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What I find most interesting about this Pew research poll is not that 13 percent feel uncomfortable about Mitt Romney’s faith but the fact that 40 percent don’t even know he is a Mormon. From Pew:
The poll also found that only 49 percent say Obama is a Christian. Another 17 percent think he is a Muslim, while 31 percent say they don’t know. I can at least understand why there might be confusion about Obama because there has been a long running viral smear campaign to claim he is a Muslim, which even prominent conservatives danced around with.
For Romney, though, there has been nothing like that. There has been no organized effort to hide his faith or claim he is something else. Mormonism is a core part of his identity, his family history, and it played a role in some of his bigger life decisions. The fact that his Mormon faith prevents him from drinking coffee or alcohol even is a relatively common source of jokes among late night comedians. If you don’t know this about Romney you probably don’t know almost anything about who he is as a person.
This is a good reminder that a lot of registered voters really aren’t paying much attention. When writing about politics, it is often easy to forget that not only are many registered voters not following the latest gaffe and attack ads, but many of them still don’t even know the most basic facts about the candidates. It is still early in the cycle and there is a lot of time for Romney to be defined as a candidate.
17 Comments
They are both members of religious dogma that preaches intolerance and hate of people “not them”. Though I know the one is a Protestant Christian and the other follows that Christian derivative cult of LDS, just the fact that they both believe in an omnipotent being that governs everyone and everything is disturbing to me. How can one serve their nation when their first loyalty is to a fictitious creature?
I believe Obama follows Narcissism, right?
The only answer to your “puzzlement” (From the King and I) is ignorance or blatant stupidity…………..
Lest us not forget Mark Twains’ quote, “95% of the people in the world are idiots, and the other 5% of us are in danger of contagion.”
thre might not be an effort to “hide” it but there is no real willingness IMO to discuss it. To me he tries to come off as a generic evangelical rather than a mormon. The media is too skittish to really touch anything dealing with “faith”
Indeed. It’s not like he mentioned that during the GOP debates or wears a “BYU” helmet at his appearances. He looks normal. Wifey too. But Americans are easily fooled.
Par for the course. A substantial percentage of Americans don’t believe in evolution or global warming either.
Most Americans’ flavors of superstition are just as whacky as Rmoney’s. Like Barack Obama’s for example.
The assertion that “both”…are preaching hate may be less than accurate, but such statements certainly explains why there is so little discussion. The topic seems to bring out the irrational and prejudice.
You’re right. It was too blanket a statement. Let me try again: Representatives and officials of both have often engaged in preaching hate. Better?
I prefer a candidate who’s an atheist. I don’t want someone with access to nuclear weapons who believes in an afterlife. Religious belief is irrational behavior.
Guess so, if by “looks normal” you mean only “looks” and ignore anything they “say” or “do.”
And a “Left Behind” cultist would be worse yet, as he/she would be in a position to push a button and bring on the End Times.
Very close in the running is loyalty to the Almighty …….Dollar.
Spot on and well said Om.
All I know is both worship at the alter of Multi national Corporations/Wall St!
Religion?
Obama – Greed, Money, Corporations, Wall Street
Romney – Yep, the same.
Knowing what religion a couple of individuals are is less important than knowing that they are both completely corrupt.