Mormon Life - Mitt Romney tag

Many have doubts about Mormon president

Thu, 24 May 2012 06:37:00 -0600

source: upi.com

More than a quarter of U.S. residents say they are concerned about the possibility of a Mormon president, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll indicates.

Evangelical Christians are even more likely to worry about a Mormon in the White House, with a third saying they are concerned, the poll released Tuesday said.

New York Times: Black Mormons and the politics of identity

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:43:00 -0600

source: nytimes.com

Mormon Life says: Who would have thought a presidential election would include both a black candidate and a Mormon candidate? Black Mormons provide a unique perspective as the reality gets closer. When Marguerite Driessen, a professor here, entered Brigham Young University in the early 1980s, she was the first black person many Mormon students had ever met, and she spent a good bit of her college time debunking stereotypes about African-Americans. Then she converted to Mormonism herself, and went on to spend a good deal of her adult life correcting assumptions about Mormons.

So the matchup in this year’s presidential election comes as a watershed moment for her, symbolizing the hard-won acceptance of racial and religious minorities.

“A Mormon candidate and a black candidate? Who would have thunk?” Ms. Driessen said. “I think 30 years ago, we would not have had this choice.”

Wall Street Journal: One in four say having a Mormon president would cause concerns

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:22:00 -0600

source: wsj.com

Mormon Life says: So says a poll done by WSJ and NBC News. More than one in four Americans say having a Mormon as president would cause concern for themselves or someone in their family, neighborhood or office, presenting a challenge for Mitt Romney, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.

In general, Americans are reluctant to admit they harbor biases against particular groups, so the portion of people who say Mormonism is a concern is notable, pollsters said. Mr. Romney is set to be the first Mormon to be nominated for president by one of the major political parties.

Romney faces ‘stained glass ceiling’ with voters, study says

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:18:00 -0600

source: sltrib.com

Mormon Life says: Another study. This one shows those with only a passing association with Mormons are most likely to react negatively to information about Romney and Mormonism. Americans who have only passing contact with Mormons are more likely to react to negative information about Mitt Romney and his faith and less inclined to buy into the counter, pro-Mormon argument, according to a new study.

The research, by three political science professors, including one at Brigham Young University, contends that voters who know Mormons well (such as having a family member or close friend who is in the faith) tend to dismiss outside arguments about the religion, while those who have had no contact with Mormons were the "most persuadable" either for or against Romney and the Salt Lake City-based religion.

The New Yorker weighs in on 'Latter-day' politics

Wed, 23 May 2012 11:52:00 -0600

source: newyorker.com

Mormon Life says: The author says Romney presents the opportunity to discuss the "utterly American" story of Mormonism and how it contributes to America's ongoing story. What is wrong with talking about Mormonism when talking about Mitt Romney and his run for the Presidency? On CNN last Sunday, David Axelrod, President Obama’s strategist, promised that his campaign did not consider Romney’s faith “fair game.” The implication, there, is that Mormonism is a weak point to be exploited—a card that one would only expect the Obama team to play from the bottom of the deck. And given that suspicions about Mormonism are widely thought to have cost Romney votes in the South, there may be good reasons for thinking so. Romney has also said, rightly, that some matters of faith are properly private. It might be that, in the interest of civility and electoral prudence, neither Obama nor Romney can initiate a conversation about what it means to be Mormon in this country. But perhaps the rest of us should, because the story is complicated, fascinating, and utterly American.

Do Mormons really want recognition as a 'mainstream' religion?

Wed, 23 May 2012 11:20:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

Mormon Life says: Review of an article that says, in part, "great days have unexpected consequences." To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who view Mitt Romney's successful campaign for the Republican presidential nomination as a significant step toward acceptance of the church as a mainstream American religion, respected Harvard professor Noah Feldman has these words of caution: "Be careful what you wish for."

In early 2008, Feldman, a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard, wrote a long essay in the New York Times titled "What Is it About Mormonism?" in which he speculated that "the soft bigotry of cultural discomfort may stand in the way of a candidate whose faith examplifies values of charity, self-discipline and community that we as Americans claim to hold dear."

