The Mormon Myth- fishing for a red herring

People whose opinions I value very much asked me who my choice is for the Republican nomination for the presidency. I have been very careful not to state my preference since the political landscape is still very fluid and there have been no actual primary votes cast. Iowa and New Hampshire are right around the corner.

South Carolina and Nevada will also conduct early primaries. I responded that it’s just too early to tell. Let’s keep listening to the entire bank of candidates. One particularly close friend queried me how I could consider voting for Mitt Romney. Puzzled, I asked, “Why not? What’s the matter with Mitt Romney?” His response floored me. “He’s a Mormon and that’s a cult religion” Is the Church of Jesus Christ- Latter Day Saints a cult religion? This allegation really disturbed me. I never thought the LDS was a cult religion. I enthusiastically voted 10 times for my congressman, Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-25th District of California), a member of the Church of Latter day Saints. The values he espoused were my values even though I am not an LDS member. As a Jewish man, I share many of the values of the Church of Latter Day Saints. I have come to understand there are many similarities between Judaism and the LDS. Conservative McKeon mirrors my core values. Those making sect allegations are misinformed and are promulgating this Mormon Myth.

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Still, I was disturbed. If people who were close to me believed this way, maybe this issue of Mormonism as a cult was larger than I surmised. After all, there are 5 million LDS members in the United States I emailed Buck to discuss my concern. To my absolute surprise, within a matter of hours, he called me back and for the next 45 minutes, it was Congressman Buck McKeon speaking with me, a former constituent. I asked him, “Buck, you and Mitt Romney are both members of the Church of Jesus Christ- Latter Day Saints. How do you react when someone says you are a member of a cult? Buck said, “While you were asking me that question, I looked up the word cult and it is defined as system of religious beliefs and rituals that is unorthodox and led by someone of great charisma. As a Mormon, I owe my allegiance to God and his son Jesus Christ. Those are the teachings of LDS leader Joseph Smith.” Indeed, Buck McKeon, you are a Christian. Indeed, Mitt Romney, you are a Christian. Those who dangle the fish hook red herring Mormons are cultists are just plain misguided. When John F. Kennedy was running for president in 1960, there were many Protestants who felt Roman Catholic Kennedy was ill-suited for the presidency of the United States. Meeting an assortment of Protestant clergy / Baptist Ministers in Charleston, West Virginia in 1960, JFK overcame that hurdle when he said, “I will put no doctrine of any Church above the plain duties of the Office and the sovereign authority of the Law.” He convinced the clergymen he was not the emissary of Pope John XXIII. Kennedy garnered their support, won the nomination, and beat Quaker Richard Nixon that November. Mitt Romney has echoed President Kennedy’s famous quote of 41 years ago. 5% of the 100 member Senate are followers of the LDS. Additionally, including McKeon there are seven members of the House who are LDS Whatever one may think of Mitt Romney’s politics one should be open-minded and listen to his words. Follow the debates. Watch him interact with the other candidates. Let’s vet him properly and completely but please allow me to reassure you Governor Mitt Romney is no cultist. When Mitt’s father Governor George Romney ran for successfully for in Michigan over several two year terms, there was never any issue relating to the elder Romney’s religion. It certainly should not be an issue for Mitt, today. What are the teachings of the Book of Mormon? It teaches financial security; when one borrows money pay it back; family responsibility, provide for and take care of your wife and children; When helping someone down on his luck, give a hand up not a hand out. The book of Mormon teaches the precepts of the Torah. Those are my core values and I am no cultist. Could ancient Jews have labeled the genesis of Christianity as a cult? Most certainly, Jesus Christ was charismatic and his teachings at the time were considered highly unorthodox. Quite obviously, Christianity has endured and positively influenced the lives of billions. Certainly, an argument can be made that radical Muslims under the charismatic leadership of Osama bin Laden have transformed the peaceful Muslim religion into a cult. Similarly, can one infer the Nation of Islam under charismatic leader Louis Farrakhan is a cult? As all the candidates are properly and completely vetted, this issue of one’s religion should be off the table. Romney, Cain, Perry, Gingrich, Santorum, Paul, Huntsman, or Bachmann would all be an acceptable nominee to this voter. Whoever the candidate is, he or she has my vote. I will vote for any Republican over radical ideologue Barack Hussein Obama. The Republican nominee will be the next president of the United States. Though I have yet to decide for whom I will vote for in the California Republican Primary, I will say if Mitt Romney is a devout Mormon and a devout Christian as he presents himself to be, he will make a better candidate for the nomination and a better president of the United States of America. Take back America 2012.