If Mittens wins the repuke nom, is his religion fair game?

[NightWatcher]

Poll question: If Mittens wins the repuke nom, is his religion fair game?

Can we make fun of his religion in an attempt to make him look less than Presidential to Ma and Pa Middle American somewhere in the Bible Belt?

I for one, will be telling all the "magic underwear" jokes to my fundie puke family in an attempt to spoil them on him and fear that he is some wacko cult member.

For those who might say that we are somehow better than making fun of his religion, I would ask which is better, the moral highground or victory?

[DFab420]

1. It's mattered to every other single contender

It should matter for him to.

[Morning Dew]

2. It's not fair game already?

[Dreamer Tatum]

3. You mean Mormons aren't already mocked at will? nt

[rocktivity]

4. Compared to whose religion -- Obama's?

:rofl:
rocktivity

[AlabamaLibrul]

5. Of course it's fair game!

Pukes have been on the Muslim shit since day one -- this is for real.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

6. "...because I was carrying you!"

[snooper2]

7. If he was an atheist he would be blasted non-stop by gawds followers

so, I would say, yes

[Ozymanithrax]

8. As long as he doesn't take more than one wife to the White House...

no.

Unless you are an unnamed surogate. Then you can say anything you want.

[arbusto_baboso]

9. If HE won't keep religion out of his politics, then in all fairness...

We have no obligation to keep his religion out of his political campaign.

[Skidmore]

18. I disagree.

Bush's religion was most certainly front and center in his policy decisions. His connection to evangelicals and their belief in dispensationalism shaped his approach to dealing with the middle east.

When you have any politician so firmly ensconced in their religion that they cannot see the entirety of the population or that politician embraces fundamentalism, then I believe they should be under scrutiny in that area of their life. This very reason is why I would never have voted for Lieberman to head a ticket...among a few other reasons.

[arbusto_baboso]

20. In essence, we are in agreement.

By saying "he won't keep religion out of his politics", I was also including the more subtle fact that his religion will inform all his political decisions (and NO religion is more hypocritical than mormonism; I used to be mormon, I know whereof I speak).

So, we actually are in agreement.

[northoftheborder]

10. A candidates's religion is not part of his resume nor constitutionally relevant.

Just because "they" do it does not make it right.

[JoePhilly]

15. I think it is fine to point out that fundies think Mormons are not Real Christians ...

And then force GOP and Fundie leaders to take a position on that.

The GOP would LOVE to paper over this divide in their party. We should continually bring it up. Force their base to decide. Will they vote for a Mormon (who they think might be an agent of the anti-Christ), or stay home (we know they won't vote for Obama).

His religion is an issue to them, and we should make sure the GOP can't gloss over it.

[Marr]

35. It's politically relevant. You either want to win or you don't.

Romney must appeal to the Christian right if he wants to win the election, and it would easy as pie to drive a wedge between them.

[provis99]

37. It's important to voters, and they are what counts.

[MineralMan]

11. Other: It should not be, but it will.

JFK's religion was an issue, too. It should not have been, but it was.

[JoePhilly]

12. Skip the magic underwear part ... focus on the fact that fundies think

that Mormons are FALSE Christians.

Rub salt in that wound. Get the press to talk about that.

[Zen Democrat]

17. Until fairly recently, Mormons denied being a "Christian" religion.

Now they use the term, but only in the context that Joseph Smith was the Second Coming of Christ.

They don't believe in the "God" of the Bible, but that all Mormon men can become a God of their own special planet. They are, and always have been, a very strange cult.

And Mitt's father, George, was born in Mexico, because his grandfather had been kicked out of the United States for having five wives. I wonder why that was never mentioned as an impediment to his serving when George Romney was tauted as a presidential candidate back in 1968. This was, of course, before he blew his chances by saying he had been "brainwashed" by the generals in Vietnam.

