Will Mitt's Mormonism Matter?
I have heard this mentioned many times since he announced he was running for President. The vast majority of the people who say they would never vote for a Mormon are from the left and would never support Mitt anyway or the GOP, for that matter, and all the negative stories are from a liberally biased MSM. I have many evangelical friends and Mormonisn is never given as a reason why they may or may not be supporting Mitt in the primaries so I don't see it as being a problem in the general elections either. One of Mitt's staffers on his Faith and Values steering committee Justin Hart penned an excellent piece for the American Thinker on the new and growing relationship between Evangelical Christians and the Mormons. The past is certainly very rocky but that is no reason the future can't be brighter, afterall our shared values and belief in God, America and family are what is important.
Justin closes with this but read the whole thing.
Of course, beyond the courtesy and rapport of the authors are serious disagreements with Mormon theology. "Mormonism's challenges are real and can be dismissed only at a cost evangelicals are unwilling to pay" says Carl Mosser.
The newfound dialogue between Mormons and Evangelicals has left the melee in favor of the gentleman's war. While it can get messy and sticky at times, the general tenor of the battle seems wholly improved and marks a significant thaw in their relations. For example, in his chapter on Mormon theology, Mosser notes: "One has failed to appreciate Mormonism's distinctiveness if one can classify it as Christian without qualifications." I believe this is a definition that most Mormons would agree with.
Of course this is at the academic level. Is there discomfort among Evangelicals about Mormons? Yes. Is the breach in the wall large enough where a dialogue can begin in the grassroots? Perhaps. Is it insurmountable? Time will tell. After all, as someone noted, if common religious bonds were the only yardstick in the voting booth, conservative evangelicals would have chosen Jimmy Carter over Ronald Reagan.
I know it never entered my mind when I decided to support Mitt but then I am more of the fiscal conservative than the social, small 'l' libertarian. That is why I think Mitt should stop trying to be the ultimate social conservative, where he has soft spots, and focus on his strong suit of leadership and accomplishment as Mr. Fix It problem solver. He has a record, he doesn't need to pander, just stay on message.
2 comments:
I am in your boat. I am a fiscal conservative, not a social or religious conservative. Religious ideolgy meeds bupkus to me. I am related to a Mormon, who I love and respect.
When the May 3, 99 tornado outbreak hit Oklahoma, it devestated my home town. It passed within 3 miles of my parent's house and damaged my junior high school and devestated the area around it. Look up Bridge Creek on the internet for pictures.
But a Mormon church from Colorado packed up the entire congregation, minus some people to look after infants and came to Bridge Creek to help with the clean up. over 200 people took off over a month and on their own dime, came down to help MY community. They asked for nothing in return. Absolutely nothing. They did no proseltize or preach, they just came and worked.
If they can put that much emphasis on charitable works and helping in the community--even a community not their own, then I have more respect for them that a lot of people out there that will not help their neighbors. They preach community service and they practice it. If I can be ok with the theological differences between all the different brands of Protestants, Catholics and Jews, then I must give the Mormons the same consideration.
Ron, I hear alot about Mormon congregations doing that sort of thing, I understand they had trucks loaded and rolling before Katrina even hit land and were first on the scene in many areas. They are a dedicated lot for sure and I think Mitt's stature in the LDS helps more than it hurts his conservative bona fides.
He picked up Paul Weyrich's endorsement today, founder of the Heritage Foundation and leader in the Christian Right
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