# Poll: Does Romney's Mormonism bother you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 8, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768 "2011-06-08T19:15:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/61 "2011-06-09T20:51:02Z")
I primarily care about political positions, and will always vote for the candidate who I agree with the most. I _never_ agree with their religion, being an atheist. But if I had to choose between a Mormon and a Protestant or Catholic, all other things being equal, I would not vote for the Mormon. It’s much more obviously false and scam-driven (at least in its origin) than the others. But I’d vote for a Mormon over a Scientologist, FWIW… ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/62 "2011-06-09T21:29:05Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Really? 60 people here (the largest # of votes so far) wouldn’t vote for Romney because of his religion? > > I always thought it bizarre that JFK’s Catholicism was an issue, but I brushed it off thinking “different times, different culture”, but sadly it seems that things really aren’t _that_ different. ☹ > > I wonder what the results would be to the question “Would you vote for a Muslim for President?” I wonder how many of the 60 would berate those who said “No” as being bigots, etc? > > I am not a Mormon, though I have been accused of being a moron. 😉 I’m one of those 60. The poll itself isn’t about Romney. The last option is ‘I wouldn’t vote for a devout Mormon.’ I find it incredibly unlikely I’d vote for anyone I consider a truly devout follower of any religion. The poll is flawed as to how people define ‘devout’ I don’t find Romney’s Mormonism to be particularly devout and wouldn’t have an issue voting for him based on his religion. I kind of feel anyone running for political office isn’t particularly devout, because they are devoting their time to something other then their religion. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/63 "2011-06-09T21:35:27Z")
His being religious at all bothers me, as I think it means either he’s awfully impressionable or he’s lying. Sorry, by the way, if that offends anybody. But since practically all politicians identify as as religious, I practically always vote for religious ones. Besides, I wouldn’t vote for him anyway. I am interested, though, in how much it will hold him back. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/64 "2011-06-09T23:43:42Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Whatever. I wouldn’t vote for a Catholic, either. They’re in tacit cahoots with child abusers and are anti-womens’ rights. No-go for me. Same thing with Muslims or fundies. None of that woman-hatin’, bigoted shit deserves representation in high office. I see you’re a biogt. > [@FriarTed](#): > > I answered “Some, but not enough…” since there are a few old-timey LDS practices & positions that do make me wonder, like the vow to avenge the murder of Joseph Smith upon the US & blood atonement. I’m only slightly more moderate than most modern LDS social-political positions. Of course if they’re going to avenge Joseph Smith’s murder they’ll have to dom something about the Mountain Meadows Massacre (9-11-1857). > [@boytyperanma](#): > > I’m one of those 60. The poll itself isn’t about Romney. The last option is ‘I wouldn’t vote for a devout Mormon.’ I find it incredibly unlikely I’d vote for anyone I consider a truly devout follower of any religion. > > The poll is flawed as to how people define ‘devout’ I don’t find Romney’s Mormonism to be particularly devout and wouldn’t have an issue voting for him based on his religion. > > I kind of feel anyone running for political office isn’t particularly devout, because they are devoting their time to something other then their religion. By that logic anybody who isn’t a preacher or a priest or otherwise a member of the clergy is not devoutly religious. As for myself while I believe Mormonism is a heresy and about as Christian as say Islam is, he is still the best candidate for POTUS as political office is not a religious job although it may require some sound moral judgement. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/65 "2011-06-09T23:51:03Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’m a liberal, and I have no doubts that Obama is pretty areligious. Politics requires politicians to pay religion lipservice. So you’re okay that you think he’s a spineless imposter who panders to the Evangelical left? > [@Munch](#): > > Interesting. Which book? I haven’t read either of them. _Dreams_. You can have my copy. My eyes bled from rolling them so much. > [@JohnT](#): > > Really? 60 people here (the largest # of votes so far) wouldn’t vote for Romney because of his religion? > > I always thought it bizarre that JFK’s Catholicism was an issue, but I brushed it off thinking “different times, different culture”, but sadly it seems that things really aren’t _that_ different. ☹ > \*\* > I wonder what the results would be to the question “Would you vote for a Muslim for President?” I wonder how many of the 60 would berate those who said “No” as being bigots, etc?\*\* > > I am not a Mormon, though I have been accused of being a moron. 😉 I agree with what I bolded. I’d be more inclined to vote **Ibn** in for political office than Zogby, but that’s because of personal political positions and perceived ethnocentric-ism, not one’s religion. > [@boytyperanma](#): > > I kind of feel anyone running for political office isn’t particularly devout, because they are devoting their time to something other then their religion. What do you think devoutly religious people do all day? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/66 "2011-06-10T00:29:30Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The hell of it is that he’s still a lot less scary than the rest of the GOP field. Oh no doubt. While Huckabee was still considering running I would have been more scared of him than Romney and the only reason I’m not afraid of Gingrich is I think he has a dog’s chance in Hell of getting the nomination. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/67 "2011-06-10T03:15:56Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’m a liberal, and I have no doubts that Obama is pretty areligious. Politics requires politicians to pay religion lipservice. I’m not liberal, and this is one of the things I actually like about the Obamas. I think it’s \*\*far \*\*more likely that our president is secretly an atheist than a secret Muslim, and I’m okay with that. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/68 "2011-06-10T06:04:11Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Of course if they’re going to avenge Joseph Smith’s murder they’ll have to dom something about the Mountain Meadows Massacre (9-11-1857). Hey. John D. Lee was executed for it. It’s all even! _L_ ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/69 "2011-06-10T06:14:56Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I’m not liberal, and this is one of the things I actually like about the Obamas. I think it’s \*\*far \*\*more likely that our president is secretly an atheist than a secret Muslim, and I’m okay with that. Well, there’s a tradeoff. Pro: Secret atheists are more rational, better dental plan. Cons: Secret Muslims get a cooler cult outfit and secret headquarters. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/70 "2011-06-10T06:29:00Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Whatever. I wouldn’t vote for a Catholic, either. They’re in tacit cahoots with child abusers and are anti-womens’ rights. No-go for me. Same thing with Muslims or fundies. None of that woman-hatin’, bigoted shit deserves representation in high office. [Yes you would](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10319816&postcount=20) ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/71 "2011-06-10T06:55:02Z")
It is, of course, possible that he’s changed his mind on the question between 2004 and now. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/72 "2011-06-10T07:38:09Z")
My opinion of his religion is a moot point, since there are so many other reasons not to vote for him. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/73 "2011-06-10T08:17:44Z")
Well, one of my best friends at one time was a devout Mormon. I might vote for someone like her. But it’s a question of what the other candidates are like, yes? For most offices, I wouldn’t much care, & Mormons might be less crazy than say, Calvinists, Dispensationalists, & Pre-Millennialists (shudder). But at some level I might be a bit leery. Wow, putting it that way, Mormons sound not so bad. Then I remember Prop 8. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/74 "2011-06-10T08:57:19Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The hell of it is that he’s still a lot less scary than the rest of the GOP field. His salesmanship scares me. He’s an apparent moderate, so could do some lasting damage. > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > As for myself while I believe Mormonism is a heresy and about as Christian as say Islam is, he is still the best candidate for POTUS as political office is not a religious job although it may require some sound moral judgement. I’m so glad that young people like you (or like me at your age), who don’t have enough sense to have developed sound moral judgment, are not making that call. Romney seems rather unsound to me. Granted, so do most of the rest of the conservative movement, in different ways. ---
**Author:** ![Imago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/85e7bf/32.png) [@Imago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/75 "2011-06-10T10:10:29Z")
As a quietly Pagan lesbian, I’d be afraid to see a devout Mormon (not sure whether Romney qualifies as “devout”), Christian, Muslim or even strongly conservative Jew in office. I mean, apparently there are places in America now where honest-to-god witch hunts are already being called for. ---
**Author:** ![Dietrich\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/76 "2011-06-10T10:30:56Z")
Like 63 others (at the time of this posting), I, too, would never vote for a devout Mormon of any political party. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/77 "2011-06-10T12:36:26Z")
I am surprised at these poll responses, with most of the respondents voting that they wouldn’t vote for him based on his religion. I thought our board was a little more progressive than that. If someone made a poll about Barack Obama and the majority responded, “I wouldn’t vote for Obama because he’s black,” there would be a board uproar to the likes we’ve never seen. [QUOTE=Imago] As a quietly Pagan lesbian, I’d be afraid to see a devout Mormon (not sure whether Romney qualifies as “devout”), Christian, Muslim or even strongly conservative Jew in office. I mean, apparently there are places in America now where honest-to-god witch hunts are already being called for. [/QUOTE] Cite? So not voting for a Pagan because she’s a Pagan: ignorant. Not voting for a Mormon because he’s a Mormon: perfectly fine. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/78 "2011-06-10T14:00:10Z")
> [@Imago](#): > > As a quietly Pagan lesbian, I’d be afraid to see a devout Mormon (not sure whether Romney qualifies as “devout”), Christian, Muslim or even strongly conservative Jew in office. I mean, apparently there are places in America now where honest-to-god witch hunts are already being called for. Cite? By politicians in office? Or by fundie nuts? ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/79 "2011-06-10T14:07:46Z")
The operative word in the OP, for me anyway, was “devout.” This suggests that the candidate is not just a member of the religion but is guided mainly by the beliefs of that religion, before anything else. > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > As for myself while I believe Mormonism is a heresy and about as Christian as say Islam is, he is still the best candidate for **POTUS as political office is not a religious job although it may require some sound moral judgement**. Bolding mine. This is what scares me about the devout. Their moral judgement is handed to them by a select group (the church) but they honestly believe that it is a universal morality. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768/80 "2011-06-10T14:23:03Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Cite? By politicians in office? Or by fundie nuts? Sarah’s Palin’s former pastor in Wasilla led literal [witch hunts](http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2008/09/palins_new_pastor_problem.html) in Kenya. There is video of him blessing her and giving a prayer to protect her from witchcraft. Palin is afraid of witches, thinks that humans and dinosaurs lived together Flintstones style, and believes that Alaska will be a refuge for the Left Behind after the Rapture. Bachmann belongs to a church which says that the Pope is the antichrist. Rick Perry says he believes that anyone who does not believe specifically in Jesus goes “straight to Hell with a non-stop ticket.” All of them are global warming deniers, all want to teach creationism in schools and all think that homosexuality is evil. Those are all far more crackpot beliefs than anything Romney believes, and they all want to legislate them. If Romney ever says he wants to force people to stop drinking coffee, I’ll get worried. For now, I see him as the _sane_ alternative to a field of religious nutjobs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-does-romneys-mormonism-bother-you/584768.md?page=5)