Here comes the Mormon?

Well it looks like Mitt Romney has won the Iowa Caucuses.   And that bring back up the question of - will the evangelical Christians, so heavily touted in the Republican party, accept as their candidate a Mormon?


As was discussed earlier in another post - Are Mormons Christian? the issues of acceptability will most likely play into a final decision by a large but indeterminate block of voters.  Not to mention if he goes up against Obama will the larger population have as big a problem with the religion of the candidate as they supposedly have in the primaries?


Ultimately, I don't think that the religion of a candidate should have much bearing on their ability to lead.  I do get that it's nice to know a candidate would turn to GOD for help if he feels overwhelmed.  I can also see the flip side where they are worried one would turn to GOD for every little thing, or their local ecclesiastical leader.

So unless they claim to be some kind of devil worshiping, human sacrificing type of person it really should not matter.  Though would it be a problem if the candidate claims to be atheist or that he believes in Tree worship? If one goes at least by the 10 Commandments found in the old testament and other scriptures of other religions, or some similar tenants then they should be OK.  But, I guess to some a few of the difference among religious sects is enough to turn them off.
Is it enough that a candidate not be Christian to be turned off?  That makes for an interesting situation when we get our First Hindu, Muslim or how about an Asian Buddhist candidate with serious potential.

Go here to get a good comparison chart on Mormons and Evangelical Christians. 
Evangelical Christian - LDS comparision chart


As you'll  notice most if not all of these so called "differences" would have any bearing on the ability of one to lead.  I'd take in account the honesty, integrity, and voting record of a person.  Now some of the weaselly candidates will do what is called a flip-flop in regards to an issue, since they might claim it was good at the time or that it is appropriate for just the state they represented.

Remember that there are times that the information available in hind sight lead someone to head in a certain direction they might not have later if the whole "truth" was known.

But, again does it matter that there is a difference of opinion on whether God the Father has a body and the ability of the person to lead?

This also brings up some sordid questions regarding the primary system used by the parties.  Do they bring to the top the extreme left and/or right wing types as candidates try and cater to the "Party Base"?  Republicans are always trying to look more "conservative" then the next in primary season.  Then they go the other direction and try to making themselves look more "moderate" when it comes to the general election.   How in the heck can they really do this?   I think many talk of the topics the "base" wants to hear and then in the general election they hope to heck to not have to deal with it or bring it back up.  Does not always work that way.


So the bottom line is this.  Does the fact that Mitt Romney is a "Mormon" (Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)  make him unelectable?

I guess only time will tell.  Though, there may be religious differences it should not be what we measure our candidates by!


Buaidh - NO - Bas