Bringing Back Rev. Jeremiah Wright Puts ‘Mormonism On The Table’

[kpete]

Martin was on CNN this morning along with The Blaze‘s Will Cain, who also had questions about the latest anti-Obama ad that emphasized his middle name: “what are you trying to reinforce there?” Martin interjected that this was precisely “why this is so stupid.” “You can try all day to drudge up Jeremiah Wright,” he warned conservatives, “but you’re now putting Mormonism on the table… you’re not putting on the table how African Americans were treated by the Mormon religion.” Cain agreed that “I don’t think it’s smart to use Rev. Wright as a salacious bullet point again,” but argued that the President’s vision for America in its entirety was a legitimate ground of debate for the election.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/roland-martin-bringing-back-rev-jeremiah-wright-puts-mormonism-on-the-table/


Martin is referring to the Mormon's longstanding racism against African-Americans, that only receded in the 1970s after a nationwide boycott. Though there are reports that racism in Mormonism is alive and well even today. This from a recent Washington Post article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/will-mormons-racial-history-be-a-problem-for-mitt-romney/2012/01/31/gIQAdtK1fQ_story.html?wprss=rss_linkset&tid=sm_twitter_postpolitics

Until 1978, the LDS church banned men of African descent from its priesthood, a position open to nearly all Mormon males and the gateway to sacramental and leadership roles. The church had also barred black men and women from temple ceremonies that promised access in the afterlife to the highest heaven.

As he explored joining the church in 1988, Perkins said he asked Mormons near his Los Angeles home about the racial doctrines. They gently explained that blacks were the cursed descendants of Cain, the biblical murderer, he recalls.

The LDS church has neither formally apologized for the priesthood ban nor publicly repudiated many of the theories used to justify it for more than 125 years.

....................

Pressed by Russert, Romney refused to say his church was wrong to restrict blacks from full participation.

http://www.americablog.com/2012/02/romney-saddled-by-mormon-churchs.html

[JoePhilly]

1. Find an Evangelical who's willing to go on TV and call Mormonism a cult.

There are plenty of them.

[MightyMopar]

22. Bryant Wright SBC Presdient already already called Mormonism a cult

Big Southern Baptist muckety muck Bryant Wright SBC President already has called Mormonism a cult and equated Joseph Smith to Mohammed. I heard it on an interview on WABE in Atlanta.

[JoePhilly]

33. YUP, there's him ... and a bunch of others who don't get much TV time.

[The Link]

2. Wright is no longer relevant. There are no ties to the President.

Romney is a Mormon right now.

[spanone]

10. doesn't matter, they have a smear campaign ready to roll

[hifiguy]

3. Do the Repukes really want to to there?

REALLY? I'd take a long look at all of the theological skeletons in the LDS closet - polygamy is fair game given Rmoney's family history, the abject racism that was in place for decades, and the "dominionist" aspects - and think it through before proceeding. But they won't and will scream like stuck pigs when they are brought up by Democrats.

[kmkleff]

36. Wait till they start hearing Lefties speak of Domestic Terrorism...

And the murder of innocent Americans at the hands of a band of religious fanatics on Sept 11.....1857. Do you think anyone would be offended by the comparison of Brigham Young to Osama bin Laden? If they do go there, (and they already have) the phrase "Mountain Meadows Massacre" should be something every voter is familiar with. Ask at press conferences if he personally renounces "blood atonement". Isn't it odd that the guy who speaks of marriage being between one man and one woman is the product of a man married to 12 women? That 12th wife, by the way, wasn't yet divorced. Her husband took umbrage and shot Romney's great-great grandfather, Parley Pratt. In revenge for this, the Mormons murdered 120 members of the Baker-Fancher Party. A record for religious craziness that stood until 2001.
Yeah, I think we can have this discussion if that's what they want.

[Pirate Smile]

4. What was the time frame - 19?? - when Romney was a Bishop?

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Mitt was in his 30's before they stopped with full tilt open racism...

During his teens, the Church was so virulently racist in even their public outreaches, such as interviews in Look magazine and Time that I don't really like to so much as quote them or link to them.

