Did Romney open the door in his “Faith in America” speech for Huckabee’s “Jesus and Satan” question?
“There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church’s beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. “
What does Romney believe about Jesus Christ that is different from what other faiths believe about Jesus Christ? He opened the door to this question.
Whatever Romney believes about Jesus Christ has NO BEARING on his qualifications for president. What Romney believes about Jesus Christ does, however, make a difference as to whether or not he is truly a Christian as he claims to be.
Yes Skeptimal,
My wife is very concerned that I will join you in the eternal flames because I speak the way I do about out modern religious system. My feeling is that if Jesus were to come back today he would condemn 99% of what we see with the marriage of our Faith and politics. Add to that all the robbing of the poor in movements like Word of Faith and Marketing church. I do try to think for myself when I see injustice and the “church” does not like that kind of thing because if I say something about it I am not submitting to authority. Kinda funny how that is very similar to the Republican mindset that if you speak out against this war or the actions of the administration then you are “helping” the terrorist. After all the facts that have been presented about how we got in this war, the lies that this administration told time after time it amazes me to see many of my Christian friends and acquaintances still supporting the cause.
Pix,
You’d better be careful. If you keep thinking for yourself, you’re going to end up burning in hell for all eternity. 🙂
I guess I just don’t understand why *any* monotheistic belief is better than none. The Mormons and Jews are just like me. They’re going to join me in hell where we’ll all be gnashing our teeth wishing we’d listened to Pat Robertson. Why are they okay for the presidency and an atheist isn’t?
Skeptimal,
You are right, Christians would NEVER vote for someone who denies the existance of God. The reason being is because those individuals are 1. evil, 2. possessed of the devil, 3. will have them jailed and persecuted just like in the book of Revelations.(from the Christians view)
As a christian myself, I find it troubling that I see more kindness and goodness from those who don’t have a God worldview than those who do.
I was listening to the host of this blog on the radio last week and was amazed to hear him say that because a muslim group is pertitioning to have Mike Savage off the radio that means that we will soon have Islamic law in this country. The very country that would never let a person run for president who denies the existance of the “Christian” God. We are closer to a christian theocracy than we are away from it.
Several times I’ve read of Christians saying that Romney’s LDS beliefs have no bearing on his ability to serve as president. Does this Christian generosity also apply to atheists/agnostics/humanists? My impression is that it does not. If not, I have to wonder why someone who believes such fantastic claims can receive Christian acceptance as a presidential candidate, but those who base their beliefs on the available evidence (free thinkers) could not.
fourpointer
That last response was for your post, (sorry). BTW, which point did you drop?
Kevin
Must be some tough hide to live there, or perhaps those there, may be in preparation for their “father’s home”. Lester Rolloff was know to tell the Devil to “go home”. A similar environment I assume. Good quote.
Kevin,
Actually, Brigham Young DID preach that men lived–not only on the moon–but also the sun. Here’s the quote:
We are called ignorant; so we are: but what of it? Are not all ignorant? I rather think so. Who can tell us of the inhabitants of this little planet that shines of an evening, called the moon? When we view its face we may see what is termed “the man in the moon,” and what some philosophers declare are the shadows of mountains. But these sayings are very vague, and amount to nothing; and when you inquire about the inhabitants of that sphere you find that the most learned are as ignorant in regard to them as the most ignorant of their fellows. So it is with regard to the inhabitants of the sun. Do you think it is inhabited? I rather think it is. Do you think there is any life there? No question of it; it was not made in vain. It was made to give light to those who dwell upon it, and to other planets; and so will this earth when it is celestialized.
–Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol.13, p.271
If the Romney campaign is going to try and court the evangelical vote by claiming to be a Christian then I think he is greatly miscalculating the leadership of our Churches (or at least I pray he is).
I know some Mormons and have had many conversations with them. They do believe that Jesus is God in the flesh and the only way to salvation. The huge problem is that they do not define the terms in the same way as we do. The biggest problem with truly understanding them is that they use Christian rhetoric but the meanings of the terms are not at all the same.
Unfortunately much of the criticism towards them centers around spurrious quotes or exaggerations of what they belive (i.e. that the Church used to teach that men lived on the moon etc.) There is no reason to do mischaracterize them because with a little bit of digging you can find much stranger doctrines that are plainly taught, there is no need to exagerate.
As far as I am concerned within the public sphere in America they are free to hold their beliefs, but I get really aggravated when they try (and they always do) to pass as a sect of Christianity. You may belive that the sun sets in the East and I may belive that it sets in the West and we both have the right to our respective beliefs but do not insult me by claiming that we believe the same thing. It is a disservice to us both.
Romney may truly personnaly believe that Jesus is God in the flesh and the only way of eternal salvation but that is not what the documents of the Mormon faith teach and that is why the Christian church calls Mormonism a cult. If a “worth his weight” Christian tells it like it is Biblically he will not be nominated or elected. If he compromises he may prevail.