Ordinary Rank-And-File Mormons React To Mitt Romney's Defeat; Conservative And Liberal Mormons Respond Differently

Some manifested their disappointment more directly! LOL!

Now that 24 hours have passed since Mitt Romney narrowly lost the 2012 Presidential election to Barack Obama, ordinary rank-and-file members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are beginning to express their sentiments regarding the meaning of the Romney's campaign as well as the continuing implications for the Church and Mormonism in general. Already the LDS Church reacted officially, publishing a statement in which they congratulated Barack Obama on his victory, called for unity among the people, and commended Romney for stepping up to the plate and setting a worthy example during his campaign. On November 6th, the Washington Post recorded reaction from two LDS Church publicists; Michael Otterson, director of public affairs, characterized the campaign as an intense experience, and said "we are relatively pleased that we got through this campaign without the church being dragged into the middle of politics”, while Michael Purdy, another Church spokesman, said “people are getting a clearer picture of what Mormonism is at its core rather than what are these little things I hear out in the ether that other people have tried to use to define us.”

But perhaps the most detailed and thoughtful reaction from more ordinary Church members was published by Kathryn Skaggs, the editor of the A Well Behaved Mormon Woman blog. Skaggs, a traditional Mormon who accepts the Church as it is, published a Guest Voices column in the Washington Post entitled "Election results reveal God is winning", which speaks volumes about where she stands doctrinally, is more impressed about the fact that 57 million Americans were willing to vote for a Mormon than concerned about any residual anti-Mormon bigotry. She considers it a sign that Americans overall have come to accept Mormons as good people of faith. She now believes that the win or loss of Mitt Romney in this election would never have been perceived as anything but a win for the LDS Church, and its members who share the same mission: to increase our ability to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The one negative aspect Skaggs saw during this election campaign was that she was at times frustrated with how Mormons were misrepresented. All too often, she found that during discussions about women’s issues, in hopes of distorting Romney’s views about women relating to gender equality, some ignored the voice of conservative Mormon women in favor of seeking out the minority Mormon feminist voice for comment and insights, it being more sensational and potentially detrimental to Romney. So she believes more work must be done to publicize the views of mainstream Mormon women.

In the final analysis, Skaggs sees great hope in the results of this election. She believes it has brought Mormonism out from relative obscurity, to be now clearly considered mainstream Christian denomination. In the process, this has brought together many people of Christian values who have united in a cause that takes precedence over religious denomination – a victory we cannot ignore. And she says God is winning.

Other reaction (after the jump):

Mitt Romney's Presidential Campaign Ends Up The Longest And Possibly Most Expensive Service Mission In The History Of The LDS Church

The presidential campaign of Mitt Romney came to an unsuccessful end on November 6th, 2012. Despite the fact that Romney avoided the scandals that normally accompany such campaigns and projected a personal image of sterling character, a majority of American voters decided that snake oil was more attractive than substance. The latest count from CNN indicates that Barack Obama won the electoral vote count, 303-206, and also the popular vote by just over 1.9 million.

Even before the count was complete, allegations of chicanery surface. James Buchanan found out that by comparing an election map with a map of states requiring voter ID, Obama lost in every state with a photo ID law in effect. A list of closely contested state elections with no voter ID, which narrowly went to Obama included: Minnesota (10), Iowa (6), Wisconsin (10), Nevada (6), Colorado (9), New Mexico (5) and Pennsylvania (20). This amounted to a total of 66 electoral votes. When added to Romney’s total of 205 electoral votes, that would have given him 271 electoral votes even without Ohio or Florida. Nevertheless, unlike Al Gore in 2000, Mitt Romney decided to be gracious and conceded much more quickly than I would have expected. You can read the text of Romney's concession speech HERE, and listen to him on the video embedded below:



Romney thanked all those who played major roles in his campaign, and explained that continued partisan bickering and political posturing is risky, noting that our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people's work. He asked people to earnestly pray for Obama and for the country.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially got into the act. After a year of staying aloof, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve issued a statement congratulating Barack Obama, calling for unity, and commending Romney on the example he set during his campaign:

We congratulate President Obama on winning a second term as President of the United States.

After a long campaign, this is now a time for Americans to come together. It is a long tradition among Latter-day Saints to pray for our national leaders in our personal prayers and in our congregations. We invite Americans everywhere, whatever their political persuasion, to pray for the President, for his administration and the new Congress as they lead us through difficult and turbulent times. May our national leaders reflect the best in wisdom and judgment as they fulfill the great trust afforded to them by the American people.

We also commend Governor Romney for engaging at the highest level of our democratic process which, by its nature, demands so much of those who offer themselves for public service. We wish him and his family every success in their future endeavors.

Even though Mitt Romney did not succeed in becoming President of the United States, he was hardly a failure. In fact, one could consider Romney's campaign one of the longest and most expensive service missions in the history of the Church. His campaign exposed countless Americans to Mormonism who had previously heard little or nothing about it. His campaign also served to rebut negative biases and stereotypes about Mormonism. And perhaps most importantly, Romney's campaign changed Evangelical thinking about Mormons and Mormonism; leading evangelicals such as Billy Graham and Jonathan Falwell no longer consider Mormonism a "cult", and some Evangelical leaders urged their followers to hold their nose if necessary and vote for the Mormon rather than the Muslim. We will still have our theological differences with Evangelicals, but more of them now understand we all work for the same Boss, and share the same Savior.

