Mitt Romney and Mormonism

[wendybeth]

Isn't that an Oprah thing?

[JWBear]

Hey! I wasn't invited in to the Secret Society. I guess I've been snubbed again.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

So the general consensus seems to be that organized religions all have their skeletons in the closet. Some more than others.

Would you support an atheist for President of the United States?

Interesting question. Actually, if someone was a declared atheist, probably not. But that's because I've known too many proselytizing atheists who push their religion of non-religion on people. In other words, even atheism has its orthodox practitioners.

Now, would I vote for someone who didn't declare a particular preference for any specific set of beliefs but claimed they were at least spiritual, or who owned up to being a very casual practitioner of whatever their religion was? Hell yeah.

edit: how the hell did I end up putting a flamingo in this post? Bizarre. But cool. I think I'll leave it.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by Alex

Helen, I'd be interested in your answer to the first question you asked (if you gave it and I missed it, I apologize).

If secrecy in religion in an issue for anybody here, then is membership in other secret societies (such as the many masonic or masonic inspired organizations) a significant issue?

Secrecy in religion bothers me because I'm not sure you can declare that you believe in a particular religion when you haven't been told what you believe in.

Secretive organizations, on the other hand, are just cliques with a little costume drama. Joining a secretive organization is a bit different from declaring you believe in things you don't even know about.

[Alex]

Um...I'm not talking about the practitioners not knowing what there involved in but them not being willing to tell people not yet within the circle. Romney knows everything he needs to know about Mormonism; the question is whether he is open with other people about what those things are.

I'm not sure how being a half-hearted religious person is an improvement. I have more respect for people who realizing what they believe commit themselves to it wholeheartedly. I just thing they're wrong.

[BarTopDancer]

I'd vote for an atheist over a religious person if their qualities were the same. I don't vote down party lines and don't plan to start anytime soon.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by Alex

Um...I'm not talking about the practitioners not knowing what there involved in but them not being willing to tell people not yet within the circle. Romney knows everything he needs to know about Mormonism; the question is whether he is open with other people about what those things are.

Not quite what I was getting at. By the time people get to the inner circle, they've long since committed themselves to believing what they're told. And I wasn't really relating that to Romney in any way.

I'm not sure how being a half-hearted religious person is an improvement. I have more respect for people who realizing what they believe commit themselves to it wholeheartedly. I just thing they're wrong.

Not so much half-hearted as disconnected from dogma or perhaps willing to follow their heart when it differs from the religion they otherwise consider themselves as believing in.

[Alex]

Yes, but that is what I was talking about and you stated your post as a response to my question. So I figured I'd clarify.

[Jazzman]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Any time people start thinking that one political party is truly better than the other, I remember this classic clip from Richard Jeni (RIP). Better words were never spoken.

I know this is obnoxious, but I just had to quote this in honor of yet another genius gone too soon. Loved Richard Jeni. Platypus Man will always be one of my favorite comedy features ever.

[3894]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

The more people talk about their religious beliefs the less likely I would vote for them.

Apparently, candidates who are going to talk about religion, talk about it close to primaries. This is because those who show up to vote in primaries skew toward believers and even more than that, toward church-goers.