# Mitt Romney and his Temple Garment **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 14, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832 "2012-02-14T18:14:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![dorsk188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f05b48/32.png) [@dorsk188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorsk188)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/81 "2012-02-16T18:11:35Z")
Semi-related, but I’m not sure it’s worth it’s own thread. Please see [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=642041) for the debate about this topic in general. [**Mitt Romney’s family baptized Ann Romney’s atheist father into Mormon church a year AFTER his death**](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093241/Mitt-Romneys-family-baptized-Ann-Romneys-atheist-father-Mormon-church-year-AFTER-death.html) Incidentally, since only Mormons are allowed into their temples, Ann’s family wasn’t allowed to attend her wedding. I welcome this discussion about the particularly kooky, isolationist, morbid (and authoritarian IMHO) brand of Christianity that will hopefully happen in this country if Romney wins the nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/82 "2012-02-16T19:10:50Z")
> [@dorsk188](#): > > . . . > > Incidentally, since only Mormons are allowed into their temples, Ann’s family wasn’t allowed to attend her wedding. . . > > I welcome this discussion about the particularly kooky, isolationist, morbid (and authoritarian IMHO) brand of Christianity that will hopefully happen in this country if Romney wins the nomination. Two things. First, non-Mormons are allowed into temples before they are dedicated. In fact, tours are held at new temples for that purpose. After the dedication, only worthy Mormons are allowed into the temple to attend temple ceremonies. Ann’s family, if non-Mormon, would not have been allowed in the temple for her wedding. She chose a marriage for _time and eternity_ over one _until death do us part_, thus, she chose a temple marriage. Second. Your latter comment sounds similar to what they said should Kennedy win in 1960 with respect to his Catholic beliefs. I don’t remember there being a problem though. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/83 "2012-02-16T19:33:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > A noble sentiment, and in most cases I would agree. However, Romney is a devout member of a cult that openly represses and subjugates women, that routinely excludes minorities, and condemns and rejects gay rights. If he had not been a moderate governor of a liberal state, his adherence to a cultish religion that denies women’s rights and that displays bigotry in most of its forms, would and should raise serious questions about his ability to serve in the best interests of all Americans. Romney is a Catholic? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/84 "2012-02-16T23:26:45Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Romney is a Catholic? Funny. The difference is that most Catholic women don’t buy into it, at least in this country. The rabid Catholicism espoused by Santorum gives me the same reservations, however. I have no truck with religion, but the more extreme views make me very nervous. ---
**Author:** ![dorsk188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f05b48/32.png) [@dorsk188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorsk188)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/85 "2012-02-17T07:22:37Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Two things. > First, non-Mormons are allowed into temples before they are dedicated. In fact, tours are held at new temples for that purpose. After the dedication, only worthy Mormons are allowed into the temple to attend temple ceremonies. Ann’s family, if non-Mormon, would not have been allowed in the temple for her wedding. She chose a marriage for _time and eternity_ over one _until death do us part_, thus, she chose a temple marriage. First, why does it sound like you’re correcting me when you’re essentially agreeing with me? Second, Mormons believe a father and mother shouldn’t have the right to attend their own daughter’s wedding. Got it. > [@Morgenstern](#): > > Second. Your latter comment sounds similar to what they said should Kennedy win in 1960 with respect to his Catholic beliefs. I don’t remember there being a problem though. It’s entirely appropriate to question a candidate’s loyalty when they believe that the leader of their church receives direct orders from God. It’s entirely appropriate to question a candidate’s sanity when they believe patently ridiculous things. It’s entirely appropriate to question a candidate’s intelligence when they believe completely idiotic things. I don’t think you can be a good Catholic and a good president. Lucky for us, Kennedy was a bad Catholic. By all accounts, Romney is a good Mormon. Incidentally, why do I get the feeling the word “bigotry” is always on the tips of Mormon tongues? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/86 "2012-02-17T08:42:07Z")
> [@dorsk188](#): > > Second, Mormons believe a father and mother shouldn’t have the right to attend their own daughter’s wedding. Got it. Well, sorta at best. Staff report on Mormon weddings: > **[What’s the story on secret Mormon weddings?](https://www.straightdope.com/21342857/what-s-the-story-on-secret-mormon-weddings)** > > A STAFF REPORT FROM THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD Yes, there is such a thing as temple weddings. At the same time, “Afterward, couples often chooses to have a more public “ring ceremony,” outside of the temple, for friends and relatives who could not attend the temple ceremony. This includes much of the standard stuff that old college chums expect to see at a wedding.” Somehow, have 2 wedding ceremonies doesn’t strike me as a crime against humanity. > [@](#): > > It’s entirely appropriate to question a candidate’s sanity when they believe patently ridiculous things. It’s entirely appropriate to question a candidate’s intelligence when they believe completely idiotic things. Most religions have doctrines that strike outsiders as odd. All past Presidents have been public theists. Singling out Romney in this regard just looks like an expression of religious bias. The only thing that gives me slight pause is the fact that Romney was a leader in this particular church, which meant he enforced these rules to some extent. But frankly speaking all of this seems pretty far removed from the actions he will take while President. A better guide would be to look at the behavior of the Republican House and at the track record of George Bush when he worked with a Republican congress. Expect hyperventilation in Iran, budget busting long term tax cuts and attempts to phase out medicare. ---
**Author:** ![dorsk188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f05b48/32.png) [@dorsk188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorsk188)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/87 "2012-02-17T09:42:09Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Most religions have doctrines that strike outsiders as odd. Being secretive about your practices and beliefs while maximally defensive when faced with criticism is bound to make outsiders uncomfortable, and potentially hostile. As an outsider who has spoken to current and former Mormons, it seems that Mormonism is much less tolerant of dissent than other large organized churches, which, along with the plastic near uniformity that their public relations efforts, gives it a cult-like vibe. Mormons I have talked to seem to adopt an adversarial “LDS vs. the World” attitude that makes it difficult to have a conversation, but when you talk to them privately they have a list a mile long of all the problems with church hierarchy and doctrine and so on. You’re right, and I don’t mean to minimize all the weirdness of all the religions, but Mormonism, due to it’s particular history and particularly kooky and cringe-inducing practices, does not seem to integrate easily into broader American culture. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Singling out Romney in this regard just looks like an expression of religious bias. Oh, trust me, I don’t single Romney out. I’ll happily talk about Santorum’s contraceptive nonsense or Liebermann’s inability to use a phone on Friday or George W. Bush talking to himself or John Ashcroft being afraid of marble boobs or any other political figure with strong religious belief that affects their actions. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832/88 "2012-02-17T16:16:44Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > \ > > The key is knowing who the Enlightened People hate, you see. That’s how you know if man created god in his own image, when it turns out that god hates all the same people you do. :: D & R :: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romney-and-his-temple-garment/612832.md?page=4)