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Title: Romney: 'Freedom requires religion'
Source:
CNN
URL Source: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/06/romney.speech/index.html
Published: Dec 6, 2007
Author: Kristi Keck
Post Date: 2007-12-06 12:39:47 by Alan Chapman
Keywords: None
Views: 2097
Comments: 59
White House hopeful Mitt Romney said religious liberty "is fundamental to America's greatness," in his Thursday address on faith in America. Romney, seeking to become the first Mormon president, explained how his faith would affect his presidency in his speech at former President George H. W. Bush's presidential library at Texas A&M University. "There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders," Romney said. "Freedom requires religion, just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone," he said. The former Massachusetts governor delivered the speech to address religion's role in government as well as concerns voters might have about the Mormon religion. CNN contributor Bill Bennett said he wasn't sure that Romney addressed those concerns, "but I don't think he had to." Bennett said the speech was one that any of the Republicans and most of the Democratic candidates could have given. Another CNN contributor, Roland Martin, said the setting for the speech was a good one -- "in the heart of the Bible Belt." Romney spoke before a crowd of about 300 people: a combination of friends, family and religious and conservative leaders. "I think he was saying, 'I am a person of faith, forget which faith it is,' " Martin said. The GOP contender, who had brushed off comparisons to John F. Kennedy's famous address, didn't hesitate to mention the 1960 speech. "Almost 50 years ago another candidate from Massachusetts explained that he was an American running for president, not a Catholic running for president," Romney said. "Like him, I am an American running for president. I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith." Kennedy took the stage in Houston, Texas, and addressed concerns that the Vatican would influence his policies. Like Kennedy, Romney told the audience that his church would not influence his presidential decisions. Romney said he did not "confuse" religion and politics as governor and he would not do it as president. "If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States," he said. Romney, however, said he would not distance himself from his religion. "I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers -- I will be true to them and to my beliefs," he said, adding that if his faith hurts his candidacy, "so be it." Romney avoided explaining differences in his church's beliefs and other faiths. "Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree," he said. "No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes president he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths," he said. Romney instead pointed to similarities between churches in America, saying they share a "common creed of moral convictions." Romney said he thought some have taken the idea of separation of church and state beyond its original meaning by trying to remove any acknowledgment of God from the public arena. "It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America -- the religion of secularism. They are wrong," he said. Nearly 77 percent of those questioned in an October CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll said the fact that a candidate is a Mormon would not be a factor in the way they vote for president. But a significant portion -- 19 percent -- said they are less likely to vote for a Mormon. "Those who have the biggest problem supporting a Mormon are churchgoing and evangelical Christians -- particularly those who believe that Mormonism is not a Christian religion," Schneider said, citing the October poll. And that also represents a large portion of the Republican base. Romney faces a different religious climate than Kennedy, who wasn't viewed as a prominent player in Catholic circles. Kennedy told the Texas crowd, "I am not the Catholic candidate for president. I am the Democratic Party's candidate for president who happens also to be a Catholic." "Non-Catholics expected Kennedy to say his faith would make no difference, which is hardly what today's Republican Christian conservatives want to hear," religion reporter Dick Ostling said in an interview with ReligionWriter. Romney, however, is active in his church. At age 19, he became a full-time missionary of the Mormon church, temporarily leaving college to fulfill a Mormon calling and eventually becoming the equivalent of a bishop. Romney later made a fortune in the business world, and played a big role in the financial success of the 2002 Olympic winter games. In 2002, he defeated the Democrats and became governor of traditionally liberal Massachusetts. In 1960, Kennedy was already the Democratic Party nominee when he made his famous speech. Romney, on the other hand, has yet to seal his party's nomination. He is still vying for his party's vote, and the evangelical Christian vote in particular, which some say puts him in a more difficult position than Kennedy. "Romney will address deeply committed religious Republicans and tell them, 'My values are the same as yours, even if we belong to different churches,' '' Schneider said. advertisement Brushing off differences between Mormons and other Christians is not the best campaign strategy, according to Ostling in RW. "Better to candidly admit there are differences but these should not affect voting decisions," Ostling told RW. "The more effective plea is tolerance, asking voters to follow the spirit of the Constitution's ban on any 'religious test' to hold public office."
