Don McKee
The comments were reported Wednesday in a Journal article by Jon Gillooly, giving the views of several Cobb state legislators about the Iowa caucus results. Afteward, Rep. Manning, a supporter of Newt Gingrich for president, said on Facebook: “I sincerely apologize to Mitt Romney and for offending people of Mormon faith.”
The story quickly gained legs around the country and here in Cobb with a flood of blogs decrying Manning’s comments which have not been explained by her, apology notwithstanding.
This leads us to the question: To what extent is a candidate’s faith an issue in this presidential campaign, harking back to the 1960 race when John F. Kennedy successfully faced the issue and became the first Catholic to be elected president.
In answer to the question, it happens that Gallup has just released its findings on the influence of religion in the elections this year. An aggregate of 11,405 Republicans and Republican/leaning independents provided “the basis for a detailed look at the relationship between Republicans’ own religion and the religion of the GOP candidates” for the party’s 2012 presidential nomination.
“Religion,” says Gallup, “is a major differentiating factor in the broad scope of American politics today, with highly religious Americans significantly more likely to identify as Republicans and less likely to identify as Democrats than those who are less religious. Additionally, Americans who identify with a non-Christian faith or who have no religious identity at all are significantly more likely to be Democrats than the national average.”
As for Romney’s Mormon faith, Gallup says the polling confirms overwhelming support for him from fellow Mormons nationwide. But Mormons make up only about two percent of American adults and four percent of Republicans nationally.
As for the possible effect of Romney’s faith “on the vote of highly religious non-Mormons, a much larger voting bloc,” Gallup found: “The current data show that highly religious Protestants do give Romney slightly lower support than he gets among all Republicans, although the five-point difference is not huge.” It comes down to 18 percent support for Romney from weekly church attendees versus 23 percent for all Republicans and leaners.
Gallup also found that Republicans with no religious identity disproportionately favor Ron Paul, but Catholic Republicans “were no more likely than average to support the two Catholics in the GOP race, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.” Moreover, Protestant Republicans “did not disproportionately support any particular candidate,” including the two Protestant candidates: Ron Paul, raised a Methodist and now occasionally attending a Baptist church; and Rick Perry, raised a Methodist and now attending a non-denominational evangelical Protestant church. Candidate Jon Huntsman is also a Mormon.
The good news: Gallup’s data indicate that Romney’s faith is not a significant issue among Republicans.
dmckee9613@aol.com
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"A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs."
I think Ms. Manning should apologize. It is not acceptable to be anti-Christian or anti-Semite in America, so why should she be allowed to be publically anti-Muslim?
The main tenant which makes me Muslim is to say: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Americans are quick to report any violent act committed by Muslims, but we do not hear any of the good deeds of Muslims. Why is that? It is due to prejudice.
For example, the recent news of the Iranian ship that was saved by America. What language did the men speak? Urdu! Who speaks Urdu--the Pakistanis. Consequently, New York Times neglected to mention that a Muslim aboard the ship saved the day.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. described bigots with the following quote: "The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract."
Ahmadi Muslims on the other hand, reach for a more accepting creed: Love for All, Hatred for None.
Who has the bigger heart here Ms. Manning, you or the Ahmadi Muslims?
If Muslims are so great, and do such wonderful things, why do they need a long-winded PR person like this lady>
To quote a quote, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."
1. When people ask you honest questions about your Mormon faith, you tell them to go read the official websites of the LDS Church. Do you believe everything the LDS officially teaches? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney page 6)
2. When asked whether Mormonism is Christian, BYU professor Dr. Stephen Robinson in his book How Wide the Divide? writes, “Latter-day Saints do not seek to be accepted as historically orthodox Christians or as Evangelicals. We are neither.” Do you agree with Dr. Robinson? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney page 16)
3. The official teaching of the LDS Church is that the Mormon Church is “the one and only true church on earth.” Do you also believe that all non-denominational and denominational churches are not true churches? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney chapter 6)
4. The LDS Church believes that all humans were living as spirit people on another planet before they were born in a body on earth. Do you believe you lived before you were born on earth? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney pages 125-127)
5. The LDS Church believes that all humans were the spirit children of God the Father, and his wife, in a pre-mortal life. Is this what you meant when in your Faith in America speech you said, “We believe that every single human being is a child of God”? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney pages 124-125)
6. The LDS Church teaches that humans as worthy Mormons can become gods after they die. Do you believe you are a worthy Mormon that will become a god one day? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney pages 130, 135-136, 144)
7. Not all Mormons can go into a LDS temple because they are not found worthy. Are you a temple Mormon? Do you practice the sacred rituals inside Mormon temples? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney page 171-176)
8. Do you believe people can convert to Mormonism after they die? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney page 189)
9. We know that Mormons are baptized for the dead in a LDS temple. Have you ever been baptized for your dead ancestors? Have you ever baptized others for the dead? (see The Mormon Faith of Mitt Romney page 193)
10. The Mormon Church believes that the Bible has errors in it. If you become the next president of the United States, are you going to request to be sworn in with the Book of Mormon instead of the Bible? (see The Mormon Faith Mitt Romney page 103-107)
I assume you can provide documentable evidence that all these things are part and parcel of the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. No? I didn't think so.