[JoePhilly]

43. Good point.

Mormons see THEIR religion at the TRUE RELIGION, and the Fundies do the same ... and each uses the other for political purposes.

It is kind of like the way the fundies pretend to love Israel. They donate to "protect" Israel in the hopes that Jesus will return and throw the Jews into the lake of fire.

Meanwhile, the Israelis take the Fundie money, thinking that the fundies are wrong. Again, each is using the other for their own purposes.

[av8rdave]

13. Considering that Kennedy's religion was made an issue, and

Obama's was flat out lied about, I would say that the cult Romney belongs to is absolutely fair game.

[Deep13]

14. Doesn't matter. If it works, we should use it.

If it produces a sympathetic backlash, we should not. I would not be willing to restrict our campaign options in advance by stipulation. Especially, then the right has had no qualms about making Obama's religion or imagined religion an issue.

[AldebTX]

16. Obama's church Was

[RZM]

19. It might be an issue, though I don't think it should be

I respect the faith of others. I wouldn't make fun of a candidate for being Catholic, Jewish, or whatever else and I plan on extending the same courtesy to him.

[shimmergal]

21. It should be, only on the counts of

Mormonism being insultingly patriarchal, and until recently, racist as well.

Magic underwear is weird, but hardly relevant to any policy issues.

'Course the LDS is far from the only religion that clings to patriarchy.

[get the red out]

22. It will be fair game as he tries to win the GOP nom

It will definitely be a point of discussion among southerners during the GOP primaries, I can guarantee that. I'd bet we will see serious Fux Noise and Limbaugh damage control beginning immediately if the PTB want Mitt badly enough.

I don't think that Democrats would or should go after his religion in any way. It wouldn't be beneficial to Dems at all because we aren't the party that tries to claim directions being from God. But a lot of Republicans are fanatical enough to do just that.

[sharp_stick]

23. Hell yeah

I'll remind every fundie asshole I know that mitt's a freaking Morman. Not only that, he's a practicing Mormon and is "seriously" considering making it mandatory that all high school graduated take a year off to do Missionary work.

Personally I don't care how much of it's true, after the shit the fundie assholes pulled on Obama and the Muslim BS it's all fair game.

[CBHagman]

24. No, because it would pointless and puerile to do so...

...and disrespectful to anyone who really cares about the issues. I think it's complete loserdom to make cheap shots at someone's faith.

[Fuzz]

25. lmao, it won't be the Democrats that will be the ones that start that shit.

He's gotta go throught the republican primaries first where American Jesus rules. Mormons aren't part of that club.

[Wait Wut]

26. Nope.

I’m certain we can all find better things to focus on than a potential candidate’s faith, gender, lifestyle, etc. This isn’t an elementary school playground where we run to the teacher and cry, “But, but...HE did it FIRST!!!” That's really not how I would like our party to be perceived. Our President isn’t running on, “I’m NOT a Muslim” so let’s just leave faith out of it.

Just because “they” do it, doesn’t make it acceptable.

[jberryhill]

27. The fundies will take care of that on their own - let them /nt

[LadyHawkAZ]

28. Yes yes yes yes it absolutely is fair game.

The LDS has a stranglehold on their members, and it follows them into their political lives. If a Mormon goes into politics, they WILL VOTE AS THEIR CHURCH TELLS THEM. That's not a smear or a mockery, it's a sheer fact. They don't even bother to hide it in Utah; they wave it around publicly like it's something to be proud of. The Legislature and Governor actively consult with them on pending legislation and vote according to their wishes. It's a big fucking deal, unless you think having the entire country in the shape Utah's in is a good thing. And it needs to be fair game. The guy is in thrall to a very controlling, somewhat bizarre cult that is in business to make money. If he is wearing their magic undies, chances are he will do exactly as that church tells him, and they do not have the best interests of the country or its people at heart.

