Today, Aug. 6, 2011, Gov. Rick Perry received the support of a major Texas far-right figure, then took the stage in front of hundreds of social conservatives at Houston’s Reliant Stadium.
Wait. Check that. Today is Oct. 7, 2011. Excuse the déjà vu, but we’ve been watching the 2011 Values Voter Summit, which kicked off today in Washington, D.C., with almost all of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates in attendance. That’s where Gov. Perry was, again using faith as a political tool to court voters, and again receiving the support of a major religious-right activist, kind of like what happened at the Response on Aug. 6.
This time around the support came from Robert Jeffress, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church out of Dallas. Jeffress endorsed Gov. Perry’s presidential bid early Friday and later introduced the governor for his VVS speech.
Jeffress is not unlike some of the folks we saw at The Response. He’s anti-Muslim, venomously anti-gay rights, and — in what would make a meeting with Mitt Romney really, really awkward — asserts Mormonism is a cult:
“Between Perry and Romney, we ought to prefer a born-again Christian. I think there are a lot of Christian voters who don’t want to appear bigoted, and so what they say to the pollsters is not necessarily what they’ll do in the privacy of the polling booth. And I frankly believe if Gov. Romney is the nominee, I believe Barack Obama will be the next president.”
Jeffress is par for the course for Gov. Perry and his willingness to associate with the fringe of the fringe. If you check out the people with whom he was more than happy to associate with for The Response, Gov. Perry’s acceptance of the Jeffress endorsement shouldn’t surprise you one bit.
Sure, The Response took place before Gov. Perry officially declared for president. But don’t expect Gov. Perry to disassociate himself from Jeffress and his extreme views now that he’s officially in the race. As a Perry spokesperson told ABC News:
“The governor doesn’t judge what is in the heart and soul of others.”
Another Gov. Perry spokesman later added that the Texas governor does not believe Mormonism is a cult.
“Another Gov. Perry spokesman later added that the Texas governor does not believe Mormonism is a cult.”
He forgot to say “…because this is Friday.” Who knows what his position will be next Tuesday? The answer my friends is tinkling in the wind. The answer is tinkling in the wind.
Yes. For a very long time, Southern Baptists and other conservative evangelical and Christian fundamentalist churches have defined the Mormon church as a cult. Whole scholarly books have been written on the subject, including a very fine hardbound edition that I read way back in the 1970s. However, here is what you might not know. These same sorts of books and evangelical/fundamentalist groups also define Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, and other such well known groups as cults.
Personally, I think the Mormons do have a cult, and they do have some doggone odd beliefs. I do not want to hose them down with a flamethrower like a lot of their enemies. But at the same time, I cannot go along with a lot of what they believe because it is just plain weird. If I were a sensible Republican like Dwight D. Eisenhower, I cannot say that it would stop me from voting for Romney.
Back in the 1970s, when I was in graduate school, I did a 30-page research paper on Mormon polygyny in the 19th century. My professor thought it was one of the coolest things he had ever read and badgered me to publish it in an anthropology journal. I did not submit it because I had too much other stuff going on. You know how hectic graduate school can be. However, I learned an awful lot about the Mormon faith in general as part of my research, and the local Mormon church center on campus allowed me to use this really nice in-house library that they had to do my research. If TFN does not mind, I will list some of what I learned during that research in a later post.
However, if a Mormon later visits TFN Insider, you will hear a large objection to my post. The Mormons intentionally like to keep a lot of what they believe unknown to the general public because they know it makes them look bad. They prefer to bring in potential new members, get them feeling cozy and too connected to leave, and then spring the odd beliefs on them. In fact, when the secret beliefs are brought out into the open, they have the same standard retort and deflection that the Christian reconstructionists have, “That is not true!!! We are just so misunderstood!!!” Read that as: “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. I am Oz the Great and Power…” Well, you get it.
Mitt Romney believes that an angel from heaven (named Moroni) visited young Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon faith, in the woods near Palmyra, New York, and showed him where to find a number of buried gold tablets. These tablets had writing on them, but it was written in some ancient foreign language. This writing was the text of the Book of Mormon, which we know today as the principal “bible” the Mormons use, along with the regular Bible that we all know. The angel directed young Joseph to translate the writing on the gold tablets into English and use them because the words are holy. To perform this translation, the angel provided young Joseph with special tools to translate the tablets. These holy tools from God were referred to as the Urim and Thummim. Today, we might think of them as X-ray eyeglasses or maybe the famous secret Ovaltine decoder ring.
The writing above is from memory of my past research. You can read more about the famous tablets at the URL below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_plates
Maybe I should stop this. If the truth gets out about what Romney believes, it could result in electing Perry as President of the United States. Yikes!!!
Mitt Romney believes that an angel from heaven (named Moroni) visited young Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon faith, in the woods near Palmyra, New York, and showed him where to find a number of buried gold tablets. These tablets had writing on them, but it was written in some ancient foreign language. This writing was the text of the Book of Mormon, which we know today as the principal “bible” the Mormons use, along with the regular Bible that we all know. The angel directed young Joseph to translate the writing on the gold tablets into English and use them because the words are holy. To perform this translation, the angel provided young Joseph with special tools to translate the tablets. These holy tools from God were referred to as the Urim and Thummim. Today, we might think of them as X-ray eyeglasses or maybe the famous secret Ovaltine decoder ring.
