66 Comments

• bonjouryall | Aug 31, 2012, 02:29 PM EDT

  I'm a Catholic but that doesn't mean I believe all the tenets of this religion. Personally, I think Jesus intended to go to Disneyworld but just got his years and geography wrong.

• The Commentator | Aug 25, 2012, 04:09 PM EDT

  Hey BulldogManiac, Is that paper fetching dogs' name Seamus ? The wonderful thing about individuals are that each person can believe all or part of whatever doctrine that a religion, political party, group or organization has. People draw the line at whatever is their comfort level. People may feel it is OK to just sin this once or may feel that some sins are not so bad and it is OK to continuously commit that sin. Religion should not be part of the politics, but unfortunately it is. What would really be comforting is that there be consequences for candidates and supporters after the election. If a candidate or supporter is found to have lied during the campaign, s/he should go to jail for the next four years. (no Presidential Pardons allowed) The rhetoric about the election is entertaining. Perhaps if all sides just agree to disagree, and continue to exaggerate and malign in jest, it will invite more outrageous opinions. Try not to get hung up on facts, as it will discourage irrational discourse and what fun would that be? Whether Romney and the rich win or Obama and the poor win, the country will still be here and there will be problems. Will it be the rich who have to pay more taxes or will it be the poor who pay more taxes and not have access to healthcare. Chew on that !!!

• seanomelb | Aug 22, 2012, 10:27 PM EDT

  none both are ridiculous

• EphraimKibbey | Aug 21, 2012, 04:39 PM EDT

  Romney of the many positions deserves to lose for sooo many reasons but his religion should not be one of them. I find it strange that some of the commenter’s here who are so angelically defending the separation of church and state in our elections are the same ones for whom President Obama is a godless, socialist, communist, Marxist, Nazi, racist, revolutionary bent on reshaping the USA in his own image. Did I leave anything out? Now to the questions that we all want answered: do the magic pants really have pagan/Masonic symbols? Do they really enhance one's love life? Where can we get them without converting? Who got to Dan Brown and made him leave the Mormons out of his book about the Masons?

• Collette2 | Aug 21, 2012, 06:31 AM EDT

  Whats the difference between Christ purporting to have appeared in Missouri and Mary popping up all over the place? It's the same as us, boiling down to tradition.

• seanomelb | Aug 20, 2012, 07:43 PM EDT

  Briano answer eiriamach's last sentence after all he makes a valid point.

• BrianO | Aug 20, 2012, 05:05 PM EDT

  So by implication Romney is part of the Mormon fringe but Reid is as level headed as my sainted mother? Please.

• eiriamach | Aug 20, 2012, 04:30 PM EDT

  No, you don't have it right yet, BrianO. Mormons can be dangerous unless they are Democrats (Mormons themselves do not consider any Democrat to be a "real" Mormon). And the most dangerous Mormons are not Republicans. Most Mormons-- even Republican Mormons-- at least allow women to use contraceptives--IF their husbands don't object. And they generally obey the laws. But there are some dangerous, gun-toting, polygamous Mormon sects out in the hinterlands of Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and even closer to civilization. They drive out teenaged boys because there's no one for them to marry because the middle-aged, pedophile cult leaders keep adding under-aged girls to their many wives and concubines.... Them's the most dangerous Mormons! And now I'd like to know whether you find it funny when IC posters claim that one cannot be both a "real" Catholic and a pro-choice Democrat.

• BrianO | Aug 20, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT

  Eiriamach, Ha let me get this straight, Reid the Mormon isn't a real Mormon because he is a democrat, Romney the Mormon is the most dangerous of Mormons because he is a Republican. That says it all,

• BulldogMania | Aug 20, 2012, 02:09 PM EDT

  Unless he were a democrat. Democrats can believe that dogs are spiritual beings sent here by God to fetch our newspapers and the liberal media would support that. A republican's religion is questioned, regardless of what it is.

• Scrivner | Aug 20, 2012, 12:38 PM EDT

  At least no one has cast stones based on polygamy of his ancestors...oops, Barack could be zapped on that one, too!