Viewpoint: Making the most of the Mormon Moment

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:05:00 -0600

source: universe.byu.edu

My last companion in Australia was Elder William Hopoate — one of the most famous rugby all-stars in Australia. When he turned down millions of dollars to serve a Mormon mission, it went viral. As we served together, I realized his influence did much more than simply touch the people he came in contact with. His good example and selfless sacrifice affected the general public’s opinion of the LDS faith. The people in Australia are more receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ because, for perhaps the first time, they were able to see the Church in an incredibly positive way through the media.

Mormon history scholar discusses growing media interest in LDS church

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:05:00 -0600

source: hjnews.townnews.com

Almost two years ago, even before the pre-campaigning for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination began, Philip Barlow, the Leonard Arrington Professor of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University, got a surprising phone call from a very powerful Mormon who happened to be a USU alum.

It was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Reid exchanged pleasantries, although the two men had never met. Then Reid ripped into Barlow about an article Barlow had been quoted in.

NC state rep apologizes for Mormon marriage comment

Sun, 20 May 2012 16:45:00 -0600

source: cnn.com

A Democratic North Carolina state representative apologized Friday for saying in an interview with CNN that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Mormon faith allows individuals to "have multiple wives."

Washington Post: The Mormon obsession

Sun, 20 May 2012 16:40:00 -0600

source: washingtonpost.com

Mormon Life says: This author makes it a point to defend the Church from the media's current take on Mormonism. The New York Times' Jodi Kantor has a piece on Mitt Romney’s Mormonism. It is largely sympathetic and reveals, despite Kantor’s thesis that everything you need to know about Romney boils down to Mormonism (hmm, funny how the New York Times ignored and deplored similar inquiries about candidate Barack Obama in 2008, but what do you expect from the liberals’ paper of record?), that his religiosity is identical to those of other faithful people.

Study argues Romney’s ‘religion problem’ is exaggerated

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:17:00 -0600

source: nytimes.com

A new study released by the Brookings Institution argues that Mitt Romney’s Mormon religion is unlikely to hurt him at the polls in November.

The researchers based the conclusion on an experiment in which people were asked whether they planned to vote for Mr. Romney or Mr. Obama. Some of the respondents were first given information about Mr. Romney’s religion – and in some cases, quite detailed information – while others were given none. Those who received the information first were no less likely to support Mr. Romney.

Is Mitt Romney's love for America a Mormon thing?

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:07:00 -0600

source: washingtonpost.com

Mormon Life says: Some of the facts aren't exactly right, but the author does a good job of making connections between LDS scriptural belief and how that reflects on patriotism. Fascinating.

When it comes to American exceptionalism, Mitt Romney is going all in.

His book “No Apology: The Case for American Greatness” is a love song to the idea that this country merits “the protection of Providence” and has a singular “calling” to be a beacon for freedom. A major theme for him on the campaign trail is the nation’s divine destiny, a heritage Romney said has made him “stand a little taller, a little straighter” when overseas.

But what Romney doesn’t say is that, for followers of his made-in-America religion, Mormonism, exceptionalism isn’t political metaphor. It’s theology.

Washington Post: Why Mitt Romney shouldn't hide his Mormon leadership

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:50:00 -0600

source: washingtonpost.com

Mormon Life says: Interesting read. This church member argues that Romney's leadership in the Church is crucial to understanding how authentic he is. Even after numerous political victories, years of public scrutiny and gigabytes of press, Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney remains an enigma to many. Is he a brilliant businessman or a ruthless capitalist? Is he driven by family values or by personal ambition? Is he a political moderate or a right-wing conservative? Just what kind of leader is he likely to be?

One of the reasons we can’t fully answer this question is that Romney doesn’t speak enough about one of the most formative influences on his leadership: his faith. Yes, he learned leadership theory at Harvard Business School and gained leadership experience founding Bain Capital, running the Salt Lake City Olympics and governing the state of Massachusetts. But fully unraveling Romney’s leadership identity requires delving more deeply into how he demonstrated leadership in his church.

How has Mormonism shaped Mitt Romney's leadership style?

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:22:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Combining the resources of both its "On Faith" and "On Leadership" online blogs, the Washington Post has launched a multi-part series of stories by LDS writers and academics aimed at explaining how Mitt Romney's leadership style has been shaped by his experiences as a lay leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In one article, Dave Ulrich, a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and a former LDS bishop and mission president, says he thinks Romney should find "a way to open a bigger window into his (LDS) church service."