The writing above is from memory of my past research. You can read more about the famous tablets at the URL below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_plates
Maybe I should stop this. If the truth gets out about what Romney believes, it could result in electing Perry as President of the United States. Yikes!!!
Charles based on the history of elections & unemployment it’s at least 50-50 the next president will be a republican. One of the factors to consider is which of this field of GOP candidates would be most likely to protect America from the efforts of religious right to impose their retarded beliefs upon all of us.
Certainly Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann would not qualify on that front, they’re both authentic whack-job zealots. I doubt Rick Perry actually cares one iota about religion, I doubt he’s ever even opened the Bible (does he even know how to read?) but judging from the company he keeps – David Barton, the AFA – he would surely be surely be a disaster as well. While Romney is not an exciting candidate he’s talked about religious moderation, he’s refused to sign a couple of these asnine pledges and has generally come across as more moderate. I don’t think he’d expend any more effort to legislate Mormonism than John Kennedy did to implement Catholocism. My GOP preference would be John Huntsman, who is a really smart guy that happens to be a Mormon also, but Huntsman aside Romney looks to be the best of this bunch.
Thank you James. I pretty much agree with you. My purpose is not to make Romney look bad but just to inform about Mormon beliefs because it is probably going to become a big issue in the race at some point. Like I said, the fact that Romney is a Mormon would not prevent me from voting for him. However, I will say this. If there are still moderates left in the Republican Party (the famous boys with the cigars in the back room), it is my firm belief that Huntsman is the secretly anointed one to head the Republican ticket. The boys in the back room (as they always have) just have to wait for Bachmann, Perry, and the rest to make complete fools of themselves until no one who looks electable is left—then they trot Huntsman out as their hand-selected salvation. Historically, Republicans have never really believed in the primary process. They believe in having a trusted few preselect the candidate behind the scenes. You just wait and see.
Mormon Beliefs (Part II)
The Mormons believe that the Native Americans mounds in Ohio, Cahokia, Mayan temples, Mesa Verde, and so forth were made by prehistoric peoples who were called the Lamanites and Nephites. This is not to be confused with the Laminates and Neophytes. Supposedly, both were the descendants of Middle Eastern Hebrews who came to the New World in a boat. Interestingly, in Joseph Smith’s time, there were archaeological crackpots just like there are today (e.g., gods from outer space). One of the popular crackpot speculations of the time was that the American Indians were the descendants of the 12 Lost Tribes of Israel. With this fertile ground already firmly in place, it was just a very small step for Smith to conjure up Lamanites and Nephites.
As many of you know, I am a professional archaeologist (among other things). For a long time, the Mormons were rather heavy and reliable supporters of archaeology in the United States and Mesoamerica because they hoped it could substantiate the actual existence of prehistoric Lamanites and Nephites of Jewish origin on the soil of the New World. They even posited that the famous Mesoamerican legend of Quetzalcoatl, who was a white guy with a beard in the mythology, was actually Jesus himself on a mission to the New World. As a professional archaeologist, I can tell you that not a single shred of credible archaeological or biological evidence has ever been found that supports the notion that Lamanite and Nephite Jews were running around the New World shooting each other with arrows and building mounds.. It just plain never happened. All we have are Native Americans of far east Asiatic descent.
Also, thank the Mormons for their contributions to genealogy and Ancestry.com, regardless of their motives.
As for the ignorant Jeffress, I find the pot calling the kettle a cult quite amusing. The only difference between Evangelical Christianity and Mormonism is that at least we know who wrote the Book of Mormon; not so with the Bible. Otherwise, what’s the difference?
And what does the Constitution mean to Jeffress? Even though it has served our country well for 233 years the hucksters like Jeffress would no doubt claim the clause in Article VI, “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States,” does not apply to them because, at certain times and in certain circumstances that are completely at their discretion, the Bible, or rather their ludicrous interpretation of the Bible, supercedes the Constitution. But only when it fits their purposes. Otherwise the Constitution is sacrosanct and violators can expect to spend eternity with Lucifer.
It’s kind of like Fox News. When the Tea Party protests were all the rage they loved it, were 100% supportive. But this bunch protesting up in New York? Fox has labeled them “un-American.” Despite the fact that the right to assemble is guaranteed in the Constitution and is as American as mom, apple pie and high schoolers drinking beer on Saturday night.
Right you are Doc Bill. The Mormons have made enormous contributions to ancestry and genealogical studies. A friend of mine at work remarked on that a couple of days ago, but he did not know why they do the genealogy. Here is why.
Mormon Beliefs Part II
This one will frighten the heck out of Ben because it could actually happen to him—maybe already has happened. October seems like an appropriate month for it too. I could explain this one to you in my own words from my past research, but I found an excerpt from the folks at Wikipedia that would probably do it better justice. Here you go:
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a three-fold mission—to perfect the Saints, to proclaim the gospel, and to redeem the dead. That third part of the Church’s mission is the reason for Latter-day Saints’ keen interest in family history work. When people die, their spirits go to the “Spirit World” to await resurrection and judgment. In the spirit world, people retain their personalities and free will.
