The controversy over Mitt Romney's being a Mormon continues to boil.E.J. Dionne writes about it in the San Fransisco Chronicle:
In one respect, Romney's situation actually is similar to Kennedy's, but not in a helpful way.
Just as there was mistrust of Catholicism in 1960 on both the left and the right, so do Mormons face mistrust from liberals and conservatives. In Kennedy's time, there were those on the left who saw the Catholic Church as an anti-democratic, authoritarian institution while some evangelical Protestants saw it as the anti-Christ.
Mormons now face criticism as a non-Christian "cult" from some wings of Protestantism. The hostility is aggravated by an intense competition between Mormonism and evangelicalism for converts. Some on the left see Mormons as hopelessly conservative, hostile to feminism and, in general, just not the sort of folks who would ally with progressive causes.
How about a little reality check here, folks. How is the Book of Mormon any more full of shit than the King James Version of the Holy Bible? Seriously, how many Mormons are driving around Rome with a little faith and bulletproof Plexiglas telling U.S. politicians that they damn well better vote against abortion or else. Hopelessly conservative? Hell, let's just throw a Baptist in there.
You see, we here at the First Church of the DC Comictician and Latter Day Citizens of the United Federation of Planets have a unique perspective on this issue. We think that all these people have completely lost their marbles. It's not Mormons versus Catholics versus Protestants. It's people who understand science and logic versus people who leave those things up to God.
That's why our religion is better than yours. When it comes to fighting evil would you rather have Batman pursuing your assailants in the Batmobile or the Pope trying to run them down in his Popemobile? When it comes to defending the earth with you rather have a Galaxy-class starship under the command of Captain Jean Luc Picard or a floating nimbus cloud under the command of some ex-Doobie Brother? I mean if were going to make mythological figures a major part of these debates why not include a few of the cool ones.
All in all, I swear if I hear the name Jesus Christ mentioned one more time in these goddamn primaries, I may just have to pack up my shit and move to Denmark. It would make much more sense for these candidates to be debating over the Klingon/Federation alliance or what to do with the Bajoran wormhole should hostilities erupt with the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant. I think even non-Star Trekiologists could agree that that would be a lot more entertaining and informative than all this bickering over which pious jackass belongs to what damn church.
Crossposted at Appalachian Greens
Tags:
Mitt Romney, Mormons, Election 2008, Religion, Republicans, Democrats
1 comment:
Ah, a breath of fresh air. Thank you for the much needed clarity on the issue. For the record, as a Mormon, I would still go with the nimbus cloud over a fully stocked bank of photon torpedoes. I mean, they don't even pack enough load to level a planet to crispy critters. Nimbus clouds that set the earth to "broil" are way cooler than phasers.
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