The Mormon Church (or, as they preferred to be called, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ) remains a mystery for many Americans. But with the emergence of Mitt Romney as a front-runner for the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election, the church is about to receive much more scrutiny here and abroad. Not that they need the publicity: the Mormon Church is already one of the fastest-growing "denominations" in the US. According to BeliefNet the Mormons are the 2nd fast-growing major demoninations with over 6 million members in the US.
In Germany, the church exists as Die Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage and has between 35,000 and 50,000 members. Interestingly enough, I had never heard of the Mormons, much less met one, until I lived in Germany. One day two scrubbed 18-yr.-old Americans approached me on the street, wearing white shirts and ties and speaking broken German. I was intrigued by their gumption and got to know them a bit. Then I learned about their Church in Utah, and how their young men must spend two years doing missionary work abroad. There was something appealing about their work ethic and clean-living ways – and naivete. But when they began telling me about the "theology" of their Church, and explain the Book of Mormon, I thought it was quite strange. How could such a bizarre belief-system appeal to anyone with half a brain? But the tremendous success of the Church speaks for itself, I suppose.
Mormons describe themselves as Christians, but Mormon "theology" puts itself at odds with basic Christian doctrine. In fact, Mormonism is a form of polytheism, with God the Father – who was once a human being with a wife and family – just one of a multitude of deities. Mormons actually believe that by practicing Mormonism we can progress to become gods of our own worlds just like the god Elohim. Some of the more repellent aspects of Mormonism concern the inferior role of women, and the belief that Black people were cursed with their black skin because of their inferiority in the pre-existent life. There are many cult-like practices, such as secret temple rituals where one learns secret names and secret handshakes which contribute to one’s exaltation in the celestial kingdom. No non-Mormon is worthy to go inside a dedicated temple. Like any cult, it is difficult to break with – even in Germany (see the site: ex-mormonen.de).
To win the Republican nomination for US president, Mitt Romney must win the support of evangelical Christians – the base of the Republican Party. But as Amy Sullivan noted in article already in 2005 (Mitt Romney’s Evangelical Problem) he faces an uphill battle:
Evangelical Christians consider Mormonism a threat in a way that Catholicism and even Judaism are not. The LDS Church, they charge, has perverted Christian teachings to create a false religion. As John L. Smith, a Southern Baptist who runs Utah Mission–an organization that tries to convert Mormons–told Christianity Today: "Mormonism is either totally true or totally false. If it’s true, every other religion in America is false." To be tolerant of Mormonism is to put evangelical Christianity at risk. And to put a Mormon in the White House would be to place a stamp of approval on that faith.
Mitt Romney is a very attractive Republican candidate – bright, articulate, telegenic. It will be interesting to watch how mainstream voters come to terms with his faith.
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dass die mormonen sooo schlimm sind, kommt bei dem deutschen ableger nicht unbedingt zum vorschein. ich hatte im sommer letzten jahres anlass, mich mit dem thema zu beschaeftigen. allerdings wurde mir klar, dass es bei den mormonen kein vergnuegen ist, eine frau zu sein. aber das ist es bei den zeugen jehovas, bei den strenglaeubigen katholiken usf. auch nicht.
was nicht mein einziger grund ist, die vermischung von politik und religion mit einiger gesunder skepsis zu betrachten.
Leider ist “die vermischung von politik und religion” bei uns unvermeidbar.
Irgendwo hab’ ich gelesen, dass etwa die haelfte von amerikanern unter KEINEN umstaenden einen atheisten zum praesidenten waehlen wuerden.
es ist in der tat erstaunlich, wie sehr die geschichte nachwirkt. so gut ich verstehen kann, dass die ersten siedler eine gehoerige portion gottvertrauen brauchten, um ihr leben zu bewerkstelligen, so sehr wundere ich mich, dass dieses gedankengut noch immer nachwirkt.
ich persoenlich zucke schon, wenn im bundestag jemand “so wahr mir gott helfe” sagt oder ein politiker irgendwelche segnungen ausspricht. aber vermutlich wirkt da noch meine erziehung nach:
“Es rettet uns kein hoeh’res Wesen,
kein Gott, kein Kaiser, noch Tribun.
Uns aus dem Elend zu erloesen,
koennen wir nur selber tun!”
pardon, dass ich DIE INTERNATIONALE in dein blog trage. sie ist in meinem kopf. 😉
ich habe nichts gegen DIE INTERNATIONALE. Ein guter Christ ist zugleich auch Humanist (d.h.links)!
da bin ich beruhigt! 😉
I don’t speak German. Spanish and some Persian yes. German no.
But I wanted to comment by taking excetpion especially to the following–
“Some of the more repellent aspects of Mormonism concern the inferior role of women, and the belief that Black people were cursed with their black skin because of their inferiority in the pre-existent life.”
First off we do not have a belief in an inferior role for women. The term “help meet” means one that helps in a position of power and capacity that matches (meets) that of men. We don’t believe in any inferiority of women or womens roles, we do believe men and women have different roles in primary actions they are to fullfill, but we in no way hold women as inferior, in any way, to man.
Secondly with regard to “Black people were cursed with their black skin because of their inferiority in the pre-existent life” is also not in our beliefs and is a commonly misconstrued one. A correct view, and likely the originating source of this myth as to what our doctrine is, is that we believe that person’s state in this life is connected to their fidelity in the last one. This means that those who were more capable in the last life are those who are given a better position in this one. This, however, does not mean a person’s socio economic status or one’s racial or ethnic ties. Rather it’s proxcimity to the gospel and the divine truths that are the ultimate in advantages. Thus a poor citizen of a poor country with dark skin can have a life with more access to the Gospel and saving principles than a person who’s white and wealthy and grew up in Utah. Thus the advantages may end up demonstrating that the added fidelity was had in the previous life by the individual with the darkest skin.
As far as doctrinally the skin only has connection to the lack of faith of SOME of their ancestors.
The dark skin was never the “curse” but the mark of it at the time. The fact that individuals have dark skin today has not real bearing for discernment as to their fidelity in the previous state of existance.
Otherwise, while I don’t like all of the tone of your piece, the rest of it is reasonably accurate.
Romney’s candidacy has already spurred increased discussion of Mormonism–it will be interesting to see how Evangelicals judge the Mormon issue when they arrive at the voting booth.
I’m not unhopeful that Mormonism may someday moderate itself and become more politically diverse and socially tolerant–they just need an exceptional leader. I’d actually be interested to find out how the people of Utah feel about the GOP now. When I was last there (visiting relatives), Utah (especailly the Provo area) seemed like the reddest state in the union, but things may have changed–the mayor of Salt Lake City, for example, seems to be a real liberal–he gave an exceptional anti-war speech at a rally a few years ago.