A Mormon Whitehouse

[Winnie G]

Some of you might not remember this, (to young)

Wile reading a news clip today about Gov. Mitt Romney running for president.

I remember when I was young, people said that Armageddon would happen if a Mormon were voted in as president.

I’m sure it was said down south by the Klan type if a Catholic was voted in as well in the 60's.

So as I sat here mulling it over I thought "I wander what a Mormon Whitehouse would look like" or the staff behave like.

Nothing like the TV show West Wing, I’m sure.

Do any of you have any thoughts as to what a Mormon Whitehouse would be like?

[StrawberryFields]

I have also heard that in the Last Days it would be the mormons who were in charge.....

[Ray]

Can we imagine that this would be a True Blue Mormon, please?

Or should we simply presume that any "Mormon" is a good and faithful "Mormon'?

[StrawberryFields]

From what I know about Mitt Romney, I like him.

He was very involved with the 2002 Olympics. I believe him to be a good man and would most likely vote for him. Isn't it about time we had a Mormon in the Whitehouse?

[mom_of_jcchlsm]

I don't care how conservative the South is, they won't vote for a Mormon. The Southern Baptists would abstain from voting or even vote for a liberal rather than put a Mormon in office. The preachers would cry from the pulpit and the members would obey.

[Outshined]

I don't care how conservative the South is, they won't vote for a Mormon. The Southern Baptists would abstain from voting or even vote for a liberal rather than put a Mormon in office. The preachers would cry from the pulpit and the members would obey.

I agree. The churches here have a week devoted every year or so to bashing other faiths. It so happens this is the week some are doing it locally. Last night was the one on the LDS Church, so there are some good stories floating around today about our crazy beliefs (it's always on the Ed Decker level, it seems).

No way would the SBC vote for a Latter-day Saint.

[StrawberryFields]

<div class='quotemain'>

I don't care how conservative the South is, they won't vote for a Mormon. The Southern Baptists would abstain from voting or even vote for a liberal rather than put a Mormon in office. The preachers would cry from the pulpit and the members would obey.

I agree. The churches here have a week devoted every year or so to bashing other faiths. It so happens this is the week some are doing it locally. Last night was the one on the LDS Church, so there are some good stories floating around today about our crazy beliefs (it's always on the Ed Decker level, it seems).

No way would the SBC vote for a Latter-day Saint.

So what you two are saying that he doesn't have a chance at being President because he is a Mormon?

[Jason]

Frankly I think well see a woman in the White House before we'll see a Mormon. That said, I think Mitt's got a better chance than Orrin Hatch anyday. A broader appeal and he's not IN Utah.

[Outshined]

So what you two are saying that he doesn't have a chance at being President because he is a Mormon?

I'd say it seriously hurts his chances. Many evangelical denominations would fight hard to keep him out of the White House. Of course never say never, because it was once said that a Catholic would never be president...

[shanstress70]

<div class='quotemain'>

I don't care how conservative the South is, they won't vote for a Mormon. The Southern Baptists would abstain from voting or even vote for a liberal rather than put a Mormon in office. The preachers would cry from the pulpit and the members would obey.

I agree. The churches here have a week devoted every year or so to bashing other faiths. It so happens this is the week some are doing it locally. Last night was the one on the LDS Church, so there are some good stories floating around today about our crazy beliefs (it's always on the Ed Decker level, it seems).

No way would the SBC vote for a Latter-day Saint.

I've always heard that many churches preach about how bad Mormonism is, but in all my church visiting, I've never even heard the word 'mormon' in another church. I'm sure some do, but I don't think it's very prevalent.

[mom_of_jcchlsm]

I've always heard that many churches preach about how bad Mormonism is, but in all my church visiting, I've never even heard the word 'mormon' in another church. I'm sure some do, but I don't think it's very prevalent.

