Mitt Romney: unelectable?

[nursebenjamin]

Does Mitt Romney's flavor of Christianity make him unelectable to the office of President?

[JohnPaul]

Does Mitt Romney's flavor of Christianity make him unelectable to the office of President?

Article Six of the United States Constitution states:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

So, from a legal perspective, Willard Romney's religion should not be a factor. It clearly is a factor however. Why is it a factor? Well, the best way to answer that question is to ask another question.

Would an atheist be unelectable in the US? If so, why so? You may find that the answers are identical.

Bob

All of the 204 people traditionally counted as 'Founders" of our country had sense enough to hold token membership in local Christian churches, mostly mainline Anglican and Presbyterian, but in actual fact a majority of them were Deists who believed in God only as an abstract impersonal creative and moral force in the universe, not the personal God of Christianity. In today's Christian terms, they would be called atheists.

John

[SailingCyclops]

.... In today's Christian terms, they would be called atheists. ...

Well John; in today's socio/politico climate, they would be considered heretics, traitors, terrorists -- Jesus would be considered a dangerous terrorist and likely assigned a sealteam-6 assassination squad all his own, and none of them would garner any public support, especially from the Republican party faithful. That's saying reams about how disgustingly far we have fallen as a nation, and how stupid, ignorant, and indoctrinated our low-information population has become.

Bob

[JohnPaul]

.... In today's Christian terms, they would be called atheists. ...

Well John; in today's socio/politico climate, they would be considered heretics, traitors, terrorists -- Jesus would be considered a dangerous terrorist and likely assigned a sealteam-6 assassination squad all his own, and none of them would garner any public support, especially from the Republican party faithful. That's saying reams about how disgustingly far we have fallen as a nation, and how stupid, ignorant, and indoctrinated our low-information population has become.

Bob

I generally agree, except for your one-sided slam at the Republicans. In my opinion, both parties are guilty. Politicians may come and go, but the inbred liberal infestation of our government has done more damage over the past 60 years, beginning with the destruction of the American public school system, replacing education with political correctness, and bankrupting our country with politically popular welfare handouts, than any Republican Bible-thumper or political-adventure foreign war.
However, I give you a grade of B+.

John

[RobertUrbanek]

A bit of political mysticism:

Mitt's father, George Romney, was president of American Motors, a company that eventually failed and was sold to Chrysler. Mitt Romney could become President of the United States of America, a country that would fail and be sold out to China.

[dianaiad]

Does Mitt Romney's flavor of Christianity make him unelectable to the office of President?

Mormonism is not a "flavor of Christianity". At least not according to this paper from the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry titled Is Mormonism Christian

See also:
Is Mormonism Christian?: A Comparison of Mormonism and Historic Christianity -- Institute for Religious Research.

Bob

Dear Bob:

CARM also has this to say:

"Roman Catholicism and Christianity are not the same thing. Christianity is properly defined by certain doctrines that are revealed in the Bible."

Given this, that the folks at CARM have decided to kick out of Christianity considerably over half of the Christian world, including the Orthodoxy which kept and grew Christian thought for close to a millennium before Protestantism got a real toe-hold, I think...just perhaps...we can ignore them.

As in...not a real good authoritative source.

Sorry.

But...nice try.

[dianaiad]

A bit of political mysticism:

Mitt's father, George Romney, was president of American Motors, a company that eventually failed and was sold to Chrysler.

Yeah...but not when Romney was in charge.

Mitt Romney could become President of the United States of America, a country that would fail and be sold out to China.

...Not by Romney. Actually, he's one of the two men running who has actually run successful businesses. (shrug)

However, his real qualifications for the job, (which include his business expertise, of course) include his ability to lead and to get people of very different backgrounds to work together.

And THAT is a direct consequence of his being LDS: specifically, an LDS Bishop and Stake President (compare the job to that of a Catholic parish priest and Bishop)

Of course, I"m biased--but not as much as one would think. There are quite a few LDS politicians I wouldn't vote for; all Democrat.

[JohnPaul]

A bit of political mysticism:

Mitt's father, George Romney, was president of American Motors, a company that eventually failed and was sold to Chrysler.

Yeah...but not when Romney was in charge.

Mitt Romney could become President of the United States of America, a country that would fail and be sold out to China.

...Not by Romney. Actually, he's one of the two men running who has actually run successful businesses. (shrug)

However, his real qualifications for the job, (which include his business expertise, of course) include his ability to lead and to get people of very different backgrounds to work together.

And THAT is a direct consequence of his being LDS: specifically, an LDS Bishop and Stake President (compare the job to that of a Catholic parish priest and Bishop)

Of course, I"m biased--but not as much as one would think. There are quite a few LDS politicians I wouldn't vote for; all Democrat.

OK, Diana, I'll take your word for it...as long as you don't use the word "revealed."

John

[dianaiad]

A bit of political mysticism:

Mitt's father, George Romney, was president of American Motors, a company that eventually failed and was sold to Chrysler.

Yeah...but not when Romney was in charge.

Mitt Romney could become President of the United States of America, a country that would fail and be sold out to China.

...Not by Romney. Actually, he's one of the two men running who has actually run successful businesses. (shrug)

However, his real qualifications for the job, (which include his business expertise, of course) include his ability to lead and to get people of very different backgrounds to work together.

And THAT is a direct consequence of his being LDS: specifically, an LDS Bishop and Stake President (compare the job to that of a Catholic parish priest and Bishop)

Of course, I"m biased--but not as much as one would think. There are quite a few LDS politicians I wouldn't vote for; all Democrat.

OK, Diana, I'll take your word for it...as long as you don't use the word "revealed."

John

What, you have a problem with revelation?

Well, be of good cheer. Mitt Romney doesn't claim to be a prophet.

[micatala]

It seems to me, with the second slow implosion of Gingrich, that Romeny is looking quite nominatable and I think that means by extension, he is also looking electable, even if he does have some hills to climb.

I still think he loses to Obama, even if unemployment is over 8%, but if I were a betting man I would lay something less than $10,000 that he gets the nomination.

[dianaiad]

It seems to me, with the second slow implosion of Gingrich, that Romeny is looking quite nominatable and I think that means by extension, he is also looking electable, even if he does have some hills to climb.

I still think he loses to Obama, even if unemployment is over 8%, but if I were a betting man I would lay something less than $10,000 that he gets the nomination.

Why in the world do you think he would lose to Obama?

Frankly, from the polls, etc., I think Obama would lose to a stuffed elephant.