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Christie: Gingrich an "embarrassment" to GOP

The question isn't why they aren't flocking to endorse him, but why so many of them are going out of their way to say that he should never, not in a million years, be President.
Great point. I have wondered that myself. I have a feeling its one of two things. 1) Newt is a jerk. I can see it. In fact, lets just stop candy coating it, the dude is a jerk and is probably hard to work with/for/against. He's smart, he knows it, he throws it in your face. Not to sound like a Fox News analyst, but the guy is a loose cannon and you never know what he's going to do. Santorum is playing the right strategy in labeling him that. Newt gets these ideas and verbal diarrhea's about once a month. 2) The GOP doesn't want a bomb thrower for their nominee because they already have bomb throwers in the House. GOP establishment guys don't like to rock the boat. They want a guy they can manipulate and mold to what they want. I don't think Newt is that guy. Honestly, I don't think Romney would be either, but, he's seen as weaker than Newt.
 
Gingrich as a front runner is an embarrassment to the GOP, but so is Romney, the guy Christie Endorsed.

Maybe Christie and the other members of the corrupt GOP establishment may realize that the GOP voters are not endorsing Gingrich, but rejecting Romney. A rich Wall Street establishment Massachusetts moderate who tries to convince voters by lying that he is a Reagan conservative.

^ That's it.
 
Mormonism is no more a cult than any other organized religion. Hell....I lived in Utah and I've lived around evangelicals in Orange County....I'll take the Mormons any day....those evangelicals are freaks.

According to the clinical definition, some forms of mormonism practiced today can be considered cults.

That's all I'm saying.

There are strict requirements on contributions and financial disclosure--you got to pay to play.

Anything that might require professional treatment after you escape... that's all I'm saying. Are you free to come and go?
 
... I think you mean they want a warrior, not a statesman.....

I wouldn't call Romney a statesmen. I suppose a case could be made that he's a gentleman.
 
According to the clinical definition, some forms of mormonism practiced today can be considered cults.

That's all I'm saying.

There are strict requirements on contributions and financial disclosure--you got to pay to play.

Anything that might require professional treatment after you escape... that's all I'm saying. Are you free to come and go?

I'm no mormon defender....but that is really a mischaracterization of the mormon religion. Sure....you are free to come and go, just as you are in any religion. Also, there are no real "strict requirements on contributions". Mormons are expected to pay tithing (10% of their income). However, it is self-disclosure and there is no financial disclosure. Also....failure to pay tithing does not mean that you can't participate in their church.
 
I'm no mormon defender....but that is really a mischaracterization of the mormon religion. Sure....you are free to come and go, just as you are in any religion.

That's not exactly true, especially if you're underage.

You've never known a Mormon kid who started smoking and drinking and acting out, then disappeared one night to a special 'camp'?

I've known a few. And these were mainstream mormon church-goers in CA. BTW -- Mass goes all day on Sunday.

All I'm saying is many aspects of Mormonism meet the definition of cult according to sociologists etc.
 
That's not exactly true, especially if you're underage.

You've never known a Mormon kid who started smoking and drinking and acting out, then disappeared one night to a special 'camp'?

I've known a few. And these were mainstream mormon church-goers in CA. BTW -- Mass goes all day on Sunday.

All I'm saying is many aspects of Mormonism meet the definition of cult according to sociologists etc.


Again....a mischaracterization. Look....I have plenty of problems with Mormons, as I do most all organized religion, but there is nothing about the Mormon church that makes it any more of a "cult" than any other religion, be it Baptist, Catholic, Etc.....Mass DOES NOT go on all day Sunday. Mormons attend a 3 hour block of meetings, it consists of three seperate meetings. Many only attend 1 (Sacrement Meeting) which is akin to a Catholic Mass. They also have "Sunday School" and then the last hour is either a Men's Meeting, a Woman's meeting and a kids meeting.

Also...the special "camps" that you are talking about are not "mormon" per se. They are like delinquency camps that exist in pretty much every state, and only a handful of extremist parents ever put their kids in such a place.
 
Again....a mischaracterization. Look....I have plenty of problems with Mormons, as I do most all organized religion, but there is nothing about the Mormon church that makes it any more of a "cult" than any other religion, be it Baptist, Catholic, Etc.....Mass DOES NOT go on all day Sunday. Mormons attend a 3 hour block of meetings, it consists of three seperate meetings. Many only attend 1 (Sacrement Meeting) which is akin to a Catholic Mass. They also have "Sunday School" and then the last hour is either a Men's Meeting, a Woman's meeting and a kids meeting.

