Mitt Romney's Mormon Secrets (article)

[siligut]

Commentary | In all the extensive media coverage of Mitt Romney, much of it discussing his religion, not a word have I seen about the secrets of Mormonism, the secrets of Romney's life-long beliefs and practices. The reason, of course, is obvious: nobody can talk about a secret unless they are in on the secret. And few journalists or Christian ministers or anti-Mitt politicians are in on the secret. Only Mormons know the secrets, and they're not going to tell. And former Mormons, like myself, who were initiated into those same secrets, and afterwards left Mormonism - we know the secrets. Should we tell?

Here is the most important reason that a Mormon should not be POTUS, that person would not have the countries best interests in mind:

The "law of sacrifice" requires them to "covenant to sacrifice all that we possess, even our own lives if necessary, in sustaining and defending the Kingdom of God." Mormons understand "the kingdom of God" to be the Mormon church.

The question for American voters is: knowing that Romney has taken this secret oath, that he is a faithful Mormon, do you want him to answer the question "Would you feel bound by your sacred oath to obey the law of consecration that you made in the endowment ceremony and use the power of the presidency to benefit the Mormon church?"

Should it make a difference to you, the voter?

Read the article, Richard Packham gives us an inside look into the secret/sacred Mormon temple rituals.

http://voices.yahoo.com/mitt-romneys-mormon-secrets-11070962.html?cat=9

[calimary]

1. Man, I hope this stuff starts coming out.

My husband has studied the Mormon faith and he is actually a bit frightened by the idea of a died-in-the-wool Mormon getting the presidency.

[siligut]

4. My hope too

Some people know it is weird but most people haven't given it much thought. The MSM certainly isn't giving it any airtime. I am with your husband, I am scared.

[DURHAM D]

2. A must read. nt

[Dawson Leery]

3. Sounds like Scientology.

[Aerows]

22. That's exactly what I thought

I knew some of those in Florida.

[qazplm]

5. as an agnostic

sorry but have a hard time finding Mormonism any less based on reality than any other religion.

[siligut]

6. I am agnostic also and I felt the same way until I lived in Utah

I didn't have to go to live in Utah, I went there for my job. I thought Mormons were just clean living people, who didn't like swearing. I was so wrong. I don't even want to make a stop-over in Salt Lake City, so I won't fly Delta. Once you know what you are seeing, it is quite scary.

[snagglepuss]

13. Thanks for the OP. Very informative article. Like you I have always

thought Mormons were just clean living people, who didn't like swearing. Shocking to discover how wrong I've been.

[siligut]

14. The church pays big bucks to project and protect that image

One has to really search for brave souls like Richard who will speak out. I dread the thought of the US being run like the Mormon church. The worst thing I heard from a Mormon higher-up about Mormons was that he believed that their methods were good because the Mormon people "think they are happy", not that they are happy, they just think they are happy. Insane.

[snagglepuss]

25. That quote about happiness is definitely creepy and speaks volumes

about the pressure they feel to maintain a facade.

[siligut]

27. "You don't have to avoid evil, you just have to avoid the appearance of evil."

You are so right. The same woman who told me about the magic underwear told me she was supposed to appear as a beacon of light. But what really got me was the statement that the appearance of evil was the no no, not the evil itself.

[denem]

10. Including the Jim Jones sacred path to sweet ecological harmony?

If you believe every belief system is equivalent, it's lucky you were not born an Aztec. Take up astrology and let the sun shine on everything other than gnostic secrets.

[eShirl]

7. How is that any different from the other authoritarian heirarchical religions/sects/cults?

Besides, there's a lot of fudge factor in any religion between words and actual deeds. AKA wiggle room.

[Johnson20]

8. Yes, yes

lets by all means attack people because of their religion. Caution: Slippery slope lies ahead.

[snagglepuss]

11. There is a big difference between attacking ideas and people. Nothing

wrong about criticizing ideas one finds abhorrent.

[siligut]

12. I attack Mitt because he is not qualified to be POTUS

His religion is a fact and he has sworn to be true to the church above all others. That is my qualm.

[nolabear]

9. What a world, what a world. Doesn't it just boggle the mind?

I mean, really. I appreciatre a sense of awe about the nature of creation and the desire to search for explainations for why we are here and how we came to be and the desire to develop an attitude about what happens to us when we die. But it always seems to go into the realm of "just swallow it" for the general flock and "how can we use it for power" for those who claw their way to the top. I will never understand how the flock can either believe or, probably more frequently, be afraid not to believe.

It is really interesting. And it has no place in government.

[Permanut]

15. Separation of church and state

is critical to the survival of this experiment we call the USA. Doesn't matter the flavor of the church. We are governed by the Constitution, not the Bible, or the Book of Mormon, or the Qur'an, Bhagavad Gita or the Dhammapada. The experiment won't work if these other sources are allowed to interfere. Just thinking out loud, I know this is pretty basic stuff on DU.

[siligut]

16. All just words to the republicans

They twist or ignore any words they don't like. I think it is basic stuff too and there is good reason Thomas Jefferson believed in it.

[SomethingFishy]

17. I don't see Romney "sacrificing" anything

I think I can find better reasons for him not to be President other than his Religion.

[FSogol]

20. Mitt sacrifice? Mitt wants us all to sacrifice to him and his cronies.

"Corporations are People, my friend." - Mitt Romney.

[karynnj]

18. Saying all Mormons should not be President is undemocratic and unAmerican

Would you also have said that Kennedy should not be President because as a Catholic he had to listen to the Pope? Would you say a Jew cannot be President because he would be required by faith to be loyal to Israel?

