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A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Mormonism should not affect candidacy

Gage Skidmore/flickr

Still far from having secured the 2012 Republican nomination, Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith is already in the national spotlight. Dallas pastor (and Rick Perry supporter) Robert Jeffress created quite the stir when he described Mormonism as a “cult.” The Mormon bashing continued when last week in an article for Slate titled “Romney’s Mormon Problem,” atheism’s pulpit prince Christopher Hitchens launched hard-hitting questions about the religion’s origins and racist history, finally concluding that Mormonism is “one of the most egregious groups operating on American soil.”

These attacks don’t surprise me. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have faced religious persecution in this country since the religion’s founding in the 1820s. In fact, Mormonism is perhaps the only religion in the history of this country that has been threatened with government legislated annihilation. In 1838, after violence broke out during an election, Governor Lilburn Boggs of Missouri issued Missouri Executive Order 44 — more commonly referred to as “The Mormon Extermination Order.” This order called for local Mormons (who had recently had an altercation with state militia believed to be an anti-Mormon mob) to be treated as enemies of the state and exterminated. All of this from a country that was founded on the principles of religious tolerance.

Now personally I can think of several political areas where I disagree with Mitt Romney. That being said, and with politics aside, the question to consider is whether Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith would somehow compromise his role as president.

The answer to this is no. Despite a history of government legislated persecution, the Mormon Church and its adherents have shown nothing but patriotism and devotion to this country. In fact, the fundaments of the Mormon faith are intrinsically tied up with the notion of an American cosmic destiny, making one’s love for country a foundational element of the Mormon faith.

Indeed, many of the fundamental doctrines and practices of the Church do not holdup against academic scrutiny, and as scholars rightfully point out, the origins of the Church and Joseph Smith’s founding of it are dubious at best. Yet, I’d be hard pressed to name a major organized religion that does not have fundamental doctrines that require its adherents to take a figurative leap of faith. Modern adherents of all religions have to contend with fair academic questions surrounding the historical accuracy of their faiths. And yet, why are we so quick to question a candidate whose religious doctrine speaks of Israelite Wars on American soil while never thinking twice about electing a candidate whose doctrine is based on the idea that God had a Jewish son with a penchant for fishing who possessed a long list of neat party tricks including the ability to walk on water?

And just as modern adherents to Mormonism are forced to reconcile the teachings and beliefs of their Church with the reality that the Mormon Church does indeed have a history of racism, every American has to reconcile their love for this country and its ideals with our own history of state-mandated racism.

It is fair for voters to consider a candidate’s religious affiliation at the ballot box insofar as it is related to their ability to hold our highest office. Yet, Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith would in no way compromise his ability to be president, just as Barack Obama’s mainstream Christian faith has in no way compromised his ability to be president. The history of Mormons in this country is a history of perseverance, progress and ultimately, patriotism. I cannot say that Mitt Romney would be my first choice for President. Yet I can say that I would be honored to elect a Mormon to our highest office and I would hope any sensible American would be too.

Isaac Himmelman is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at [email protected].

 

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  • S

    SteveOct 31, 2011 at 12:24 pm

    The comments posted here show that religious bigotry is alive and well in America. I live in Missouri and have reviewed the Mormon War papers and court cases. Governor Boggs (a slaveholder) encouraged hate crimes against the Mormons and the attacks on them here were so egregious that it is hard to believe they occurred in the United States. The sad thing is that this sort of bigotry has not disappeared in more than 170 years.

    Reply
  • A

    Anon111Oct 30, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    The only information anyone needs to know about the Mormons can be found on South Park. Both educational and delightful to watch.

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  • F

    Fred EOct 27, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    I find it really sad that there are those among us who when they feel hurt or offended would strike out at a person or an organization and spew such hate speach.
    Those who have posted such hate against the member’s of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the church are speaking in total ignorance. They are acting like a spoiled child who can’t have their way. Tornogal isn’t even aware of the fact that the actual law that he said Joseph Smith was guilty of didn’t pertaining to the printing press did not even become law until approximately 20 plus years after the fact. On top of that it was not enforced until about the year 1929. If his statement carried any truth, on the extermination order by Gov Boggs why did the state a number of years ago repeal that law? It is obvious someone has offended him and he is out to get whomever it was by attempting to destroy The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If any of you are familiar with the bible I would encourage you to read Matt 12:36-37. The political powers in the United States has been successful in dividing America, a famous president during the civil war reminded America that a house divided can not stand. Of course that information comes from the Bible. I do know a major burden such as a number of those who have posted such hate against the latter-day saints would surely be lifted from their shoulders by their forgiving the one or ones who have offended them.