• seanomelb | Aug 19, 2012, 07:36 PM EDT

  Love to hear them chipmonks sing, madrigals in chipmonk speak how scary.

• eiriamach | Aug 19, 2012, 04:59 PM EDT

  BrianO, many Mormons do not consider Senator Reid of Nevada to be a Mormon, at least not one in good standing, simply because he is a Democrat. His politics clashes with his religion. I've been to the Las Vegas area of Nevada several times, and I have to say that all the churches hang kinda' loose there--Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, etc. For example, there's a Catholic monastery whose only work is to visit all the other churches and collect the casino chips that repentant gamblers toss into the collection plates on Sundays, when they have no real money left after losing it all at the poker tables and slot machines. The monks sort the chips, cash them in at the casinos, and distribute the cash, minus their cut, back to the churches. No one knows what order they belong to, so everyone just calls them the chip monks!

• BrianO | Aug 19, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT

  Interesting metaphor seano, My take on turds is different. The citizenry produce the grain and meat from God's green earth by their hard labor. before they get to partake of the harvest it is swallowed up by government which squeezes out a smaller and less palatable product for all, making turds out of left, right, and middle.

• seanomelb | Aug 19, 2012, 05:27 AM EDT

  Who cares about his religion it's the quality of the man that counts and he leaves the right wing turds Romney/Ryan for dead in the quality stakes.

• BrianO | Aug 18, 2012, 07:09 PM EDT

  Eiriamach, Harry Reid, Mormon, does he scare you.

• eiriamach | Aug 18, 2012, 04:12 PM EDT

  The Mormons have lightened up over recent years. They are not in the same "hate group" category as, say, the Family Research Council or Fred Phelps' church. But Mormonism is extremely conservative on "social" issues, which Americans have traditionally left to individuals to decide without interference from government. For example, a recent statement by Mormon Church elders considers homosexual feeling a form of "temptation" that is "controllable," and they advocate a Constitutional amendment that would outlaw same-sex marriage. And although Mormon women have been pressuring their church for equality, they are far from equal to men within the hierarchy and within the family. Mormons oppose abortion and sterilization, but consider contraception to be a private choice. According to their official doctrine, "Adultery, fornication, homosexual or lesbian relations, and every other unholy, unnatural, or impure practice are sinful. Members who violate the Lord’s law of chastity or who influence others to do so are subject to Church discipline." I don't care whether Mitt believes Jesus visited Missouri, but it's cause for concern that his religion advocates government control of personal choices that affect no one except those who make them.

• EamonnDublin | Aug 18, 2012, 02:41 PM EDT

  Can anybody tell me if Hussein is a Christian or a Muslim? Does anybody care? Then why do the Dems suddenly care about Romney's Mormon beliefs? As for "Is féidir linn", Hussein has already proven that ní féidir leis - at all, at all. At all! Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.

• Maggie47 | Aug 18, 2012, 01:37 PM EDT

  I thought it was "In the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant" that was the mormans.

• Maggie47 | Aug 18, 2012, 01:32 PM EDT

  why not Susan, he is as good or better than what we have.

• lokionline | Aug 18, 2012, 01:16 PM EDT

  Ooops I messed up my tags in that comment. Too bad Irish Central doesn't have a preview feature for comments. :)

• lokionline | Aug 18, 2012, 01:13 PM EDT

  "Like Huntsman, he's an Anglican Mormon who parks his religion at the church each week".
  
  Good point dickmac1 Substitute the religion of your choice for "Anglican Mormon" in the above sentence.
  
  Anyone who pretends to be religious for community acceptance, personal gain or particularly for political advantage is the worst kind of hypocrite.

• dickmac1 | Aug 18, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT

  I think that evangelicals will probably have a problem voting for the GOP/Tea Party ticket. I have been told many times by evangelicals that, I am a Catholic, therefore, I am NOT a Christian. It is also my understanding that most evangelicals do not consider Mormons to be Christians.

