Mitt Romney Mormons

LDS Living reported a rumor last week that Mitt Romney is getting ready to jump into the 2016 presidential race.  This would obviously be big news, but interestingly LDS Living seems to be the only “news outlet” covering the story.

I guess I’m somewhat surprised that LDS Living is apparently in the business of political news stories and in publishing rumors.  (By the way, you can find this story on LDS Living right next to “How to be a freakin’ awesome grandma!” which showcases Ann Romney.  The use of the word “freakin’” is of course a euphemism for the “F” word, but that’s a topic for another day.)

I also thought spreading rumors was discouraged.  But, apparently since it’s okay to do so, I’ll share a few rumors I’ve also heard about Mitt Romney.

I heard the Church was certain in 2012 that Mitt Romney was going to be elected president, as they had received a “revelation” on the subject.  The Brethren supposedly gave Romney a blessing wherein he was told he would win.  I’m guessing this is precisely why the church changed the missionary ages literally one month before the November presidential election.  This would strategically increase the numbers of missionaries in the field drastically and would conveniently coincide with all the interest in the Church from the first Mormon President.

I don’t think the timing of the Mormons and Gays website was a coincidence either.  It came out in 2012 before the election and has never been updated — not even once — something the Church has taken criticism over from LGBT groups questioning the Church’s sincerity, and is something the Church has promised to address, but hasn’t.  It seems clear the Church wanted in 2012 to make sure it could no longer be viewed as the Prop 8 (hate) church.

Essays also began to emerge just in time for a Romney presidency.  Tough questions about blacks and priesthood and polygamy were being “resolved” once and for all.

The buzz in Salt Lake among the Brethren and among Mormons in general in 2012 was that this was in fact, “The Mormon Moment,”  in fulfillment of prophecy that the Church, with the help of a Mormon Elder as President, was not only to save the Constitution, but would also begin to rapidly fill the earth like Daniel’s stone cut out without hands.

I’ve also heard that when Romney lost, some of the Brethren who were as perplexed as many of us, assumed the “revelation” that Mitt would be president would surely be fulfilled in 2016.  Of course as everyone knows, Mitt began his 2016 presidential run with a bang, but when Jeb Bush entered the race, many of Mitt’s “loyal” staff all quit and went to campaign for Bush, the assumed, all-but-coronated Republican candidate.

Quitting the race now appears to have been highly over-reactive and premature.  So who knows, maybe LDS Living is right?  Maybe Mitt will re-enter the race.  Either way, it’s incredibly interesting to me that the GOP now has two non-establishment candidates leading in the polls, neither of which have EVER held political office.

The message is clear:  Conservative Americans no longer believe that these establishment candidates reflect their beliefs and values, Mitt Romney included.

Other news stories from this week reinforce discontent from former conservative Romney supporters.  This week Romney lambasted Rush Limbaugh and other conservative media outlets blaming them for all the partisan rancor in our Country.  Conservatives are now realizing their faith was misplaced in Romney and that he is not the conservative candidate voters had hoped for.

What’s most strange about this, is that Utah and Mormons have a reputation for being the most conservative people on earth (See Gallup).  Yet, strangely many well-known Mormons are earning the reputation of being quite the opposite.  Utah usually votes so in favor of the Replublican in the Presidential Election, that the winning Democrat often retaliates with some Federal land grab.  Obama never even came to Utah to campaign and has only visited the State once since — to thank the LDS Church for its role in LGBT friendly laws and illegal immigration.

So I have a theory about Mormon people like Mitt Romney.  Being in politics for too long, being filthy rich and/or holding high, powerful offices has the same effect it does for anyone else.  Multiple mansions, private jets, friends in Hollywood, unlimited spending accounts and media attention all seem to lead to the same eventual end — a change in core beliefs and values.

Did money and power have an impact on Jon Hunstman’s religious beliefs for example?  His position on Civil Unions was even too extreme for most Democrats at the time and was a shock for conservative Mormons.

How about Steve and Barbara Young?  Have fame, money, hanging with Hollywood, Superbowl Rings and ESPN contracts affected their belief system?  The Youngs have been openly opposing the Church for years on Gay Marriage.  They hold firesides that begin and end with prayers.  They bare testimonies and sing LDS hymns like “The Spirit of God” all while openly opposing the Doctrines of the Church.

How about Harry Reid?  Friends of mine in Las Vegas report they see Brother Reid in the Temple every six years, when it’s time to be re-elected.  Does Harry reflect Mormon values?  Or has power tainted his views?  In the case of Harry it’s possible he’s always been corrupt.

