney’s line that “I will not take God out of my heart” is a coded way to question to veracity of the President Barack Obama’s Christian faith. “Critiquing the president for taking God out of the public square when he regularly refers to God and implicitly critiquing him for taking God out of his heart, any way you look at it, is offensive,” Martin said. In his critique of Romney’s religious rhetoric, Martin cited Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” DeMoss, a Christian PR executive, said questions about the president’s faith should not be read into the speech. “I take that comment as a reinforced pledge and commitment that God is not going to be stripped from anything if he has anything to say about it, whether it is his heart or the public square or the party platform,” DeMoss said. “I think it would be unreasonable or unfair to suggest that that was a comment on the president.” Last week, at an event in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Romney pledged to keep God on U.S. currency. “Our pledge says ‘under God,’” Romney told thousands of energetic supporters at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach. “I will not take God out of the name of our platform. I will not take God off our coins. And I will not take God out of my heart.” On Tuesday, the anniversary of terrorist attacks of September 11, Romney tweeted, "On this most somber day, America is united under God in its quest and freedom at home and across the world." The increased God rhetoric adds to a campaign that has frequently discussed religious issues, even as Romney says the economy is the most important issue. From debates over religious liberty – sparked by the Obama administration's "contraception mandate" for health care plans – to abortion rights, the Romney campaign has taken stands on a number of religious issues, attempting to draw a distinction with Obama. CNN Belief: Religious exemptions grow in contraception mandate Jacques Berlinerblau, a Georgetown University professor with an expertise in religion and politics, says he sees the change as a response to a president who is doing better in recent polls. “When (Republicans) get nervous about a loss, they go into base-whip-up stage,” Berlinerblau said. “They try to energize the base even more.” He argues that such rhetoric will not appeal to “moderate religious voters” and that it is pushing Romney off his economic message. “They are totally getting off-script,” Berlinerblau said. “We hear that this election is all about the economy, but now we are talking about religion and faith issues.” DeMoss says it's possible to emphasize both religious and economic issues. “I am comfortable with the balance that he has struck about talking about his faith and other people's faith, and I was comfortable with the balance at the Republican convention,” DeMoss said. “It is part of the equation, but it is certainly not the dominant part.” - CNN’s Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.
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Is he talking about the God that Christians worship or the god from Kolob that mormons worship? Just askin'.
He propbably was lol,Mormons spin and lie so much about what they believe in just so they will be accepted,but if everyone knew how messed up they were no one would take Romney seriously and his magical underwear....
That's retarded like you. Who cares what his beliefs are.
I wonder if Romney is educated enough to know when "under God" was ADDED to the Pledge of Allegiance. Regardless, his only "God" is money.
It's amazing how many right-wingnuts believe the phrase has always been in the Pledge and the motto has always been on our coins. I doubt even Faux Noise is that misinformed.
But ya never know!
Mormons baptise the dead by proxy.
Mormons believe Polyagomy is sinful.
Since Joesph Smith and Brigham Young didn't listen to God telling them not to be Polyagmists..
Who or What Mormon is going to Baptise those dead sinners?
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have to say that I am truly disappointed in many of these comments. Most of the time, I simply ignore this stuff because it is so far off base, it is not even worth commenting on. First, let me set you straight. It is not magic underwear. Would you make fun of rosary beads? These garments are sacred and symbolic of commitments we make. Those commitments are not to follow church leaders blindly, but to live a Christ like life to the best of our ability. And yes, we do follow Christ. He is our Savior. Lots of other churches disagree with this because they say they believe in the Trinty and in biblical Christianity. This is the great oxymoron of our time. You can't be both because there is NO evidence for the trinity in the bible. It is made up by man. Finally, let's talk about the real issue. Do you want a proven leader running this country? Then we need a change. BO is not a leader. He is so out of touch it is not funny. He claims to be for the people. Do you really believe this? It is all about himself. I've never seen anyone so arrogant in my life. We need to send BO back to Chicago in November and bring a true leader into the White House. Someone who can and will reach across the aisle. Someone who won't blame anyone else for his problems. Someone who understands how the real world works, and not some academic fantasy land. This, my friends, is Mitt Romney.
Basic rule of internet, you should never take the internet too seriously. Otherwise you're a country away from what happened in North Africa.
"You can't be both because there is NO evidence for the trinity in the bible. It is made up by man."
@Pete,
There is no evidence for the Book of Morman either, it was also made up by man and in that case we know which man, Joseph Smith. If evidence is what you need (and I agree you should) religion is not for you.
I moved away from the worse liar's and theives just like your pal Romney they were all Mormons, not God, not Jesus , but some odd weirdo's that love having 13 year old wife's and many of them.
I am confused as to how you jump from people's misuse of the internet in discussing religious matters to how Obama is not a qualified candidate. I disagree because I believe that religion should be left out of the campaign and it is not an important factor in who should lead our country. Regardless of my religious beliefs or yours, that doesn't prove that Romney is better than Obama. I respect your belief that he is better because that is your decision, but I don't understand how his belief in God makes him a better candidate. You specifically say that our country needs "Someone who won't blame anyone else for his problems." Obama's religious beliefs have nothing to do with this, and that is besides the fact that you did not provide evidence for him blaming others. In fact, recently Romney was quoted blaming Obama for current problems when the goal of his statement was supposed to be regarding the crisis in Libya and mourning the losses there. Here Romney is handing off the blame rather than paying respect and focusing on the problem he should have been addressing. Blaming Obama doesn't show that Romney could handle the problem any better. Here is a link to the article I was referring to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/13/mitt-romney-libya-obama_n_1881352.html
hinduism, absurdity of hinduism, denial of truth absolute labeled as Mormon ism is based on book of Parcheesi, self centered, reject of son of blessed Mary, you should be ashamed of your self to promote hinduism, denial of truth absolute on his name, Nothing but Mag's trickesters to use and abuse truth absolute to run temple, dungeon of hinduism, illegibility under the banner of truth absolute God. To know causes of mayhem among humanity, handy work of hindu Jew's, criminal self centered, denier of truth absolute and thir hinduism, fabrication, hindu Mithra ism pagan savior ism, labeled as Christianity, please visit http://www.limitisthetruth.com/blog.html and click on word Choice to open file.
Sorry dude, but this flip-flopping lunatic of a candidate is not going to cut it. He says whatever will get him elected; that's dishonest, and throwing god-speak back into the mix to get the evangelicals going is even more dishonest. He says idiot things while visiting other countries, he's desperately out of touch with the middle class...
But gosh, you seem to think he's a leader! That wouldn't have a thing to do with his having been a mormon bishop, would it?
Friend, I think if you don't want to hear attacks against the mormon church Romney should try and keep God out of politics, especially when he says he wants to put God on republicans' platform and town square. To be honest, and I am pretty sure about this, God does not want to have anything to do with man's government, let alone some stupid platform. You guys sound like the seduces. Anyway what aisle is Romney ever reached across?? I bet he never talked more than 5 minutes to a black person unless it involved money. Please, reaching across the aisle....that is why he went to the NAACP meeting and insulted them.
You a cultist just like Romney and dont even try to lie and say your a christian.........its well known that Mormons are cultists and non christian,but yet the Mormons will pretend they are just so they are not run out of tow with pitchforks for the cult crapola you guys do
Nice try....you Mormons are cultists weirdos........NOT EVEN CLOSE TO CHRISTIANS
Jack 21,
Which God do you worship and why are your beliefs superior?
Pete, i also belong to the church of jesus christ of latter day saints & it amazes me also to see some of these comments.Thankyou for everything you said.
Jack21, yes, we are christian's! Who are you to tell us what we are and what we believe????? You have obviously never visited a mormon church to even see for yourself what we stand for and believe in..you say that the women in our church are abused, that is absolutely not true! i am sick of people judging mormons for our belief's and saying we are not christian's, when the very people who claim to be true christian's bash us and say awful thing's about our faith...where is the christianity in that? God loves all of us equally.
whatever gets you through the day.
Those commitments are not to follow church leaders blindly, but to live a Christ like life to the best of our ability.
Tax breaks for the wealthy.
No health care for the poor and middle class.
Calling your opponent a liar, as you are lying.
Im not concerned about the poor.
Corporations are people.
Real Christ like.
I want someone who believes in a religion founded by a con-man interpreting "seer-stones" in a hat.
Pete, I find this quote "These garments are sacred and symbolic of commitments we make. Those commitments are not to follow church leaders blindly" interesting. Up until the '70's blacks were considered inferior by the Mormon church. So you approve the fact for 100 years prior any one of dark skin was inferior? If so why so? Your statement condemns you. If you were of the many hundreds of thousands who believed this because the church leaders said it was so, who followed the church leaders blindly. Please comment.
Two things i want to say:
1. I found it hilarious that in Paul Ryan's speech at the conserative summit pretty much says, "Obamacare is a dictatorship, so vote for team R/R. We'll only take away your rights to abortion."
2. Mormonism requires their followers to pay 10% of their total income per year. They call it t!thing. So whatever percent of charity donations you see on Mitt's taxes, remember to subtract that 10%, because you cant really morally call it charity if it's required.
See yuh chumps.
Not all repubs will sell out thir christian faith to support a warren jeffs cultist like Romney.........Romney has proven to be a fake just like his religion.....conservative christians do not support the cult bishop Romney..... I am also a republican and will not vote this November for the cultist....
It's always amusing when one religious group pokes fun at the rituals or idiosyncrasies of another.
Ting, you nailed it. LEEroy was just attempting to use the Rev. Wright tactic to dis Obama.
What idiots.
I wonder if Romney clicks his heels once or twice to activate his Mormon Magical Underwear he believes Protects him from evilll. Can Romney put his undies on his head and use them like radar for evil or can he see through walls? Where does the power come from? is it his skidmark that gives his underwear power?????? Lol the cultists have the weirdest things....Magical underwear....whats next Magical buttplugs?
It's actually 47 clicks..... Random I know, but that's the rule
This by far the best post I have ever read.
Good one ! Still laughing.
Mitt Romney’s faith does not stand in the teachings of Christ but rather an image of the spirit and god of this world and a false Christ (Matthew 24:24; 2 Cor. 11:13-15).
For a better understanding of the history of the Mormon Church and his quest for the Presidency of the United States of America, we invite you to read the articles ‘Mormon Church – Cult and Spiritual Harlot’, ‘Barack Obama – President of the United States of America’ and ‘Can Christianity or Any Other Religion Save You?’, listed on our website http://www.aworlddeceived.ca
All of the other pages and articles listed on our website explain how and by whom this whole world has been deceived as confirmed in Revelation 12:9.
Revelation?? Everyone knows whoever wrote that mess was high as a kite. Probably crashed his camel in a lake of bath salts. St. John the Opium Addict, evidently. My goodness.
mama kindless
But the natural man (like yourself) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man (1 Cor. 2:14,15).
For this reason our message remains the same: Ye must repent in order to be able to understand the Word of God, including the Book of Revelation. We have provided the article ‘Repent’ on our website for your perusal.
http://WWW.AWORLDDECEIVED.CA
Oh, shove it, spam-bot.
The only one who has been deceived is you.
I am a Republican and I will not sell out my christian faith to support a Mormon cultist.No matter how Mormons try to spin it they are sicko cultists and are NOT CHRISTIAN.....there are no crosses on their church,no bible,wears Magical underwear or pantys.......weirdo rituals,polygamy,sisterwives......molestation of women and children and the abuse of women and children to make sure they keep it all secret. Mormons are just as bad a Johovas whitnesses or heavens gate cult...Satan worshippers.......but NOT CHRISTIAN and many conservative christian repubs will not support such a vile man like Romney we will stay home in November...
I suspect there will be plenty of Christian Republicans like you who will have no choice but to vote for Obama, since the DC Machine doesn't really allow third party candidates in the race. Phony two-party system!
Step right up folks Step right up!!!!!! Romney is giving out some goodies at the Republican Convention!!!!!! First you will reciev a free pair of MORMON MAGICAL UNDERWEAR that protects you from evil when you click your heels together,and only the most devout shall never take them off even during a bath.Then you will recieve a picture of The Mormon Messiah Joesoph Smith who the Mormons worship over Jesus,Joesoph Smith was a con man,molester,Polygamist and a murderer,yet he is revered higher than christ.......Then you will recieve the BOOK OF MORMON that the con man molester Joesoph Smith wrote to help him control his followers and Brainwash them....You will also recieve the teachings on how all people of color are products of evil.....like the Mormon church teaches.Last but not least you will recieve directions to the planet in outer space named KOLOB where the Mormons believe their god lives and if you die wearing your Mormon Magical Underwear you will become a god too and fly in outer space to be with Joesoph Smith on KOLOB wih as many wives as you want.......THIS IS NOT CHRISTIAN IN ANY WAY!!!!! Romney can click his heels to activate his magical underwear all he wants but christians will not buy his Phoney garbage religion......This religion was made up by a polygamist murderer who conned so many in the 1800s conservative repub christians will not vote or support such an evil vile man like Romney.Draft dodger.....cultist....tax evader......magic underwear...it just keeps getting better and better.
Pretty silly, huh? Just as silly as those Christian crosses that magically change everything... and even keep vampires away!
Very funny! Mormonism sounds like a religion made up by a 14 year old – oh, wait, it was.
Romney should be careful about talking to much about religion. Voters who consider religion to be an important issue are Christians who believe that Mary was a virgin when impregnated with Jesus. Romney is NOT a Christian who believes Mary was NOT a virgin. Obama on the other hand is a Christian and believes Mary was a virgin.
I thought that the defining feature of Christianity was a belief that Jesus is the son of god and died for the forgiveness of our sins. It was my understanding that only Catholics attached any real importance to Mary's virginity.
DOUBLE NEGATIVE
"Mitt Romney often says that if he is elected president, he will emphasize the role of God in American society and will not “take God out of the public square.”
That is EXACTLY why you need to be opposed! Hie thee to Kolob! That's as good as the government mandating that people BELIEVE in fairy tales!
You mean like the majority of Democrats voting to keep God out but the vote was ignored and God was reinstated. Hypocrite
@myviews
just can't let go can you?
myviewis: Who said I was a Democrat?! Ever hear of G D Independent?! But the DC Machine won't let us into the race.
Romney's "ratcheting up of the God rhetoric" is not surprising at all, IMHO.
For him to have even a chance, he is going to have to capture a number of swing states, as some of the polling I saw, as of yesterday, show's President Obama opening up a slightly wider lead.
For Romney to win, he's going to have to pull out all the stops... which means hitting a lot of the issues that whip up the GOP/Social Conservatives... "God, God, God"... "No Abortion " etc...
Unless things change pretty dramatically between now and November, it is starting to look like President Obama, will be re-elected.
Peace...
Romney is getting desperate.
He is running back to the old platform,
God, guns and gays.
Wont work this time.
Prayer changes things .
Still trying to brainwash people with your nonsense, typical of xtians. It's still not working, try harder!
@typical
nope
KING HENRY V
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!
Prayer does not; you are such a LIAR. You have NO proof it changes anything! A great example of prayer proven not to work is the Christians in jail because prayer didn't work and their children died. For example: Susan Grady, who relied on prayer to heal her son. Nine-year-old Aaron Grady died and Susan Grady was arrested.
An article in the Journal of Pediatrics examined the deaths of 172 children from families who relied upon faith healing from 1975 to 1995. They concluded that four out of five ill children, who died under the care of faith healers or being left to prayer only, would most likely have survived if they had received medical care.
The statistical studies from the nineteenth century and the three CCU studies on prayer are quite consistent with the fact that humanity is wasting a huge amount of time on a procedure that simply doesn’t work. Nonetheless, faith in prayer is so pervasive and deeply rooted, you can be sure believers will continue to devise future studies in a desperate effort to confirm their beliefs!
nope is a dope
I'm sorry "Atheism is not healthy for children and other living things", but you assertions regarding atheism and prayer are unfounded. I see that you repeat these unfounded statements with high frequency. Perhaps the following book might help you overcome this problem:
I'm Told I Have Dementia: What You Can Do... Who You Can Turn to...
by the Alzheimer's Disease Society
atheists never swarmed an embassy nor started a war , or killed infidels , or brainwashed their children with fear . I prefer agnostic myself , pretty sure they haven't started any wars either . Atheism is much healthier for children and other living things , than most religions , history proves this time and time again
God God God God
God God God God
da da da daaaaa
God
Vote for Romney
You do know that mormons are not christians right???? they are cultist sickos who abuse women and children. Maybe you wear Mormon Magical underwear and are a cultist and pray to the Mormon god who lives in outer space on a planet named Kolob,and when you die you fly there in your magical underwear to meet their founder Joesoph Smith the rapist molester who created the religion soly to take advantage of women and children
Point being, the Republicans think they can just mention God a few times and all of the Christian voters will flock to their side. Sadly, that does work for a large number of voters.
O.K Willard time to release those 10 years of income returns. Show us that you paid a fair share to run this government and we just might let you live in the White House for 4 years.
Google, Lying for the Lord. Mormons are taught how and why to do this. Mitt is a master at it! Wake up people! That's why he can't be pinned down! He is a lying worm and it's all about Mitt.
He's so painfully awkward that I almost feel sorry for him. But not quite. The whole thing is getting desperately nutty.
Romney is not running for President, he's running for Godhood.
I thought it was Romneyhood
Did he also say he would not take God out of his damn? Goodness knows, if he wins the election, there will be lots of damns with my God.