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Romney: "If You Want to Learn About My Church, Talk to My Church

tessaesque

tessaesque

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Romney: 'If You Want to Learn More About My Church, Talk to My Church' - The Note

In an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, the second part of which aired tonight on the network, presidential candidate Mitt Romney pushed back against the host's questions about how his Mormon faith might influence his policy should he win the White House in 2012.

Asked whether it's actually possible to separate his faith from his job as president should he be elected, Romney responded, "Absolutely. You don't begin to apply doctrines of a religion to responsible of guiding a nation or guiding a state."

Romney explained that he opposes abortion rights and that he is in favor of gay rights but believes that marriage should be a union between a man and a woman. Morgan pressed him on what the Mormon church says about gay rights, asking, "What is the Mormon position on homosexuality being a sin?"

"I'm not a spokesman for my church," Romney responded.

"But don't you know?" Morgan interrupted.

"I'm not a spokesman for my church. And one thing I'm not going to do in running for president is become a spokesman for my church or apply a religious test that is simply forbidden by the constitution, I'm not going there," Romney said. "If you want to learn about my church, talk to my church."
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What do you think? Do you believe him when he says he wants to keep his religion and his job separate?
 
I would like to believe him because I don't want anyone's religion in their job politically. Having said that, he is a politician and I feel that him saying this is trying to just convince primary voters to not worry about that he is a Mormon.
 
soccerboy22 said:
I would like to believe him because I don't want anyone's religion in their job politically. Having said that, he is a politician and I feel that him saying this is trying to just convince primary voters to not worry about that he is a Mormon.
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One of the commenters made a decent point. JFK was apparently a pretty staunch, prominent catholic...but it didn't interfere with him being one of the more equally liked, respected presidents. I don't hear a lot of JFK bashing when it comes to his performance in office, or specifically in relation to his religion.
 
Romney's faith has always seemed to be in a background, as with most non-fundies. So yes
 
tessaesque said:
One of the commenters made a decent point. JFK was apparently a pretty staunch, prominent catholic...but it didn't interfere with him being one of the more equally liked, respected presidents. I don't hear a lot of JFK bashing when it comes to his performance in office, or specifically in relation to his religion.
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I mean in MA his religion seemed not to play that big of a role, but I don't know about in the general election when candidates move to the center of their party and then back to the center. Maybe it is just a MA thing where religion doesn't interfere with politics.
 
Is there some reason not to trust him n this particular matter? I mean a reason other than he is a politician with moving lips.
 
To the extent that it is possible to do so, yes. He can't separate his conscience from his duty, but his conscience is his own; it's not an LDS mouthpiece.
 
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jamesrage said:
I believe he is trying to use his religion as a explanation for why people do not want to vote for him instead of the fact he is one of the biggest RINOs out there and the scum in the media play along with it as though it will guilt people into voting for him.
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As long as it works. He's the best man on the field.
 
Viktyr Korimir said:
As long as it works. He's the best man on the field.
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Its not going to work because most conservative are not going to be dumb enough to fall for his ruse because of his history as governor of Massachusetts and liberals already have Obama.
 
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This actually warmed me up a bit towards Romney. Excellently handled by being both stern, direct, and yet fully understandable. What he believes is what he believes, but he no more speaks for what "The Mormoms" believe than Peter the Catholic speaks for the entire Catholic faith.

10 to 1, Peirs Morgan wouldn't be asking him the question most likely if he was a Muslim. At the same time, I can imagine some other commentators asking it at that point.

To a certain degree, I understand...religions that are not as mainstream are more unknown and people are curious about it. But unless a person makes their religion a key part of them (Such as the muslim congressman from Michigan whose campaign seemed to routinely tout the importance of such a milestone regarding his religion and federal office) I don't see how its appropriate to use the Candidate to inform the people about their religion unless they so wish. Find actual representitives of that religion if you're so interested.
 
I dont think theres a choice anymore...If romny wants any chance of success he must keep it separate...I admittedly know more about muslims than I know about what mormons are about
 
jamesrage said:
I believe he is trying to use his religion as a explanation for why people do not want to vote for him instead of the fact he is one of the biggest RINOs out there and the scum in the media play along with it as though it will guilt people into voting for him.
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I didn't get that from this interview. It seemed to me that the reporter wanted to make his religion an issue.
 
theplaydrive said:
I think he gave a fair answer, but his religion is obviously not separate from his job considering that he is against gay marriage.
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While I'm not willing to accept a compromise of "civil unions" in place of marriage for gay couples, I also have to acknowledge that there are much worse stances than his on the right. I actually think his support of unions and equal legal rights outside of the title of "marriage" will cause him harm with the core base.
 
I personally think Romney has what it takes to be a good, pragmatic president. That's all I want these days, someone who isn't going to put idealism over reality.
 
tessaesque said:
While I'm not willing to accept a compromise of "civil unions" in place of marriage for gay couples, I also have to acknowledge that there are much worse stances than his on the right. I actually think his support of unions and equal legal rights outside of the title of "marriage" will cause him harm with the core base.
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I agree and his stance on gay marriage is the same as Obama's. Nonetheless, Romney's stance on gay marriage makes it clear that his religion directly influences his policy.
 
theplaydrive said:
I agree and his stance on gay marriage is the same as Obama's. Nonetheless, Romney's stance on gay marriage makes it clear that his religion directly influences his policy.
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I would say not to the extent one would expect from a member of the Mormon faith. This is the same religious body that sponsored and endorsed "reconditioning" experiements at BYU a few decades back.

For a more modern view, though....from the LDS website:

Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction - Ensign Oct. 2007

If Romney were staunchly in line with common Mormon belief he wouldn't encourage civil unions because that would encourage sin.
 
Boo Radley said:
he should. All presidents should. Our religion may guide our morals and our view of things, but the preisdent represents more people than just those who have the same religion. And very few have actually governed from a religious perspective. Maybe Carter, but no one else. ;)
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I'll be honest...when I saw you had posted I thought it was going to be some railing assult on Romney. I was pleasantly surprised.
 
tessaesque said:
I'll be honest...when I saw you had posted I thought it was going to be some railing assult on Romney. I was pleasantly surprised.
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I may disagre with Romney on a few things, but this is not one of them. I have voted republican in the past.
 
Boo Radley said:
I may disagre with Romney on a few things, but this is not one of them. I have voted republican in the past.
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I prefer this Boo to the normal Boo. Not the voting so much, but the civility.
 
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