jskains Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Seems like Romney might get the GOP nomination, and lets say he wins.How do you think that would affect public opinion of the LDS Church? Do you think baptismal numbers might spike for a while? Do you think that there might be less demonization and cult-calling?Especially if he did well or became likable?I am not interested in IF he does or his qualifications or any of that. It's not a political discussion. I am wondering the side affects of a Mormon being in the top position in the free world. It's a social discussion...JMS
Storm Rider Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Seems like Romney might get the GOP nomination, and lets say he wins.How do you think that would affect public opinion of the LDS Church? Do you think baptismal numbers might spike for a while? Do you think that there might be less demonization and cult-calling?Especially if he did well or became likable?I am not interested in IF he does or his qualifications or any of that. It's not a political discussion. I am wondering the side affects of a Mormon being in the top position in the free world. It's a social discussion...JMSI don't see it having any impact on the Church as a whole. Should he do well; I suspect in the long run citizens would not be as opposed to seeing a LDS in political office. I don't see how there would be any renewed interest by Americans. However, there may be more interest internationally.
why me Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Seems like Romney might get the GOP nomination, and lets say he wins.How do you think that would affect public opinion of the LDS Church? Do you think baptismal numbers might spike for a while? Do you think that there might be less demonization and cult-calling?Especially if he did well or became likable?I am not interested in IF he does or his qualifications or any of that. It's not a political discussion. I am wondering the side affects of a Mormon being in the top position in the free world. It's a social discussion...JMSI think that we can find comparisons with JFK. Before JFK there was a semi anticatholic prejudice in America. With JFK, this prejudice subsided. When people saw that a catholic president would not be a threat to the nation, all went well. The same it will be with Romney. At this moment, people have all sorts of connotations when they hear the term 'mormon'. I think that many of the negative connotations will subside if Romney becomes president. Much will depend on his performance as president and during the campaign. 2
BCSpace Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 What exactly does "opposition in all things" mean? Does it mean that perhaps because of antireligious and antiMormon sentiment we are due for greater and greater forces (what would these forces be?) to pull in the opposite direction? An LDS POTUS and a period of the aforementioned increase in baptisms and less demonization? When do these shifts happen and can they be predicted accurately?Just musing.....
thesometimesaint Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I think the political independents will be somewhat molified by a successful Romney presidency. The "Diehards" on both sides not so much.
cinepro Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I think that many of the negative connotations will subside if Romney becomes president. Much will depend on his performance as president and during the campaign.I agree. If he were a popular President, it could do a lot to "normalize" the Church in the public eye. But to get there, I have no doubt he (and we) will have to endure very public, very repeated attacks on every unusual thing the Church has ever taught or done. Running for President is the highest level of politics in the world, and at that level, all bets are off when it comes to civility or decorum.
KevinG Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 No doubt the professional anti-Mormon industry will see this as a boon to their income.Then again it provides opportunitites to answer the nonsense.Being in the spotlight may even provide opportunities for the Saints to reflect upon our own behavior and repent of any wrongdoing (as individuals and a culture).
LeSellers Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Hi, I'm Willard Romney. My friends call me "Mr. President", or Mitt. I'm a Mormon.Lehi 1
zerinus Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Seems like Romney might get the GOP nomination, and lets say he wins.How do you think that would affect public opinion of the LDS Church? Do you think baptismal numbers might spike for a while? Do you think that there might be less demonization and cult-calling?Especially if he did well or became likable?I am not interested in IF he does or his qualifications or any of that. It's not a political discussion. I am wondering the side affects of a Mormon being in the top position in the free world. It's a social discussion...JMSI think it will be a good PR boost for the Church, but will not lead to a lot of convert baptisms in the short term. PR benefits are experienced in the long term, not short term.
elguanteloko Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Seems like Romney might get the GOP nomination, and lets say he wins.How do you think that would affect public opinion of the LDS Church? Do you think baptismal numbers might spike for a while? Do you think that there might be less demonization and cult-calling?Especially if he did well or became likable?I am not interested in IF he does or his qualifications or any of that. It's not a political discussion. I am wondering the side affects of a Mormon being in the top position in the free world. It's a social discussion...JMSI think the Church, first of all, will accelerate its process of making efforts to look good and with that many of its approaches to doctrines will be watered down more. Also, since information hasn't been very kind with religions and dogmatic belief in the past I honestly don't see a scenario, in this day and age, where this attention brought to the Church will result in anything good to Mormonism as it currently stands (except the watering down, which I consider progress). I mean, Mormonism could try to change drastically and lessen the impact but I see that as unlikely.
KevinG Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I would say something about a compensating force for the publicity received through Harry Reid but that might get the thread closed.
thesometimesaint Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 elguanteloko:Did the election of Jimmy Carter lead to the watering down of EV theology? Yours is a Non sequitur.
Calm Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I would say something about a compensating force for the publicity received through Harry Reid but that might get the thread closed. It's all about balance.