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  • D

    Dwight RogersOct 27, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    It is worth noting that there is a growing body of evidence from New World archaeology that supports the Book of Mormon. Dr. John Clark of the New World Archaeological Foundation has compiled a list of sixty items mentioned in the Book of Mormon. The list includes items such as “steel swords,” “barley,” “cement,” “thrones,” and literacy.

    In 1842, only eight (or 13.3%) of those sixty items were confirmed by archaeological evidence. Thus, in the mid-nineteenth century, archaeology did not generally support the claims made by the Book of Mormon. By 2005 forty-five of those sixty items (75%) have been confirmed. Therefore, as things stand at the moment, current New World archaeological evidence tends to verify the claims made by the Book of Mormon. (John Clark, “Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: Archaeology and the Book of Mormon”, presentation at the 2005 FAIR Apologetics Conference (August 2005). Co-presenters, Wade Ardern and Matthew Roper. S. Kent Brown, “New Light: ‘The Place That Was Called Nahom”: New Light from Ancient Yemen,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8, no. 1 (1999): 66-

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  • M

    MelOct 26, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    LDS a “cult”? What about the “rapture”?

    by Bruce Rockwell

    Mitt Romney, a Mormon, is “not a Christian” and Mormonism is a “cult,” according to Rev. Robert Jeffress, pastor of the Dallas (TX) First Baptist Church.
    His “cult” remark is based on his belief that the Latter-day Saints church (which didn’t exist before 1830) is outside “the mainstream of Christianity.”
    But Jeffress hypocritically promotes the popular evangelical “rapture” (theologically the “any-moment pretribulation rapture”) which is outside mainstream Christianity (Google “Pretrib Rapture Politics”) and which also didn’t exist before 1830 (Google “Pretrib Rapture Diehards” and “Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty”)!
    And there are 50 million American rapture cultists (some of whom turn Wikipedia into “Wicked-pedia” by constantly distorting the real facts about the rapture’s bizarre, 181-year-old history) compared with only 14 million LDS members.
    The most accurate documentation on pretrib rapture history that I have found is in a nonfiction book titled “The Rapture Plot” which is carried by leading online bookstores. I know also that the same 300-page work can also be borrowed through inter-library loan at any library.
    Latter-day Saints believe in fairness, which is why I feel called to share this message.

    [Hi, Isaac. Preceding observed on the incredible web!]

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  • E

    Eric ToriOct 26, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    I think Mormonism is pretty dumb but i agree with what Issac insofar as i also agree that all religions are pretty dumb and we cant be prejudice against romney’s religion if we’re not going to be prejudice against other politicians religions

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  • A

    ARLOct 26, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    @ToddMorgan

    Oh, yes. Mormon have been so sympathetic to minority groups that they paid millions of dollars into the effort to prevent civil equality to gays.

    Maybe you could “give 10,000 reasons why our church is amazing, citing visions, dreams, spiritual manifestations, miracles” but frankly, the civil rights cannot rely on visions and miracles.

    I’m not bashing any person for his or her religion, but I am not going to let anyone claim that it is not a public issue when religion intrudes into government so that it can use governmental power to force others to behave according to its beliefs.

    Witness the Mormon Church’s massive spending over the gay marriage issue in California.

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  • G

    Gordon LeeOct 26, 2011 at 12:14 pm

    One who belies things that contradict science is clearly an irrational person and should not be president. This includes but is not limited to Mormons. I must, respectfully, disagree with Mr. Himmelman’s argument.

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  • N

    Nikhil RaoOct 26, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    his social positions aren’t even the point- they’re his to keep and profess. What Isaac is saying is that religion shouldn’t be the basis.

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  • P

    POETICOOct 26, 2011 at 11:46 am

    Vote for Romney and you vote the Mormon Church into the White House. Mormons are like a toned-down version of the Borg, they can’t make decisions outside the collective. This is why Romney flip-flops on issues and can’t think on his feet. I was born in Utah, raised a fundamentalist Mormon, and most of my relatives are Mormon. A Mormon president will lead our country back to the Dark Ages.

