Who would Romney answer to? The people or the Mormon Church and its leadership?

Question

First, I don't care that Romney is Mormon, nor do I care about any other candidate's religion, BUT I would like to know if it informs them on policy issues and if so how? I think that is legitimate. Also, there IS a separation of church and state inasmuch as we don't want our President or Congress beholden to anyone except for the People (us).

So, with that said, Tim Russert asked Romney whether he thought that the Mormon Church's policy of denying African-Americans the right to practice their religion until the late 1970s was wrong, Romney refused to denounce the Church's policy as to not offend his Church...that I have a BIG problem with. If you asked any of the Christian candidates was it right for their Churches to justify slavery, I would hope that most would denounce that practice. So, if Romney couldn't openly denounce overt racism by his Church to not offend them, how can we expect he'll answer to us and not the Mormon Church.?

Kelly T...it is not so much his view on this that I have a problem with. I doubt that Romney believes it was wrong. BUT he was asked whether it was wrong and he DANCED around the issue as to not say that the policy was wrong. The question is why? Is he somehow beholden to the Mormon Church so much so that he can't denounce what most people including Mormons would agree is at best an extreme lateness to "civil rights" for African-Americans. We're talking 1978 here...that's a few years ago!!!

mzJakes...it matters to me because he was asked the question by Tim Russert and he chose to dance around it. If Guiliani was asked about the Inquisition or any other Catholic screw ups in history, I would hope he would give his opinion and not shy away like Romney..that reeks of cowardice.

Kristen, it is great that you feel it was right to "let" African-Americans into the priesthood but the question is was it WRONG to deny it to them until 1978 just 30 yrs ago. This was the question and Romney wouldn't answer it which suggests 1) he believes the Church was right in holding out until 1978 or 2) he believes it was wrong and he is either too beholden to the Mormon Church to criticize or he is a coward for not having the courage to stand up for his beliefs. Which is it?

Renee... I am not suggesting that Romney would set a Mormon agenda or do the bidding of the Mormon Church etc. This is about his character. After Bush, we'll need a President with integrity, honesty, and courage to undo a lot of the wrongs of the Bush Administration. If Romney couldn't say that racism by his church was wrong, which if he had courage and integrity would be easy to do, how will he stand up to those radical neocons on the right who want endless war. We can't have a president who doesn't have the courage to say that something is wrong because it may offend somebody, especially churches b/c we do have a separation of church and state. This goes for any candidate, andy religion. Romney makes his faith an issue by giving the speech but won't say that its racism was wrong...I have a problem with that, it shows either lack of courage or he agreed with the policy or he is too beholden to the church...which one is it????

Answer 1

Didn't you listen to his speech? He will be an American president not a Mormon president.

The LDS church will NOT inform him on policy issues. They do not tell their members how to vote nor do they tell political leaders how to act.

We believe in being subject to kings, rulers, magistrates, etc.....it is one of our Articles of Faith.

Answer 2

I believe that the doctrine about Black men not being able to hold the priesthood was always wrong. and i was never to sure why they weren't ''allowed'' to have it in the first place.
Bigotry has always made my skin crawl.
As far as the Presidency is concerned, back in the 1700's, and the 1800's, blacks didn't have that much freedom to do anything, let alone be a member of a church,.
After 1865 , and the Emancipation Proclamation, I don't remember reading about too many Black members of the church, let alone any holding the priesthood. But to be fair, there were not too many Blacks in other religions, either.
And unfortunately, prejudice has been around for a very long, long time.
As far as Romney being compelled by the church to follow any agenda? No! That won't happen. And anyone who says he will, is as guilty of the prejudice, that they are accusing the church of.

Answer 3

And if he did denounce the Mormon Church for this disavowed policy of the past, would it really make any difference?

Mitt Romney is not a elder in the Mormon faith nor is on any Mormon policy making body. He was born into a Mormon family and raised to believe it. When the LDS Church changed its position on African-Americans, Mr. Romney accepted the decision and moved on. It is not his place to cast judgment on an old, defunct and failed policy. No more so than it is Rudy Guiliani's place to cast judgment on the Catholic Church's inquisitions.

Answer 4

Why would his answer about a policy that ended when he was just a kid be one that you cannot accept? He stated his case, and just like John F. Kennedy - clear back in 1959, said that as President of the United States he was answerable only to the people of the United States, and he was as devout a Catholic as Romney is a Mormon. He can say anything he wants to say, the Church will not persecute him for it - only people who do not understand or believe.
It's old news, for heaven's sake (pun intended) so move on.

Answer 5

The churches position of not getting involved in political matters is more than just a policy or a decision to follow any laws. It is scripture.
"We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied." Doctrine and Covenants section 134 verse 9.
The whole section details our position on the relationship between God, man, church and government. The following is the summery given at the start of the section:
"1–4, Governments should preserve freedom of conscience and worship; 5–8, All men should uphold their governments, and owe respect and deference to the law; 9–10, Religious societies should not exercise civil powers; 11–12, Men are justified in defending themselves and their property."

Answer 6

Romney would be responsible to the people who elected him.

As for his answer or not, well, did you know that Mitt's father, George Romney, was governor o Michigan back in teh '60's; that also ran for president, but didn't do as well. Anyway, he wanted to (oh, I forget, something to do with integration) and went AGAINST the Church leaders advice about the subject. However, they said, if this is how you truely bleieve,,then you should do it.

So, I doubt SERIOUSLY he is racially bigoted in any way. And it's not his place to answer for his church. Whether or not he agrees with it, he is not going to complain. about anything, espcially now when everything he says can get terribly mis-construed.

Answer 7

Who is Hillary beholden to? Who is Obama beholden to? Who is Huckabee beholden to? Why do you only question who the LDS candidate is beholden to?

Every candidate has their faith or lack of same. They opinions, their values, their morals, their Christmas traditions! But that doesn't mean we all have to share their same traditions or that they will govern the country based on what they like to eat for breakfast or any other thing in their life. If Hillary is elected, will every woman have to wear a power suit? If Obama is elected will we all have to take up... golf?

I just want to know why Romney is the only candidate that ever gets asked this.

Answer 8

Romney, like all other politicians, answers to the people who bought him. Look at the list of political campaign contributors, look at the amount they gave, look at their occupations.
You have to be deluded to think that religion makes any difference in a politician's life except in the content of his speeches to garner votes.
There is little correlation between campaign promises and future behavior unless the politician does not accept large contributions and is not beholden to anyone.

Answer 9

I am LDS and I think that we all feel that the church did what is right by letting Afircan Americans have the preisthood and everybody has morals just like Romney. Don't you think Bush put his morals into his presidency?