“The totalitarian, to me, is the enemy. The one that’s absolute, the one that wants control over the inside of your head, not just your actions and your taxes. And the origins of that are theocratic, obviously. The beginning of that is the idea that there is a supreme leader, or infallible pope, or a chief rabbi, or whatever, who can ventriloquize the divine and tell us what to do.”
- the late Christopher Hitchens, clearly picking Obama over Romney and the Mormons
“I have no clear idea whether Pastor Robert Jeffress is correct in referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more colloquially known as the Mormons, as “a cult.” There do seem to be one or two points of similarity. The Mormons have a supreme leader, known as the prophet or the president, whose word is allegedly supreme. They can be ordered to turn upon and shun any members who show any signs of backsliding. They have distinctive little practices, such as the famous underwear, to mark them off from other mortals, and they are said to be highly disciplined and continent when it comes to sex, booze, nicotine, and coffee. Word is that the church can be harder to leave than it was to join. Hefty donations and tithes are apparently appreciated from the membership.
Whether this makes it a cult, or just another of the born-in-America Christian sects, I am not sure. In any case what interests me more is the weird and sinister belief system of the LDS, discussion of which it is currently hoping to inhibit by crying that criticism of Mormonism amounts to bigotry.”- the late Christopher Hitchens, nailing Mormons on the very tactic they have used to inhibit speech and inquiry.
"So far, Mitt Romney,...has evaded most questions by acting as if he was being subjected to some kind of religious test for public office. He’s been supported in this by some soft-centered types who think that any dislike for any “faith group” is ipso facto proof of some sort of prejudice. Sorry, but this will not wash. I don’t think I would want to vote for a Scientologist or a Moonie for high office, or indeed any other kind, and I think attempts to silence criticism of such outfits are the real evidence of prejudice."- the late Christopher Hitchens, nailing Romney himself on the very attacks he and his supporters have used on others - including this blogger - to inhibit speech and inquiry.
I would probably not vote for a Scientologist for high office. So I cannot dismiss Crack's criticism of LDS as improper bias (even if I disagree). Although I consider the LDS closer to Roman Catholicism than Scientology, it does have a secret faith system that is unusual. Unlike faiths like the Druze or Alawites, who are secretive but not open to outsiders, the LDS church wants to actively recruit the world.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the basis of the faith (hence the reason I am not a Mormon). But I have dealt with enough Mormons to understand they are individuals like anyone else. Many are good people, objectively. They are better neighbors and citizens than most. It has been years since a LDS member came to my door with the Book of Mormon.
But I also know enough Mormons to recognize some are just hypocrites and some are objectively bad.
They think they have the truth to salvation. I know some think this is like letting the camel get his nose under the tent, but religious faiths have a way of morphing over time. And the truth is the LDS Church has morphed towards an overtly pro American and family-centric faith system, abandoning polygamy (fundamentalist LDS notwithstanding), overt racism (although they still think Indians to be cursed tribes of Israel). And America has been a crucible for such esoteric faiths, from the Amish, to the 7th Day Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses, Christian Scientists, etc., etc.
When it comes to Election 2012, we have to choose whether to vote for Obama, vote for Romney, or vote for someone else (which for conservatives will almost certainly be a vote for Obama). Obama's faith system of secular leftism is actually more of a threat to me than Mitt Romney being a Mormon. My concerns about Mitt Romney are almost all based on my fears of him not being a committed conservative in a Ronald Reagan sort of way, not because of what church he goes to.
If we believe sunlight is the best disinfectant (which I do) then the more exposure that the LDS Church has the better. If it is a deal breaker for you, fair enough. It is your franchise and you have that right to reject a candidate for any reason you think relevant. But I also expect the sunlight to extend to Barack Obama and his ties to Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, to Frank Marshall Davis, and to a host of other committed leftists who have made it a point to champion Barack Obama's career.
Say what you will but at least Bain Capital provided a service and did add value to companies it invested in (generally).
ReplyDeleteYou gotta do what you've got to do (and so does everyone else) -- but as a somewhat lapsed, somewhat agnostic, and very heretical RC (who was still RC raised nonetheless) who has had neighborly and boss-ly experience with Mormons...I would pay money to see you say to them that they are just like the RCs.
ReplyDeleteThat would have entertainment value right there.
PW
PS. still think you should reconsider; Romney is talking like a missionary; just listen to him some time...imhao...well, don't be so quick to buy his line (just like I'm sure you don't jump for the line of a used car salesmen)...his goals are roughly the same imhao; don't go for it!
Well, I know they do not get cheap drinks at the Knights of Columbus!
ReplyDeleteBut at least you get to drink something other than lemonade or fruit punch...nor do you have to wear funny undies (sorry, but it was low hanging fruit).
ReplyDeleteWhich is of course yet another sign that it's "Satanic".
PW
*when the Catholics can make you look uptight, stodgy, and overly given over to ritual and doctrine, then there's your sign!