So, Mitt Romney gave a speech on religion. But, it didn’t really seem to be a speech about his religion. It was kind of a universalist, love thy neighbor kind of thing. For the moment, it seems to be well-received, but ultimately, I don’t think it will do him a lot of good.
He wasn’t losing ground in Iowa to Huckabee because people had doubts about whether he believed enough in the good things Jesus had to say in the Sermon on the Mount. He was losing ground because he is a Mormon. That means that his religion’s miracles are weirder than other religion’s miracles.
At the end of the day, I think Romney has a better chance of appealing to a non-religious guy like myself who doesn’t regard Jesus coming to America and turning Native Americans’ skin red as a curse for not believing in the right God as inherently less credible than, say, a Virgin Birth or transubstantiation of wine and bread into Jesus’ blood and skin.
I think Republicans benefit from the general truthiness that they’re the party of religion. I think all of that falls apart the second folks start comparing the teachings of Jesus to Republican policies. I also don’t think they can benefit from a close examination of the particular articles of faith that distinguish one religion from the next. If they go too far down the road Romney started down, basically suggesting that the particulars of the religious differences don’t really matter, that might get fundamentalist hackles up since they purport to believe that every word of the Bible is very important. Suggesting that faithful Mormons will be made Gods of their own planets might to beyond the ability of fundamentalist Christians to live-and-let-live. And, of course, if they go the other way and start arguing about whose faith is actually true, the whole religio-political house of cards implodes.
Should be interesting to watch.
Update Doghouse Riley, as per usual, has a good take on Romney’s speech.
You just knew this was where he was headed, didn’t you? “Let us come together as a freedom-loving people and really hate the atheists?” The only surprising thing–okay, not that surprising–is that we’ve reached a point where this sort of thing passes for public discourse. I don’t expect Willard to address the real issues involved. I ‘d just like it if someone would either answer the question without tapdancing clogging for an hour, or tell everyone else to go piss up a rope. Anything but Jell-O mold faux-theism. If Romney had pulled a random six items from The Big Book of Really, Really Crackpot Shit Mormons Are Supposed To Believe, Really, and said, “Yes, I believe those, because I’m a Mormon,” I’d consider voting for him. That would have shown some character.
My gut feel is that a portion of Ron Paul’s appeal to some Republicans is that he is more of an old-style conservative – back when religion didn’t matter more than the real issues.
I mean, yes, Paul’s pro-life, but I guess I don’t see that as a solely religious issue. Of course, I know the parties are generally delineated by the issue …. guess I just disagree.
I don’t see the pro-life, pro choice division as solely a religious one. The critical factor, in my mind, is whether one believes that a fully human life is created at the moment the sperm touches the egg or at some later time. Religion can and does inform that belief, but it’s not the only way one can come to that conclusion.
That being said, organization of the pro-life movement seems to be done mostly by religious groups.
Oh, I don’t disagree there. I just think that if the Republicans are counting on religious conservatives to deliver them the 2008 Presidency, they’re in big trouble unless I’m completely mis-reading the “I Hate Hillary” sentiment.
Huckabee’s spokesman says that his faith and belief in peoples’ ability to change led him to advocate on behalf of a rapist’s release from prison. I’m sure the families of the two women subsequently raped and murdered by the guy will find some comfort in that.
Once again, I’m all for someone having beliefs or faith or whatever. But when that “gut feeling” smacks headlong into contradictory facts, I want my leader to engage the brain and use the facts to make good decisions. Mike Huckabee, in the Wayne Dumond case, wasn’t able to do that.
I hope that Romney being in the race will split the Republican party away from the religious right. I personally do not view Mormons as being Christian; although that is not the reason why I won’t vote for Romney. In fact at this point in my life I find myself being abandoned by the party I used to support.
I found his speech also to be to much “live and let live.”
If I got a peek at the golden tablets, I might be tempted to vote for him. Otherwise, it’s just more fables like the rest of them.
I’m waiting for one of his opponents to ask where the Garden of Eden was located.
Missouri, right?