The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Ain’t I Done Told Ya So? (Part III)

Posted on | April 16, 2012 | 66 Comments

We are shocked — shocked! — to discover liberals in the media hinting at future coverage about Mitt’s Mormonism:

Panelist Jon Meacham asked whether any of the focus on Romney’s “secrecy” may have something to do with his faith, Mormonism, a religion shrouded in mystery for many non-Mormons. “Is this code for the secrecy of the Mormon Church?” he asked Allen. . . .
“As the Obama campaign makes the case that Romney is somehow weird, different,” Allen replied, “some supporters of Romney will say that that is a dog whistle, that is a way to come near the religion issue. The Obama campaign will tell you they’re not going to touch it, they don’t poll on it, they don’t talk about it in focus groups because they know that it would blow up if they did and that got public.”
Host Joe Scarborough, meanwhile, was upset that he’s not allowed to enter a Mormon temple. “You can’t go into the temple, right? … Not even on the West Side? You go to Salt Lake, and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s pretty, I want to go in.’ And they are like, ‘No, you’re Southern Baptist.’”

Let’s be clear: No one expects the Obama campaign to do anything overt to raise the Mormonism issue. But liberals in the media are already researching articles about the history, beliefs and practices of LDS, interviewing critics and ex-Mormons, and those Serious Journalism stories will start cropping up in due time. You can bet on it.

Meanwhile, this kind of major-media chatter about Mitt’s Mormonism — “Oh, wouldn’t it be terrible if anyone exploited religious bigotry against Romney?” — is a way of legitimizing the trump-card issue that liberals will certainly find some way to exploit if they can.

 

 

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Category: Election 2012, Mitt Romney, MSNBC, Religion

Comments

66 Responses to “Ain’t I Done Told Ya So? (Part III)”

  1. ThePaganTemple
    April 17th, 2012 @ 9:47 am

     Hannity would be his best bet, but I doubt Mitt would trust him now. Too bad, because Hannity is on at the perfect hour for that, 9:00 pm weeknights.

  2. ThePaganTemple
    April 17th, 2012 @ 9:51 am

     Wow, I didn’t know that. I thought it was more a symbolic act of respect. Like the old saying goes, you learn something new everyday.

    So what if you’re bitter because good old Joe over in the next pew snagged your ol’ lady as well? Should you still refrain from taking the Last Supper, or just encourage him to take it?

  3. Pathfinder's wife
    April 17th, 2012 @ 9:55 am

    I read it to be a sort of offhand jest to diffuse on of the stereotypes non-Mormons carry about Mormons: their magic underwear.

    In fact, Pagan was pretty harmless there and trying to be on the Mormon’s side; not like I would have been if I had brought up the topic (for that matter, even the bee symbolism).
    I could care less about defending Mormons; and your deflection to Catholics is one of the reasons why I feel absolutely no desire to do so.

  4. Quartermaster
    April 17th, 2012 @ 10:01 am

    Mormons are generally very reluctant to talk about the exotic parts of their religion as they have no way to defend themselves. They have been cut to pieces when they have said they are Christians and have had their Theology Proper thrown in their faces when they have been shown that their view of God and that of the Bible are completely at odds. Add in the strange and illegal stuff Smith and Young pulled over the years, and they are quite gun shy. Frankly, I think he can only lose if he tries to seriously talk about Mormonism on someone’s talk show.

  5. Quartermaster
    April 17th, 2012 @ 10:03 am

    No. Paul said that if you partake unworthily then you drink to your own damnation. The “meal” may be mainly symbolic, but it has true meaning for everyone, even if they don’t accept Christ as Lord.

  6. Pathfinder's wife
    April 17th, 2012 @ 10:06 am

    I did say I was a scholar, nor did I claim any understanding of Judaism.  I have read some though.

    But since you want to press the issue: just what exactly is up with the garment thing?

    How McCain’s statement of reality concerning Santorum: how does that become an animus against Romney?  Isn’t that more a statement about one of the things that Santorum would have to counter? (which, it turned out, was a point)

  7. Pathfinder's wife
    April 17th, 2012 @ 10:21 am

    He’s in a double bind then, because if he doesn’t it will help to fuel people’s suspicions more than allay them.

    And this is something that will have to be confronted.  Kennedy had to answer about Catholicism,  Nixon had to touch on being a Quaker, Lieberman had to answer questions about being Orthodox Jew, and while he got a disgusting tongue bath for it, Obama had to give that speech thanks to Rev. Wright (presidential canidates do have to answer for their religious beliefs, even though we do have freedom of religion; this is one of the prices of living in a country with religious plurality, thanks to that freedom thing).
    Romney won’t get a pass — and probably shouldn’t.

  8. Tennwriter
    April 17th, 2012 @ 10:23 am

    Damnation in this case does not mean eternal, but punishment such as sickness and ‘even some sleep’ (If I remember the phrase correctly which is code for…that stupe is dead.)

    Not sure it would have any affect on a Non-Christian, but I’m not any kind of an expert here.

  9. Pathfinder's wife
    April 17th, 2012 @ 10:28 am

    did — didn’t; nonetheless, neither of the people you claim to have been so offensive were doing anything more than raising some points and stating what they had heard; those are not offensive

     (but there are plenty out there that would be more than happy to do so, and hopefully you’ll see that choosing your line of response rather than conversation could produce that sort of result…carry on or don’t, but you call the ball)

  10. ThePaganTemple
    April 17th, 2012 @ 11:24 am

     That’s a good point about Nixon, and actually one I meant to raise a while back but never got around to it. That proves that a politician’s policies doesn’t have to be dictated by his religious beliefs.

    Nixon was a Quaker, and unless I’m sadly mistaken, Quakers are pacifists. Nixon did try to end the Vietnam War, but if his religion had dictated his actions, he would have come across more like George McGovern than a man who sought to achieve “peace with honor”.

    Nixon actually expanded the conflict into Cambodia as a means of trying to forge that peace with honor. Not exactly something that would meet the Quaker Seal of Approval.

  11. Pathfinder's wife
    April 17th, 2012 @ 11:34 am

    I think the thought is that you cannot be in good fellowship with God if you don’t believe in God’s gospel, but it leaves an opening for the non-believer who is perhaps open to said fellowship.
    Same with Catholics and reconciliation and anointing of the sick.  So there is some leeway for those not of the faith but open to it.

    Which is probably the same as allowing non-Mormons into a chapel and the open houses.

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