Romney and Mormonism

Already, people are beginning to look at Romney's religion. He's a Mormon, maybe the quintessential American cult, but not just a Mormon; he's a Mormon bishop, who's also given millions to his church.

A friend who knows "Christians," as in the ones in Tennessee or Florida, told me that one of his acquaintances wasn't going to vote for Romney: even though he's black, he voted for W twice. He won't vote for Romney, because he's not a Christian.

Set aside the polygamy thing, which only the ultra-reactionary fringe still practices, Mormonism is not your garden variety Protestantism. It's a revelation religion based on the writings and preaching of Joseph Smith in 19th century America, and it has its own holy books, which reference the Bible, but the way the Koran does: Jesus Christ is the previous prophet; Joseph Smith is the final one.

Mormonism may well become an issue. Not only is there a hit musical comedy on Broadway, "The Book of Mormon," there's a bestselling Mormon mystery novel.

Romney is not at all comparable to John F. Kennedy and Catholicism. Santorum said JFK's speech on religion and government made him want to throw up: Kennedy was a secular Catholic; Romney isn't a secular Mormon; he's a bishop who's all but admitted that he baptized long ago dead people, like Jews killed in the Holocaust: some Mormon even "baptized" Anne Frank!

Why is this important? If evangelicals in the South can't stomach voting for Romney, and therefore don't vote, Obama wins.

If I were a Republican, I'd seriously worry about Romney's Mormonism, especially, if I learned more about it, regardless of whether I was evangelical, or secular. That's why some pro-Obama super-pac may yet go after Romney on precisely this issue: all they need to do is point out how weird Mormonism really is. And what a Mormon bishop does.

I've been very disappointed, and even felt betrayed, by Obama--the Yemeni Pulitzer Prize-winner's detention, just the latest example--but I know he's better than Romney, especially a Romney beholden to right-wing Republicans. Romney is the perfect representative of the 0.01%, except for his Mormonism, but he doesn't even represent the 1%. He's a quarter of a billionaire, and he has not a clue how ordinary people have to struggle to make ends meet. On top of all that, he comes across as an uptight hypocrite.

Obama is less of a democrat than I hoped, but at least, although he's part of the 10%, he has some aspiration to represent the rest of us.

If Romney were elected, it would be the equivalent of the super-wealthy Petronius Maximus' accession to the Imperial throne, upon the murder of his predecessor--arranged by him--triggering the Vandal invasion and the wholesale looting of Rome. Maximus was torn apart by the mob, hours before the Vandals arrived. Rome "fell" 20 years later.

If Obama wins, we may have a bit more time.