• dickmac1 | Aug 18, 2012, 11:26 AM EDT

  No, I don't think he believes any of that stuff. Like Huntsman, he's an Anglican Mormon who parks his religion at the church each week. And I would say that is a good thing.

• BrianO | Aug 18, 2012, 10:06 AM EDT

  Hollabackgurl have you ever heard of Democrat leader of the Senate Harry Reid? You know that Mormon Harry Reid Democrat Senate leader. Sheesh it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

• seanomelb | Aug 17, 2012, 11:55 PM EDT

  No Tom they're all bullsh##t.

• hollabackgurl | Aug 17, 2012, 10:42 PM EDT

  Mormonism subjugates women, let's men make all the decisions, and seems to belong more to the 19 century than the 21. Which is why it's a perfect fit for the GOP.

• shop tom | Aug 17, 2012, 08:46 PM EDT

  Since when is the Mormon myth any worse than any other religious myth, including Christianity?

• pilib04 | Aug 17, 2012, 08:09 PM EDT

  Just release the tax returns, mittens. Is feidir linn.

• pilib04 | Aug 17, 2012, 08:07 PM EDT

  Missouri? You have got to be kidding me. I was almost ready to ignore the magic underwear. But Missouri???

• susan724 | Aug 17, 2012, 07:52 PM EDT

  The very real question is does Mittens wear "magic panties?"

• susan724 | Aug 17, 2012, 07:47 PM EDT

  njirish - give me a community organizer any day over a smarmy person like Mittens. Obama was head of the Harvard Law Review (where did you go to college, if at all?)and who has made it on his own as compared to empty suit Mittens who made it on his father's money and off the backs of people he fired when he took over companies as the head of Bain and is hiding his tax returns so America doesn't see what a crook and liar he is. Why else? It never ceases to amaze me why people like you want someone like Wilbur for President and he schemes to pay only 13% in taxes and you over twice as much? Must be something to do with your "mentality." But then, you do live in a state that has another smarmy person: Soprano wannabe out of control food addict Chris Christie for Governor.

• larslofan | Aug 17, 2012, 06:57 PM EDT

  Mitt refuses to answer questions on his belief in Moronism, which is odd because he was "elevated" to Bishop while in Boston. Mitt Romney can't think his way out of a paper bag and stands for nothing other than delivering no-bid contracts to his church, just like the way he did in the Olympics. Mitt is a huckster and a hack.

• seanomelb | Aug 17, 2012, 06:30 PM EDT

  rgray222 atheists do not believe any religious nonsense raising the dead,raising Missouri or receiving golden plates. We understand Our illogical position in a meaningless universe.Romney will not win, 4 more years for Obama.

• njirish | Aug 17, 2012, 04:45 PM EDT

  Susan, if a community organizer from Chicago can become President,rest assured you can be certain that a man of Romney's success and achievement can become President. Even slick Willie says Mitt passes the bar!

• susan724 | Aug 17, 2012, 04:10 PM EDT

  The real question is does a man like Mittens who lacks substance, intelligence, and integrity really think he can become President of the United States?

• hollabackgurl | Aug 17, 2012, 03:43 PM EDT

  Is Mormomism even a religion? To many outsiders it looks like a handy way to keep women oppressed and in the kitchen whilst the menfolk tell everyone else what's what. One man inherits one individual planet and he fills it with wives. Each man is his own God in other words.

• rgray222 | Aug 17, 2012, 03:32 PM EDT

  Does Roberts believe that Jesus walked on water, made manna rain down for the masses, turn water into wine. Look I am a good Catholic lad but making fun of someone's religious beliefs leaves you open to ridicule that is beyond belief. Does Obama believe that Jesus was just a buddy of Allah's. Do atheist believe they just popped up on earth by accident.

• michaelidaho | Aug 17, 2012, 03:16 PM EDT

  First, Roberts complains about Ireland’s Olympic gold medalist professing her Christian faith. Then he ridicules Mitt Romney’s religion. Maybe in the next column he will argue for an amendment to the Constitution eliminating freedom of religion and speech.

