February 1, 2012 at 1:33pm
How much do we need to know about political candidates' personal lives and beliefs?
Does it matter whether candidates subscribe to a particular religious faith? And if a candidate is active in a particular religious organization - and is a substantial donor - how much do we need to know about that faith?
I'm wrestling with questions like that after reading Frank Rich's "Who in God's Name Is Mitt Romney?" in the current New York Magazine.
I think a Romney presidency would be terrible for the country. I've been a big Rich fan, and I've been happy to see his long, tough articles in New York since he left the New York Times. But "Who in God's Name" has me worried.
The article begins promisingly enough, quoting people familiar with Romney who say they're not really sure who he is. Rich also cites Romney's history of changing his stand on important issues: often changing it abruptly. This is important; there's a difference between changing your opinion about something because you've learned more about it and changing your opinion because it's politically expedient.
Romney's flip-flopping, as his opponents have labeled it, makes it hard for us to know what kind of president he would be, what principles he would stand on.
But Rich finds something else troubling about the mystery that is Mitt Romney.
Here's the subtitle for the article: "His greatest passion is something he's determined to keep secret."
That "greatest passion," according to Rich, is Romney's church, the Mormon Church.
Romney has been reluctant to talk much about his religious faith and his church. That, according to Rich, "leaves you wondering what he is trying to hide."
Romney has said that his faith is important to him, and that he tries to live by its values. Rich's article is accompanied by a sidebar, "Mitt on Mormonism," with a selection of Romney quotes on his faith. Among them is this: "My faith believes in family, believes in Jesus Christ. It believes in serving one's neighbor and one's community. It believes in military service. It believes in patriotism; it actually believes this nation had an inspired founding."
Some of us will embrace all of those beliefs; some of us will not. But there's nothing shocking or subversive about any of them.
The Mormon Church used to embrace polygamy; it does not now. My own religious denomination, Presbyterian, has a dreadful history of ostracizing gays and lesbians. The Catholic Church won't ordain women - and the history of child abuse by its clergy is well known.
You can find unconscionable teachings and behavior in many religions. So what does Rich want? For all candidates to be atheists?
Has Romney helped fund, directly, the Mormon Church's anti-gay, anti-abortion-rights activities? Maybe, and maybe it's important that we know. But Romney has already made his own sentiments - anti-gay, anti-abortion rights - known. That, I think, is more important than his membership in the Mormon Church.
Romney has been reluctant to talk about his faith. Many of us are, including me. Open expressions of faith, frankly, tend to make me a little twitchy. For many of us, religious faith is an intensely private matter, so I'm not going to hold Romney's reluctance against him.
And I worry that insisting that he be more open - "wondering what he has to hide" if he isn't - feeds a dangerous suspicion and hostility toward non-mainstream religions.
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Comments for "Frank Rich, Mitt Romney, and religion" (8)
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Legion said on Feb. 01, 2012 at 4:23pm
Romney has said several times that he is not the spokesman for his church. If you want to know more about the Mormon religion please go to www.mormon.org
Troll Whisperer said on Feb. 01, 2012 at 7:49pm
"So what does Rich want? For all candidates to be atheists?" Yeah, pretty much. Thanks for this essay, Mary Anna. There are those, who won't vote for Romney but nonetheless endorse his being in the race, to dispel the type of religious bigotry exemplified by Rich (and Maher and others). All fundamentalism is bad - including secular fundamentalism.
777denny said on Feb. 02, 2012 at 2:42am
Mr. Obama was NOT vetted properly and neither is Mr. Romney, since I cannot find stories about his Mormon church and how it supports the PLO over Israel and posthumously baptizes mass murderers like Hitler and his henchmen, Communist dictators and other mass murderers before billions of other "Gentiles." Does Mr. Romney want to own his very own planet one day as Mormonism teaches, while also demanding utter and absolute obedience to their "death vows" of silence about Tabernacle requirements on how to own your own planet. It is one thing to have a Mormon to just about anything OTHER than be POTUS, since their religion and their role with Israel and the claims they make about their inheritance there are questionable at best, and downright dangerous at most. And at this point, it looks as if Rick Santorum, instead of wanting to lead the Conservative movement to defeat RINO Romney, is now only ensuring that Conservatives have NO REAL VOTE this year. History may prove to be very rough on Rick Santorum, since he may well cost the Conservative movement any real chance at beating Obama and getting off the current road to Hell America is on. Thanks for nothing, Santorum!!! Go Newt!!!
Troll Whisperer said on Feb. 02, 2012 at 2:50pm
Go Newt indeed - the Democratic party's dream! I especially love the ad featuring the kids* from his first wife, attacking his second wife, to defend his third wife. Family values all the way!
*The kids he wouldn't pay child support
EmJayEn said on Feb. 02, 2012 at 8:36pm
"The road to Hell"? Is that one of those old Bing Crosby and Bob Hope pictures?
ClydeZ said on Feb. 04, 2012 at 4:14am
Typically I would not necessarily want to know about a candidates religious beliefs; however, I did want to know specifically about Jeremiah Wright when allegations were made that President Obama attended his church. It was implied that Rev. Wright some things to say about whites that might have been offensive. Well, Mormons have a belief about blacks and other people with dark skin. I need to know what his religion preaches or has preached. Rich makes the point that Romney was 32 years old when Martin Luther King was murdered and Romney was a member of a church that didn't permit blacks to became priest. No one knows his position on Martin Luther King or the churches position. Let us hear from the man who wants to be president of all the people.
Troll Whisperer said on Feb. 04, 2012 at 11:05am
Romney was born in '47 and was 21 - not 32 - when King was murdered in '68. Rich makes the point that it was not until the late 70s, when Romney was in his 30s, did LDS grant Black people full status in their church. I'm not really sure what Rich is saying in terms of this, except is has the odor of guilt by association.
joel said on Mar. 08, 2012 at 6:54pm
For me it is not important what religious group the president has. What important is how he will do his job. If romney is gonna the president im sure he would let his church be involved in his administration. And I know for sure the mormon church wont dictate romney what to do.
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