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Mormons Want to Excommunicate Romney Critic

justabubba

justabubba

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Mormons Want to Excommunicate Romney Critic - The Daily Beast
On Sunday, Twede says his bishop, stake president, and two church executives brought him into Florida Mormon church offices in Orlando and interrogated him for nearly an hour about his writings, telling him, "Cease and desist, Brother Twede."Mormon leaders have scheduled an excommunication "for apostasy" on Sept. 30. A spokesman for the church told The Daily Beast that the church would not be commenting for this story.... In his role as managing editor of MormonThink, Twede wrote an article about Romney last month titled “The God of Mitt Romney: Why Do Some Claim He’s Not Christian?”Then last week he posted several stories about the political history of LDS and how the church may or may not influence Romney, as well as a few blog posts that were tongue-in-cheek takes on the church. And that was apparently all it took for church leaders to intervene.
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how would we feel if the pope/catholic church intervened to intimidate catholics who spoke out and were opposed to a catholic candidatethe church of latter day saints should stay out of this political matterit would be a very good bet to insist they will not
 
Methinks you might overestimate how much America cares about what the church of magic underwear thinks.

Just sayin'....
 
Captain America said:
Methinks you might overestimate how much America cares about what the church of magic underwear thinks.

Just sayin'....
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i recall the concern that JFK might have to answer to the catholic church, during his election
that concern is likely not as great today when indications are that there is more reason to be alarmed about the mormon church's intervention
 
justabubba said:
i recall the concern that JFK might have to answer to the catholic church, during his election
that concern is likely not as great today when indications are that there is more reason to be alarmed about the mormon church's intervention
Click to expand...

The real issue is that it seems to be very clear that the Mormons want their church highly involved in the political process. I don't think any one individual in America will hold being Mormon against Romney, but the Mormon Church seems to be very active in policing the politics of its members and involving itself politically. Using the pulpit as a political stage as it were.
 
It never ceases to amaze me the lengths to which various sects in america will go.
 
justabubba said:
i recall the concern that JFK might have to answer to the catholic church, during his election
that concern is likely not as great today when indications are that there is more reason to be alarmed about the mormon church's intervention
Click to expand...

Catholics intevene against Democrats often on the abortion issue.
 
justabubba said:
i recall the concern that JFK might have to answer to the catholic church, during his election
that concern is likely not as great today when indications are that there is more reason to be alarmed about the mormon church's intervention
Click to expand...

I'd say that's more a concern about the Mormon church than it is about Romney.
 
joko104 said:
Catholics intevene against Democrats often on the abortion issue.
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Do you have proof that a Catholic Priest has wanted to excommunicate a parishoner because they are for choice?
 
I didn't know a thing about Mormons.
I did genealogy and I found out.
I am their gentile.
 
Ikari said:
The real issue is that it seems to be very clear that the Mormons want their church highly involved in the political process. I don't think any one individual in America will hold being Mormon against Romney, but the Mormon Church seems to be very active in policing the politics of its members and involving itself politically. Using the pulpit as a political stage as it were.
Click to expand...

If you don't think Romney being a Mormon is a liability with the evangelical extreme then you must not have spent much time in a rural red state. They despise Catholics as much, or sometimes more, than they do atheists. Now, that isn't going to swing them to the Obama camp since in their eyes he's just as bad and black to boot. It does mean they are less than enthusiastic and many appear inclined to support a Ron Paul third party bid. Their willingness to do that is aided by the fact that very few of them understand that such an action is equivalent to not voting at all.
 
rocket88 said:
I'd say that's more a concern about the Mormon church than it is about Romney.
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as a bishop in the mormon church hierarchy, mitt should make sure they keep a legal distance away from actively supporting his candidacy. the blowback could far exceed any benefit resulting from policing mormons and their votes
 
justabubba said:
Mormons Want to Excommunicate Romney Critic - The Daily Beast

On Sunday, Twede says his bishop, stake president, and two church executives brought him into Florida Mormon church offices in Orlando and interrogated him for nearly an hour about his writings, telling him, "Cease and desist, Brother Twede."Mormon leaders have scheduled an excommunication "for apostasy" on Sept. 30. A spokesman for the church told The Daily Beast that the church would not be commenting for this story.... In his role as managing editor of MormonThink, Twede wrote an article about Romney last month titled “The God of Mitt Romney: Why Do Some Claim He’s Not Christian?”Then last week he posted several stories about the political history of LDS and how the church may or may not influence Romney, as well as a few blog posts that were tongue-in-cheek takes on the church. And that was apparently all it took for church leaders to intervene.​

how would we feel if the pope/catholic church intervened to intimidate catholics who spoke out and were opposed to a catholic candidatethe church of latter day saints should stay out of this political matterit would be a very good bet to insist they will not
Click to expand...

As a Mormon, I find this story highly dubious.

The church generally takes a position of strict political neutrality, only rarely engaging in any political activity where serious moral issues are involved. The church certainly does not take the position of endorsing or defending Mr. Romney nor any other political candidate.

And even if the church did endorse a political candidate, it would not excommunicate nor threaten to excommunicate anyone for disagreeing with that endorsement. Excommunication is only for very serious moral offenses, or for actively attacking the church itself.

This link leads to an official statement from the church, on one of its official web sites, concerning its position on political neutrality.

To quote a fair portion thereof…

The Church’s mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, not to elect politicians. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is neutral in matters of party politics. This applies in all of the many nations in which it is established.

The Church does not:

  • Endorse, promote or oppose political parties, candidates or platforms.
  • Allow its church buildings, membership lists or other resources to be used for partisan political purposes.
  • Attempt to direct its members as to which candidate or party they should give their votes to. This policy applies whether or not a candidate for office is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  • Attempt to direct or dictate to a government leader.

The Church does:

  • Encourage its members to play a role as responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues and voting in elections.
  • Expect its members to engage in the political process in an informed and civil manner, respecting the fact that members of the Church come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and may have differences of opinion in partisan political matters.
  • Request candidates for office not to imply that their candidacy or platforms are endorsed by the Church.
  • 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.
​
 
I spend most of my life as a practicing Mormon.... not a very good one, but still.

I concur with Bob's assessment above.

I think the only political message i've ever heard come from the pulpit is " get out and vote"
 
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