• BrianO | Aug 17, 2012, 02:53 PM EDT

  T.O.P. this article in IC wants to know the tenets of Romneys religion is turnabout not fairplay. Obama is a faith chameleon, is he athiest? black theology? baptist? catholic? we could go back to the church he was Married in, and his children were brought up in, you are the perfessor may be you could assist.

• Magdaleno | Aug 17, 2012, 02:51 PM EDT

  There is one truth that will guide anyone who knows in his heart... there is only one good book that was written... And that is the Christian bible. All else is fiction and written by false PROPHETS. We live in a free country and you are entitled to your own believe.However, if you claim that you are a christian... but for reasons of a political party choose to ignore tne truth... you have been had.

• TheOldPerfessor | Aug 17, 2012, 02:36 PM EDT

  BrianO - if you really want to know about Obama's faith, you could easily read his remarks at the 2012 Presidential Prayer Breakfast. Probably not as exciting as the stuff you get at your hate sites.

• Nicomax | Aug 17, 2012, 01:34 PM EDT

  Again many thanks to the authors of our constitution. Article VI, par.3- "but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or Public trust under the United States." Also the "establishment" clause in the Bill of Rights prevents the establishment of any religion by any secular body, but also allows the free exercise thereof, no matter how bizarre the tenants may seem.

• OldMariner | Aug 17, 2012, 01:21 PM EDT

  As someone who has met many LDS'ers in my lifetime I am constantly amazed as to how many intelligent and successful people believe in Mormonism. However, this is my personal belief, and, I would not use it as a criteria for whom to vote for. I can remember the anti-Catholic shibboleths heaped on candidate JFK some 50 years ago. Noteworthy is that these falsehoods came from the same ilk that is criticizing Romney and his Mormonism today. It was highly doubtful that the Vatican would have controlled the U. S. back then as it is that the twelve apostles, or whatever they are called, of the LDS will control the government now. Religion, or lack thereof, has no place in politics!

• BrianO | Aug 17, 2012, 01:09 PM EDT

  What are the tenets of Obama's faith....I'll be holding my breath waiting for IC to write this.

• smas111288 | Aug 17, 2012, 01:07 PM EDT

  Does Mr. Roberts believe that Mitt Romney is the next occupant of the White House when he says "Pretty bizarre don’t you think but the next occupant of the White House will hold it as a tenet of his faith." ?

• rainbowbrew | Aug 17, 2012, 01:06 PM EDT

  Was in Tulum Mexico and the Mayans think Christ visited them too. They have stories about when he visited and walked with them. SO, why not Missouri too. Everyone can have a piece of the action.

• BrianO | Aug 17, 2012, 01:03 PM EDT

  So lets see according to the progressives, Mitt Romney is a dog torturing, draft dodging, gay bashing, wife murdering, member of a cult, No this won't be a dirty campaign.

• Maggie47 | Aug 17, 2012, 12:37 PM EDT

  ...and Mary the mother of Jesus showed up in Knock?

• PrairieFlower | Aug 17, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT

  Missouri, hard to believe. Nebraska, that could be.

• handsome68 | Aug 17, 2012, 11:05 AM EDT

  And why shouldn't Jesus visit Missouri? I have a friend in St. Louis so don't get me started! Youse liberal omadhauns seem to be clueless. Yiz don't seem to understand that the zeitgeist, German word for 'spirit of the times', in the USA favors a "Christian" being elected president. You don't think the sitting president could have been elected by saying he was Muslim, do yiz?

• carrickcourt | Aug 17, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT

  Matters of faith are just that matters of faith and logic has nothing to do with it. It is interesting that if it were not for Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints ("Mormons") I would not exist. My English maternal great great grandfather William Webb (Abt 1807 - 1882)came to Nauvoo, Illinois, USA in 1842 as a Mormon convert. While none of the descendants of this William Webb are Mormons if it wasn't for Joseph Smith yours truly and a number of people here in the USA would not exist.