Maybe not where you live. Here (in a small town in Texas), the Baptist Churches hold seminars to "educate" their members about other faiths. Funny, they don't ever invite the missionaries or a Bishop to speak. But we get asked all kinds of (rude, unbelievable) questions, and occasionally parents forbid their kids to play with ours. The missionaries no longer have an appartment here because they kept receiving threats and their tires were slashed.

[Outshined]

<div class='quotemain'>

I've always heard that many churches preach about how bad Mormonism is, but in all my church visiting, I've never even heard the word 'mormon' in another church. I'm sure some do, but I don't think it's very prevalent.

Maybe not where you live. Here (in a small town in Texas), the Baptist Churches hold seminars to "educate" their members about other faiths. Funny, they don't ever invite the missionaries or a Bishop to speak. But we get asked all kinds of (rude, unbelievable) questions, and occasionally parents forbid their kids to play with ours.

Same here in Tennessee. My daughter is dating a non-member, and his church is doing the seminars this week, with a different "cult" lecture each night. As I said, last night was their "seminar" about Latter-day Saints. She was dreading what she'd hear from him today, but he didn't say anything about it; I don't think he cares much about that stuff.

[StrawberryFields]

<div class='quotemain'>

I've always heard that many churches preach about how bad Mormonism is, but in all my church visiting, I've never even heard the word 'mormon' in another church. I'm sure some do, but I don't think it's very prevalent.

Maybe not where you live. Here (in a small town in Texas), the Baptist Churches hold seminars to "educate" their members about other faiths. Funny, they don't ever invite the missionaries or a Bishop to speak. But we get asked all kinds of (rude, unbelievable) questions, and occasionally parents forbid their kids to play with ours. The missionaries no longer have an appartment here because they kept receiving threats and their tires were slashed.

That is awful!

I have lived in the west all of my life. I didn't know that these things were happening here in the USA.

[Palerider]

lets see......A Mormon at the head of the Democrat Party and then a Mormon President....wow......I can only imagine........

Ed Decker could really cry if that were the case.....THE MORMONS ARE TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!!!......Wally Martin would roll over in his grave...

[shanstress70]

I'm not doubting any of what you guys say, but I live in NC. You'd think that stuff would go on here. But then again, maybe it's the Baptists and the like that do it. Perhaps I've just visited the more open-minded churches!

If I ever went to a church that preached about how bad another religion is, I would never go back.

[Dr T]

N.C. Shan70? I don't hear your accent...

Dr. T

[prisonchaplain]

I don't care how conservative the South is, they won't vote for a Mormon. The Southern Baptists would abstain from voting or even vote for a liberal rather than put a Mormon in office. The preachers would cry from the pulpit and the members would obey.

Okay, I have some historical perspective, in that I was a member of the Moral Majority in my high school years, and have followed the New Right, Christian Right, Conservative Coalition, Social Conservatives, etc. ever since. While some fundamentalists might abstain, I believe Falwell (who's background was Bible Baptist--more conservative than the SBC) made overtures to Mormon conservatives. These groups oppose abortion, gambling, pornography, sex ed that's primarily contraceptive-ed, and they oppose the efforts of the secular fundamentalists to expunge all references to God or faith in the public square. If a Mormon conservative supported these stances, the vast majority of Christian conservatives would back him/her.

<div class='quotemain'>

I don't care how conservative the South is, they won't vote for a Mormon. The Southern Baptists would abstain from voting or even vote for a liberal rather than put a Mormon in office. The preachers would cry from the pulpit and the members would obey.

I agree. The churches here have a week devoted every year or so to bashing other faiths. It so happens this is the week some are doing it locally. Last night was the one on the LDS Church, so there are some good stories floating around today about our crazy beliefs (it's always on the Ed Decker level, it seems).

No way would the SBC vote for a Latter-day Saint.

You confuse evangelical apologetics with conservative Christian politics. Two different animals entirely. For an example of a non-Christian who sees this, go to http://www.towardstradition.org Rabbi Lappin (non-Messianic) says that conservative Christian Americans are the best friends Jews and Israel have. Michael Medved is another Jewish thinker, commentator, who's been known to speak at Christian churches.