[hughee99]

5. Mormonism is already on the table.

It was never off the table. Bringing back Rev. Wright was inevitable.

[tallahasseedem]

7. I have been waiting for this...

Bring it on!

[Democrats_win]

8. What kind of religion would tolerate a jerk like Romney?

There are a lot of issues that Christians might have with Mormonism, but the biggest is that they tolerate this thief, this bully, this liar. The reality is, that they are proud of this monster.

Yet this is not limited to Mormonism--because "christianity" has such a pile of sins that they have reached clear to heaven. Ironically, they ALL hide behind their religions as they do unspeakable evil.

[SunSeeker]

9. Yes it does, on the table and in the stirrups.

And Romney can explain what he did, as an adult, to protest the LDS' exclusion of African Americans. In 1978, he was 31, and apparently already had a prominent position in his church.

[SimpleMan]

11. I agree...

Mormons let black people join their priesthood in 1978. Until then, they pretty much believed that being black was a curse for not choosing sides in the war in Heaven between Jesus and his brother Satan. Brigham Young explains:

Journal of Discourses, Vol.10, p.109, Brigham Young, March 8, 1863
Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so. The nations of the earth have transgressed every law that God has given, they have changed the ordinances and broken every covenant made with the fathers, and they are like a hungry man that dreameth that he eateth, and he awaketh and behold he is empty.

Discourses of Brigham Young, p.279
The seed of Ham, which is the seed of Cain descending through Ham, will, according to the curse put upon him, serve his brethren, and be a “servant of servants” to his fellow-creatures, until God removes the curse; and no power can hinder it.

Almost every single one of the LDS "prophets" prior to 1978 referred to the dark skin as a curse. References to it are also in their canonized works: The Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. Now, they act as if they never taught such a thing.

The thing that gets me the most has nothing to do with the obvious racism in the church. What concerns me is what Mitt (and every Mormon) swears on their life when they go to the temple. Every "worthy" Mormon goes to the temple to get what they call their personal endowments. In order to get a "temple recommend", each individual Mormon has to observe the "Word of Wisdom," which means no coffee, tea, alcohol, or tobacco. They also have to pay 10% of their income for at least a year before they are allowed to go to the temple. It's really all about the money, as far as I am concerned. They guilt every Mormon into paying their 10% tithing, because if one doesn't pay, they are not worthy of going to the temple. If they are not worthy, they are shunned within the church until they do pay up and become "worthy."

When they do go to the temple for the first time, they are told what name they are known by in Heaven. Funny thing, though, everyone that goes to the temple to on any particular day is given the same name...but I digress. When Mitt went to the temple, he made a solemn oath in the temple sanctuary is that he will give up his time talents and anything the Lord blessed him with for the building up of the LDS church...or suffer the consequences. This means that nothing comes before the church...not family...not country. If he says or does anything that goes against what the church teaches, he violates this solemn oath. Mormons take this stuff very seriously. Of course, on the other hand, a few hundred million could buy a whole lot of forgiveness.

[JNelson6563]

20. Excellent post.

The information you have posted really puts the lie to "Oh, they said the same about JFK and the Catholic church!" Except Catholics don't take pledges to put the church before everything or to work to help the church achieve domination over the country/world. While there is Opus Dei out there, they are a small sect that most Catholics think are a little over-zealous....and were they even around when JFK ran?

I am an atheist now but I grew up Catholic, even went to Catholic school, so I have a good idea of what I am talking about here. There is an insidious dishonesty with the aforementioned claim that I find pretty irksome of late.

Julie

[SimpleMan]

26. It's worse than that...

It's definitely not the same as the JFK/Catholic meme. This is serious. A believing Mormon acting or speaking anything contrary to the desires of the church leadership faces shunning by other church members at minimimum. Excommunication is often the result. Not in a rich Mormon's case, however. They put too much cold hard cash into the church coffers every year with their manditory 10% for the church to ever get rid of them. The church even has a manditory meeting at the end of every year with each individual member called "tithing settlement". At the meeting, the Bishop makes sure that you are paying a full 10% on EVERYTHING that you brought in over the course of the year. They make it clear that you must pay on your pre-tax income. All of this money goes to Salt Lake City, where it gets invested in all sorts of things, including stopping the Equal Rights Amendment, and smashing the gay agenda at every turn.

