God-o-Meter joked earlier about adding a special “11″ rating for Mike Huckabee, but now it is seriously considering doing so. From an article in this Sunday’s New York Times Magazine called “The Huckabee Factor”:
Huckabee is, indeed, a discreet fellow, but he has no trouble making his feelings known. He mentioned how much he respected his fellow candidates John McCain and Rudolph W. Giuliani. The name of his principal rival in Iowa, Mitt Romney, went unmentioned. Romney, a Mormon, had promised that he would be addressing the subject of his religion a few days later. I asked Huckabee, who describes himself as the only Republican candidate with a degree in theology, if he considered Mormonism a cult or a religion. ‘‘I think it’s a religion,’’ he said. ‘‘I really don’t know much about it.’’
I was about to jot down this piece of boilerplate when Huckabee surprised me with a question of his own: ‘‘Don’t Mormons,’’ he asked in an innocent voice, ‘‘believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?’’
After the Associated Press broke a story about the forthcoming Times Magazine story last night, the Huckabee campaign issued this response:
….the full context of the exchange makes it clear that Governor Huckabee was illustrating his unwillingness to answer questions about Mormonism and to avoid addressing theological questions during this campaign.
“Governor Huckabee has said consistently that he believes this campaign should center on a discussion of the important issues confronting our nation,” said Senior Advisor, Dr. Charmaine Yoest, “and not focus on questions of religious belief. He wants to assure persons of all faith traditions of his firm commitment to religious tolerance and freedom of worship. Governor Huckabee believes that one of the great strengths of our nation lies in its diversity of thought, opinion and faith.”
But after studying the exchange in the Times Magazine (excerpted above in full) God-o-Meter has to agree with the crew over at Evangelicals for Mitt: the context doesn’t change anything. Huckabee’s remarks go beyond his earlier coyness in refusing to say whether or not Mormonism is a cult. That was one thing. His Christian Leader ad was another. But does anybody out there still believe that Huckabee is not playing the anti-Mormon card?
10
posted December 12, 2007 at 12:35 pm
With this making news and all the reaction and interest, it’s obvious to me that doctrine does matter. The fact is, despite what others may want to think, that many do care if their leaders are being led by the same God/Jesus as they are. What LDS don’t understand is that Christians hold to Jesus being the unique Son of God. That means for them, they think that He’s God the Son. He’s the second person of the *only* God there is. Every other son of God is not a son with the nature of God. They are creatures with different natures (e.g., angels and humans). Jesus, for Christians, is exalted above anything imaginable, since He is literally the Creator of everything outside Himself–including us and Lucifer (Jn. 1:1-3, 14; Rom. 9:5; and Col. 1:13-18). LDS devalue Jesus since He didn’t create everything. LDS don’t even believe that there is a God for any world who is God by nature. Each God (since Mormons are polytheists) had to become a god, and is worshipped exclusively for that world. “Worthy” LDS hope to become gods of their own worlds to receive exclusive worship from their own spirit kids. But Jesus taught there is only one true God (Jn. 17:3), and He warned us of false prophets and false Christs that would come in the last days (Mt. 24:24). http://www.MormonInfo.org
posted December 12, 2007 at 5:08 pm
There is nothing in the world to me as exciting as a good discussion on religion. Opposing view points makes me actually examine what I think I know and actually go research the topic. I learn a great deal every time. I also have learned to recognize a slam or sleight at first glance. That tells me the other guy is not serious in an honest exchange of views. Huck’s comments are like a flashing neon sign. He has zero interest in learning about LDS theology. He knows danged good and well where he can find the Mormon view on any subject and I will bet he has been to some of them before.
But he is not interested in honestly exploring LDS theology. He is interested in sending a shot across Romney’s bow to say “Leave me alone. Don’t you dare make me look bad”. It also tells me he may not be confident in his own theology and past practices as a Baptist preacher. Aside from exposing Huck’s inadequacies and doubts, it also perpetuates the notion by a huge part of the world that Evangelicals are mean-spirited, narrow minded, bigots. We Republicans know that for the most part, that they are not. Not entirely anyway.
posted December 12, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Gross Gross Gross. That’s what I think of Huckabee and his tactics. I see what goes on in Saudi Arabia and other muslim countries. Their extreme intolerence for other beliefs. Mr. Preacher man is nothing more than a wolf in sheeps clothing. I keep hearing about his great sense of humor, blah blah… I don’t want a comedian or a preacher deciding the future of my children, I want a businessman. The US government is the biggest business in the world.
As far as the evangelicals are concerned… It bothers me that such a vast group of people have appointed themselves judge and jury on who is a christian and who isn’t. Am I the only one who sees such arrogance?? They get to decide who is worthy to be put in the christian column? All these “Evangelical Christian” finger pointers who in their attempt to be Christ-like are perfecting the art of being one of the most judgemental groups of people in America.