With or without Romney, D.C. a surprising Mormon stronghold

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:06:00 -0600

source: cnn.com

Mormon Life says: This article is making its way around all the national media outlets--have you read it? A few hundred Mormons filed into a chapel just outside the Washington Beltway one recent Sunday to hear a somewhat unusual presentation: an Obama administration official recounting his conversion to Mormonism.

“I have never in my life had a more powerful experience than that spiritual moment when the spirit of Christ testified to me that the Book of Mormon is true,” Larry Echo Hawk told the audience, which stretched back through the spacious sanctuary and into a gymnasium in the rear.

Echo Hawk’s tear-stained testimonial stands out for a couple of reasons: The White House normally doesn’t dispatch senior staff to bare their souls, and Mormons hew heavily Republican. It’s not every day a top Democrat speaks from a pulpit owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mitt Romney and Those 'Mormon Moments'

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:35:00 -0600

source: huffingtonpost.com

Mormon Life says: Click on the forwarding link to watch the video the article is summarizing. From Donny and Marie Osmond, to HBO's "Big Love," to Proposition 8 in California, to persistent -- and inaccurate -- Beltway legends about how half of the CIA is staffed by members of the LDS Church, America's Mormons have a way of episodically popping into the national consciousness.

The recent ascent of Mitt Romney to the status of presumptive Republican nominee is no exception to this rule. It is yet another "Mormon moment" in a long string of such moments dating back to the 19th century.

In my conversation with Hampden-Sydney College professor Matthew Bowman (author of "The Mormon People: The Making of an American Faith"), we explore the possibility that Mormons themselves aren't necessarily the biggest fans of Mormon moments. The national scrutiny can be taxing and treacherous, especially for a community as family-oriented and averse to the spotlight as this one is.

Aussie Mormon mother gets ahead on her motor bike

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:29:00 -0600

source: www.smh.com.au

Mormon Life says: They get a few things wrong, but overall the feature is nice. Most picture Mormon missionaries in suits, spurning tea and coffee. But as the ''stormin' Mormon'' Mitt Romney makes a bid for the White House, there is renewed interest in the faith, which has been linked with polygamy and proselytising.

Darrylin Galanos defies stereotypes. She lives in Ivanhoe with her husband and three children, studies social work at Melbourne University, votes for the Greens, and rides a Triumph motorbike. And like thousands of Australians she is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS).

''Mormon is just a nickname,'' she said. Ms Galanos has been a member all her life.

If Harvard Business School were a religion, it could be Mormonism

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:16:00 -0600

source: washingtonpost.com

This piece is part of a joint On Faith - On Leadership series exploring the Mormon experiences that have helped shaped Mitt Romney’s leadership style, with pieces contributed by promiment Mormon writers and academics.

For the past year, as Mitt Romney has taken to the campaign trail, a number of news articles have explored why Mormons make good business leaders. An ethic of hard work, some say. A team mentality.

These may be true, yet there are other values that underpin Mormon leadership even more deeply — and they’re the same ones espoused by Harvard Business School.

Washington Post: How the Mormon church teaches priesthood holders to lead

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:04:00 -0600

source: washingtonpost.com

Mormon Life says: Do you think priesthood duties are responsible for so many successful Mormon businessmen? This piece is part of a joint On Faith - On Leadership series exploring the Mormon experiences that have helped shaped Mitt Romney’s leadership style, with pieces contributed by promiment Mormon writers and academics.

Every Sunday in chapels across the world, the Lord’s Supper is administered by teenage boys of the congregation, nervous or bored, in sometimes ill-fitting white shirts and poorly knotted ties in youthful imitation of their dark-suited fathers. They kneel before trays of bread and water, recite formal prayers and solemnly pass the communion to the congregation. Then they return to their families in the pews.

Who are these young men and what can we learn from the way that they are taught to lead?

Columnist misrepresents LDS Church doctrine and policy

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:31:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Come on media, try a little harder, please. New York Post columnist Maureen Callahan recently tried to explain to her readers the ecclesiastical implications for Mitt and Ann Romney and their activity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if the family ends up living in the White House.

Callahan cited several sources in her column, although there is nothing officially from the LDS Church. Too bad. Even if she had just gone to the church's Newsroom website, specifically prepared as a media resource, she might have avoided some glaring misrepresentations of LDS Church doctrine, policy, practice and procedure.

For example: