Last Minute "Dump Romney" Insurgency Motivated By Virulent Anti-Mormon Bigotry; JewsAndChristiansTogether An Anti-Mormon Hate Group

As the 2012 Republican National Convention to take place in Tampa, FL from August 27-30 approaches, some are marshaling forces to derail the presumptive nomination of Mitt Romney for President of the United States. Some of these forces have legitimate concerns, such as Romney's statism in foreign policy as well as his personal support of allowing openly-gay people in the Boy Scouts.

However, one group is clearly motivated by the basest and most vitriolic anti-Mormon bigotry. A hate group called JewsAndChristiansTogether has launched their own campaign to persuade delegates to abstain from voting on the "crucial" first ballot. On Page 76 of their manifesto, they write, "Armed with the truth, therefore, we aim to encourage all Tampa delegates to ABSTAIN ON THE FIRST BALLOT IN FAVOR OF A NEW NAME whom they choose on Second-Ballot or later consideration in an Open Republican National Convention. By such lawful and rules-based means, genuinely republican RNC delegates can select a courageous and principled pro-Liberty champion, a seasoned and battle-tested David, who will have at least a shot at felling the giant statist who now occupies the White House".

So far, it's legitimate discourse; they think Romney's too much of a statist. But then the ugly anti-Mormon bigotry beneath festers its way to the surface. Here is but a small sampling of the anti-Mormon statements published in the section entitled "Read The Overview":

-- "So, let’s now face it squarely, the Fatal Problem: Can there be any real doubt that the fascinating metaphysics of Mitt’s Mormonism – which belligerently declares all other faiths to be 'ABOMINATIONS' – will soon find wide distribution in Bible Belt areas of FL, VA, IA and MO? Can any of us (including our own LDS loved ones and friends) watch this animated yet accurate summary of Romney’s sci-fi polytheism without cringing? No mere adherent, Romney presided as the LDS equivalent of Boston’s Cardinal Law. In 2008, Obama had his Jeremiah Wright problem; in 2012, Mormon Bishop Romney is Jeremiah Wright". Falsely equivocates Mitt Romney with former Boston Catholic Archbishop Bernard Law, who resigned in 2002 in response to the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal after Church documents were revealed which suggested he had covered up sexual abuse committed by priests in his archdiocese, and to Jeremiah Wright, most famous for his "God Damn America" sermon.

-- "What if it’s true that Romney does not and can never own a 'bound' majority of 1,144 'Harem Delegates' – like slaves, concubines or LDS plural wives – for a first-ballot win?" Falsely equivocates the fate of plural wives during the pioneer era with the fate of slaves and concubines.

-- "Who seriously harbors any doubt that Romney’s exotic beliefs – e.g., that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, that Jesus is Satan’s brother, that G_d the Father physically and sexually penetrated the Virgin Mary, that each of us can become gods – will get spun this fall as those of a religious whack-o?" An absolutely repulsive and pornographic reference to our Heavenly Father and the mother of our Savior.

-- "And yet, not all belief systems are equal: While most Germans are good, Nazism was evil. While most Muslims are good, Sharia Islam is evil. While most of Jonestown’s folks were good, the People’s Church was evil. So, what about Mitt’s Mormonism? Well, for one thing, when contrasted to the USA’s core premise that all human beings are 'created equal' and 'endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights', we’re convinced Romney’s unrepudiated racist dogmas will seem so hateful … that we’ll all look like fools if we make him our 2012 nominee". Falsely equivocates Mormonism to Nazism.

-- From Page 11 of the separate manifesto: "To make some sense of Romney’s revered prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., picture Penn State’s chief pedophile – rather than a hapless Jerry Sandusky – as a charismatic and eloquent version of a young, unsullied Joe Paterno, preaching strange new offenses to football-fervent masses from a magic, allegedly heaven-sent playbook. Then, imagine that JoePa’s adoring boosters anoint him 'Prophet, Priest, King and President Pro-Tem of the World'. Next, imagine that it’s all occurring as Paterno – before his martyrdom for child molestation – solemnly and privately empowers his coaching staff and trustees to engage with trusting fans in almost every conceivable variation of adultery, pedophilia, pederasty, homoeroticism and group sex". Falsely equivocates Mitt Romney with Jerry Sandusky and Joe Paterno; attempts to sugarcoat Sandusky's crimes by referring to him as "hapless".

The authors of this contemptible screed are utterly obsessed with sex, studding their manifesto throughout with phrases like "coital libertinism of a 19th Century sect" and "rustic den of sodomy in the Utah backwoods", "naked temple rites". And the authors cite countless anti-Mormon sources, including Recovery from Mormonism, CARM, Life After Ministries, Probe Ministries, and, of course, the Utah Lighthouse Ministry (UTLM). No serious attempt is made to direct readers towards applicable contrasting faithful LDS sources. It should also be noted that the authors are also trying to sell an expanded 348-page book through Amazon, which may explain their use of sexually-provocative syntax.

Although the website is officially named "Jews and Christians Together", it's obvious from some of the syntax used that there is a SENIOR partner -- and it's NOT Christian. Note the constant references to God as "G-d". That is a Jewish reference. And guess what -- the two listed authors are Sara and David Bethel. While I found no authoritative reference stating that they're Jews, I don't need a rabbi to help me figure this one out. There is one named Gentile contributor, Steve Baldwin, who's the former executive director of the Council for National Policy, a Washington, D.C.,-based conservative think tank.

While most opposition to Mitt Romney is not driven by anti-Mormon bigotry, JewsAndChristiansTogether has manifested itself as an anti-Mormon hate group that should be avoided.