[Goblinmonger]

29. So can a liberal Christian's religion be bashed?

Who gives a shit which mythical god this guy prays to? I am amazed that people on DU will on one thread bash atheists for even questioning mainstream Christianity but on another thread will freely discuss the ridiculousness of Mormonism.

[provis99]

36. yes, a liberal christian's religion can be bashed, too.

In case you haven't noticed, that was exactly what the Republicans were doing with this whole Obama and Jeremiah Wright story during 2008.

[Goblinmonger]

42. And everyone on DU was cool with that, right?

If we hate it when they do it, it seems pretty shitty to do it to them. There are plenty of policy reasons to hate Mittens without having to resort to "your mythology is stoopider than mine" crap.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

41. See #40. -nt

[Iggo]

30. It's fair game anyway, nomination or no. (n/t)

[Johonny]

31. He's running in the party that is wrapped up in religion

so it will be hard for it not to become an issue. He is going to have to claim moral religious high ground because his party demands it. Should Democrats make it an issue? No, not until Republicans MAKE it an issue, then it becomes fair game. Will his party make it an issue? Seems like it is a 100 % likely.

[TlalocW]

32. Other

His religion is not fair game by us. The positions he takes, whether influenced by his religion or not, are.

His religion is going to be fair game by republicans. I've said repeatedly that the big name religious types like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell (if he were still alive), the Saddleback Church guy, are all going to flip-flop just as fast as Mitt does if Mitt gets the nomination and "forget" everything they've ever said against Mormonism and will circle around him - they're probably doing it now in small steps just because he COULD become the nominee. However, the followers of these big-name religious nutjobs have had, "Mormonism = Cult," steadily pounded into their heads for years, and it will be difficult for the nutjobs to undo that programming. Some will hear the message and vote for Mitt, but I'm betting a lot of them will just sit out.

TlalocW

[name not needed]

33. Was JFK's Catholicism fair game?

[Marr]

34. Of course, but it has to be done correctly.

You don't come right out and mock his faith. People would see him as a man persecuted for his religious convictions, and it make you look like a bigot. Much better to use some dog whistle language about his 'not experiencing the usual American story', or something along those lines. It's ugly, but hey, that's politics.

[hifiguy]

38. Back when Mittens' dad George was running for prez

in 1968 a wonderful story about same was recounted in one of Jack Germond's books. Germond, who was present, reported that the then Governor of Ohio, James Rhodes, stated, and I quote "Romney thinking he can win the presidency is like a duck trying to f*ck a football." Germond wryly added in his manuscript "try and get that quote in a family newspaper."

I suspect Mittens' quest is as ill fated as his father's. Or the duck's for that matter.

[blondeatlast]

39. Ethically, it shouldn't be. Realistically, considering what was done with Obama's fake "Muslim"

beliefs, bring it on.

I know several Mormons, including a few die-hard democratic ones, and they are steeled against the mockery becuse they are used to it.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

40. Mocking? No, there's something you can do that's better than mocking.

If you are in the presence of an uber-conservative Evangelical Christian Republican voter, just remind him, in an innocent fashion: "Romney is a Mormon, did you know that?" No emoting, no judging, just the facts.

If said person doubts/deny it, take the time to prove it to him. (Links etc.) Again, no emoting, no dissing, no negativity of tone, no pearl-clutching, nothing. Just make him aware of the true fact that Mitt Romney actually is a Mormon.

For the kill, you can mention that isn't a problem for you, and a person's religion doesn't matter... because you're a liberal.

[glen123098]

44. Yes, it was an officially racist organization, while Mitt Romney was an adult member.

It is fair game.

[Monique1]

46. I'm not going with the religion

but what is happening there will be either a tea party President candidate or a VP tea party candidate. You betcha............... that is Sarah's goal.

[Arugula Latte]

45. Shh! Everybody is supposed to pretend that Mormonism is kinda out there

but all the other mainstream insane beliefs like virgin births and dead guys coming back to Earth make perfect sense.