I may not have a testimony, but I tell you with the best pundit's cap I have that the Religious Right would support a socially conservative LDS candidate.

[shanstress70]

N.C. Shan70? I don't hear your accent...

Dr. T

Yep, born in the Appalachians too! I've mostly lost my accent, though, over the years.

[prisonchaplain]

<div class='quotemain'>

<div class='quotemain'>

I've always heard that many churches preach about how bad Mormonism is, but in all my church visiting, I've never even heard the word 'mormon' in another church. I'm sure some do, but I don't think it's very prevalent.

Maybe not where you live. Here (in a small town in Texas), the Baptist Churches hold seminars to "educate" their members about other faiths. Funny, they don't ever invite the missionaries or a Bishop to speak. But we get asked all kinds of (rude, unbelievable) questions, and occasionally parents forbid their kids to play with ours.

Same here in Tennessee. My daughter is dating a non-member, and his church is doing the seminars this week, with a different "cult" lecture each night. As I said, last night was their "seminar" about Latter-day Saints. She was dreading what she'd hear from him today, but he didn't say anything about it; I don't think he cares much about that stuff.

Okay...I'm probably going to really step into it, here...but, imho, what the best of the "anti-cult" programs does isn't so different from what FAIR or Catholic Answers does: Here is what we believe, this is what these other groups believe. Keep in mind that LDS missionaries do hope to convert non-LDS Christians to the LDS Church. They may be nice about it, but they attempt to "win" souls from established Christian churches.

I disagree with violence, intimidation, muck-raking, etc. BUT, it's not automatically a "Let's hate our Mormon neighbors" thing, everytime an evangelical church holds a meeting to remind members--this is what we believe, and it's different from what these other groups believe--especially when those groups send emmissaries to our doors.

Okay, I've got my protective gear on, so send the

[mom_of_jcchlsm]

I disagree with violence, intimidation, muck-raking, etc. BUT, it's not automatically a "Let's hate our Mormon neighbors" thing, everytime an evangelical church holds a meeting to remind members--this is what we believe, and it's different from what these other groups believe--especially when those groups send emmissaries to our doors.

Okay, I've got my protective gear on, so send the

but if you're going to tell your congregation "this is what we believe - this is what they believe" it should not include junk like:

- Mormons have sex in their temples

- Mormon men have to have at least 6 children in order to reach the highest level of their priesthood

- Mormons believe in voodoo

- Mormon women are forced to be subservient to their husbands

Even the things they get technically right are presented in the worst possible light, and without explanation. It's as if they are going for shock value, not presenting information:

- Mormons don't believe in the Trinity

- Mormons don't baptize thier babies

- Mormons have to wear holy underwear

- Bishops and other Mormon clergy don't have any kind of religious schooling - they could be plumbers or accountants or sales clerks

Anyway, I'm not asking them to let us hold a cottage meeting at their event, but a representative to answer questions and help them stick to the facts wouldn't be too much to ask, would it?

[Palerider]

I live southern Missouri and the Baptist church around the corner from my house have their meetings where they preach against the Church.....my kids at times have had difficult times in school where it has been held against them for being a "Mormon"....made fun of.....etc.....they also cannot join the Christain Club due to their religion.

[prisonchaplain]

<div class='quotemain'>

I disagree with violence, intimidation, muck-raking, etc. BUT, it's not automatically a "Let's hate our Mormon neighbors" thing, everytime an evangelical church holds a meeting to remind members--this is what we believe, and it's different from what these other groups believe--especially when those groups send emmissaries to our doors.

Okay, I've got my protective gear on, so send the

but if you're going to tell your congregation "this is what we believe - this is what they believe" it should not include junk like:

- Mormons have sex in their temples

- Mormon men have to have at least 6 children in order to reach the highest level of their priesthood

- Mormons believe in voodoo

- Mormon women are forced to be subservient to their husbands

To the sex thing, WOW. Yeah, ridiculous.