In the spirit world, the restored gospel [Mormonism] is preached to those who died without receiving it in mortality. Many of those in the spirit world accept the gospel, but without a body they cannot receive the ordinances necessary for salvation. The primary purpose of family history work is to obtain names and other genealogical information so that temple ordinances can be performed in behalf of deceased ancestors.
Work for the dead in temples does more than offer them the opportunity to be baptized (by proxy) if they choose to accept the gospel. On April 3, 1836, the prophet Elijah came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple. He conferred upon them the sealing power of the priesthood, making it possible for families to be sealed throughout the generations. (See Doctrine and Covenants, section 110:13, 14) This sealing together of families is another reason Latter-day Saints search for their ancestors. As they do genealogy work, they feel an upwelling of affection for their deceased ancestors and a desire to be bound to them in a family unit throughout eternity.”
Honestly, Charles, Mormonism makes about as much sense to me as any other flavor of Christianity.
Mormon Beliefs (Part III)
Here is where Mitt Romney is most vulnerable to public outrage if the Perry campaign asks the right questions at the worst possible time for Romney, live in a debate on CNN.
As many of you know, 19th century Mormons believed in having more than one wife in real life. The colloquial term is polygamy. The technical term in academia is polygyny. Brigham Young had 27 wives. The last one was unhappy with the situation, broke away from the Mormons, and wrote a “tell all” book that can actually be found in libraries today. She was not the only one that was unhappy. Conservative Christians all over the United States were outraged about it in the same way that they are outraged by gay marriage today. Several thumbs down books were written on the subject. I remember from my research years ago that one such book was entitled “Mormonism: America’s Islam.” How timely. Just to put things in their proper perspective in America history, the current protect the sanctity of marriage movie is actually just a rerun of a much earlier movie that dates back to the late 1800s.
The federal government basically told the Mormons that they had to give up polygyny if that wanted statehood. They did want statehood. They did give it up as requested. Those that did not want to comply ran off to the Arizona boonies and did the Warren Jeffs maneuver. However, the folks in Utah had a card up their sleeves that allowed them to ditch polygyny for a time in this mortal life but continue it in an alter state of existence.
Mormons believe that you can be married for “both time and eternity.” That is precisely the way they express it. So here is the deal. Today the Mormons still believe strongly in polygyny just as they always did. Every man must take many wives. Here is how they do it. They are allowed to have one wife only in “time.” That is the one wife you are married to in this mortal life just like most other people. However, you are also allowed to marry numerous wives in this life for “eternity only.” You cannot live with them domestically in this life, and as far as I know you cannot have sex with them. That would be illegal. All that has to wait until the afterlife. However, in special ceremonies in the bowels of the temple in Salt Lake City and probably in other Latter Day Saint churches around the world, special marriage ceremonies are conducted to bind living Mormon men to living Mormon women into marriage for eternity only. So, if I were a devil like Karl Rove, this is the precise question I would have Mr. Perry ask to Mr. Romney on stage in a CNN debate:
“Mr. Romney. I know that you are a Mormon and that you follow the Mormon faith. You are married for both time and eternity to your lovely wife Ann. Can you please tell us how many wives you have married already for eternity only—and please tell us how many of your eternal wives are now-living adolescent and pre-adolescent girls.”
The Romney campaign ends in a single stopped heartbeat right there.
I know that Ben. I just thought you might object to the fact that the Mormons may have already secretly baptized you and applied several other church rituals to your person in the manner known yo you and me as “double-secret probation.” I checked the Mormon genealogical records on-line just this morning. They have my dad in there!!! To the best of my knowledge ,we do not have and never have had any type of Mormon in our nuclear or extended families across the past 180 years.
Mormon Beliefs (Last One)
Mormons really do believe that they will spiritually progress to the point where they will become Gods (including over their own planet or even universe). They believe that the God in the Bible (Jesus’s Heavenly Dad) was at one time a son who also had a Father. He got to be God over the Earth and the rest of our known universe or dimension by going through the same spiritual process that each mortal Mormon goes through today. Therefore, If Mitt Romney does become President of the United States, it will look really good on his resume in Heaven:
“Do I have experience in running planets? Why, yes!!! When I was President they often referred to me as the ‘most powerful man on Earth.’ So, you see, I already have important executive experience in guiding and running planets.”
All that religious stuff aside. I think the Christian fundamentalists and wingnut evangelicals will hound Romney’s religion day and night until there is nothing left of him but a little bubbling puddle.
At this point anyone who does not want Perry or Romney or some even worse right-wing nut to be President, what you need to worry about is how hard the Teapublicans have been working at disenfranchising poor, minority, and student voters who strongly supported Obama last election. If they can succeed at doing this, it may not matter who gets the nomination (except maybe for Bachmann or Cain). As crazy as Mormon beliefs are, Romney would still be least offensive and detrimental to secular or progressive Americans.