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#1. To: Alan Chapman (#0)
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
"religious freedom" and "religious tolerance" and a ban on religious oaths brought us this: http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0915/p12s01-lire.html and this: http://members.aol.com/TestOath/12secular.htm#t23 [btw, note: "...While God claims total jurisdiction and immediate authority over every area of our lives, the Tempter-Court has said, "Ye shall be as gods"...." - that's what Mormons teach.] and this: http://www.cephas-library.com/nw...ts_will_replace_ours.html Mormonism is Masonic and Freemasonry is Jewish. This country was founded with a cross and a dedication to spreading the gospel. Mormonism preaches another Jesus. 2Cr 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ. 2Cr 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2Cr 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him]. freedom doesn't require "religion"....it requires faith in Jesus Christ:
This country was founded with a cross and a dedication to spreading the gospel. That's a myth spread primarily by Christians. The faulty line of reasoning asserts that if the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation then Christians are justified in using State force to finance, proliferate, and impose Christian dogma. ...freedom doesn't require "religion"....it requires faith in Jesus Christ Freedom requires only a repudiation of collectivism. It doesn't require faith in imaginary characters.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
Noun 1. deist - a person who believes that God created the universe and then abandoned it Franklin was a Deist but I could not find anything from him calling religion a scam.
Wasn't ancient Athens free? It certainly lacked faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, I wonder if Romney would be willing to call what it had "religion".
To reason, indeed, he was not in the habit of attending. His mode of arguing, if it is to be so called, was one not uncommon among dull and stubborn persons, who are accustomed to be surrounded by their inferiors. He asserted a proposition; and, as often as wiser people ventured respectfully to show that it was erroneous, he asserted it again, in exactly the same words, and conceived that, by doing so, he at once disposed of all objections. - Macaulay, "History of England," Vol. 1, Chapter 6, on James II.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
How long before we get a Scientologist as a serious candidate for President?
Not all deists, certainly, but all very skeptical of organized religion. Certainly of no opinion that the US was about "spreading the gospel". Don't you love it when Bible thumpers like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson talk about "Christian America" and "the founders" as though their vision of an America under Mosaic law was also the vision of Jefferson, Madison, and the other founding fathers who were mostly agnostics, deists, secular Anglicans, or Unitarians?
Not just the Founding Fathers. Abraham Lincoln was no orthodox Christian or churchgoer.
To reason, indeed, he was not in the habit of attending. His mode of arguing, if it is to be so called, was one not uncommon among dull and stubborn persons, who are accustomed to be surrounded by their inferiors. He asserted a proposition; and, as often as wiser people ventured respectfully to show that it was erroneous, he asserted it again, in exactly the same words, and conceived that, by doing so, he at once disposed of all objections. - Macaulay, "History of England," Vol. 1, Chapter 6, on James II.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
Woo Hoo - big revelation. You could probably produce similar, if not greater, percentages that would not vote for a hebe, spic, coon, mick, wop, etc., ... While I am NOT a Romney supporter the presentation is disengenuous. All people are influenced by the position on religion and so the question should be does the candidate support freedom of religion and association?
"When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather - not screaming in terror like his passengers." - Unk.
That's hard to say. Some of them are snake oil salesmen who laugh in private at the crap they shout in public as they rake in the donations of little old ladies scared of hellfire. Others are nutjobs who believe every word they say. I'd wager that Robertson is a carny, but John Hagee is a nutty true believer. I'm not sure what Falwell was other than senile and stupid.
Your point? While a persons religion can tell us something about an individual their behavior, their tolerance toward others of differing beliefs, and the basic humanity should be primary guides in voting. The principles upon which a free society operates should not be formed with a call to prejudice and intolerance.
"When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather - not screaming in terror like his passengers." - Unk.
My point is that I don't want nutjob cult members in positions of power.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
My point is that I don't want nutjob cult members in positions of power. No, the point is that you are a bigot and just got called on it. Anyone can engage in name calling and I just like to point out the false logic that such people engage in - which was the point of my earlier post. Are you a Hebe, Coon, Spic, Mick, Wop, Thumper, rupture nut, goat roper, Fishhead, gook, Papist, heretic, Islamofascist, Frog, etc., ...? Anyone's belief system can be pilloried, and anyone else's beliefs can have unsavory labels attached to them. Attaching such a label does not make the slur true. As one who has been repeatedly attacked for pointing out truths some people would rather remain unknown I am particularly sensitive to the tactic being used against anyone. The question is always how does that person behave? Do they operate for the good of others or not? You don't have to agree with a persons personal beliefs to recognize that they are a decent person.
"When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather - not screaming in terror like his passengers." - Unk.
-- Thomas Jefferson i couldn't agree more. what amazes me is this idea that christianity should be accepted with blind faith. there's nothing else in life in which it would be prudent to accept it merely on faith without having first researched evidence of proof.
It'll be a long time. It's virtually impossible to get elected without some professed belief in Biblical dogma. Personally, I look forward to the day when nobody is elected. Browse through a few dozen profiles on MySpace, watch some YouTube videos, and ask yourself if any of those people should have and control over how you and yours should be allowed to live your lives. It's likely that they can't even control their own.
The older I get the more I see those w/o answers taking
comfort in the promise of a paradise. They tried to beat that notion into me
as a kid to no avail. It seems Marx did get religion right.
