This week, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney gave a speech relating his faith as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints to his campaign for the presidency. Romney's speech garnered high marks, with many comparing this speech to a historic speech by John F. Kennedy in the 1960 campaign. In 1960, numbers of Protestant leaders had objected to Kennedy's election on the basis of his Roman Catholicism. Kennedy's answer to their concerns is a historical landmark of effective political speeches, especially relating to thorny questions on church and state. As an interesting side note, Kennedy's primary antagonist on this issue was Norman Vincent Peale, theological liberal and author of The Power of Positive Thinking.
Could a Bible-believing Christian vote for a member of the Latter Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormons)? Is Mormonism compatible with biblical Christianity? Should Romney's Mormonism preclude his serving as President? Consider these questions with me.
1. What is Mormonism and how does Mormonism relate to Christianity? Mormonism, as a religious movement, began in 1840 when a twenty-four year old Joseph Smith claimed to have visions from God, Jesus, and the angel Moroni. Supposedly, Smith's visions directed him to dig up some gold plates that had been placed there by the Angel Moroni in AD 400 in a New York hillside. These plates were supposedly written in some unknown language called Reformed Egyptian. Translated by some God-given ability, the plates became the Book of Mormon, a purported account of the ancient inhabitants of North America between 600 BC and AD 400.
Is Mormonism Christianity? Consider that Mormons believe:
* Jehovah God was once a human as we are now. Mormonism says that he progressed to become a god, one of many gods.
* Man has the ability to progress and become a god.
* Jesus was the first spirit child of God the Father. Subsequent spirit children children are angels and humans. Mormons do not hold to the doctrine of the Trinity, rather Mormons teach that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are individual gods. When Mitt Romney stated "I believe in Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord" he does NOT mean what evangelical Christians mean when we confess Christ as Saviour and Lord.
* The Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants possess the same authority of Scripture.
* LDS organizer Brigham Young openly stated in Journals and Discourses 7:333 "How many gods are there, I do not know. There has never been a time when there were not gods."
* the Garden of Eden was in Missouri. Jesus appeared to those in America in His time.
* Everyone will eventually be saved, though there are three levels of celestial glory. Mormons teach salvation through baptism. In fact, Mormons practice baptism for the dead, whereby Mormons will go to an LDS Temple and be baptized in the name of their ancestors.
For more information on Mormonism check out
Mormonism
Mormonism is NOT compatible with historic Christianity. Mormonism is a non-Christian cult.
2. Should Mormonism preclude Mitt Romney from serving as President?
Consider that in Scripture, many non-believers served well in government and were used of God for good. Evangelical theologian Wayne Grudem gives several examples of non-believing leaders serving for the public good. In Genesis 41, we read how God used Pharaoh to raise up Joseph and exalt Joseph so that Joseph could be used of God to bless Israel. In Daniel 2, we read how Nebuchadnezzar was used of God to protect the Prophet Daniel and raise up Daniel's Jewish friends to places of leadership in Babylon. Cyrus, King of Persia, was used of God to restore Jewish exiles to their homelands (Isaiah 45:16; Ezra 1). God used Darius, King of Persia to protect the Israelites (Ezra 6), to raise up Esther as Queen, and to give Mordecai authority to speak out for the people of God.
Historically, God's people have often fared well with unsaved leaders. Consider that the Church flourished in the times of the Peace of Rome, before persecution came. Our own nation has been served well by principles of Thomas Jefferson, a Deist, but a man sound in his thinking on limited government.
Mitt Romney is not a Christian, as the Bible defines saving faith. However, Hillary Clinton gives a good testimony of a salvation experience as a young person in a Methodist Church. Frankly, her testimony is better than most that I hear from some with much better credentials with the evangelical community. Hillary spoke of forgiveness of sins through the atonement of the shed blood of Christ. Read the testimony of Hillary Clinton and others at Redeem the Vote!
Yet, my political views are poles apart from that of Hillary Clinton. I would disagree with Senator Clinton on her support of big government solutions for every problem, her liberal social views--including a pro-choice position on abortion, and her internationalist approach to national sovereignty.
3. I do not support Mitt Romney for President for other reasons besides his Mormonism.
* Governor Romney supported tax hikes and increasing the size of government as Governor of Massachusetts. Romney's record on taxes
* Mitt Romney even supported universal health care in Massachusetts, boasting that he included private initiatives. He is not a free-enterpriser, but one who likes government involvement in private matters.
* Romney has been all over the board on social issues. Check out Mitt Romney Deception
* Romney has a mixed record on Second Amendment issues.
