Secular Liberal Anti-Mormon Bigotry
Via Conservative Donnybrook:
It’s well known that a fair number of conservative Christians think that the Mormon religion is a “cult,” and won’t vote for Mitt Romney.
But a fair number of liberals and leftists have rather extreme anti-Mormon biases too.
Case in point: liberal Lawrence O’Donnell, who in the video clip below lets it all “hang out” about his anti-Mormon bias.
Do people like O’Donnell pose a problem for Romney? Not where votes are concerned, since they wouldn’t vote for a religious candidate anyway.
Where media coverage is concerned, maybe. Mainstream media types are heavily secular and -- if not actually hostile to religion -- think religious belief is rather odd. And they think that Mormon religious belief is even odder. This is likely to affect the tone of the coverage.
It’s well known that a fair number of conservative Christians think that the Mormon religion is a “cult,” and won’t vote for Mitt Romney.
But a fair number of liberals and leftists have rather extreme anti-Mormon biases too.
Case in point: liberal Lawrence O’Donnell, who in the video clip below lets it all “hang out” about his anti-Mormon bias.
Do people like O’Donnell pose a problem for Romney? Not where votes are concerned, since they wouldn’t vote for a religious candidate anyway.
Where media coverage is concerned, maybe. Mainstream media types are heavily secular and -- if not actually hostile to religion -- think religious belief is rather odd. And they think that Mormon religious belief is even odder. This is likely to affect the tone of the coverage.
Labels: Mainstream Media, Mitt Romney, Mormonism
posted by John McAdams at 12:20 PM
6 Comments:
I do not care what Mr. Romney believes as a matter of Faith---As long as he is an upright and honest man, who will execute his sworn duties if elected.
However, it is fair to ask him to honestly declare (Which he has not done) the tenets of his religion, how they vary from Christianity and about his co-religionists' persecution of non-Mormons as in the "Mountain Meadow" murder of travelers passing through what is now Utah and other acts of discrimination towards "gentiles" which go on to this day.
James,
Your comment sounds to me like those secular people who blame the current Catholic Church for the Inquisition.
When you find black people nursing a grudge about slavery, you clearly aren't favorably impressed.
I think the same idea should apply here.
BTW, the Mormons were victims of some pretty nasty treatment from non-Mormons on the American frontier.
Mitt Romney belonged to an explicitly white supremacist organization well into his adulthood. It doesn't matter if it's a religion or a country club, that membership disqualifies him to be president.
It is not "bigotry" to ask questions about specific religious doctrines and beliefs. And the questions are relevant when they bear on the church member's possible views toward U.S. citizens.
The pundit was definitely guilty of using a harsh polemic tone. But so what? That is part of what it is to be a pundit these days (e.g., your friend Charlie Sykes).
Do you feel it is bigotry because such questions would not be raised of a Christian candidate? It is understandable that Christians wouldn't be questioned for their beliefs because Christianity is the dominant religion in our nation and there are few questions about what Christians believe. Of course, that is not sufficient reason to ignore a Christian candidate's beliefs--as they are as likely as anyone to be influenced by these when making policy decisions (e.g., on the abortion issue).
I'm a Mormon. Rest assured it is bigotry. There are kids on my street who are not allowed to play with my kids because we are Mormons. Perhaps bigots should be required to wear signs so that you can recognize them. You see, if you are less likely to vote for a person because of the color of his skin or which church he goes to - that almost defines bigotry. I'm not suggesting you go purchase a sheet to make a new hood, but you need to realize that bigotry is hurtful to its victims and if you vote against Romney because of his religion, it is hurtful to the 6,500,000 U.S. Mormons who share his religious beliefs.
I was a Mormon for fourteen years and the best thing I did was get out and become Catholic. There is a lot of talk about Jesus in the Latter-day Saint (LDS) "church" but there are very many other things taking place in the "sacred" temple that are decidedly not Christian and indicative of a cult. The Mormons are a cult.
One thing they did have going on in the temple that I saw was initiatorys. Initiatorys are where you wear nothing except a large white poncho and go through some little booths where other men use their fingers to smear oil or water on your naked body. Thats a cult not Christianity.
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