Dakmar: 'Romney deserves a punch in the face' What bugs me is that he's less popular among the statist crowd than Rudy. We sure have some hard core idiots in this country.
"Most of the trouble in this world has been caused by folks who can't mind their own business, because they have no business of their own to mind, any more than a smallpox virus has." - William S Burroughs
Could of been said by Jefferson Ron Paul has issued a statement of his personal faith that should satisfy Protestant Christians of any persuasion: I have never been one who is comfortable talking about my faith in the political arena. In fact, the pandering that typically occurs in the election season I find to be distasteful. But for those who have asked, I freely confess that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior, and that I seek His guidance in all that I do. I know, as you do, that our freedoms come not from man, but from God. My record of public service reflects my reverence for the Natural Rights with which we have been endowed by a loving Creator.
I can't get past his first name. Is his wife a "Buffy." His daughter, "Muffy." Enough of these country clubbers. They wouldn't hire us to cut their lawns, yet they play the role of a leader? They're all the same.
Report any suspicions to your local FCC supervisor, right?
"Most of the trouble in this world has been caused by folks who can't mind their own business, because they have no business of their own to mind, any more than a smallpox virus has." - William S Burroughs
Right, and make sure to feed the reindeer the special oat and corn mix on the 23rd.
Blasphemer!
Cool! G.I. Jeebus.
hey, T. good to see you. still stateside?
Maybe..........
Mitt just lost. Even Repukes have a bunch of people who are agnostics. A cultist telling me he is not into religion is so insane. I dunno if the Scientologists, Moonies, Mormons or Southern Baptists are more insane than others, but really, all religion is crazy. They're just nuttier.
Honi soit qui mal y pense
We sure have some hard core idiots in this country. The MSM dotes over Mittens as if he wrote that speech himself. Selling it to the sheeples hook, line and sinker as original thought. Come on now, if any credit is to be given it must go to some speech writer. After the debacle of George W., how can the sheeples be so silly as to fall for this load of politically correct bs again? Ron Paul is the only writing his own speeches. He's thinking on his feet and not relying on idiotic sound bites to carry him through a debate or press conference. Romney reminds me of a well groomed parrot.
laughing (and at "Mittens")
In WW2, in the American Army, guess what group had the highest percentage of men serving????????
Most excellent...
What North American Union? Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
Can Fox News Blame Anti-Mormon Bigotry on YouTube, Liberals?
"Jihad"
This is right up their with Tony Blair's unbeatable idiotic statement "We have to do it because we must" concerning the Iraq invasion debacle. No one can top that - well Bush might.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
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#2. To: Alan Chapman (#0)
(Edited)
#3. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#2)
#4. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#2)
#5. To: ghostdogtxn (#4)
#6. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#2)
freedom doesn't require "religion"....it requires faith in Jesus Christ:
#7. To: Cynicom (#5)
#8. To: Alan Chapman (#0)
#9. To: ghostdogtxn (#7)
Here's something I grabbed from a Thom Hartmann article on Common Dreams using google. That's Franklin, Jefferson, Washington..
#10. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#9)
#11. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#9)
#12. To: Alan Chapman (#0)
But a significant portion -- 19 percent -- said they are less likely to vote for a Mormon.
#13. To: ghostdogtxn (#11)
#14. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#8)
How long before we get a Scientologist as a serious candidate for President?
#15. To: Original_Intent (#14)
Your point?
#16. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#13)
#17. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#15)
(Edited)
Your point?
#18. To: ghostdogtxn, Jethro Tull (#1)
"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear."
#19. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#8)
#20. To: christine (#18)
there's nothing else in life in which it would be prudent to
accept it merely on faith without having first researched evidence of proof.
#21. To: Jethro Tull (#20)
Romney: 'Freedom requires religion'
#22. To: Alan Chapman (#0)
#23. To: Dakmar (#21)
#24. To: Jethro Tull (#23)
#25. To: Dakmar (#24)
#26. To: Dakmar (#21)
We sure have some hard core idiots in this country.
Hey-Sus is gonna get ya!
#27. To: Flintlock (#26)
#28. To: Esso (#27)
#29. To: Flintlock (#26)
#30. To: christine (#29)
still stateside?
#31. To: Alan Chapman (#0)
#32. To: Dakmar (#21)
What bugs me is that he's less popular among the statist crowd than Rudy.
#33. To: Dakmar (#24)
#34. To: abraxas (#32)
Romney reminds me of a well groomed parrot.
#35. To: Jethro Tull (#33)
#36. To: christine (#18)
#37. To: abraxas (#32)
Romney reminds me of a well groomed parrot.
#38. To: TwentyTwelve (#37)
Don't wait - send Ron Paul 2008 some FRNs right NOW!
#39. To: TwentyTwelve (#37)
--
#40. To: FOH (#38)
#41. To: Alan Chapman (#0)
Romney: 'Freedom requires religion'
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