Mormonism and Election 2008

[*Stargazer*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrtykitty Very true...and I'll toss it out there, I am one of them. I guess I don't consider myself religious because I currently don't practice a particular religion. But I do have faith and my own set of beliefs and morals which align more with the Republican side. I really consider myself a liberal Republican, but since I have to pick a party to vote in primaries (in my state), then I'm a Republican. It does not mean that I approve of everything the Republican Party does, because I don't. And as of right now, I'm not exactly thrilled with any of the candidates on either side, but as it is often said, "The people who are most qualified to be President are smart enough not to run."

I like to refer to myself as either "the most liberal Republican ever or the most conservative Democrat ever." I can never find any candidate that aligns with my views. I may not vote next year. Frequently I find myself abstaining because every single candidate has one or two platforms to which I am diametrically opposed.

 

[purrtykitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Stargazer* I like to refer to myself as either "the most liberal Republican ever or the most conservative Democrat ever." I can never find any candidate that aligns with my views. I may not vote next year. Frequently I find myself abstaining because every single candidate has one or two platforms to which I am diametrically opposed.

I find I have the same problem, but I feel I still must vote. I guess in that situation I always revert to voting to the candidate that is the lesser of two evils (under my belief system).

 

[*Stargazer*]

I have all but stopped voting for candidates because I just can't support someone who believes __________. I still vote on issues (like bonds and amendments and such), so I don't feel too guilty about abstaining on other votes.

 

[helenoftroy1]

Yes, your statement is correct. It wasn't clear.

Yes, you must be a full tithe payer plus other requirement in order to enter the temple. They go by faith that you are a full tithe payer.

They do not ask or require show your income or tax statement. They fill out a tithing form show much you have paid in tithing for tax benefits. It is consider donation like any other organization or churches. I am not trying to criticized. I am stating the fact.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Stargazer* I like to refer to myself as either "the most liberal Republican ever or the most conservative Democrat ever." I can never find any candidate that aligns with my views. I may not vote next year. Frequently I find myself abstaining because every single candidate has one or two platforms to which I am diametrically opposed.

Have you considered voting third party? I feel like if more people voted third party, one of them would actually get more popular and more attention

 

[Macnarsandlove]

I wouldn't vote for either and I'm a republican lol

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by helenoftroy1 Yes, your statement is correct. It wasn't clear. Yes, you must be a full tithe payer plus other requirement in order to enter the temple. They go by faith that you are a full tithe payer. They do not ask or require show your income or tax statement. They fill out a tithing form show much you have paid in tithing for tax benefits. It is consider donation like any other organization or churches. I am not trying to criticized. I am stating the fact.

Perhaps different areas handle it differently. I know what the requirements were there.

 

[YvetteJeannine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by helenoftroy1 Yes, your statement is correct. It wasn't clear.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by helenoftroy1 Yes, you must be a full tithe payer plus other requirement in order to enter the temple. They go by faith that you are a full tithe payer. They do not ask or require show your income or tax statement. They fill out a tithing form show much you have paid in tithing for tax benefits. It is consider donation like any other organization or churches. I am not trying to criticized. I am stating the fact.

I don't know; I thought Shimmers' statement was very clear...

A couple years ago, I had Mormon kids on their 'mission' visit our home. They challenged me to visit their church, and, never one to back down from a challenge, I went (what I did not know was that going ONE TIME made me prey to constant haruanging from them). I remember that day (all told, I believe I went three or four times...I didn't like what I saw there, particularly on Fast and Testimony day, when I saw a little girl of NO MORE than five get up and say "I know this is the true church!". At five yrs. old, you don't know ANY church is true....Moreover, you cannot grasp the tenets of a church well enough to know if it's 'true' or not. Brainwashing..pure and simply..that's what it was) I heard about tithing...and, yes...I was told that full tithers must submit their income tax...that way the church will know for sure how much they make so they can get their greedy hands on it (did I just say that???

). Full tithing is 10% of their income...Which is quite a lot, considering most members have at least three kids (a blanket statement), and that's a lot of financial responsibility. Anyway, they've finally stopped coming to my door when I got the 'heart' to tell them I didn't believe in any of the stuff they did. They looked SO disheartened. I think they thought they'd 'hooked' me. Well...they didn't

 

[Shimmer]

Brainwashing...yes.

