We know Romney flip-flops on the issues. But on his faith?!

Seems some Mormons are questioning whether their favorite son is softpedaling the LDS Church's core beliefs, so as to pander to the much larger voting bloc of evangelicals...

http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=03668296-424a-4878-bd95-209837a30815&p=1

Mitt Romney has a well-earned reputation as a flip-flopper. But it's one thing to flip-flop on your politics, and quite another to flip-flop on your faith. So it came as something of a surprise when, during an interview earlier this year with George Stephanopoulos, the presidential candidate disputed the suggestion that Christ would someday return to the United States rather than the Middle East. Mormons, he said, believe "that the Messiah will come to Jerusalem. ... It's the same as the other Christian tradition."

This was both technically correct and completely misleading: The church's position is that, while Christ will indeed appear at the Mount of Olives, he will also build a new Jerusalem in Jackson County, Missouri, (outside KC, where there is already a large Mormon presence in Independence -ed.) which will serve as the seat of his 1,000-year reign on Earth. Romney had conveniently neglected to mention this part of his church's doctrine.

Needless to say, his fellow Mormons were none too pleased. "Brother Romney is playing a little bit of a political game with his answer," one church official told Lee Benson of the Deseret Morning News--in a column noting that Romney's comment had "caused more than a few members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ... to scratch their heads as if to say, 'What the flip?'" Callers to a Utah talk-radio show lambasted the candidate for misrepresenting church teachings. And the Mormon blogosphere--known as the Bloggernacle--buzzed with discussion of the quote. One post on the blog Mormon Mentality condemned Romney for being "evasive," while another complained, "If he were so proud to be a Mormon, he should tell the truth."...

There's just one catch. Romney has vaulted to the lead in Iowa and New Hampshire largely on the strength of backing from evangelical Protestants-- historical adversaries of the LDS Church, not to mention competitors in the worldwide race for con-verts. Worse, Romney is winning evangelical support by talking about his faith in a way that downplays its differences with mainstream Christianity--in other words, in a way specifically intended to make Mormons' beliefs sound like those of their longtime tormentors. Such rhetoric cannot help but vindicate evangelical feelings of superiority. No wonder a small but angry minority of Mormons are souring on Mitt Romney.

The Bloggernacle!! :rofl: But seriously, they expect the Ken Doll to tell the truth?! He's running for the Repuke nomination! No truth allowed!

he might want to gloss over some parts. Someone should ask him what his take on Joseph Smith's golden plates is? And where are those golden plates, anyway.

Then he should have no qualms about defending it, regardless of whom it offends. He's just another politician who will use his beliefs as long as he can gain something from it, and when it becomes inconvenient he glosses over it. Just like a true hypocrite!!!

But I'm not surprised.

There is no "a" in the name.

That aside any church's doctrine is a hard sell - if it were easy everyone would have joined one church or belief already. Religion has no place in politics IMO.

Not meaning to stick up for him but Mitt is doing nothing here that all the candidates on both sides are doing - dodging the thorny issues.

As to the Golden Plates the angel Moroni took them back after Joseph Smith translated them. Thats why its a faith - either you believe it or you don't. No one should have to explain there personal spiritual path to run for public office.

I just pointed it out - and the rest of my post you ignored.

I usually reply to a post point by point - Ill stick it as a PS next time - thats probably a better way of pointing it out. I did not mean to flame you or derail this discution - Im sorry if I came across that way.

to run for public office---

Well said!!!!!! :applause:

belief regarding the Second Coming is the same as "other Christian tradition" when, in fact, there is some significant divergence. So it is a question of honesty on Romney's part. If he doesn't want to explain his religion he should not open the religion can of worms. And if someone else asks about it - he should just say that it is not germane to his qualifications and leave it at that.

Mormons, he said, believe "that the Messiah will come to Jerusalem. ... It's the same as the other Christian tradition."

Note the comments by fellow Mormons in the OP.

And that is part of the LDS faith. He will first go to Jerusalem - same as all other Christian faiths. I don't think *where* he will rule from after that is a "significant divergence" but rather an oddity that really does not change the core belief.

'Needless to say, his fellow Mormons were none too pleased. "Brother Romney is playing a little bit of a political game with his answer," one church official told Lee Benson of the Deseret Morning News--in a column noting that Romney's comment had "caused more than a few members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ... to scratch their heads as if to say, 'What the flip?'" Callers to a Utah talk-radio show lambasted the candidate for misrepresenting church teachings. And the Mormon blogosphere--known as the Bloggernacle--buzzed with discussion of the quote. One post on the blog Mormon Mentality condemned Romney for being "evasive," while another complained, "If he were so proud to be a Mormon, he should tell the truth."...'

As with many blunders by political candidates, the problem isn't what Mitt SAID, it is what he conveniently left UNSAID. Omission of important details that leaves a false impression when making an argument is just as dishonest as telling an outright lie.

just because Im a member does not mean I believe everything the church teach's - and thats true for all members.

Why can't he just stop with the Jewish carpenter who was nailed to a plank of wood, died, became a zombie, dropped down into a lake of fire, grabbed a bunch of ghosts (who were there because a woman believed a talking snake and ate a pear she shouldn't have 6,000 years ago) and brought them up into a cloud kingdom, and now sits up there, waiting to see if you believe this story?

Now where did that damn unicorn go?

The Unicorn Song
Shel Silverstein

A long time ago, when the Earth was green
There was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen
They'd run around free while the Earth was being born
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn

There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn

The Lord seen some sinning and it gave Him pain
And He says, "Stand back, I'm going to make it rain"
He says, "Hey Noah, I'll tell you what to do
Build me a floating zoo,
and take some of those...

Green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
Don't you forget My unicorns

Old Noah was there to answer the call
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall
He marched the animals two by two
And he called out as they came through
Hey Lord,

I've got green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I'm so forlorn
I just can't find no unicorns"

And Noah looked out through the driving rain
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling
Oh, them silly unicorns

There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Noah cried, "Close the door because the rain is falling
And we just can't wait for no unicorns"

The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away
That's why you never see unicorns to this very day

You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
You're never gonna see no unicorns

Jesus returning to Jeruselem... well, that's just good common sense.

Mormons sure are wacky.

A prophecy about the second coming of Christ and the destruction of the United States:
"Jeremiah's prophecy is more specific. It is the beginning of the national trouble to come on America, the British nations, and the democracies of north-western Europe! And, as both Jeremiah and Jesus were inspired to record - and also the prophet Daniel - it will be the most catastrophic time of national trouble that has ever struck any nation or ever will! Here is exactly how catastrophic it will be: one third of our entire population will die in the famine and disease epidemic!"
Herbert W. Armstrong, 1975 In Prophecy, p. 11