Romney on Gun Rights
* Romney takes a weak position on closing our porous borders. Presidential candidates on immigration
In conclusion, we are not calling a Pastor but electing a President. While I would like to know that my President knows the Lord, I am more concerned (at least as far as my vote is concerned) that the candidate takes the right position on the issues. Hence, I would vote for a conservative Mormon (Cleon Skousen) over a liberal Baptist (Jimmy Carter). On the other hand, I do not believe that Mitt Romney would tackle an out-of-control government. Hence, I will not be voting for Mitt Romney for President in the primary.
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23 comments:
If Romney had said I want to be President of the United States and I am not a Christian. I am a Mormon and I know I am on my way to a Devil's hell because I do not know the Christ of the Bible in a salvic relationship, but I can do a good job as President before I go to hell even if I become the most powerful man in the world because I am of a cult group and know not the Christ; I might consider him as a possibility.
I will not because I have had enough of religious hypocrites (Clinton, Carter, Johnson)
Give me a straight up politically conservative pagan (Ann Coulter) and I will vote for that person to lead this nation placing my faith in God to direct all things He has ordained in the first place.
Man nor beast can confound the will of God. We are in the hands of the living God. Thakfully so because we have had some so called Baptists in the White House who certainly would have ruined all this nation stands for had God not been on the Throne of Heaven.
cb
for more on Mormonisn check out the North American Mission Board's Apologetics website at www.4truth.net
I can't help but think of Paul writing of the Gentiles being a law to themselves. I would rather have a non-Christian that upholds Christian standards than a Christian who does not.
John,
I agree. Neither will I be casting a vote for Mitt Romney in the primaries.
Blessings,
Tim
The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) is often accused by Evangelical pastors of not believing in Christ and, therefore, not being a Christian religion. This article http://mormonsarechristian.blogspot.com/ helps to clarify such misconceptions by examining early Christianity's comprehension of baptism, the Godhead, the deity of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) adheres more closely to First Century Christianity and the New Testament than any other denomination. Harper’s Bible Dictionary entry on the Trinity says “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the New Testament.”
Perhaps the reason the pastors denigrate the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) is to protect their flock (and their livelihood).
BOT,
You are in great darkness. Read the gospel of John.
cb
John,
Huckabee is right for America. You need to forget about Ron Paul and support Mike Huckabee. Write Richard Land and tell him to get with the program, quit looking in the mirror, and get behind Huckabee for President of the United States.
cb
John,
I agree in that the issues are what's important to electing a President, not necessarily theology. Bill/Hilary/Jimmy are good examples of being soooo wrong on the issues.
I would encourage everyone to view Huckabee's speech at the FRC Value Voters summit, as well as look at the response to the Huffington post attack on Huckabee. Huffington was wrong! the FRC speech is one of the best!
I meant to put my name on that last one. Anonymous.
Don Wallace
Northport
Bot, you hit the nail right on the head when you said, "Perhaps the reason the pastors denigrate the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) is to protect their flock (and their livelihood)." The so-called Christian religions both fear and envy the LDS Church to the extent that evangelical Protestants see Mormons as their major competitor for people to add to their flocks. There has been a lot of information in the media lately about how some so-called Christian churches are having a difficult time in collecting enough money to pay the bills at times. Now,according to the media, so-called Christians churches are putting ATM's in their lobbies to remind the people to pay! Amazing! Some pastors/ministers are deliberately NOT speaking about tithing because every time they do, they lose more of their flock! I, for one, love all the anti-Mormonism going on, because people just get more curious and the LDS Church will grow even more. Most people can see through the lies and the smoke produced by the bigots....I believe that the bigots only fool themselves in the end. Their flocks just don't seem to grow much, and so they get even more frustrated, envious, and angry. What a visious cycle they weave for themselves. If they were honest with themselves, they would go after those major religions that don't call Jesus Christ their savior, and try to convert them. But that is not the issue, is it? The LDS Church hurts the so-called Christians where it hurts the most....in their pockets.
BTW, why aren't these bigots going after Obama in this election? Does anyone know (or care) what religion he is? He claims that he was raise Muslim, but is now part Christian. I wonder why the so-called Christians aren't attacking his religious belief. Probably because he hasn't effected their wallets..... yet. IMHO
Focus,
Use your name you coward. Forget about the election for a moment and realize BOT is blowing smoke, probably from Hell.
Christian pastors are not saying what they do about Mormons because they are hypocrites. They say what they say because Mormonism will take pathetic wretches like you to Hell if you do not repent and believe the biblical gospel of Christ as it is presented in the only Word of God, the Bible.
The book of mormon is a fairytale from the mind of a womanizer and child molester. Joseph Smith was a sexual pervert who would be locked up were he alive today even in this messed up society in which we live.
cb
Mormons believe every word of the original New Testament. They are the most New-Testament oriented Christian denomination on Earth.