A believing Mormon has a much bigger fear than any of these things though. If a believing Mormon isn't "temple worthy," he will not be allowed into the highest level of Heaven...called the Celestial Kingdom. They believe that by reaching the Celestial Kingdom, they too become gods of their own worlds. Nothing could be worse for any believing Mormon than to be barred from the Celestial Kingdom. In essence, the church has every believing member by the short hairs when it comes to their eternal progression. Imagine the power something like this holds for the believing Mormon. And Romney is a believing Mormon. He wears the holy under garments that he was instructed to wear when he performed his ordinances in the temple over 50 years ago. You can see them on him if you look. The top looks like a low cut short sleeved undershirt that shows plainly when he wears white...and for the bottom half of the garment is a sort of knee length boxer that often shows as a ridge-like line just above the knee when he sits. If a Mormon wears his holy garments (and Romney does), he is a hard core believing Mormon. He believes that if he stays true to the church leadership, he will become a god someday. President of the United States is a pittance compared to that.

[JNelson6563]

29. And this needs to be revealed far and wide.

I think this is going to back fire on the Mormon church. These beliefs and tithing and all of that will be talked about. Religions like this really need to reveal such things to the initiate in baby steps, often while being "love bombed" by the group. If a bright light is shone on this stuff it's really going to hurt their marketing efforts.

Julie

[SimpleMan]

30. I hope you're right...

I hope you're right, but the Mormon church has been doing this for almost 200 years, and they always get away with it. The last I was aware (in the mid 1990's...when I still went to church), the LDS church was worth just north of 35 billion dollars. I'm sure their weath far exceeds that now. The sad thing is, they spend less than 1% on charities. How Christian is that?

Even the missionaries (you know, the ones on bikes with name tags) have to pay their own way. They are required to spend two years serving a mission away from home...usually when they are 19. The church collects a monthly fee from the parents of the missionaries, or the missionaries local church (called a ward). Not a dime of the money sent to Utah in tithing (10% from each church member) is used to support these kids. They get 'em while they're young, and brainwash them into a lifetime of paying the piper.

[JNelson6563]

31. I understand they need vast cash reserves

for buying up potentially embarrassing documents.

As to their exposure, Mormons are like Jehovah's Witnesses. They are viewed as a bit odd, maybe a little bothersome with their door to door thing, but basically harmless.

We know this is not true and it appears the wider world will have opportunity to know this too. Soon.

Glad you made it out.

Julie

[protect our future]

37. Great discussion, Julie,

and thanks for providing the link. Some things I've just read here are true, other things are not true, and some of what I've just read is totally unfamiliar to me so I don't know whether to believe it or not. But what is most important to me is defeating Romney, and his religion is not only fair game, but completely justified due to Rev. Wright being brought back into the picture. I think concentrating on the Mormon Church of today rather than anything that happened 100, 150 years ago will be more effective; in fact, even bringing up old issues could be a turn-off. My goal is to force the mainstream media to start talking about Mormonism, and they won't if they are fed fiction as well as facts. So anything said about the church--if it's something I or anyone else is promoting for media consumption--needs to be correct.

[JNelson6563]

39. Thank you for your contribution to it!

You make valid points here & I'm glad you followed the link too.

Julie

[Raster]

23. I was raised, baptized and confirmed in the church. I am technically still on the membership rolls.

The last thing I want to see is Rmoney in the White House, for if such a travesty came to pass, the real seat of power would most definitely be Salt Lake City.

The church is racist, homophobic and misogynistic.

