Is Mormon Faith Still an Issue in Presidency Run?
When running for president during his first campaign, Mitt Romney faced several hurdles in regard to his faith. Ironically, Protestants, and especially evangelicals (the Christian group with whom Mormonism has the most in common) are Mormonism’s biggest opponents. While these groups share a largely Republican base and strong, conservative social values, the central doctrines they contend on include works vs. grace, the Protestant understanding of the Trinity vs. the Mormon doctrine of the three distinct members of the Godhead, and the need for a restoration of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mark Driscoll, a pastor, expressed what he believes is a large hurdle for Romney: “He supports our values; he doesn’t worship our God.” Clearly, Driscoll does not understand Mormon doctrine, because Mormons do worship the same God and the same Savior—Jesus Christ—as all other Christians. This general misunderstanding of Mormon beliefs is Romney’s true challenge. Pew analyst John Green said in a February 2011, commentary that Mormonism has been, and continues to be, among the least popular religions in America. Green shed some light on this when he said that many Protestants view Mormon missionaries as competitors. This makes religion into a race or challenge of some kind, instead of welcoming all people to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. Mormons and Protestants have more in common than they have different. They should be focusing on how they can come together and support one another.
Christian leaders seem to be even more cautious in the upcoming presidential race to support candidates with different beliefs. Driscoll told The Christian Post in an interview that “sometimes those candidates turn out to be not that moral.” We have certainly seen a lot of this in politics, but there as been no reason to suspect Mitt Romney of any wrongdoing or indiscretions. In addition, immoral acts do not seem to be connected with one denomination more than another. They are the poor choices of individuals.
Romney certainly will face challenges in the upcoming presidential campaign, and many of those will be because of his faith, but despite enormous pressure, he has not denied his faith. He stands by it because he believes in it. He also pointed out that this country does not like people who believe according to convenience, and believes that (despite the pressure he continues to get to deny his faith) he would in fact lose respect if he chose to deny his faith. He would certainly lose his self-respect.
Deseret News, in exploring both the candidacy of Mitt Romney and the assumed candidacy of Jon Huntsman, states, “[Though] no one knows how Huntsman and Romney will fare in the Republican presidential primaries, it’s now looking more and more like their Mormon affiliation won’t amount to a de facto disqualification.”
Kathleen Flake, a professor of American religious history at Vanderbilt University, recently said in a Washington Post article:
“There’s no denying it: Mormonism is a pre-modern religion. It is full of miracles and grand providential acts of God, such as church members’ pioneering exodus to the West in 1846. It preaches and promises epiphany, such as the appearance to founder Joseph Smith of two divine beings, God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. It builds temples and demands sacrifice of time and tithes. It has a dietary code that abjures most of what makes the social world go round, and its believers do not buy their underwear at Victoria’s Secret. It insists on proselytizing a postmodern world convinced of a plurality, if not relativity, of truth. . . .
While their stories may seem crazy, the Latter-day Saints have proved themselves to be good neighbors and good citizens, and even trustworthy politicians. It’s time to admit them to that well-populated club of people whose religion is not our own and even seems fantastical . . . but who are deemed perfectly acceptable presidential candidates.”
There seems to be a call from several respected people unaffliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Mormon Church is officially known, for people to recognize candidates and people for their good qualities, beliefs, and values, and to not get so hung up on prejudices.
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