On the Dennis Prager show today a woman called in who addressed herself as an evangelical christian. She went on to say that the people in her church wouldn’t vote for Romney because it would make mormonism too “mainstream”. What?? So like, you wouldn’t vote for a man if he was 100% qualified because his faith may become too powerful and would then compete with yours? How is this intolerence any different than the arab countries we bitch about and shake our heads at daily? Nothing.
Got a kick out of this one too. All the is questions about mormons being christian enough or too cult like. Here’s the dictionary.com definition of a “christian”.
A Christian is a member of a religious cult who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the New Testament.
If huckabee is the christian man he claims to be, APPARENTLY he’s a cult member too.
posted December 13, 2007 at 8:52 am
According to the poster Mormoninfo.org (I suspect that is not his given name) GOD CREATED THE DEVIL. Or maybe we could say that JESUS IS THE DEVIL’s FATHER!
Such sound bites are meant to inflame the ignorant. Huckabee’s sound bite was no different. If Huckabee had, instead, discussed ontological views of God, he could have been accurate, but the average Iowa voter (not Mormoninfo.org) would have just yawned and said, “What’s the big deal?”
posted December 13, 2007 at 10:04 am
WOW! Hate hate hate. Mormoninfo.org is a hate site. period. if i want info about catholics I go to my neighbor who is catholic or to a catholic church, not to my methodist neighbor.
If you want true info about mormons you go to Mormon.org Not mormoninfo.org. the beginning of the site says
“We challenge you to question Mormonism. As Evangelical Christians, we also have a desire to convert the state of Utah in particular to the real Jesus Christ. As such, we invite various mission teams to come and live in Utah for varying amounts of time.”
Are you kidding me??? And we say the muslims or mormons are crazy!
many of my friends, including some evangelicals are dismayed by the nastiness coming out of the evangelical faith. does the mormon faith or mormon people have websites to spew hate about other peoples faiths?? Couldn’t find one. Very interesting for people who claim ( i use the term loosly)to be trying to live christ-like lives would resort to such hatefulness. Oh the arrogance. Be careful, by trying to destroy others you begin to destroy yourself..
what is that scripture….let me think here. Oh yeah.. Judge not lest ye be judged.
Looks like some evangelicas need to clean their own house before they point out the dust in others.
posted December 13, 2007 at 10:30 am
No Mormon religion is not a cult, just strict beliefs.
I grew up in a Mormon home and no, Jesus is not the father of the devil. Maybe if you are going to spew nasty comments on Mormons you should read up on them first and not some tabliod information either. I mean really read up on them. What they say, what they believe, how they live. I have never heard any Mormon say anything bad about other religions. We have a freedom of choice/religion and you may believe in one thing while we believe in another. We may not agree with what you believe in but we do not criticize you for your believes. I find other religions fascinating and different. I read up on other religions before I even debate with anyone about their religion. It sound to me that RELIGION is becoming the new POLITICS!
posted December 13, 2007 at 11:29 am
I believe that Mike Huckabee, like most other politicians, will play any card he can to get elected.
What a person does says so much more about his/her real moral values.
posted December 13, 2007 at 12:04 pm
BETH–As a Mormon yourself, do you think Huckabee has been making subtle (or not-so-subtle) attacks on your faith or Romney’s faith?
posted December 13, 2007 at 4:58 pm
I grew up Southern Baptist. Went to seminary when the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was under attack by Fundamentalists in the denomination for it’s “liberal” views. I’m proud to have been there in the good ‘ol days when freedom of thought was revered and dogmatism, especially of the Fundamentalist kind (believe my way or you aren’t a Christian and damned for all eternity.)
While I was there for both my Masters and Doctorate, I could not believe the attacks on freedom of thought from the religious right.
To them I say, I can think for myself, read, and study for myself, quite well, thank you. I will consider your opion–and that’s all it is–but if I disagree, don’t you dare judge me to be damned for all eternity.
Who died and appointed you God? Who gave you the right to judge me? My faith? As a student I had once said, “Ain’t none gonna judge me but the Big Man Himself.” While my own thinking has a problem with God as purely male, I understand what he meant.
The hatred of the Religious Right is apparent to all but themselves. These are the Neo-Nazis of our time. Assured of their own righteousness, they have no qualms about forcing their views on others with the proviso added, believe as we do, or be damned.
To say that this reveals an immature, childish, psychologically pathologial, if not sociological attitude/belief system, must be the understatement of the twenty-first century.
There was a time, back when I was at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky., when the word evangelical stood for something beside bigotry and hate for those who thought differently. Sadly, with Southern’s present administration, and the destruction of academic freedom that followed, that is no longer the case.
The SBC was once a great denomination, where freedom of thought was highly accepted and valued. Today, that is no longer the case. And that is sad.
Alan G. Trent, D. Min.
posted December 14, 2007 at 11:35 am
To answer your question, yes, I do believe he has been making attacks on beliefs. It’s a deisgrace that it has come down to this. If Romney was any other faith, would any of us be talking about this right now? I don’t think so. All over the world people think negatively and judge Mormons, but know nothing about the religion itself. They just heard bad stuff and they are going to stick to it. I am saddened by this!