Can Mormonism save Mitt Romney’s campaign?

[cbayer]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/6447/can_mormonism_save_mitt_romney’s_campaign/


September 28, 2012 11:16am
Post by JOANNA BROOKS



Time magazine’s October 8 “The Mormon Identity” cover story on Mitt Romney (complete with an image of Romney as a stained glass window) brings the spotlight back to the candidate’s religion after a month of news cycles dominated by unfolding “catastrophes” in the candidate’s campaign. And it’s no surprise, really. Where better to go than faith for a little warmth and inspiration in what has been a rather flat and grinding 2012 campaign?

The candidate may have done well to make faith a bigger part of his campaign storyline. Without question, his Mormonism is humanizing—it’s a deeply, originally American faith, successful against the odds, loveable in its quirks (as the South Park creators have convincingly shown), and replete with the kind of everyday magic religion should deliver. The fact that Romney has refused to tell that Mormon story about himself, aside from a few throwaway lines at the Republican National Convention delivered with a classic Romney please-don’t-punch me guardedness, has contributed immeasurably to his failure to connect with American voters. The language of shared differences is, after all, our national cultural currency.


This has left it to the press to talk about Romney’s religion, and coverage has improved markedly since 2008 and even since the early primary season. Many Mormons have been bracing for sensational exposes of sensitive aspects of Mormon belief and practice as an attack on Governor Romney—but that hasn’t happened. At least not yet. (Perhaps things would be different if the polls were closer.) Good journalists have also learned to look away from the Mormon fringes—White Horse prophecy, Cleon Skousenites—and towards its American corporate-bureaucratic culture to get a grip on the presidential candidate.

The way Time tells the story, Mormonism may yet save the day for Mitt Romney, providing him with sense of legacy, destiny, purpose, pragmatism, and determination. That’s a heroic narrative LDS people love as well, especially the many thousands who will fast and pray this Sunday for an unlikely Romney victory in next Wednesday’s first presidential debate.

more at link

[MADem]

1. ....loveable in its quirks? Really?

Big Love was quirky, and the characters were "loveable" because the writing was good...but I'd say Mormonism is about as "loveable" as Scientology (another "All American" religion). They both have an element of extreme secrecy about them that sets them apart from other religions practiced in the USA, even the liturgical/orthodox faiths with their unique and unusual rituals, and costumes for their clergy.

I've never seen anyone shut out of a mosque, church or temple for a child's wedding like the Mormons did to Queen Ann's parents. That is the oddest thing to me, the rejection of family by a supposedly "family-centric" faith at an important ceremony like that-- putting aside their now-refuted history of polygamy and child abuse of course.

I can't buy "heroic" either, never mind "humanizing." I don't think that either quality applies.

I think RMoney's strategy to not run from his religion, but not put it front-n-center, either, is perhaps the only "right" thing he did in this campaign. Jon Huntsman will probably benefit down the years from RMoney's approach to his faith, helped along by those "South Park guys." He's made Mormonism slightly less "other"--but he didn't do for the Mormons what Jack Kennedy did for the Catholics (pity they squandered all that goodwill in the intervening years).

[cbayer]

3. Have you seen Book of Mormon?

It's excellent and does, in fact, present a rather lovable, quirky take on Mormonism.

This writer, Joanna Brooks, presents a rather unique perspective on Mormonism and I am a fan. While highly critical in many areas, she continues to support the church and is trying to address the more troubling aspects publicly. She can be heard regularly on some very good radio talk shows these days.

Anyway, I don't think Mormonism will become mainstream, but they have covered a great deal of ground during this election season in making it somewhat less mysterious.

[MADem]

7. Well, Bing Crosby made Catholic priests look lovable for a moment.

Sally Field did the same for nuns! Little Mosque on the Prarie (you have to go to or near Canada to see that one) does the Muslim community proud.

That said, I don't think ANYTHING can "save" Mitt rMoney's campaign, least of all a "quirky" religion that has also seen plenty of negative scrutiny (BIG LOVE, e.g.).

If anything, the bits and pieces of "Mormon" conversation as a consequence of this election contest just "might" be helpful to Jon Huntsman in the next decade, assuming he can translate his "Getting to Know You" tour this time around to a viable candidacy. He's super-rich, too, but he has a more likeable persona and a family that is much more attractive (and I am not talking about looks, though they all are freakishly good looking-- I am talking about personalities and relate-ability to the average citizen, as well as self-motivation) than Mitt's snarling bride and indolent, Seamus-giggling sons.

I don't think Harry Reid has anything to worry about. I'm thinking he'll remain the "Senior Mormon" in government for a while, yet.

[cbayer]

8. I agre that there is nothing that can save Romney's campaign at this point, but, in the end,

I think his campaign may have been a net positive for Mormonism and Mormons in this country. They just ran the wrong Mormon.

BTW, if you get a chance to see Book of Mormon, do it. Trust me on this.

[MADem]

9. I have heard that it is the "best ticket in town."

I wouldn't pass up a chance to see it--it has gotten great reviews.

As for Mitt, maybe Mormonism as a faith has achieved some enhanced awareness, but I don't think he's helped the situation too much. The only Mormon I know in public life who isn't a total jerk is Harry Reid. And the ones I do know of--Mittsy, Huntsman, Marriott--they are so stinking rich that they really DO live on another planet.

Oh wait--I'm forgetting Gladys Knight. I just think she's crazy. Great singer back in the day, but what was she thinking? You can't tell me that "those people" like black people. Well, you can, and they can, but I just won't ever believe it "for true," as they say in Caribbean parts!

[cbayer]

10. Joanna Brooks, the writer of this piece, is a rising star.

Watch for more of her.

[Oregonian]

2. Nothing loveable

About a religion marred by a bloody, racist past that STILL doesn't allow women to have any authoritative voice in the hierarchy. It's a religion that is frought with 19th century racism and homophobia and misogyny.

Yes, real "loveable."

[jeepnstein]

4. Not with the Evangelical base in the Republican Party.

They're looking the other way and trying to tell themselves that Mormons are just like them. Giving the LDS church the keys to the Republican conservative religious base will be a real problem for them if they let it happen.

[cbayer]

5. They are in a real bind, aren't they.

The republican convention really tried to make the case that *they* are not that different than *us*, particularly when it comes to political ideology.

But in their hearts, the fundamentalists don't really buy it.

BTW, I think a distinction needs to be made between evangelicals and fundamentalists. Too often the terms are used interchangeably when they are in fact quite different animals.

[Oregonian]

6. "a distinction needs to be made between evangelicals and fundamentalists"

SURE it does.