Last week when I read an article that Senator Orin Hatch (R-UT) was spreading the word that Democrats would attack Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney on his Mormon faith, I wondered why Senator Hatch or anyone would believe that. Faith usually is not the make or break issue on the left, and it is rarely a tool for self-righteous assault. So why would Senator Hatch say “
"You watch, they're going to throw the Mormon Church at him like you can't believe." (http://www.politico.com/...)
I for one know very little about Mormonism, and I am little concerned of the faith of others. Mitt Romney would not get my vote because of his stance on economic issues, social issues and the fact that he is a flim flam artist. I honestly can’t tell you what I disagree with Romney on, because I honestly don’t know what he believes. He has changed his position so many times to placate the conservative base that he probably has trouble keeping real Mitt, and the Mitt he wants you to see separate. But, faith has nothing to do with it, character does.
I believe this is part of the Karl Rove strategy of taking your worst quality and transferring it to the opposition. Not that I am saying Mitt Romney faith is a detriment to his ability to be President, his faith has no place in the discussion on his ability to become President. Even for those who doubt this idea, the U.S. Constitution makes it quite clear in Article VI, paragraph 3
“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.”
The only article of faith that our founders found necessary for public office is the faith in the Constitution. However, I can understand why Orin Hatch and Mitt Romney would have fears that Mormonism would play significance in the general election, especially with their base. According to a gallup poll finding cited by Tim Murphy of Mother Jones
“18 percent of Republicans say they wouldn't vote for a Mormon for president” (http://motherjones.com/...)
After seeing these polls, a few others and following how divisive a subject religion is becoming in America, I decided to talk to a college friend of mine who is a conservative pastor. He told me that (Mormons) “are not Christian. At best, they’re Arians. Therefore they are in no way, shape, or form Christians” I for one don’t know whether or not Mitt Romney’s religion will make much of a difference with his base. The only way I see Mormonism playing a major role against Romney is if those 18% of Republicans decide to stay home. According to a Pew Poll from November 2011, 51 percent of Christians do not believe Mormons are Christian. If this will play a major role, I do not know. I hope it doesn’t. As far as my belief on the religion of candidates for public office, Thomas Jefferson said it best in his 1779 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom:
“That our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry,” (http://en.wikipedia.org/...)
I hope all Americans would vote for who they believe is the best qualified to lead our nation to prosperity, not lead our nation in prayer.