Avatar4321 Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I think we will likely see more opposition. Political opponents will try to attack the Church to gain political points.I could be wrong though. The Lord really hasn't told me anything about it.
elguanteloko Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 elguanteloko:Did the election of Jimmy Carter lead to the watering down of EV theology? Yours is a Non sequitur.Why would it when Evangelical Christians are considered Christians by the vast majority of people here? It would have been like preaching to the choir. Mormons are much more worried about PR than Christians here because they are a minority wanting to expand.
KevinG Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) Christians are never worried about PR. Just ask Ralph Reed. Edited November 17, 2011 by DaddyG
blackstrap Posted November 18, 2011 Posted November 18, 2011 IF Mitt becomes president, and IF he does what is necessary to put the US back on a firm financial footing,then he will likely be a MOST unpopular fellow!
noel00 Posted November 18, 2011 Posted November 18, 2011 I think people like Jon Stewart, Stephen Cobert and Bill Maher are going to have heaps of material to use. A lot of young people, usually very well informed about politics watch Jon Stewart. Mormonism will come more under the spotlight of the media.
TAO Posted November 18, 2011 Posted November 18, 2011 I think people like Jon Stewart, Stephen Cobert and Bill Maher are going to have heaps of material to use. A lot of young people, usually very well informed about politics watch Jon Stewart. Mormonism will come more under the spotlight of the media.Curiously enough, Colbert has already has an issue on this, which was rather funny: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/394360/august-10-2011/yaweh-or-no-way----mormons---god-s-poll-numbersActually, it's really really funny XD.
jskains Posted November 18, 2011 Author Posted November 18, 2011 I liked the comment about how "silly" Joseph Smith finding golden plates from a hill by an angle was cause we all know that Moses got stone tablets from a burning bush on a mountain.
jskains Posted November 18, 2011 Author Posted November 18, 2011 I think people like Jon Stewart, Stephen Cobert and Bill Maher are going to have heaps of material to use. A lot of young people, usually very well informed about politics watch Jon Stewart. Mormonism will come more under the spotlight of the media.Bill Maher doesn't need new material. I think his hateful bigoted anti-religious guns are well stocked and loaded.JMS
Loran Blood Posted November 18, 2011 Posted November 18, 2011 Seems like Romney might get the GOP nomination, and lets say he wins.How do you think that would affect public opinion of the LDS Church? Do you think baptismal numbers might spike for a while? Do you think that there might be less demonization and cult-calling?Especially if he did well or became likable?I am not interested in IF he does or his qualifications or any of that. It's not a political discussion. I am wondering the side affects of a Mormon being in the top position in the free world. It's a social discussion...JMSIn all frankness, Romney has talked out of both sides of his mouth, for so many years, on so many important and salient issues, that its difficult to tell what his core really is, and to what degree that core is steeped in LDS doctrine and culture and his own personal ambition. Romney was assertively "pro-choice" while a governor, but as a presidential candidate,h as followed the Nixon strategy and played to the center-Right (where the majority of the nation is politically) by repudiating his pro-Roe v Wade position and come out as pro-life. This kind of behavior can be tracked across numerous other core issues over the years.I just don't think someone who sticks there finger in their mouth and tests the wind in this manner is a very good role model for what the average faithful, committed LDS is all about.
Loran Blood Posted November 18, 2011 Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) I think people like Jon Stewart, Stephen Cobert and Bill Maher are going to have heaps of material to use. A lot of young people, usually very well informed about politics watch Jon Stewart. Mormonism will come more under the spotlight of the media.Which is why our society, in the end, is doomed.The Second Coming is "at our doors," and one may see the "signs of the times" permeating the culture, even in what may appear to be cultural attributes and tendencies such as the above. If one is getting his knowledge of politics from Stewart, Cobert, and Maher, it would seem that, ipso facto, one probably does not have a very good grasp of politics, or the intellectual temperament to think critically about it. Maher? This is indicative of just how far the standards of political discourse have declined over the last several decades. In my generation, the standard for being well apprised and serious about political issues would have been something on the oder of Firing Line, not Bill Maher's High School cut down contests. Edited November 18, 2011 by Loran Blood
The Nehor Posted November 18, 2011 Posted November 18, 2011 Which is why our society, in the end, is doomed.The Second Coming is "at our doors," and one may see the "signs of the times" permeating the culture, even in what may appear to be cultural attributes and tendencies such as the above. If one is getting his knowledge of politics from Stewart, Cobert, and Maher, it would seem that, ipso facto, one probably does not have a very good grasp of politics, or the intellectual temperament to think critically about it. Maher? This is indicative of just how far the standards of political discourse have declined over the last several decades. In my generation, the standard for being well apprised and serious about political issues would have been something on the oder of Firing Line, not Bill Maher's High School cut down contests.I doubt Jesus is timing his return based on the climate of political discourse and our intellectual temperament. I think it is more likely he is coming because the cup of sin is full.I also don't think Stewart and Colbert are a bad thing in our current state. The lack of humility and ultra-seriousness that has infected politics has made political discussion next to impossible. The best way to talk about politics has become humor.
mnn727 Posted November 18, 2011 Posted November 18, 2011 I think it would break down a few barriers just like JFK did for Catholisism, however I just would want to see him get his Home Teaching done.Also his Home Teachers would no doubt have to go through a Secret Service background check.
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