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Mitt’s church shares Judeo-Christian American values. Rev. Wright’s doesn’t.
Of cults and Christians
This religious right Southern Baptist Christian gamecock from South Carolina now perched atop his Stone Mountain of Georgia roost was an early supporter of Mitt Romney in 2008 and thinks he would be a great president beginning in 2013.
Yet, Romney’s Mormon Church was founded precisely because its adherents disagreed with Protestants and Catholics on the doctrine of the nature of Christ (among many other doctrines) and specifically rejected being identified as part of traditional “Christianity”.
Moreover, one of the traditional definitions of a “cult”, before its modern day association with extreme and usually violent behavior after the Jim Jones group suicide, is that it adds to the canon. The Book of Mormon adds to the canon of traditional Christianity.
How could a Southern Baptist support a “non-Christian” for President of the United States?
Could it be because Mitt famously declared in 2007 that Jesus Christ is his “personal Savior”? No.
Many Democratic Party candidates make such declarations and attend churches that don’t add to the canon. Yet, many don’t share traditional Judeo-Christian values and/or most don’t favor conservative principles and support such policies based on same that work.
I don’t read hearts. That’s God’s job. I accept the word of Mitt Romney that he responded to John 3:16 like I have. To be a Christian in the sense of sharing eternal life, I accept him as my brother in Christ. One need not agree on theology to be saved. That is an individual matter.
But for an organized church to be lumped in with “Christian” churches, one has to look at the confession of the church and on that score, the Mormon Church is not Christian. And it is only in recent years that some lay Mormons have wanted to be labeled as such. Simply venerating Jesus “in some way” does not make up for adding to the canon and taking a radically different view of the nature of Christ. After all, Islam venerates Jesus in their texts. Must Muslims also be called Christians? Of course not.
I switched to Fred Thompson in 2008 and presently lean to Herman Cain or Rick Perry, whose Christian pastor friend’s recent ruminations on the above issues prompted this column. But my relative problems with Mitt visa vis other GOP candidates has nothing to do with his faith or church. It has to do with issue positions and trust on certain issues. That’s me and there are many like me down here in Dixie.
There are also many Republicans that, all things being equal, would choose a Christian candidate over a Mormon in the primary. But in the general election, they would happily vote for Mitt over a Christian that parked his butt in a pew at the feet of Reverend Jeremiah Hate KKK America Wright for 20 years and that, more significantly, wrecked the economy for the past 4 years.
It is liberals that are bigoted against Mormons and quite frankly, I have heard many conservative Christians often say that Mormons “are better Christians than Christians” based on their good raising of children and moral behavior.
I disagree with Mitt on some issues and don’t like politicians in general. But I respect him as a moral and competent man that would make us proud as the Chief Executive of these United States.
Mike DeVine
Editor - Hillbilly Politics
Co-Founder and Editor - Political Daily
Atlanta Law & Politics columnist – Examiner.com
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
More DeVine Gamecock rooster crowings at Modern Conservative, Unified Patriots, and Conservative Outlooks. All Charlotte Observer and Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-eds archived at Townhall.com.
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