Bot,
You are truly a sad and blinded soul. Repent and put faith in the biblical Christ before you die and go to Hell. Think of your wife and children and the fact you are leading them to to a Devil's Hell due to your being stiff-necked uncircumcised of heart, beliving a pagan religion of the damned as is Mormonism.
cb
Huckabee is "Read my lips...," all over again.
His record on commutations is utterly abysmal.
He attempts to demonize conservatives when they question his wrong positions on illegal aliens policy.
He doesn't have a clue about foreign policy when the need for such knowledge is critical in this election.
He's running as Comedian-in-Chief rather than the Commander version.
We need better than Jimmy Carter Lite to take on Hellary and further the cause of true Conservatism.
Look deeper into Tax Hike Mike's Arkansas record and you will decide that he is not the "real Conservative deal."
We can do better, folks...LOTS better than Huckleberry Hounddog.
Dr. Killian:
My congrats to you for stating your thoughts on Romney exahustively.
I have blogged exhaustively about Huckabee and Romney for anyone who wants to take a look.
I hope all of you will google up Moyers journal on PBS of last Friday. Melissa Rogers input there is the best I've seen to date on the Romney speech.
It is a shame you folks defunded her BJC.
My apologies but I had to say that.
Thanks again for engaging the conversation with conviction.
Sfox
Oh, the latest is Alabama Randy Brinson is joining Rick Scarborough to campaign for Huckabee in Iowa. That will be interesting given Brinson history with Redeem the Vote.
Fox,
I am glad to say I was there for the end of the BJC in the SBC.
Vote Huckabee.
cb
CB:
Tony Cartledge has engaged Huckabee on Inerrancy on his easily google homilygrits blog.
Check it out and comment there.
As you see at my blog I had a pleasant and honorable handshake with Huckabee three weeks ago in South Carolina. I like him personally.
Hope to have a link to the NY Mag story up today at my blog.
The Baptist Joint Committee does great work. Melissa Rogers was magnificent on Bill Moyers Journal Friday Night.
I think David Potts will concur on that point, though I don't speak for him.
You and my friend John Killian have a lot of surprises in store on that great gettin up Mornin; and I am sure there will be yet a good deal for me to learn as well.
Check out There Will Be Blood over the Holidays. Soundtrack includes Arvo Part who did the great Magnificat. Check out the Words and as Pressler and the Baptist takeover has roots with the John Birch Society and Exxon Oil, Think between the lines as you watch this obsession that is becoming classic cinema tangentially about religion and politics.
CB: Here is some speculation in an upcoming NY Times Sunday mag column on why there is bitterness between Richard Land and Huckabee:
Dunn offers a possible explanation for the resistance from born-again leaders. ‘‘Mike Huckabee isn’t just another politician,’’ he told me. ‘‘He is an evangelical minister. If he does well in Iowa, as he appears to be doing, he will become a national figure no matter what happens after that. He could wind up eclipsing all the other evangelical leaders in this country in one fell swoop. And you know what it says in the Book of Proverbs. ‘Envy is the rottenness of the bones.’ ’’
I don't think envy has anything to do with Huckabee and Land's relationship.
Huckabee is a left-leaning ("moderate" by their own self-description) moralizer. Man of God? Absolutely. Conservative candidate for Prez? Hardly.
Its Jimmy Carter with an "R" all over again.
Plus, anybody in this state who is aware of Randy Brinson and his agenda knows that Huckabee's reliance on him for help is NOT a good thing for true Social Conservatives.
Your taxes will go up, up, up in a Huckabee administration by justification of "it's the Christian thing to do."
Huckabee was raising his hand to agree that humans cause "Global Warming" when Fred had the Reagan "I paid for this microphone!" moment during the Des Moines debate this afternoon.
Have you no shame than to pander to politically correct environmental charlatanism, Guv. Huck?!
There are no problems that can't be fixed with higher taxes, according to Huckster.
Next: Huckster advocates that we sign the Kyoto Treaty.
I blogged on this quote of Roger Wilmore today and the effect it may have on Huck's camp:
Bama fundamentalist President Roger Wilmore's concluding comments in the piece are of interest. He says: "I am hopeful but I must admit I am also skeptical. I want to believe that there are those who embrace Islam who are not militant and violent. The effect of Islam on the American culture is not cause by bombs and bullets....alone. There is also the threat of subtle syncretism of religious beliefs that has the potential of undermining the Christian foundation upon which this country was founded."
All you Huckabee fans need to google "Fred Sawyer and Huckabee Finn" by Ann Coulter and "Meet GOP's Border Control Cross Dressers" by Michelle Malkin. As a Southern
Baptist, I have had enough of them as President. Huck is slicker than Willy.
Falwell said it best (to Glenn Beck, a Mormon)..." We're elcting a president, not a Sunday School teacher..."
Am I voting for him? Not sure...my man Fred seems to have ridden off into the sunset...
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