[SimpleMan]

28. I was raised a Mormon too...and still on the rolls...

I won't get my name removed until my parents pass. They are so strong in their beliefs, that it would kill them to see me formally leave the church. They are wonderful people, even though they have been brainwashed by the more pleasant teachings of the Mormon church. They don't have an evil bone in their body, but they somehow seem to compartmentalize some of the stuff the church used to teach.

The leadership of the church...that's a different story.

[uponit7771]

25. Why did they eventually allow blacks into the church? I can't believe they just had a change of hear

[SimpleMan]

27. Because of the protests...

Because of the uproar in the media and the protests about the fact that they didn't allow people of color into their college teams. Also, because they built a multi-million dollar temple in Brazil...supposedly in a predominately black area. Plus, it was just way too politically incorrect...making it extremely hard to attract new members into the flock.

[rocktivity]

12. "That only receded in the 1970s after a nationwide boycott"?

No, it receded in 1978 only because it was the only way Brigham Young University could be admitted to the National College Athletics Association!


rocktivity

[Oldtimeralso]

13. The source of funding for this propaganda

The source of funding for this Rev. Jeremiah Wright propaganda
is Joe Ricketts and family. These people own Ameritrade and the Chicago Cubs! 1%er's. I bet romney knows more baseball team owners.

I think every good Democrat should boycott Ameritrade and the Chicago Cubs!

[riverbendviewgal]

14. I think it would be right to put all the facts on the table about Mormonism

ALL of the facts....

Wright is just one man...but the Mormon Church is many and has been around since the 1820s. There are many mormons who have sprouted hatred and racism

[librechik]

15. yup--they want that like they want to name "The Predecessor"

by his actual name--SATAN!! I mean George W Bush, he who must not be named.

[wandy]

16. Bringing up Rev. Wright would be, off topic, rude and offensive, not to mention due cause...

What's this magic under ware stuff?
You mean I get to be king of my own planet.
How many wives do you really have?
You want to be president to forfill a prophecy?
Not to mention that you'll baptize me after I'm dead over my dead body!
Not that it would do any good mind you.

I'm not normally like that. Some forms of agnostics are generally tolerant of many religions and do not judge or poke fun.

BUT; if they go their....
Their ass is grass and the DNC better be the lawn-more.

[global1]

17. Not Only Does It Put Mormonism Back On The Table - But......

any ground that the Repugs think they might have picked up because Obama endorsed same-sex marriage and some black church's are against it - that might be cancelled out by the knowledge of 'longstanding racism in Mormonism'.

[kentuck]

18. What's wrong with putting Mormonism on the table ??

Romney is a Mormon. is he not? Why would it be wrong to put it on the table? Are they fearful that some folks may not trust Mormons? Is that a good reason not to talk about it?

[duhneece]

19. All of the attacks come from fundamentalists of the far right

Whether it is attacking Obama through Rev Wright (and I agreed with everything I remember Rev Wright saying) or the attacks on the Mormon religion as a cult, both 'sets' of attacks come from the far right. No attacks from the left, from Democrats.

[tanyev]

21. If it didn't work in 2008, I don't know why they think it will work now.

But heck yeah, if they want to go there, there's this thing called the White Horse Prophecy.....

[fascisthunter]

24. Mr. Magic Underwear Man... just think of how silly and stupid that is

now imagine this being a President.

[bluestate10]

32. Agreed.

If republicans open the Rev. Wright can of worms, the dogs of war must be unleashed and all aspects of Mormonism and Romney's adherence to that system of beliefs examined.

[DonCoquixote]

34. If the Church wants to affect politics

It can and should take poltical hits.

As far as propaganda, show the South park episode on the Mormons, than the one on Scientology..the Mormon one is wierder.

[kranquny]

35. Spam deleted by ScreamingMeemie (MIR Team)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

38. I'd really rather not.

Regardless of how loopy one may think LDS is, there are so many other issues to hammer Romney on than the non-sequitor of his religion.

First and foremost being that he is a ridiculously out of touch millionaire whose economic policies will do nothing for 99% of America.

In other words, "It's the economy, stupid."

I know there are some out there who are in the "fight fire with fire" camp, but I just don't see the need to go down that useless road.