The quote that is quoted could be matched in the religious literature of any of the faiths. This is really not a direction we should even think to going in.

There are many many reasons to reject Romney:
- He has no core positions he believes in
- He lies so often it is sometimes not clear he knows he is lying
- Bain Capital bankrupted companies after milking them dry and outsourcing people
- He had so little compassion for his pet that he put him on the roof for 12 hours - even after he got sick.

Those are real - don't attack his religion.

[siligut]

23. Did you read the article?

He took a sworn oath to God over all others, upon pain of death.

[karynnj]

26. Yes I did

Look at your own prayers - if you belong to any church. I am very well aware of what Mormonism is. I have known Mormons I like and some I dislike. I have also read about Mormonism and have been to Salt Lake City. I am not Mormon. I am Jewish. I know that there could very easily be a thread like this pulling any of a number of statements from the the Torah.

I think that this is a very dangerous road you have taken in posting this. It is no different than the Southern evangelical voters against Romney because of his religion. This is not all that different than Sena Hannity and company arguing that Obama should not be President because he sat in Reverend Wright's church - where Wright's preaching was cherry picked to sound completely radical.

Before I voted for Obama, I voted for John Kerry. His religion, Catholicism, was questioned when Kennedy ran. I am more than comfortable with his beautiful descriptions of how faith has informed his values and his values inform his public service. Yet, Santorum's description of the same religion, is horrifying.

I think that it is wrong to rule out everyone who is linked to a specific religion and to say they are not fit to be President.

As to the article, would you believe 100% of what a disaffected Democrat said of his/her party?

[siligut]

28. I had some concerns about posting it, yes.

I knew some people would take your stance and I can understand why. I just know more about Mormonism than I care to and what Richard wrote rings true. That is why I posted it, if he is brave enough to publish it, I decided I am brave enough to post it. The Mormons I knew, told me they are like the mafia, they don't kill people anymore, they just ruin their lives if they get out of line.

If Mitt weren't Mormon, he still wouldn't be qualified to be POTUS, and being a faithful Mormon doesn't help.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

19. I really don't care what religion the President observes, the same for his/her sex life

All religions call upon adherents to believe in spiritual things that can't be scientifically proved. Mormons may seem weird mainly we've become accustomed to the weirdness of our own more mainstream religions. But if that religion's rules require that the President violate his oath of office to the Constitution and the people, I think we have a right to know what those religious rules are and how the President will resolve any conflict of interest. It's not something that would just apply to religion. If the President was a secret member of a crime syndicate, for example, that required him to pledge loyalty to it, like the Yakuza, the people have a right to know where the President's loyalties lie.

[siligut]

24. Exactly, this is why I posted the article

Romney took a sworn oath to the Mormon church. People need to know what that means.

[Aerows]

21. This sounds like

Scientology. Another pay-to-play religion. I wouldn't vote for Scientologist, having lived in Clearwater, I'm familiar with how weird they are.

The fact that Glen Beck is a Mormon casts enough shadow of doubt on the religion.

[Zakuska]

29. Diabolical plans of the Brainwashed Mormons

From the first post, He makes a fundimental error right off the bat:

Here is the most important reason that a Mormon should not be POTUS, that person would not have the countries best interests in mind:

The "law of sacrifice" requires them to "covenant to sacrifice all that we possess, even our own lives if necessary, in sustaining and defending the Kingdom of God." Mormons understand "the kingdom of God" to be the Mormon church.

The Mormon Church is the "Kingdom of God"? Really? Since when?

Brigham Young the second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said this concerning the Kingdom of God vs The Church of God.

They will ask, "If I bow the knee and confess that He is that Savior, the Christ, to the glory of the Father, will you let me go home and be a Presbyterian?" "Yes." "And not persecute me?" "Never." "Won't you let me go home and belong to the Greek Church?" "Yes." "Will you allow me to be a Friend Quaker, or a Shaking Quaker?" "O yes, anything you wish to be, but remember that you must not persecute your neighbors, but must mind your own business, and let your neighbors alone, and let them worship the sun, moon, a white dog, or anything else they please, being mindful that every knee has got to bow and every tongue confess. When you have paid this tribute to the Most High, who created you and preserves you, you may then go and worship what you please, or do what you please, if you do not infringe upon your neighbors." The brethren who spoke this morning had not time to explain these points, and I have only just touched upon the subject. The Church of Jesus Christ will produce this government, and cause it to grow and spread, and it will be a shield round about the Church. And under the influence and power of the Kingdom of God, the Church of God will rest secure and dwell in safety, without taking the trouble of governing and controlling the whole earth. The Kingdom of God will do this, it will control the kingdoms of the world. When the day comes in which the Kingdom of God will bear rule, the flag of the United States will proudly flutter unsullied on the flag staff of liberty and equal rights, without a spot to sully its fair surface; the glorious flag our fathers have bequeathed to us will then be unfurled to the breeze by those who have power to hoist it aloft and defend its sanctity. Up to this time we have carried the world on our backs. Joseph did it in his day, besides carrying this whole people, and now all this is upon my back, with my family to provide for at the same time, and we will carry it all, and bear off the Kingdom of God. And you may pile on state after state, and kingdom after kingdom, and all hell on top, and we will roll on the Kingdom of our God, gather out the seed of Abraham, build the cities and temples of Zion, and establish the Kingdom of God to bear rule over all the earth, and let the oppressed of all nations go free.

Young, July 8, 1855, in JOD, vol. 2, 317.

Well... so much for the Mormons minions diabolical plans and plotting to take over the whole world.