Anonymous wrote:If only Mormonism were not just a 19th century version of Scientology, you might get some sympathy from me on this. If a person's core belief system is as looney as LDS, you don't get to be leader of the "free world"...no. You don't.

Ah, but if for 25+ years you go to a church whose pastor publically makes statements like "God d--m America," then of course you do.

So a portion of conservatives helped re-elect Obama by giving into their own small-minded prejudices and withholding votes from someone who shares their views but has a different concept of God?

It's hard for me to feel anything other than schadenfreude.

OP, I don't believe that. My very conservative relatives and friends voted for Romney despite his faith, because he was the Republican candidate. The party could have nominated just about anyone as their candidate, and the people I'm speaking of would have voted for him... mainly because they were not Obama, who is the 'devil incarnate'.

As for Mormons, I have several friends who are Mormon, and before Romney was the selected candidate, they didn't support him; they felt that decisions he had made as Governor didn't uphold what the Mormon church teaches. However, once he received the Republican nomination, they were behind him 100% -- again, the anti-Obama factor.

Anonymous wrote:I think Romney lost because of his religion. I think a lot of people could not understand how a seemingly intelligent man could buy into the nonsense the Mormon Church teaches. All religions have their share of ridiculous beliefs. But Mormons take that to a whole new level. I have no problem with religion. I am deeply religious myself. But Romeny's religious beliefs make me question his ability to think critically. And I want a President who can think.

I tend to agree with this. I say this as a Catholic who married a Jew and we both agree our religions have looney aspects (prob more mine than his). However, Mormonism is cult like, and I don't use that term lightly. For what it's worth I did an extensive dissertation on the sociological aspects of religion and Mormonism was covered throughly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not prejudice to take his Mormonism into account when voting. Someone's religious beliefs are relevant, particularly when they are as deeply held as Romney's. If we were talking about Huntsman, that would be a different matter - he is culturally a Mormon, but does not literally belief everything the LDS authorities tell him, and makes his own mind up on issues. So voting against Huntsman because of his mormon background would be prejudice.

But Romney believes in the literal and unerring truth of the Book of Mormon and the Church authorities. I would not vote for him on that basis, and I do not consider that prejudice, but judgement.

What an unbelievably ridiculous statement to make. How the hell do you know what anyone else really believes?

You know what they say:

“I can’t say I’m overly religious,” he told Fortune magazine last year, when he was still ambassador. “I get satisfaction from many different types of religions and philosophies.”

It’s not the only move that serious Mormons would consider slightly unorthodox. Salt Lake Tribune Washington correspondent Thomas Burr notes that one of Huntsman’s daughters was married in an Episcopal church.

And a Huntsman spokesman, Tim Miller, says the Huntsmans are raising their adopted Indian daughter “to learn about and appreciate her native culture and the faiths associated with it.”

“Jon Huntsman's Mormon roots run deep,” said Burr, who has covered Huntsman since his days as Utah’s governor in the mid-2000s. “Personally, Huntsman says he considers himself a Mormon, but he's also stressed that he gets inspiration from many faiths.”

It’s a contrast to the way the other Mormon candidate in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has talked about his religious faith.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/21/understanding-jon-huntsmans-distinct-brand-of-mormonism/

No, he lost b/c he changed his views to match the far right in order to get the R nomination. If he had been the same guy he was before he started pandering to the nutjobs, he might have won.

I think Romney lost because of his religion. I think a lot of people could not understand how a seemingly intelligent man could buy into the nonsense the Mormon Church teaches. All religions have their share of ridiculous beliefs. But Mormons take that to a whole new level. I have no problem with religion. I am deeply religious myself. But Romeny's religious beliefs make me question his ability to think critically. And I want a President who can think.

Anonymous wrote:It is not prejudice to take his Mormonism into account when voting. Someone's religious beliefs are relevant, particularly when they are as deeply held as Romney's. If we were talking about Huntsman, that would be a different matter - he is culturally a Mormon, but does not literally belief everything the LDS authorities tell him, and makes his own mind up on issues. So voting against Huntsman because of his mormon background would be prejudice.

But Romney believes in the literal and unerring truth of the Book of Mormon and the Church authorities. I would not vote for him on that basis, and I do not consider that prejudice, but judgement.

What an unbelievably ridiculous statement to make. How the hell do you know what anyone else really believes?

It is not prejudice to take his Mormonism into account when voting. Someone's religious beliefs are relevant, particularly when they are as deeply held as Romney's. If we were talking about Huntsman, that would be a different matter - he is culturally a Mormon, but does not literally belief everything the LDS authorities tell him, and makes his own mind up on issues. So voting against Huntsman because of his mormon background would be prejudice.

But Romney believes in the literal and unerring truth of the Book of Mormon and the Church authorities. I would not vote for him on that basis, and I do not consider that prejudice, but judgement.

Stop. Romney lost because of his policies against women, the elderly, education, for the 1% against the middle class, the list goes on and on. If you want to blame it on being a Mormon because it makes you feel good go ahead. I'd submit more people voted for Romney because of his religion than they did for the black Muslim (no his isn't) who wasn't born in the US (yes he was). The election is over. Time to go back to being an American and rallying behind your country and your President. This is the kind of crap that goes on in Congress all the time. Stop being devisive. Lets get it together or we will never pull out of this.

If only Mormonism were not just a 19th century version of Scientology, you might get some sympathy from me on this. If a person's core belief system is as looney as LDS, you don't get to be leader of the "free world"...no. You don't.

I have no doubt that bias against Mormons played a role, but I don't think Romney lost solely for that reason.

My mom, a lonely democrat in the middle of South Carolina, has been saying something similar since the primaries: that her republican neighbors would never be able to vote for a Mormon. So I think there is probably something to the argument that his religion may have impacted the turnout of your fervent, bible-thumping base. However, I don't know that you can attribute the loss to it. Mitt had quite a few legitimate negatives working against him as we'll.

so wrong
people came out to vote for a president with a consistent message
being a mormon didn't sink romney, his campaign strategy did

Let's just admit it. A certain percentage of Republicans could not bring themselves to vote for a Mormon. As a Republican, this prejudice saddens me. For all celebrating Obama's win, Romney ran a sensible campaign and projected sound fiscal ideas with an argument for bringing the country back from the brink that should appeal to Republicans. Yet he pulled in fewer Republican votes than J. McCain. People stayed home. He lost, because he is a Mormon. That is nothing to celebrate.