Mormon Mentality - Thoughts and Asides by Peculiar People

By bbell

Jun. 7th, 2011 at 3:39 pm

Recently an evangelical named Warren Cole Smith wrote a simply silly editorial about how evangelicals could not vote for a Mormon. Church Spokesman Michael Otterson wrote a simply fantastic reply in the Washington Post. See the article here http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/post/evangelicals-mormons-and-the-beliefs-of-the-president/2011/06/07/AGnGX8KH_blog.html

The part that I agreed the most with was that Mormons are happy to vote for candidates of almost any religious flavor as long as they approve of the candidates positions and conduct themselves properly.

Currently I am represented by a conservative Episcopalian in Congress. My two senators are Church of Christ and Episcopalian and my Governor is a Methodist. I don’t think I have ever voted for a Mormon in my entire life for any elected office and I have been voting since 1992.

Contrast that with many of Warren Cole Smith’s comments and some of his evangelicals that feel the same way.

1. a random John

Tue, Jun 7, 2011 @ 4:22pm

I agree that Otterson did really well this time. There needs to be more discussion both in the Church and in broader society of how religion informs but does not dictate political views. Just because I live the word of wisdom doesn’t imply that I think the sale of alcohol, tobacco, or coffee should be banned.

2. Melissa

Tue, Jun 7, 2011 @ 6:16pm

Otterson’s response is great, but I wouldn’t call Smith’s editorial silly. I can see where it makes some sense coming from the the other side.

3. Chino Blanco

Tue, Jun 7, 2011 @ 10:26pm

I hope someone forwards Otterson’s piece to Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz.

Brother Schultz recently publicly called on fellow Mormon Jon Huntsman Jr. to “explain why he is distancing himself from his Mormon faith.”

Does Huntsman really owe you (or anyone else) that explanation, Matt? Sheesh. You’re Mormon yourself, but here you are behaving as badly as the evangelicals Otterson is complaining about.

4. ExMoHoMoDon

Tue, Jun 7, 2011 @ 11:40pm

I wouldn’t withhold my vote from someone who is a Mormon. Show me an honest Mormon who believes in the Constitution–even the 14th amendment–and states unequivocally that even homosexuals are entitled to equal protection under the law, and I will vote and campaign for them. Actually, Harry Reid did just that–but I can’t vote for him because I don’t live in Nevada. Beyond that–Mitt will and has taken every position at some point in his career. He however, will be done in by the right wing religious crazies like Smith, Huckabee etc. regardless of his changing positions.

5. MCQ

Tue, Jun 7, 2011 @ 11:55pm

Schultz is just pissed off that Huntsman is skipping the Iowa Caucuses. He’s hitting Huntsman below the belt because he’s angry about Huntsman’s dumb decision. Huntsman is not starting off his campaign in a very stellar fashion, and he deserves to be called to account for skipping the Caucuses. Talking about his stance on his faith was probably a step too far, but in context, it seemed not too far off the mark. Here’s what he said:

“Apparently, Huntsman believes that he will not get a fair shake in Iowa because he opposes ethanol subsidies. In my opinion, this excuse seems to have as much credibility as “the dog ate my homework.”

“It is apparent that Mr. Huntsman is in need of a lesson in Iowa politics. Iowa is a bellwether state. We care about our families, our faith and our freedom. We are not single-issue voters. We just want to know how presidential candidates are going to make our country better. Hopefully Mr. Huntsman will change his mind and come to Iowa and explain how he plans on fixing the problems facing our country.

“Iowans look forward to the opportunity to hear Mr. Huntsman’s vision for America. We will listen to him explain his support for Cap and Trade. We will listen to him explain why he took more than one billion dollars in federal stimulus money. We will listen to him explain why he wants to replace his former boss, Barack Obama. We will listen to him explain why he is distancing himself from his Mormon faith. Mr. Huntsman should know that Iowans elected me as their Secretary of State and my Mormon faith was never an issue.”

6. MCQ

Wed, Jun 8, 2011 @ 12:03am

Smith’s article was ridiculous and Otterson’s not the first or only Mormon to call him on it. Joanna Brooks did a good job in an interview of Smith pointing out the same things.

I liked Otterson’s response but in some ways it seemed overkill. I think most reasonable people recognize that Smith’s article was generally motivated by simple bigotry. Often the best response to that is silence. The evangelicals who are of the same mind as Smith will not be convinced by anything Otterson says, but a thoughtful response may be important symbolically.

7. a random John

Wed, Jun 8, 2011 @ 1:07am

Huntsman is skipping Iowa because he’s running for 2016. Frankly, Iowa’s sense of entitlement is obnoxious and smells of corruption. Every four years people get fired up about reforming the obviously unfair primaries and then nobody cares for 3.5 years.

8. John Mansfield

Wed, Jun 8, 2011 @ 10:35am

I thought Iowan Schultz’s defense of the Iowa caucuses was cute. It takes work to keep the country caring who Iowa wants as the nominee, and doing some of that work is required of a good Iowa politician. Schultz saw someone showing a bit of disrespect, which if left unchecked could led to the nation caring about the Iowa caucuses of 2016 as little as it did before 1976, and he thought “Here’s my chance to sound off as a patriotic Iowan.” Congratulations on seeing your opportunity and doing with it what you could, Matt Schultz.

9. Nick Literski

Wed, Jun 8, 2011 @ 2:46pm

Here’s Otterson’s best part:
“What it seems you would like me and six million other Mormons in the U.S. to do is concede a fundamental right granted to all Americans because we don’t fit within your definition of what is theologically acceptable. Fortunately, that’s not what the Constitution says, and it’s not what America teaches. I should hope that I can sit one of my grandchildren on my knee and tell them that in our religiously diverse society they are as good as anyone else, and that they will be judged by the fruits of their lives and not by discriminatory interpretations of their faith.</i?

He just needs to substitute "gays and lesbians" for "Mormons," and he's successfully put his own church's political activism to shame!

10. Nick Literski

Wed, Jun 8, 2011 @ 2:50pm

He just needs to substitute “gays and lesbians” for “Mormons,” and he’s successfully put his own church’s political activism to shame!

11. ExMoHoMoDon

Thu, Jun 9, 2011 @ 12:55am

Random#1 I wonder if likewise you could say that you oppose same sex marriage (if you do) but don’t think that it should be outlawed? In that case, I will vote for you.

12. a random John

Thu, Jun 9, 2011 @ 1:53pm

ExMoHoMoDon,

I support legalization of same sex marriage and think it is a very Mormon position to do so. Again, my religion informs but does not dictate my political positions.

13. ExMoHoMoDon

Mon, Jun 13, 2011 @ 2:48am

While I obviously agree with your position, its gotta be a lonely place to be.