# Some fair questions for Mitt Romney about Mormonism **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 17, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419 "2010-04-17T00:45:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/181 "2010-04-21T13:34:58Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > > [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > > > No, most Christians I think wouldn’t want the world to end tomorrow. > > Millions do. And while you have Google up, let’s see a cite for this as well. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/182 "2010-04-21T13:44:32Z")
Oh, good, [an easy one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture). ---
**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:** [April 21, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/183 "2010-04-21T15:32:04Z")
Yeah, that’s a pretty obvious one. Millions of people are into the Left Behind books, and all kinds of other endtimes fantasy bullshit. In fairness, I believe that **Shodan** is Catholic, and the Catholics generally _don’t_ go in for that shit, so he may be unfamiliar with how prevalent these endtime themes are within the protestant evangelical communities. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/184 "2010-04-21T16:46:05Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > LaVeyan Satanists do not believe in Satan or any other supernatural entities. **Curtis** is right about them to that extent. They are nontheistic. They don’t worship Satan (or anything else). They do believe in “magic,” but not in any kind of dark lord. I had friends .long ago who were into Lavey. They gave me a copy of his bible to read . It just seemed to justify hedonism. I am down with that. If people say we only go around once, so lets have as much fun as possible, I have no argument. As long as they don’t hurt others, what they do in private is none of my business. But I don’t recall and sacrifices or spending time with worship. I don’t recall them being a threat. I would look it up ,but a priest convinced my wife to burn the Levey Bible . She did. He even gave her holy water from Lourds to sprinkle on the ashes. Now, that was crazy. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/185 "2010-04-21T16:56:13Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Why bother? You will just claim it was made up deliberately or unintentionally misreported. And I may just be right again, as I am about this. Bill Moyers apologized to James Watt for the faulty quotation… [http://www.allbusiness.com/services/business-services-miscellaneous-business/4672379-1.html](http://www.allbusiness.com/services/business-services-miscellaneous-business/4672379-1.html) And I also accept your apology. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/186 "2010-04-21T17:07:51Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Oh, good, [an easy one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture). If you are responding to me, I was asking for a cite for what was claimed. Thanks in advance. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/187 "2010-04-21T17:14:00Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Yeah, that’s a pretty obvious one. Millions of people are into the Left Behind books, and all kinds of other endtimes fantasy bullshit. > > In fairness, I believe that **Shodan** is Catholic, and the Catholics generally _don’t_ go in for that shit, so he may be unfamiliar with how prevalent these endtime themes are within the protestant evangelical communities. I know lots of Catholics who believe in the end of times . These are mainstream ,go to Catholic Church on Sunday types. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/188 "2010-04-21T17:26:09Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > I know lots of Catholics who believe in the end of times . These are mainstream ,go to Catholic Church on Sunday types. Every Christian who takes the Creeds & the Bible seriously believe in some degree in the End Times- it just depends on how major an issue it is to them & how much they believe it is mapped out in detail. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/189 "2010-04-21T17:54:58Z")
I am not Roman Catholic. And the claim was made in connection with this kind of foolishness - > [@Der Trihs](#): > > After all, from their viewpoint dropping a nuke on someone IS saving them; if they deserve to be saved they go to heaven. And they constantly try to bring about the end of the world; Falwell spent years trying to convince Reagan to start a nuclear war so the the world would end. And a false quote about something James Watt did not say. So, we need a cite that millions of Christians want the world to be blown up in nuclear Armageddon tomorrow. And I’ve read the _Left Behind_ books - they make no such claim and do not constitute a valid cite. I get pretty sick and tired of this crap where liberal noses get rubbed in the truth over and over again and it still gets denied, whereas obvious bullshit gets a pass because it is anti-Christan. We have already seen that the Watt quote was a lie by Moyers or one of his gullible ilk. The allegation that Falwell spent years trying to convince Reagan to start WWIII is also a grotesque piece of fantasy. The idea that millions of Christians want people to burn to death in nuclear war is also a hateful piece of garbage. **Der Trihs** is making shit up (again). Cite it, or withdraw it. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/190 "2010-04-21T18:42:33Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Every Christian who takes the Creeds & the Bible seriously believe in some degree in the End Times- it just depends on how major an issue it is to them & how much they believe it is mapped out in detail. A couple of them babysat for my son for a week while we were on vacation. They had him scared about the days of darkness that they said were rapidly approaching. They dragged him down to see a church where the face of Mary was showing itself every day. They had a chapel in their home. They are college graduates and professionals. They have been friends of my wife for 40 years. She met them in Catholic School. Their kids attended the same Catholic school my son did. Main streamers to outsiders. You have to know them to find out the weirdness. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/191 "2010-04-21T20:16:42Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I get pretty sick and tired of this crap where liberal noses get rubbed in the truth over and over again and it still gets denied, whereas obvious bullshit gets a pass because it is anti-Christan. I can’t speak for anyone else, but at least in my case, **Der Trihs** doesn’t get called on his posts because he’s **Der Trihs**. There’s not much point to it. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/192 "2010-04-22T03:09:25Z")
When you get right down to it, I’m more concerned that Romney belongs to that other whackjob group… the GOP. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/193 "2010-04-22T06:02:35Z")
Do Mormons still think that Black people have the mark of Cain or whatever it was that justified discriminating against them until the 70s? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/194 "2010-04-22T19:53:41Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Do Mormons still think that Black people have the mark of Cain or whatever it was that justified discriminating against them until the 70s? It would seem ,that is to be understood , that if the church says we will no longer discriminate against women and blacks, they suddenly do not. All their history is gone. No criticism is possible . The Catholic Church did not officially approve boys getting molested. Therefore ,it does not count. Tell that to the kids. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/195 "2010-04-22T19:58:06Z")
[Blacks and the Priesthood in the Mormon Church | Recovery from Mormonism](http://www.exmormon.org/blacks1.htm) None of this matters anymore. Since 1978, all is well. Every single Mormon now believes all these teachings are false. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/196 "2010-04-22T21:45:58Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > [http://www.exmormon.org/blacks1.htm](http://www.exmormon.org/blacks1.htm) None of this matters anymore. Since 1978, all is well. Every single Mormon now believes all these teachings are false. But my question remains. Is it still doctrine that Black people are the descendants of Cain even though it is no longer cool to discriminate? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/197 "2010-04-22T23:22:20Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Well, let’s [refresh your memory](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=534291), shall we? > > Oh, having Black members serving as bishops and stake presidents isn’t treating them equally? News to me. > > I understand that for very many people, restricting the priesthood to males will always mean that the church isn’t treating women equally. That same charge is made against the Catholic church by the same people. > > I’m curious, though, **gonzomax**. Is it just the LDS you’ve got the hate on for or is it religion in general and this just happens to be the battle du jour for you? I have no hate for Mormons. I give them a hell of a lot less thought and consideration than that. But I see them as more flawed than most religions and weirder. I think a bit less of anyone who is strongly religious. I prefer to be rooted in Science and logic. But there is a hierarchy . Not all religions are as demanding of their followers as the Mormons are. I dislike oppression. I think the Catholics are wrong to limit priesthood to men. they have proven to all who can see what a terrible idea it is. Yet the Mormons did not learn that lesson. An all male ,unmarried priesthood has hurt the Catholics for generations. They keep paying for an old rule that proves it is harmful in so many ways. Yet they are too stupid to fix it. What does any religion have to offer? When a religion starts to recruit you, you can be sure they are after your money. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/198 "2010-04-22T23:41:31Z")
Mormons have an all-male unmarried priesthood? News to me! ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/199 "2010-04-22T23:48:11Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Mormons have an all-male unmarried priesthood? News to me! I seem to recall being ordained a Priest at the age of 16. I believe that had I gone on a mission or gotten married, I would have been promoted to Elder at that point. So, excluding the odd special cases and outliers… ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419/200 "2010-04-23T01:47:45Z")
In the LDS church, one doesn’t get ordained elder simply by virtue of getting married. It’s the other way around, actually. To be married in the Temple, a male must already be an Elder. I was taking issue with **gonzomax** ’s sweeping statement above. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-fair-questions-for-mitt-romney-about-mormonism/536419.md?page=11)