The males go on their missions through out the world, and it's fantastic that they do good stuff when they do that but the problem is that they're thousands and thousands of miles away from their families, and only have the church to lean on...and the males are like 17-19 years old. THAT is brainwashing. To be a good mormon, they have to go. While they're there, they've got no one but the church to lean on.

The church can't take tithing on faith because the temple experience is deed driven. The church can't take it on faith that a member is paying full tithe and allow them into temple. Temple is a very important part of that...faith...and every member who's permitted entry is examined closely, in MANY areas of their lives.

 

[*Stargazer*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark Have you considered voting third party? I feel like if more people voted third party, one of them would actually get more popular and more attention

I have voted third party before. In fact, if I absolutely positively had to classify myself, I'd probably come down more Libertarian than anything else. I don't immediately discount any candidate based on their party. I wait for them to open their mouths first LOL

 

[Beauty Mark]

Yeah, I was going to say that I think your views align better with the Libertarian party than any other party I know of.

Saying you're x party means jack, IMO. I just feel very strongly about people voting. No candidate is perfect or will totally line up with my views, but I just think about how voting is such a huge right and how people fight and die this right.

 

[athena123]

I'd be very uncomfortable with a Mormon president; while I've known a few very lovely Mormons, I really don't like their church. Do you realize that a woman in the Mormon Church can't have a personal relationship with god, that she can only communicate with god through her husband? Women have no high place in the Mormon organization, very similar to the catholic church. Thank you very much but I've seen enough religious fundamentalism in the white house!

Huckabee won't get my vote either; not because of his crack against Romney, but because he doesn't think evolution is valid. Has he not read any science or texts supporting the fact of evolution over the last 100 years?

Ron Paul just may get my vote, I like what he stands for most of the time.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena123 I'd be very uncomfortable with a Mormon president; while I've known a few very lovely Mormons, I really don't like their church. Do you realize that a woman in the Mormon Church can't have a personal relationship with god, that she can only communicate with god through her husband? Women have no high place in the Mormon organization, very similar to the catholic church. Thank you very much but I've seen enough religious fundamentalism in the white house!

Another one of my irritations with the LDS.

 

[athena123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Stargazer* I have voted third party before. In fact, if I absolutely positively had to classify myself, I'd probably come down more Libertarian than anything else. I don't immediately discount any candidate based on their party. I wait for them to open their mouths first LOL

I'm lean toward Libertarian ideals as well. I'm a reformed Republican. George Bush the first frightened me away from the republican party when he made a statement to the effect that atheists are un-American. As a spiritual agnostic with respect for all religions, that statement alone indicated a lack of respect for our Constitutional right to religious freedom and separation of church and state. Extremists from both right and left wings terrify me.

 

[kimmy]

i personally feel that any candidate other than ron paul will not do a satisfactory job of running the country. but that's just me.

i don't like it when politicians drag religion into stuff. go ahead and worship whoever you want to, however you want to, but don't tell me about it...don't call your competitor out because of it...just leave it in private, where it should be.

 

[Beauty Mark]

I agree with that, but unfortunately, politicians are like celebrities and have every aspect of their lives scrutinized. A lot of people do hesitate to elect someone they feel has "no morals" which means some form of Christianity; I've actually met people who care about the religion aspect.

 

[purrtykitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark A lot of people do hesitate to elect someone they feel has "no morals" which means some form of Christianity; I've actually met people who care about the religion aspect.

I think it's because too many people associate "morals" with "religion." A person does not necessarily have to have a practicing religion to be an upstanding, moral citizen. But, unfortunately there are way too many people that can't draw that distinction.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Well, that was my point. A lot of people affiliate atheists and agnostics as these heartless, horrible people.

 

[athena123]

Yes, I've never understood those who think religion and morals are mutually exclusive. It's quite possible to have morals without religion. In fact, I think morality and values that extend beyond the boundaries of any kind of faith are much more desirable. As an agnostic, I do the right thing BECAUSE it's the right thing; not because I'm afraid of retribution and/or punishment from pope, preacher or angry god