The Rakes Of Theology
They say that bigotry is blinding. Never have I seen it moreso the case than in the poll that David Frum discusses today:
Speaking as an evangelical, I'm lukewarm about Mitt Romney. On the plus side he's got the right career path (coming from the governors' ranks rather than the Senate) and he's been, for the most part, pretty solidly right-of-center - no mean feat in a state as "blue" as Massachusetts. On the down side is his inexplicable accordianing to the notion of a state-takeover of healthcare, and the lingering memory of how he had Ted Kennedy on the ropes in 1994 and, instead of going for the jugular in their final debate, retreated leftward and let the miserable souse off the hook and back to the Senate. On the whole, a mixed bag.
You'll notice that Romney's Mormonism isn't mentioned in the immediately preceding graf. That's because I don't consider it relevant to my consideration of him as a presidential candidate. Perhaps I would if his theology was tainted with a virulent Christophobia, but I see not the slightest hint of any such hateful animus in anything the Bay State guv has ever written, said, or done.
However, I do know the party that does have virulent Christophobia as a de facto platform plank. And it comes as no surprise that that party is far more anti-Mormon than any evangelical in the GOP - and so consumed by their God-hating extremism that they would try to smear those they hate with the very attitude they themselves so overtly, and yet obliviously, display.
Guess we all look alike to them....
Perhaps you have read those news analyses that purport to explain why Mitt Romney could never be nominated by the GOP: It's those bigoted evangelicals, supposedly, who would refuse to accept a Mormon presidential candidate, no matter how qualified he might be .....
A new poll casts doubt on that theory. A poll conducted for Bloomberg News and the Los Angeles Times found 37% of voters unwilling to vote for a Mormon for president.
Who were these unwilling voters? While one-third of Republicans said they would reject a Mormon candidacy, 40% of Democrats would - and 50% of the most liberal Democrats. [emphasis added]
Speaking as an evangelical, I'm lukewarm about Mitt Romney. On the plus side he's got the right career path (coming from the governors' ranks rather than the Senate) and he's been, for the most part, pretty solidly right-of-center - no mean feat in a state as "blue" as Massachusetts. On the down side is his inexplicable accordianing to the notion of a state-takeover of healthcare, and the lingering memory of how he had Ted Kennedy on the ropes in 1994 and, instead of going for the jugular in their final debate, retreated leftward and let the miserable souse off the hook and back to the Senate. On the whole, a mixed bag.
You'll notice that Romney's Mormonism isn't mentioned in the immediately preceding graf. That's because I don't consider it relevant to my consideration of him as a presidential candidate. Perhaps I would if his theology was tainted with a virulent Christophobia, but I see not the slightest hint of any such hateful animus in anything the Bay State guv has ever written, said, or done.
However, I do know the party that does have virulent Christophobia as a de facto platform plank. And it comes as no surprise that that party is far more anti-Mormon than any evangelical in the GOP - and so consumed by their God-hating extremism that they would try to smear those they hate with the very attitude they themselves so overtly, and yet obliviously, display.
Guess we all look alike to them....
posted by JASmius at 8:56 AM
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