• njirish | Aug 17, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT

  Joseph Smith? He didn't build that

• TheOldPerfessor | Aug 17, 2012, 10:29 AM EDT

  Mark Twain had his say about the Golden Plates in Roughing it: AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jr., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen; and we lie not, God bearing witness of it. CHRISTIAN WHITMER, JACOB WHITMER, PETER WHITMER, JR., JOHN WHITMER, HIRAM PAGE, JOSEPH SMITH, SR., HYRUM SMITH, SAMUEL H. SMITH. And when I am far on the road to conviction, and eight men, be they grammatical or otherwise, come forward and tell me that they have seen the plates too; and not only seen those plates but "hefted" them, I am convinced. I could not feel more satisfied and at rest if the entire Whitmer family had testified.

• murphy666 | Aug 17, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

  That means Jesus must be a Cardinal fan. That's good.

• mikehoulihan | Aug 17, 2012, 10:20 AM EDT

  More vile garbage from Irish Central. Niall O'Dowd, have you no shame, sir?

• garbo55 | Aug 17, 2012, 10:19 AM EDT

  So Joseph Smith couldn't have been lead to some buried golden plates by an angel named Moroni, but Moses can speak to a burning bush calling itself God and watching the ten commandment be burned into tablets of stone by lighting. Being raised Catholic I have come to the conclusion that any religion based on the words or the writings of man are just good stories used to persuade children or the weak minded to toe the line. Don't get me wrong, I believe in a higher power I just don't know who or what it is..

• Shmrck5S | Aug 17, 2012, 10:19 AM EDT

  Missouri?! How utterly ridiculous! However, if Joseph Smith had said that Jesus visited Times Square or Hollywood Boulevard, that would be OK; completely plausible. I'm not a Mormon and don't hold to their teachings, but I found this article to be pretty shallow and condescending.

• hollabackgurl | Aug 17, 2012, 10:02 AM EDT

  Mitt's Mormonism IS an issue. He's a bishop of his church and its leaders are anxious to ensure he becomes president. They have a scriptural mandate to see Mormonism cover the globe. I'm surprised that Patrick Roberts didn't mention Mormons believe that Satan is Jesus' brother. That should play well in the Bible Belt.

• wilhoef | Aug 17, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT

  What has a man's religion got to do with his campaign for president?

• slainte9 | Aug 17, 2012, 09:52 AM EDT

  Interesting question, but I'm sure that Patrick knows (not) that Mormonism has several branches and Mitt belongs to the one heavily invested in Utah, not Missouri. Moreover, it's Independence not St. Louis that the Mormons venerate as the spot where Christ will return. Independence is on the Kansas border.

• tom/peggy | Aug 17, 2012, 09:51 AM EDT

  A sign of liberal desperation. Let's stick with the issues.

• shawboy9 | Aug 17, 2012, 09:51 AM EDT

  Eating dog is very American, I believe the original Americans were very fond of dog. President Obama, like most of us, had no control over where he was raised or what he was fed as a child. But once we are adults, we make our own decisions. So as a grown man, does Romney believe Jesus visited Missouri? He has made much of his faith, so what does his faith tell him?

• torbreezy | Aug 17, 2012, 09:44 AM EDT

  Reminiscent of and giving renewed definition to the term "yellow journalism". You should be ashamed of yourself.

• johhnyb | Aug 17, 2012, 09:39 AM EDT

  Reminds me of your article about Rev Wright in 2008 - the one where you disclosed that Obama's pastor believed that the US government started AIDS, and then America deserved 9/11 and his 'God damn America' comment. Oh no wait -you never did get round to writing that article.

• njirish | Aug 17, 2012, 08:44 AM EDT

  So the author can take it or leave as regards religion - except for the one that the Republican candidate for President happens to be a member of. OK. This is so typical of liberal members of the media - project that 'questions are sure to arise' when they themselves are the ones putting the questions forth. They didn't have too many questions about Reverend Wright in 2008 or the fact that Obama grew up in Muslim Indonesia. And ate dog by the way.