Marie Osmond?  Who publicly defends her lesbian daughter’s “civil right” to marry a woman?  Here’s what she said in a recent news interview:

Marie laughed off the idea that her daughter’s homosexuality was “a sensitive topic” because of Marie’s Mormon faith, and basically said that her faith was her own, but she doesn’t think that faith should be used to block anyone’s civil rights. Marie’s comments are actually a little funny – she tries to quote the Bible, I think, but comes out with “God said to be married and be productive with your children and, you know, replenish the earth or whatever.”  (read story here)

Strange how when people become wealthy, famous, and powerful, their views seem to “evolve.”

Is the same true in Church leadership?  Our 15 Prophets, Seers, and Revelators are pretty famous.  Elder Uchdorf was warned by President Faust he would be tempted to believe all the nice things people would now say of him and told him to “not inhale.”  Has he inhaled?  Have they all inhaled?

They have no term limits and cannot be voted out of office.  People stand in line to get pictures with them.  They do news interviews and press conferences.  People stand when they enter a room and begin singing praises to them.  They throw first pitches and receive honorary doctorates and awards.  Buildings are named after them.  People literally do whatever they are asked to do by these men, believing they will be blessed even if what they are asked to do is wrong.

Is it possible that fame and power are going to their heads and affecting their views?

Let’s take the Church’s NEW stance on LGBT rights.  Forever, Church leaders all opposed any and all legislation in Utah, nationally, or internationally that promoted, tacitly or otherwise, special treatment for LGBT people.  They (we) rejected the arguments that these were civil rights issues.  These were moral issues and religious freedom issues.  We understood that while we ought to love all of God’s children and try to help them, we would never compromise on our core beliefs and values.

But now the Church is boasting about a new approach to the issue.  Here’s what was reported from Elder Ballard’s keynote at the World Congress of Families in Salt Lake City:

Ballard followed the religion’s “fairness for all” approach in telling conference attendees during his keynote speech that they should extend a hand of fellowship to opponents in an attempt to find common ground even when core differences remain.

He used as an example the Mormon-backed Utah law passed this year that provided protections against housing and employment discrimination for LGBT people while also creating shields for religious freedom. Ballard, third in line for the Mormon Church presidency, said the negotiations between Mormon officials, legislators and LGBT groups reduced divisiveness in the community.

Meanwhile LGBT groups have labeled the World Congress of Families a hate group because of its position on Same Sex marriage.  I can only assume they say the same of the Church despite our best efforts to “find common ground” and to negotiate.

As a side note, when I called the World Congress of Families and asked if LDS celebrities, including their keynote speaker Elder Ballard, were paid to speak at the Salt Lake event, the response was “That is negotiated differently with each celebrity.”  They would not confirm that Elder Ballard was speaking for free, which I hoped was the case.

Is this NEW way of looking at LGBT issues consistent with the Church’s core doctrines and policies of the past?  Or is this simply an upgraded, more sophisticated way to view things, now informed by folks like Romney, Reid, Osmond, Young, and other high dollar tithing clients?

In another recent example of strange new viewpoints, Elder Oaks recently spoke out against Kim Davis of Kentucky who refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.  Oaks suggests we are all duty bound to uphold the law.

Here’s what Thomas Jefferson said on the subject:

“If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.”

Which is it?  Are we duty bound to obey unjust laws?  Or is it implied that obedience to the laws of the land assumes those laws don’t violate our religious beliefs?

According to Elder Oaks, I suppose a Mormon doctor will eventually have to perform abortions.  I suppose a Mormon bishop will have to marry gay couples.  I suppose Daniel of old should not have stood his ground as did Kim Davis, when a law went against his religious beliefs.  No wonder the Church excommunicated Helmuth Hubener when he openly opposed Adolf Hitler.  He wasn’t obeying the laws of his land!  Wow.  Is this the legacy we want for the Church?  To be politically correct and media friendly in the moment and forever wrong and damned when the moment passes?  Seems like a bad trend in the Church that God fearing people should stand up and complain about.

Alma opposed the laws of the land.  Jesus broke the laws of the land as He healed on the Sabbath among other things.  Nearly every true prophet has stood fearlessly before the rulers of their day and broke the law, if those laws told them not to pray, not to criticize or not to preach.

I think there’s a strange trend now in both the GOP and in the Church.  Both seem to be going in a direction different from their base.  Leaders from both groups have forgotten what it’s like to be normal people and have forgotten their core beliefs.  The key difference between the two is that while the base of the GOP is threatening to throw the bums out, the base of the Church is holding fast to the old ship Zion and to the Brethren who cannot lead them astray.

Maybe members of the Church would do well to stand as witnesses of Christ, frankly, like Kim Davis did, instead of being tossed to and fro’ with every wind of changing doctrine, waiting to be commanded in all things by those who may have lost their way.