Also...the special "camps" that you are talking about are not "mormon" per se. They are like delinquency camps that exist in pretty much every state, and only a handful of extremist parents ever put their kids in such a place.

I guess we chalk this one up to 'your experience may vary' -- the camps I was referring to were in Utah and funded by the LDS. The Mormon church across the street from my Episcopal church was in session all day; our babysitter went there and hinted at not liking it but asked us not to mention that to her parents. She applied to one school, Brigham Young--and talked about it as it was her only choice. That was my experience.
 
I guess we chalk this one up to 'your experience may vary' -- the camps I was referring to were in Utah and funded by the LDS. The Mormon church across the street from my Episcopal church was in session all day; our babysitter went there and hinted at not liking it but asked us not to mention that to her parents. She applied to one school, Brigham Young--and talked about it as it was her only choice. That was my experience.

I guess so.....I lived in Utah for 25 years.....The mormon church controlled ALL of the politics of the state and as a liberal you can imagine that I am not a fan of their politics and/or their control. However, having lived there for 25 years, I can tell you that I know hundreds of Mormons and are quite familiar with their faith and practices. The things that you speak of may exist, but it certainly is not in any way the norm of their practices.
 
I guess so.....I lived in Utah for 25 years.....The mormon church controlled ALL of the politics of the state and as a liberal you can imagine that I am not a fan of their politics and/or their control. However, having lived there for 25 years, I can tell you that I know hundreds of Mormons and are quite familiar with their faith and practices. The things that you speak of may exist, but it certainly is not in any way the norm of their practices.

I would like to think so.

I remember when Prop 8 was on the ballet, you could go online and see addresses and specific donation amounts for your neighbors. Members of the larger LDS church in my area, which seemed mainstream, members were making multiple contributions to the Pro-Prop 8 group, in increasing amounts. $6k on a Monday, $8 on a Tuesday, $20K a right before the election. Some people were making donations that were more than half their salary. I realized it probably wasn't their money and was disappointed that the CA election board didn't do a more thorough investigation.

Anyway, re: Cults, it's been pointed out to me that the 'clinical' definition would include AA, Cal Berkley, and the Catholic Church.

I'm rethinking my earlier statement and would just say that the early Mormons used to be considered a cult, (as did the early Christians) but modern LDS is part of mainstream American religion. Although some sects calling themselves mormon do engage in practices that seem cultish in nature.
 
I guess so.....I lived in Utah for 25 years.....The mormon church controlled ALL of the politics of the state and as a liberal you can imagine that I am not a fan of their politics and/or their control. However, having lived there for 25 years, I can tell you that I know hundreds of Mormons and are quite familiar with their faith and practices. The things that you speak of may exist, but it certainly is not in any way the norm of their practices.

Regardless, to be on the safe side, could you send me some magic mormon underwear though?
 
I would like to think so.

I remember when Prop 8 was on the ballet, you could go online and see addresses and specific donation amounts for your neighbors. Members of the larger LDS church in my area, which seemed mainstream, members were making multiple contributions to the Pro-Prop 8 group, in increasing amounts. $6k on a Monday, $8 on a Tuesday, $20K a right before the election. Some people were making donations that were more than half their salary. I realized it probably wasn't their money and was disappointed that the CA election board didn't do a more thorough investigation.

Anyway, re: Cults, it's been pointed out to me that the 'clinical' definition would include AA, Cal Berkley, and the Catholic Church.

I'm rethinking my earlier statement and would just say that the early Mormons used to be considered a cult, (as did the early Christians) but modern LDS is part of mainstream American religion. Although some sects calling themselves mormon do engage in practices that seem cultish in nature.

I think in politics they also used the "cult" slam on Catholicism back when Kennedy was running for prez.
 
One is a philosophy and the other is a political party. If it hasn't become evident that there is a difference in this election, than you (collectively) are blind. Romney has been roundly lambasted by conservatives for his non-conservative positions. Thats why his dismal support by conservatives during the 'crucial' primaries

can you explain why they think newt is conservative? is it his global warming position? his adultery? his ethics challenges?
 
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