But, if you want to study something with a really bloody past, study all the atrocities and killings committed, down thru the centuries, by Christians. Consider rhe Crusades, a thinly veiled effort to expand the church's holdings, or the Spanish Inquisition, or the Salem Witch Trials, or a dozen more historically documented large scale crimes against humanity committed in the name of Christianity.
Yes, I am a Christian and a practicing Catholic, but I am not blind to the crimes committed by Christians.
Speaking of Christians, the Mormons are also Christians. They use the same Bible you use, along with the book of Mormon, which they believe was written by a prophet named Joseph Smith. By the way, the actual name of their church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Take your bigoted misinformed prejudicial talk back to the dark ages, from whence it came.
Though I'm sure you mean this as a snide remark, I will refrain from the detailed response as I am sure you won't accept it or understand. When as a church we believe in a "Living" God, who communicates with his children through "living" prophets, it's not difficult to realize some doctrine can change over time as various circumstances change.
I'm just an everyday sort of guy
I live in western Illinois, America's heartland
I'm basically a story writer, I love to be creative
Everybody likes a good yarn! Right?
When I was younger I bounced between jobs, gold digger, glass looker
But then I started writing and I knew I'd found my calling
I've written three books and I've developed a loyal following
Although my readers are very loyal they are a small group
So I've had to go deeper, better penetrate my marketplace
I started a small bank......that didn't go so well...for the depositors anyway he he he
I set up subscription fees, real estate investments and I even bought an Egyptian mummy.
I'm a real family guy, I think a man should take care of his women....woman I mean. I only have one wife...I'm completely normal in that way...you know....just having one wife...who is for sure way older than 14 years old.
My name is Joseph Smith Jr., and I'm a Mormon
Prejudices cause us to make innumerable small decisions that impact others as well as smaller numbers of big decision.
This is not a question of Romney's religious affiliations, but rather a serious hesitation based on the history of his chosen faith.
Just read the history of the Mormon religion...they have consistantly attenpted to grasp and control local governments in every state where they have resided since their inception. They have a history of bribing local officials and police, and even for attempting to circumvent the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution by commiting an act of arson to a local newspaper office in an attempt to quell a negative article on the church and it's practices.
The Mormons are also know to have contributed to the slaughter of the Native Americans in Utah, and then subsequently denied their involvement, although U.S. Cavalry records show their numerous cooperations in this regard.
They now claim to 'assist through their ministry' all Native American tribes. As far as the Native Americans go, the Mormons can keep their so-called assistance!
They are also extreme racists, and did not allow Blacks to enter their priesthood until around 1998, and Utah was the only state in the union where slavery was still practiced AFTER the Civil War.
I had a room-mate at one time who was raised in the Mormon cult (most mainstream theologians do not regognize the Mormon church as a true religion). She (my room-mate) once told me, after several Mormons had visited my home, that just after she had married her husband, a trainer to the Navy Seals and a caucasian, that she had been admonished by her own church for having "the audacity to have "married a white-man". She was Native American and French Creole, and was terrified at finding that I was speaking to other Mormons...she thought they were there looking for her. How bad or corrupt does a religion have to be that you are fearful at the idea of your own church members looking for you?
Additionally, when I qustioned the Mormons who visited my home, they stated that their 'other testament of Christ' was written on Jesus' appearance to the Native People here, and that their ancestors ventured here from the Middle East, somewhere around what is now Isreal. Historically, the Hebrews were fishermen as to one of there primary sources of existance, however, they were not seafarers. When they (the Mormons) claimed to have been in contact with the early Native peoples of the North American continent, I informed them that there was absolutely no verbal nor written historical record of their having been in contact with ANY Native tribe of this country. Upon hearing that, they changed their story, and said that they had actually been in contact with the native people of South America!
Yes, faith and it's practices does matter when it comes to our government, and especially when it comes to the Presidential Office.
Whereas the Mormons I have met are still constantly in denial of, or attempt to excuse or justify away their corrupt history, I would rather see another four years of Obama, rather than see a Mormon in our Oval Office.
And when confronted by these facts (Most of which are matters of public record), they responded that they, too, have records in regards to these issues...well, so did Enron! Ones own records will ALWAYS go to support you're own interests!
I am not prejudice when it comes to religion or faith, but based on what I have found to be true in regards to the Mormon faith, where they are concerned, I am down-right Bigoted!