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  • T

    TornogalOct 26, 2011 at 11:11 am

    Isaac’s piece repeats a message the LDS church has honed to perfection: We have been victims of persecution. Not so.

    The Boggs extermination order was written in large measure because Mormon “Danite” mobs were in open and violent defiance of the laws of Missouri.

    Similarly, Mormons claim the imprisonment of Joseph Smith was without cause, simply because he was their prophet. Not true. He was jailed for ordering the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor newspaper as it was printing reports of the church leader’s gross adultery and his intent to establish himself as a theocratic king.

    All that said, we can’t support Mitt Romney for three reasons:

    1. He has vacillated on far too many important issues and seems intent on telling an audience what he thinks they want to hear. Go to http://www.mittromneyflipflops.com to see what I mean.

    2. He is arrogant, condescending, and bullying. The last presidential debate showed him being all those things and more. I don’t want that in a president.

    3. Anyone who can believe that the Mormon faith is legitimate in the age of the Internet does not show the critical thinking skills I think a president needs. Any web search will show ample evidence that: Joseph Smith was a con artist (he was even tried for such); the Book of Mormon can’t be accurate; the Mormon church openly discriminated against black people well into Mitt Romney’s adulthood (Romney’s claim that his father marched with Martin Luther King–subsequently recanted–doesn’t help either); the Book of Abraham (another Mormon canonized scripture) is a hoax; the Mormon church refuses to make public its financial reports, despite drawing in billions of money, paying its top leadership (while denying doing so), and donating less than $5 per member per year to humanitarian causes; the Mormon temple rites, “revealed” by Joseph Smith just weeks after he received Masonic temple rituals, are nearly identical to the Masons’. I want as president someone grounded in reality. Mitt Romney isn’t that person.

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  • S

    Steve HaNickelOct 26, 2011 at 10:50 am

    Mormons, schmormons. I want to see a Church of the Spaghetti Monster President.

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  • A

    Anon111Oct 26, 2011 at 10:27 am

    I think LDS is on the same plane of stupid as Jehovah Witnesses. Moreover Todd, I think you’ve confused LDS with LSD. LSD is the one that inspires visions, spiritual manifestations, and miracles, not reality ;).

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  • D

    danielleOct 26, 2011 at 7:25 am

    would you say the same if he was an atheist?

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  • M

    Mr. WidemouthOct 26, 2011 at 3:38 am

    Beware of the Mormon Church – Exposed http://www.squidoo.com/mormon-church.

    Reply
  • T

    Todd MorganOct 26, 2011 at 12:58 am

    Great Post. I am LDS, I believe in defending any persons right to believe in God and worship however they feel inspired to do so. Romney said that as President he would be President of the ENTIRE NATION. Because of the persecution that Mormons have had to endure I think he will be MORE SYMPATHETIC to various minority groups and I would surprised if he isn’t more open-minded then most Presidents to preserve the liberty of many different types of people.

    I have been LDS for 43 years. I think that there are many people that want to criticize a religion, but 14 million people don’t just show up in a religion overnight.

    We have always had major detractors to our religion, but so did Jesus, and so did Moses, and so on.

    I could give 10,000 reasons why our church is amazing, citing visions, dreams, spiritual manifestations, miracles. One thing I do know, God is more powerful than man. He has a plan. Jesus called Peter and said “I will make you a Fisher of Men.” He called me to be a WITNESS in the LDS faith. Just Sunday I documented 33 experiences that I have had that have reinforced my faith in my religion including a dream I had in the year 2000 which has come true.

    Anyways, religion bashing, ethnic bashing, or any type of bashing without knowing all the facts is STUPID. Any person that bashes our church probably knows 1% of the TRUE history of our church. There are plenty of negative, falsified sites the spew hatred but they are very biased, mostly based on hearsay, and don’t show the other side of the story.

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  • A

    ARLOct 25, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    Hmm… but what about his religion-inspired policies that include discrimination against gays and attempting to take away a woman’s rights over her own body?

    Unless he shows backbone for sticking up for civil rights over adhering to his dogma, he shouldn’t be president.

    Reply