To the six children thing, was it an ex-Mormon passing this along? Curious.

Voodoo? None of you told me about this? Actually, my guess is one of those accusations that gets bantied about, like the term "new age."

Sounds like the seminar you're referencing doesn't represent "the best of evangelical seminars." Sheez!

On the last point, you could accuse the Southern Baptists of the same thing, if you wanted to be caddy.

Even the things they get technically right are presented in the worst possible light, and without explanation. It's as if they are going for shock value, not presenting information:

- Mormons don't believe in the Trinity

- Mormons don't baptize thier babies

- Mormons have to wear holy underwear

- Bishops and other Mormon clergy don't have any kind of religious schooling - they could be plumbers or accountants or sales clerks

Evangelicals aren't authorized to present the gospel. They don't believe in prophecy. They are bibolaters (Bible worshipers), their clergy are just doing the work to make money, etc. Sometimes non-LDS are sloppy with nuance, but I'm guessing it sometimes goes the other way. There is a strong feeling amongst evangelicals, that our dialogue with Mormons needs to improve in quantity and quality. In my case, I have found my time here fruitful.

Anyway, I'm not asking them to let us hold a cottage meeting at their event, but a representative to answer questions and help them stick to the facts wouldn't be too much to ask, would it?

Do the Mission Training Centers have evangelical representatives at each of the training sessions? Catholics? Yet, surely the candidates will be taught answers to common objections, etc. If the goal is public discourse, yes, representatives should be invited. If it's a formal debate, ditto. However, if the purpose is to train church members the distinctions between evangelical belief and Mormon belief in one evening, then a Mormon representative would be unnecessary.

On the other hand, if I ever teach such a class, I plan to use the Sacred Works, and lds.org, FAIR, FARMS, etc. for any Mormon source material. :) I may even run some things through the ldstalk rubric, first.

[Palerider]

If anyone thinks Mormon women are subservient to their husband.....I invite them to my home for week.....LOL!!!!!!!!!!!.........

[prisonchaplain]

I live southern Missouri and the Baptist church around the corner from my house have their meetings where they preach against the Church.....my kids at times have had difficult times in school where it has been held against them for being a "Mormon"....made fun of.....etc.....they also cannot join the Christain Club due to their religion.

Kids are cruel, and religion, funky hair, unclean fingernails...anything they can find, can and will be held against them. One youth pastor (Jr. High) once told me, "These kids will eat their dead." So, it's unfortunate, and unchristlike, but not specific to Baptists, evangelicals, or even Christians, for teens or pre-teens to be obnoxious.

As for the Christian Club thing, well, I doubt that LDS will be joining the National Association of Evangelicals anytime soon, either. Likewise, if there were total acceptance between the faiths, we would not be trying to convert each other, our leaders could share pulpits, our members could partake in each other's sacraments. We know this is not currently the case. So, if a club is founded specifically to affirm "Christian youth," and Mormons are not allowed, chances are "Christian" probably means evangelical, or there are some doctrines that unite the students, doctrines Mormons could not fully embrace.

[Guest MrsS]

Do the Mission Training Centers have evangelical representatives at each of the training sessions? Catholics? Yet, surely the candidates will be taught answers to common objections, etc. If the goal is public discourse, yes, representatives should be invited. If it's a formal debate, ditto. However, if the purpose is to train church members the distinctions between evangelical belief and Mormon belief in one evening, then a Mormon representative would be unnecessary.

PC, at the MTC they don't teach against other faiths. They aren't taught anything, one way or the other, about other faiths.Except what we are already taught: YOU DO NOT BASH ANOTHER FAITH! What they do teach is languages, cultural customs and intense scripture training. Our MTC is not about what other faiths do or do not do. It does not teach what to say or not to say to JW's, Baptists, Catholics, etc. Nor are they taught how to debate with someone. Our Missionaries will not "debate" with investigators. That is not part of their "job description".The MTC is preparing our Missionaries, young and old for their missions. Be it a prostelizing mission, or a service mission.