US Presidential election
 

Is anyone else finding it a bit odd that very little is being made of Mitt Romney's stranger than usual religion? Whilst I do not believe in a god, Mormonism (The Church of Latter Day Saints) is really quite new and is based on a convicted con artist called Jospeph Smith allegedly having found some gold plates in New York, in the 1820's, that only he could read whilst putting his face in a special hat. No one ever saw these plates and he changed his mind about what they said.

They believe in a planet called Kolob, although this has never been identified atronomically, which is allegedly closest to their god. A woman can only get into heaven if her husband gives her permission. Apparently Jesus visited America and dark skin is a curse for 'unrighteousness'. They even have special underwear.

Whilst much of what is written in religious tracts seems implausible to many of us, the mainstream books were written a very long time ago, before printing presses and when much of the doctrine was passed on verbally. The Mormon stuff is relatively recent.

Re: US Presidential election
 

I had no idea that Mormonism was so weird.

Always assumed it was a Quaker type thing where you just sat around silently (and ate oats)

Re: US Presidential election
 

Which religon isn't weird?

Re: US Presidential election
 

The 'gold plates' apparently were brought down from above by the Angel Moroni. Says it all, really.

Re: US Presidential election
 

Yeah, true...

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That's getting out towards Scientology levels of weirdness.

Re: US Presidential election
 

You know about the polygamy? Apparantly outlawed by the main church some 30 years ago, but still practiced by many. Just google 'mormon beliefs' for even more nutty stuff.

Re: US Presidential election
 

God made man in his image? Pretty pathetic. OK I am done.

Re: US Presidential election
 

Lost me there, Beaver. Isn't Scientology the one based on a sci-fi novel by Ron L Hubbard?

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Wasn't talking about scientology, just the whole Judeo Christian system. Figured I'd piss nearly everyone off. Hubbard wrote some great sci-fi novels however.

Re: US Presidential election
 

Son of his father, who also happened to be his father, having been born to a virgin, who eventually died and became a zombie (rose from the dead) who encourages his followers to also eat flesh and blood.

Even the most mainstream ones are weird.

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No question about that, but I still maintain that Mormonism is weirder as it was made up at a time when we knew a fair bit about the world, not back in the dark ages.

Re: US Presidential election
 

Mormonism's weirdness compared to other religions is entirely due to how recent it is.

I have to confess to be an obsessive follower of the election campaign. The major party campaigns or candidates can't touch religion explicitly because it could backfire badly. There have been a few high profile pieces in various magazines about Mormonism though and so many commenters on articles and blogs have been referring to the supposed Mormon tenet of "Lying for the Lord" (Google it) that it looks like an orchestrated whispering campaign.

Meanwhile, the Romney campaign is going full throttle and gaining considerable traction in key swing states with its bogus welfare attack on Obama. As this is a naked racial ploy to inflame working class whites against blacks, expect some Democrat response that begins to raise the religious question especially in the intense period of campaigning after the conventions and given how tight the polls are. This would most likely come via low key ads which subtly raise the question of Romney's religion funded by Democrat-linked super-PAC money (so not directly connected to the Obama campaign ergo "clean hands"). The biggest impact of raising Mormonism would likely be to deflate enthusiasm and turnout among the white evangelical Protestants who form a core part of the Republican anti-Obama base. In an election as tight as this turnout is the most critical factor.

Re: US Presidential election
 

Frankly it's a mystery how any right thinking person could vote Republican in the forthcoming election, what with their candidate being a follower of a nutty sect and must of the rest of the party overrun with the loony tea party lot. They have seriously lost the plot.

Re: US Presidential election
 

But, in the eyes of much of the US voting public, being of any religion, no matter how absurd (with the possible exception of being Muslim), is better than being an atheist.

Guy who believes in Kolob and reading gold plates with a special hat on - no problem. Guy who doesn't believe in any mythical deity - damn him to hell!