Don't be surprised if the next call extended to Mitt Romney would be a calling as an Area Authority or perhaps as a member of the Quorum of the Seventy.

Obama Supporter Publishes Anti-Mormon Facebook Page Entitled "Vote No To Mitt Romney And The Mormon Plan For America"

KTVX Channel 4 is reporting on November 5th, 2012 on the existence of an anti-Mormon Facebook page entitled "Vote No To Mitt Romney and the Mormon Plan for America". An examination of the Facebook page, which can be read by anyone, indicates its creator is a supporter of Barack Obama and intends to vote for him on November 6th. There's no indication that the Facebook page is officially affiliated with the Obama campaign, however.

Here's a screenshot of the About page, in case the Facebook site is taken down:

Click image to enlarge

The following two statements indicate the page's creator is an Obama supporter:

-- "So when I post something to support that position a response against Obama is inappropriate and can get you banned".

-- "I also welcome post in support of candidates (Like the President) who are against Romney. I may even post some my self as I will be voting for him".

One of the most vitriolic critics is Karen Bradshaw, who identifies herself as an ex-Mormon. Since she so thoughtfully included her photo with her post, I have just as thoughtfully included it with my screenshots. Here are three posts, the last two which show the depths of her hatred for the Church:

The sequence below is in response to this side-by-side picture of Mitt Romney and Joseph Smith:

So not only does she hate the Church, she thinks Joseph Smith and Mitt Romney are both traitors. She thinks criticism of the president is treason. There's no doubt that she would have been part of the mob at Carthage jail which assassinated Joseph and Hyrum Smith. It illustrates that some ex-Mormons can become so consumed with hatred towards the Church they become, in spirit, delivered unto the buffetings of Satan. Karen Bradshaw is evil incarnate. And these are the type of people who support Barack Obama.

The commentary on that Facebook page is so evil and hideous that KTVX could not restrain themselves, entitling their story "Facebook page spreading lies about LDS Church and Romney". They openly characterize the page as sharing false information about the LDS Church and tying Romney to the misrepresentations. KTVX even posted a hot link to the LDS website so that readers could immediately get the truth. This is impressive, considering that KTVX is not owned by the LDS Church or any of its subsidiaries.

Karen Bradshaw will have reason to regret her statements someday. For her sake, I hope that "someday" occurs while she is still in the flesh -- and has time to repent. Our worst enemies tend to be those who were once Mormons, just like the Nephites' worst enemies among the Lamanites were those who dissented from the Nephites.

Mitt Romney Talked About The Mormon Perspective On The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ During His 2008 Presidential Campaign

Business Insider has just posted a story about a segment during Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign in which he discusses the Mormon theological viewpoint about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Making this newsworthy at this time is the fact that the 45-second video segment embedded below is mistitled "Mitt Romney Oct 31 2012, This is the real Mitt Romney", which implies that the person posting it is trying to use it to discredit Romney because of his religion.

During the segment, Romney says "The Church says that Christ appears and splits the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. That’s what the Church says. And then, over a thousand years of the millennium, that the world is reigned in two places, Jerusalem and Missouri....The law will come from Missouri, and the other will be from Jerusalem."



Business Insider also includes a longer video in which the same segment starts around the 15:30 mark. They also refer readers to a March 9th, 2012 source article from CBN News where David Brody predicted that Democratic operatives will try and tarnish Romney by releasing off-the-record background articles and tidbits about his Mormon theology that will try and paint Romney as strange. Brody's predictions not only have been on target, but this is yet another manifestation of the problem.

The Tenth Article of Faith alludes to this belief. It states, "We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory". Doctrine & Covenants 133:24 makes separate references to Jerusalem and Zion, stating "and the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided". Doctrine & Covenant 84:1-5 also states that the New Jerusalem will be built in Missouri. So the belief expressed by Romney in the video is considered doctrinal canon.

Additional LDS doctrinal information and scriptural references about the events surrounding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ are available HERE.

By the way, the new Kansas City LDS Temple is NOT to be considered a precursor to the New Jerusalem. The actual lot for the future temple is currently owned by the Church of Christ Temple Lot, a breakaway sect from the LDS Church.

Anti-Mormon Posts YouTube Video Of Secret Mormon Temple Rituals On Reddit

While visiting the Reddit site on October 21st, 2012, I noticed that someone posted a link to a video entitled "Behind The Veil: Never-Before-Seen Footage of Secret Mormon Temple Rituals". The intent is to denigrate the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; the video was filmed surreptitiously by someone who went through the Salt Lake Temple recently, and the commentary embedded within the video indicates the person is anti-Mormon. Even though the temple rituals are not disclosed to non-Mormons and Mormons who are not temple-worthy, I decided to embed the video here because this story is too important to be owned by anti-Mormons. At least the videographer had the dignity to obscure the faces of the worshippers.

What you'll see on the video, in order, is a group of worshippers in temple garments initially giving the prayer "Oh God, hear the words of my mouth" during the orientation preceding the endowment ceremony. You will then see a young teenage girl performing proxy baptism on behalf of a deceased person. Then you will see the endowment ceremony itself, first the mass briefing along with a clip of the film shown, then an individual passing through the opening, reciting the tokens or key-words while offering the ceremonial handshakes, and then the individual concludes the ceremony and goes into the Celestial Room to contemplate and reflect for a few moments before departing the temple:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6udew9axmdM



Other evidences of anti-Mormon distortion embedded within the video:

-- References to an "Oath of Vengeance" that has long since been abandoned. FAIR Mormon addresses this issue in more detail.
-- Repeated derogatory highlighting of Mitt Romney to perpetrate the false notion that he would take orders from President Thomas S. Monson should he be elected President.
-- References to a government of Zion which make it appear that the LDS Church is planning to take over the government and establish a "worldwide theocracy" at some time in the future (after the Second Coming, there will be a worldwide government -- headed by Jesus Christ).
-- Misrepresentation of LDS doctrine regarding the creation. We believe that God created the earth, but we define "create" as "to organize", and we believe the Father delegated that authority to Jehovah and the archangel Michael.
-- Repeated references to the Freemasons. Similarity between Mormon and Masonic ceremonies is coincidental; there is no overt connection between Mormons and Masons.

The video was uploaded to YouTube by someone identified as Newnamenoah, and it's an abridged version of a much longer video of 1 hour and 18 minutes. Despite reassurances to the contrary by the LDS Church, Newnamenoah seems convinced that the oath taken by Mitt Romney in the temple will conflict with his Presidential Oath of Office. But Newnamenoah offers no objective evidence supporting this conclusion, but merely paranoid conjecture. If A, then B. Classical simplistic slippery-slope logic.

However, Newnamenoah's anti-Mormon bigotry will backfire. We will take the lemon with which he has presented us, and transform it into lemonade. For this offers us another "every-member-a-missionary" opportunity to spread knowledge of the fulness of the restored Gospel, particularly for LDS members who have YouTube and Reddit accounts and can post comments. We might want to act fast, because there's the possibility that the LDS Church may ask YouTube to take the video down, or even to take down Newnamenoah's channel, simply because the temple ceremonies are sacred. There certainly is not sinister about anything presented on the video. The LDS Church Temples website presents a more detailed explanation of the endowment ceremony.

If Mitt Romney Becomes President, He Would Attend LDS Services At The Washington DC Third Ward

In case people have been wondering how and where Mitt Romney would be attending church if elected president, that question has now been answered in part by the Washington Post and Time. Romney would be assigned to the Washington DC Third Ward, within which boundaries the White House lies.

Summary: The Third Ward has a membership of 650 people who hail from nearly two dozen countries. They average 250 members at services every Sunday, and they're one of the faster growing wards, averaging 25 new converts per year. Up to half the congregation is non-white, including a large, Spanish-speaking population and converts from French-speaking Africa, and it also includes a few openly gay leaders. In October, the Third Ward is moving into a chapel closer to the White House; after seven years of lobbying, they received permits to renovate a former Catholic convent on 16th Street. Senator Harry Reid is slated to attend the new building’s dedication on October 28th, and Elder Quentin Cook, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve from Salt Lake City, will preside over the service.

Robert Nelson is the bishop of the Third Ward, and if Romney becomes part of his flock, he said “I’ll just stay out of his way, and I’ll insert myself however he wants me to, and just make sure that I treat him as a member of the congregation, and that I treat him equally with all the rest of our members.” But because of security considerations, the question as to the scope of the Romney's participation in Third Ward activities has been raised. Would Romney, like most other active Mormons, be extended a calling by the bishop? Debbie Marriott Harrison, spokeswoman for the stake that includes the Third Ward, said Romney would likely be excused from a calling, partially because he’d be too busy as president and partially because of security challenges. Every time the Romneys would go to church, a team of Secret Service agents would have to clear the route and the chapel in advance. Furthermore, home teachers assigned to the Romneys couldn't just "drop in" at the White House; they'd have to be vetted and placed on an approved list in advance.

A Romney campaign advisor said that Romney himself hasn’t yet made any decisions about his hypothetical D.C. spiritual life. But it would be unusual for an LDS member to go outside their assigned ward.

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".

June 2012 Gallup Poll Shows 84 Percent Of American Mormon Voters Support Mitt Romney

Despite the official statement of political neutrality by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Gallup poll released on June 8th, 2012 indicates overwhelming support for Mitt Romney by American Mormon voters. The same poll also indicates that politically, Mormons in America remain predominantly Republican or Republican-oriented.

The results are based on telephone interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking from April 11 - June 5, 2012, with a random sample of 24,181 registered voters, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Of these respondents, 524 identified themselves as Mormons. And here's what Gallup found out:

-- 84 percent of the LDS respondents said they would vote for Mitt Romney, compared with only 13 percent who prefer Barack Obama. Among all respondents combined, 46 percent would vote for Romney.

-- Gallup Daily Tracking from January 2011 - May 2012 shows 70 percent of Mormons identifying as Republicans or leaning to the Republican Party, and 19 percent identifying as or leaning Democratic. Since Utah has been known to vote Democratic in past presidential elections, this implies that the Democratic Party changed to become less palatable to LDS members. The Democratic Party no longer provides a welcoming environment to those who are pro-market, pro-life, or who support the traditional definition of family or marriage.

But considering that Mormons only constitute two percent of America's population, the Mormon vote alone can't put Romney over the top. The same Gallup poll shows Romney has not effectively connected with Jewish voters; 64 percent of Jews support Obama while only 29 percent support Romney. And a Latino Decisions national poll released on June 8th shows Obama with a 43-point margin over Romney among Latino voters. Blacks are also expected to vote for Obama in large numbers.

So does Mitt Romney waste time and resources trying to get Jewish, Latino, and Black votes that are unattainable, or does he direct those efforts towards firming up his core constituencies? Putting Marco Rubio or Rick Santorum on the ticket might not be helpful. But one group of committed voters remains to be wooed; the Ron Paul constituency. Many Ron Paul supporters want nothing to do with Romney now, but what if Romney was to either put Rand Paul or Ron Paul on the ticket? Hmmmm...

Mitt Romney Burnishes His Social Conservative Credentials During Commencement Address At Liberty University

While Mitt Romney's primary goal is to secure the Republican nomination (yes, Ron Paul is still contesting it) and to eventually become President of the United States, Mitt Romney, by virtue of the fact that he's a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is performing an unofficial service mission for the Church. His candidacy has directed a spotlight upon Mormonism, and in the process, has permitted us to educate the public more thoroughly on Mormonism. Negative biases and stereotypes can be exposed, confronted, and rebutted.

ON May 12th, 2012, Mitt Romney reached a major milestone when he delivered the commencement address before an audience of 35,000 people at Liberty University, which is considered the most prominent Evangelical-oriented university in the United States. Evangelical attitudes towards Mormonism and Romney continue to steadily soften as Evangelicals recognize the danger to this country posed by four more years of Barack Obama. They recognize that they have more in common with Mormons than they realize. As is the custom, Liberty presented Romney with an honorary doctoral degree. Here's a YouTube video of C-Span's coverage of Romney's address:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muHK5Hqgar8



The CNN Belief Blog provides a full transcript of Romney's speech.

The Boston Globe noted that Romney spoke in deeply religious terms that were far more personal, representing a significant departure for a candidate who is typically most at ease touring manufacturing facilities, participating in economic roundtables, and talking about data in power point presentations. While Romney never specifically mentioned his Mormon faith, he did reference it once during the speech.

The Christian Science Monitor noted that Romney got his strongest applause when he reiterated his opposition to homosexual marriage and stated that the definition of marriage as limited to one man and one woman should be enshrined in the US Constitution. Romney did briefly allude to the religious difference between himself and his Evangelical audience, saying "People of different faiths, like yours and mine, sometimes wonder where we can meet in common purpose, when there are so many differences in creed and theology. Surely the answer is that we can meet in service, in shared moral convictions about our nation stemming from a common worldview."

The Lynchburg News & Advance noted that Romney praised the 6,000 Liberty graduates in the audience and the quality of the education they received, saying “you leave Liberty with conviction and confidence as your armor. You know what you believe. You know who you are. And you know who you will serve. Not all colleges instill that kind of confidence, but it will be among the most prized qualities from your education here. Moral certainty, clear standards, and a commitment to spiritual ideals will set you apart in a world that searches for meaning”.

Longtime pro-family activist Gary Bauer, the chairman of the Campaign for Working Families, characterized the speech as a grand slam for millions of Americans who care about family, faith and freedom.

However, an extremist group called USAChristianMinistries is unhappy about Romney's appearance because they believe Romney opposes God and Christians, and called upon Liberty's Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. to step down for betraying Jesus Christ and Christians.

Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio Was Once A Practicing Member Of The LDS Church, May Still Be On LDS Membership Rolls

It has now been revealed that U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a practicing Catholic, was once a practicing member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And since he never requested name removal, he may still be on the LDS Church's official membership rolls. The Miami Herald first uncovered this information as one of several tidbits released from Rubio's impending book, "An American Son" (expected release date Oct. 2012), while Buzzfeed provides more background. Other significant sources include the Telegraph and The Blaze.

Summary: The Rubio family were practicing Catholics when they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Influenced by two of the future Senator's first cousins, Mo Denis, a Democratic State Senator in Nevada, and his sister Michelle, Marco Rubio and some family members ended up converting to the LDS Church. His sister Veronica and their mother Oria were the other family members identified to have joined, but Mario's father Marco refused to join because he was working as a bartender and didn't want to join a church that promoted a strict code of moral conduct that seemed at odds with the way he made a living.

Marco apparently became quite active in the Church, enthusiastically participating in its youth groups and prodding his family members into similar activity. They attended Sunday services almost without exception. Marco remained active for at least three years, then began tapering off. When Marco turned 13, he began attending Catholic services once again, receiving his first Communion on Christmas day in 1984 at the age of 13. When the Rubio family moved to Miami about the time he was ready to enter high school, they stopped attending LDS services altogether and became fully-fledged Catholics once again. Marco is said to have pushed the family into the change. He and his family currently attend a Miami-area Baptist-oriented nondenominational church, Christ Fellowship.

However, according to Rubio spokesman Alex Conant, who is also identified as a Mormon lay leader in the Las Vegas area, Rubio never requested to have his name removed from the LDS Church's records, which means officially, it is possible he is still on the church's membership rolls. According to paragraph 6.7.3 of the Church Handbook of Instructions, Volume 1 (not available online), formally joining another church and advocating its teachings is defined as apostasy and can be cause for convening a disciplinary council and subsequent excommunication, but this is rarely imposed upon Mormons who simply drift away and start attending another church unless they engage in public anti-Mormon activism. It is unlikely that LDS Church authorities will initiate a disciplinary council against Rubio simply on the basis of this revelation, since Rubio has no record of anti-Mormon activism.

In contrast, a request for name removal, as set forth in paragraph 6.14 of CHI-1, has no stigma attached. But bishops are required to personally verify that the member wants to have name removal; an e-mail request for name removal to LDS Church Headquarters alone is insufficient. Name removal results in the cancellation of all offices, blessings, and sealings.

Political implications: Marco Rubio is on the short list of prospective running mates for the eventual Republican presidential nominee; in particular, he has been closely linked to Mitt Romney. However, some political observers now speculate the revelation of Rubio's past Mormonism could hurt him with Evangelicals. This appears unlikely. LDS blogger Joanna Brooks also believes that it will not hurt Rubio's chances to become a running mate. But the Miami New Times is the latest source to remind us that Rubio is not actively seeking to be VP.

Generating more political buzz is the possibility of an informal alliance between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul -- directed primarily against Rick Santorum. Whether Ron Paul is actually staking a claim to become Romney's running mate, or is merely running interference for his son, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), has not been determined. Rand Paul has said it would be an honor to be considered as a running mate for Romney, fueling speculation that Ron Paul may be trying to get his son on the ticket. Being younger than Ron Paul, Rand Paul would be a more powerful addition to the Romney ticket, and could propel Romney to an easier victory over Barack Obama in November 2012 -- provided Romney can secure the Republican nomination.

The latter development is by no means yet assured.

Jon Huntsman Drops Out Of Presidential Race, Endorses Mitt Romney; Some Supporters Migrating To The Ron Paul Camp

Despite registering an impressive third place finish with 17 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire Republican primary, Jon Huntsman Jr. dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination on January 16th, 2012. Furthermore, Huntsman also endorsed Mitt Romney, characterizing him as the man best equipped to defeat Barack Obama in the fall. In his statement to supporters, Huntsman added that he will continue to fight for a tax code that unleashes opportunity rather than stifles it; an energy policy that ends our addiction to foreign oil; congressional term limits; education reform that prepares kids for the 21st Century; and financial reform that protects taxpayers from future bailouts.

The decision was triggered by distinct signs that Huntsman's performance in New Hampshire was a fluke. Polls indicate Huntsman was back down in single-digit territory in South Carolina, finishing either fifth or sixth, and despite pouring at least $2 million of his own money into the race, found his campaign increasingly cash-strapped, unable to buy television time or pay for direct mailings to reach voters in South Carolina. An official endorsement by South Carolina's largest newspaper, The State, was not enough to change his mind. Since The State also gave Romney honorable mention in their endorsement, it's possible they may switch their support to Romney.

The decision came as a surprise to Huntsman's top adviser in New Hampshire, Peter Spaulding, who learned the news in a telephone call from a reporter. Spaulding has no regrets about working for Huntsman, saying "I expected him to do better, but you know, it is as it is. He's still a young man and has a lot of future ahead of him". The Daily Mail's Toby Harnden covered part of Huntsman's campaign and said that Huntsman always seemed to be less than the sum of his parts. He noted that Huntsman never overcame the central paradox of his candidacy: while declaring himself to be a Reagan conservative, he marketed himself as a moderate and took every opportunity to bemoan the state of the Republican party, even questioning its sanity. Newt Gingrich hailed Huntsman's decision, saying that "we are one step closer to a bold Reagan conservative winning the GOP nomination", while Mitt Romney said “I salute Jon Huntsman and his wife Mary Kaye. Jon ran a spirited campaign based on unity not division, and love of country. I appreciate his friendship and support.” KSL news video below:

Does Huntsman's drop from GOP race help Romney? | ksl.com

The New York Times believes that Huntsman's withdrawal will help Romney pick up more support among moderate Republicans, but is unlikely to help him with conservatives. However, the conservatives are split between Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, and to a certain degree, Ron Paul, although Paul also has support from libertarians and independents.

Mormon Republican Reaction: Not all LDS Republicans will migrate to Mitt Romney. Comments posted to the Salt Lake Tribune story indicate many are showing a renewed interest in Ron Paul. In fact, a Facebook group, Latter-day Saints for Ron Paul, has formed to mobilize additional LDS support for him. On January 12th, 2012, leading libertarian LDS blogger Connor Boyack wrote "I believe that a sincere review of our doctrine and history in the LDS Church would lead an individual to support not Mitt Romney, a fellow Mormon, but the only candidate who has consistently shown a commitment to upholding the Constitution and defending individual liberty: Ron Paul".

I seriously doubt that Romney would choose Huntsman as a running mate; two Mormons on the ticket would provide too much grist for the propaganda mills of anti-Mormons as well as some evangelicals and conspiracy theorists. But Huntsman may end up on the short list for Secretary of State in a Romney Administration; thanks to his service as ambassador to China, few people are more qualified for that post than Huntsman. But the involvement of two members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who expressed their Mormonism in slightly different ways may have helped erode suspicion of a Mormon presidency to the point that Romney can actually get elected. While Romney was portrayed as a more active Mormon than Huntsman, the LDS Church scrupulously avoided any hint of communicating that Romney might be more worthy than Huntsman.

Excommunicated Ex-Mormon Dawn Forsythe Defends LDS Church And Mitt Romney Against Bogus Charges Of Racism Aired In Attack Video

Currently making the rounds is an attack ad on video which claims that Mitt Romney and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is racist. Over dramatic music, you can hear the narrator say things like, "Mitt Romney was part of an official racist organization until he was 31 years old." The video goes on to point out that "it wasn't until 1978 that the Mormon Church allowed blacks to participate fully." The attack video talks about the LDS faith, but is aimed at Romney. In a clip from an interview a few years ago Romney says, "I'm proud of my faith, and it’s the faith of my fathers." That is followed by the narrator saying, "The faith of his father is a racist faith." The video is embedded below, although it might not stay up much longer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RckqB2u9r3k



The video has drawn sharp condemnation from a number of sources. The other Mormon candidate, Jon Huntsman Jr, condemned the ad and called for YouTube to pull it because of the misleading Huntsman tagline at the end. Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller speculated that it was produced by a Ron Paul supporter. Even the Utah Democratic Party, which has no political reason to defend Romney, spoke out in protest. State party chairman Jim Dabakis characterized the video as political pornography, explaining "We were made aware of a video today [Jan. 13] and we believe that it disturbed not only Democrats, but fair-minded people everywhere." He further characterized it as anti-Mormon discrimination. But the origin of the video has not yet been established. There has been no comment from the Romney camp.

But even more importantly, the video attracted condemnation from an unlikely source; an excommunicated ex-Mormon. Dawn Forsythe, who was an LDS member from 1971 until she was excommunicated in 1973 for apostasy after expressing public disagreement with the ban against conferring Priesthood upon Black men, pointedly explained that the Mormons changed their old racial discrimination as did many other social institutions, and noted that despite being excommunicated, she still admires the Mormon tenets that attracted her to the Church in the first place; namely, service to others, humanitarian aid, good citizenship, and a strong family life. She maintains that although she would not consider voting for Romney, Mormonism should not be a disqualifier for presidential candidates, and only uninformed voters would vote against him because of his religion.

Dawn Forsythe is to be commended for her integrity and fair-mindedness. It's obvious that she has long since come to terms with her excommunication, and it's proof that ex-Mormons do NOT necessarily become anti-Mormons. I would encourage any LDS member reading this post to visit her blog and post a brief comment expressing appreciation for her defense of the truth. The better we treat ex-Mormons, the less likely they are to become anti-Mormons.

Orthodox Jewish Rabbinical Alliance Of America Calls Mitt Romney A "Dangerous Homosexualist", Calls Upon LDS Church To "Sanction" Him

According to WorldNetDaily, the Rabbinical Alliance of America, an organization of 850 Orthodox Jewish rabbis who minister to some 500,000 religious Jews in the United States and Canada, has denounced Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney as a "dangerous homosexualist" and has called upon the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to examine Romney's record and join them in sanctioning him. YouTube video embedded below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVppk7yfDmM



Rabbi Yehuda Levin spoke for the Council, and here are the two most critical parts of his statement:

"While our organization does not make any endorsements of political candidates, in view of the disastrous national decline in morality, we are compelled to condemn Mitt Romney's support and promotion of the immoral homosexual lifestyle and agenda. While we sympathize with those challenged by homosexual urges, or a desire for minors or adultery, they all remain prohibited activities that debase the practitioners and demoralize society. Gov. Romney over a long political career has earned the title: 'Dangerous Homosexualist' – one who constantly advances the militant anti-religious, anti-society, immoral homosexual agenda to the detriment of family people."

{snip}

"We plead with other religious denominations, most particularly the Mormon Church which maintains a traditional view regarding the homosexual agenda, to examine Romney's record and join us in sanctioning him. The time has certainly come for other denominations to emulate the manifesto of the Central Rabbinical Congress of the U.S. and Canada which, in the early 80s, prohibited voting for, honoring or supporting pro-homosexual agenda politicians".

The Rabbinical Council of America takes a hard line against homosexuality, condemning both the sin and the sinner. According to a recently-issued "Declaration on the Torah Approach to Homosexuality", they believe that same-sex attractions can be modified and healed, and condemn the propaganda blitz that has been launched to persuade the public about the legitimacy of homosexuality. But is Mitt Romney truly a "dangerous homosexualist"?

The answer is No -- it is an exaggeration. Back on June 7th, 2011, Romney did tell CNN's Piers Morgan that he would advance efforts to eliminate discrimination against people who are gay. But he also reiterated his opposition to gay marriage, going so far as to subsequently sign a pledge in August sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage promising to support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In December, Romney had a heated exchange with a gay veteran about gay marriage. But Romney has earlier told CNN "I separate quite distinctly matters of personal faith from the leadership one has in a political sense. You don't begin to apply the doctrines of a religion to responsibility for guiding a nation or guiding a state."

Doesn't sound like a "dangerous homosexualist" to me. It's also unlikely the LDS Church will join in any effort to "sanction" Mitt Romney; the Church neither endorses, promotes or opposes political parties, candidates or platforms, nor does it attempt to direct or dictate to a government leader. But the Church does reserve the right as an institution to address, in a nonpartisan way, issues that it believes have significant community or moral consequences or that directly affect the interests of the Church.

Nevertheless, it is good to see an influential group of religious Jews take a firm stand against the promotion and statutory protection of homosexuality. Secular progressive Jews have been disproportionately predominant in the effort to promote homosexuality in the United States.

Tony Perkins Of The Family Research Council Indicates Mitt Romney's Conservatism May Supersede His Mormonism Among Evangelicals

On June 2nd, 2011, I discussed a Pew Research Center survey of 1,509 adults 18 years of age or older living in the continental United States taken from May 25-30, 2011, which not only showed that one out of four respondents would still be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate if he or she was Mormon, but also showed that 34 percent of white Evangelicals would be less likely to vote for a Mormon presidential candidate.

However, it appears that Evangelical opposition to Romney's religion continues to soften as more Evangelicals decide that Romney's conservatism may supersede his Mormonism. On August 23rd, 2011, Tony Perkins of the highly-influential Family Research Council appeared on Fox Business and discussed the current field of Republicans running for president in 2012. Perkins suggested that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum could all harness the support of the evangelical community, pronouncing all of them to be social conservatives.

Yes, ALL of them......including Mitt Romney. Perkins’ validation of Romney mitigates earlier media perceptions that he could have trouble winning over the evangelical base. Fox video embedded below:



This means that Evangelicals now realize that Barack Obama poses a greater danger to America's future than Romney's Mormonism. A new Gallup poll also shows that Romney is more likely to beat Obama than other Republicans, although the others are showing improvement. Both Romney and the LDS Church have sought to reassure Americans that a vote for Mitt Romney is not a vote for Thomas S. Monson or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The inclusion of another LDS member, Jon Huntsman Jr., in the Republican race also shows the political diversity existing within the LDS community.

The Family Research Council is more than just another money-raising enterprise. Its effectiveness is further validated by the fact that it has been targeted as a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC claims that the FRC "denigrates LGBT people in its battles against same-sex marriage, hate crimes laws, anti-bullying programs and the repeal of the military’s 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' policy", and by doing so, maligns gay people simply because they're gay. The FRC, along with 22 members of Congress, disputed the SPLC's characterization of their group.

Of course, that analysis by the SPLC could also be used to show that the SPLC could consider itself a hate group as well, since it maligns pro-family activists, nativists, patriots, and white nationalists simply because of who they are. Further compromising the SPLC's integrity is their bias in favor of the political left; the blogroll on their Hatewatch blog consists exclusively of hard-left progressive websites. And finally, even though official FBI statistics show a 30 percent drop in hate crimes from 2000 to 2009, the SPLC claims the number of “hate groups” increased by 66.4 percent from 2000 to 2010. Since we know the FBI is more objective than the SPLC, we must consider the possibility that the SPLC has adjusted their definition of hate groups to cast a wider net -- and keep the donation spigot cranked wide open.

Thus the SPLC seems more interested in self-perpetuation than in justice.

As for the other Mormon in the race, Jon Huntsman Jr, despite the fact that he is probably the classiest person in the race, he can't break out of the two-percent mode. Consequently, he's now beginning to market himself as a prospective running mate for the eventual winner, setting his sights on Michele Bachmann. That would definitely be a bottom-heavy ticket; Huntsman would possess two-thirds of the brains and talent in that combination. But better yet, Huntsman would make a great Secretary of State in a future administration.

Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum Thinks Christian Voters Should Not Judge Mitt Romney And Jon Huntsman For Being Mormons

During an interview with David Gregory on NBC's Meet The Press on Sunday June 12th, 2011, Rick Santorum, one of the newest presidential candidates in the race, said that he hopes Christian voters will not hold Jon Huntsman's and Mitt Romney's Mormon faith against them. Santorum, a former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania who is a Roman Catholic and a champion for social conservative causes, is the latest to weigh in on the question as to whether Christians should support a Mormon candidate for president.

Scroll down about halfway through the written transcript of the interview to find this brief exchange:

MR. GREGORY: Let me ask you about being a Christian conservative in the race. Do you think that Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman, will have a problem in this race in the primary as Mormons?

SEN. SANTORUM: I hope not. I hope that people look at the, at the qualities of candidates and look at what they believe in and look at what they're for, look at their records and make a decision.

A May 2011 Pew survey still indicates that one out of four respondents might still be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate if he or she was Mormon. Thus the supportive remarks by Santorum, whose social conservative credentials are strong, are likely to erode the barriers further.

But progress has been realized. Conservatives4Palin has averaged up the totals from six recent national polls, and their research shows that Mitt Romney has planted himself in the catbird seat:

Mitt Romney: 23%
Sarah Palin: 17%
Herman Cain: 8%
Newt Gingrich: 7%
Ron Paul: 7%
Michele Bachmann: 5%
Tim Pawlenty: 4%
Rick Santorum: 3%
Jon Huntsman: 1%

Huntsman's numbers don't tell the whole story; they're primarily a product of low name recognition. Qualitative polls indicate that of those who recognize his name, there's a good split between approval and disapproval; in contrast, while Sarah Palin has higher approval ratings, they are significantly outstripped by her disapproval ratings among independents and Democrats. Getting nominated is only half the battle; getting elected is the ultimate objective.

Rick Santorum may have little chance of getting nominated, but he's shown that his personal integrity combined with his Congressional experience would make him a worthy occupant of the White House.

Business Week Article "God's MBAs: Why Mormon Missions Produce Leaders" Includes Brief Account Of Mitt Romney's LDS Mission

On June 9th, 2011, Bloomberg Business Week published a massive six-page article entitled "God's MBAs: Why Mormon Missions Produce Leaders", which attempts to explore the relationship between mission success and corporate success experienced by some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They note that, although Mormons only constitute two percent of the American population, they hold, or have held, a seemingly disproportionate number of top jobs at such major corporations as Marriott International, American Express, American Motors, Dell Computers, Lufthansa, Fisher-Price, Life Re, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Madison Square Garden, La Quinta Properties, PricewaterhouseCooper, and Stanley Black & Decker. The head of human resources at Citigroup is Mormon, and in 2010, Goldman Sachs hired 31 grads from BYU-Provo, the same number it hired from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

The disproportionate presence of successful Mormon executives can be attributed to a couple of fundamental factors:

-- Religious training during youth: It can begin as early as the age of three, when Mormon kids first learn public speaking by giving brief two-minute presentations; the primary purpose is to teach young Mormons how to effectively internalize their beliefs. As they get older, young people are given responsibility in quorum service, where they learn how to organize meetings and resources given to them. Their mettle is tested by getting up early five days a week to attend Seminary classes. This is in addition to their customary scholastic and family responsibilities, so they learn how to cope with long hours and numerous tasks through prioritization.

-- Missionary service: Missionaries learn to get along with a wide variety of people under conditions of some privation. In foreign countries, missionaries frequently live as the locals do rather than wall themselves up at the local five-star air-conditioned Hilton. Furthermore, by getting countless doors slammed in their faces, missionaries develop a thick skin and learn how to handle and even counter rejection. Thus in the business world, when others give up, they'll slog on and go the extra mile. Long hours do not deter them.

The article also includes a brief account of the full-time LDS mission performed by Mitt Romney. While some might consider it somewhat of a "celebrity mission", he did rise to the occasion under pressure and exhibit the leadership talents which have pushed him to the precipice of the U.S. Presidency. The excerpt begins on page 3 of the article:

Mitt Romney served in France from 1966 to 1968, after his freshman year at Stanford University. Widespread anti-American sentiment at the time made proselytizing especially difficult; in a 2007 New York Times article, Romney described his mission as humbling, saying it was the only time in his life "when most of what I was trying to do was rejected."

As the son of George Romney, the ex-American Motors CEO who was then governor of Michigan, Mitt Romney enjoyed privileges unheard of for most elders and entered the mission field of Bordeaux and Paris having completed three years of French at Michigan's elite Cranbrook School. Once on site, Romney broke handbook rules to sneak out to the movies and eat coq au vin, and used his father's connections to arrange a meal at the American Embassy, according to the Times. Still, Romney has credited the experience with deepening his faith and ambition. Eager to move up through the missionary ranks, he experimented with innovative means of getting out the Mormon Word, like hosting "American night" at a local café and staging an exhibition baseball game. According to The Washington Post, he also pitched articles about Mormons to newspapers and even tried proselytizing at bars.

Romney's mission was marred by tragedy. On June 16, 1968, he was asked to chauffeur the couple presiding over the region's missionaries and was at the wheel during a head-on collision that killed the mission president's wife. Romney was left unconscious and so badly mangled that a police officer mistakenly pronounced him dead. He was rushed to the hospital and found to have a concussion, fractured ribs, and a broken arm.

When the mission president returned to the U.S. to bury his wife, Romney was asked to take charge of the region's missionaries, who numbered around 200. He thrived in the position, traveling across France to lead conferences. Under his leadership, France's missionaries exceeded 200 baptisms for the first time in a decade.

Yes, Mitt Romney may have been given a "celebrity mission" slot in France and ate coq au vin, but when someone was needed to provide leadership in an energency situation, Romney stepped up to the plate and provided that leadership, and did so despite recovering from the personal injuries he incurred when the emergency broke. Furthermore, he succeeded, with an increase in the number of baptisms in what was an indifferent district up until that point.

And Romney has continued to provide that leadership in nearly every endeavour of his subsequent life. He may have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he seems to be familiar with the challenges experienced by those not so fortunate. Nonetheless, because Romney built up his own fortune through hard work, he will be more sympathetic towards workfare rather than welfare. This is as it should be.

Business Week did a fine job in researching the Church for this article, presenting a balanced and factual account. Nearly all the Mormon CEOs cited in the article responded to Business Week's request for input, except for Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman Jr.