The American Spectator

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1.4.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 6)

There isn't any real "moral equivalency" between Christianity and Mormonism, i.e., no basis for a tu quoque, as in "what about Christian beliefs?" Christians are usually right up front about what they believe, and seldom hide their beliefs, even though no doubt atheists like Christopher Hitchens wish they would.

For Christians, Mormon teaching is really quite strange, and even puzzling. From an "epistemological" point of view, evangelicals are right to fear that Mormons wear horns, pretty long ones too, bigger than those of a Yukon moose.

A Romney presidency would have the opposite effect from what Ms. Sheffield concludes. Rather than reassuring everyone about Mormonism, it would, in fact, invite an enormous amount of critical scrutiny, from conservatives and liberals alike. Mormons put a smiley-face on their religion when it's for public consumption, and have even been known to deny some of their more egregious teachings, but they would not be able to do this for long when the Democrat attack dogs are set loose on a Romney administration.

Are Mormons really prepared for a Romney presidency? I don't think so.
-- C. V. Crisler
Gilbert, Arizona

Ms. Sheffield, like most apologists for the Mormon faith, likes to play the pity card, though she does so with a more deft touch than most. She writes: "Perhaps the only real worry for evangelicals is that, if elected, the former Massachusetts governor will demonstrate to Americans that Mormons don't have horns."

The truth of the matter is that Christians have legitimate theological concerns about Mormonism. Mormons, after all, consider Christianity -- what they refer to as "traditional Christianity" -- to be an apostate religion. In theological terms, it's hard to condemn a church more strongly than that. And it's not surprising they teach that, considering the very real theological gulf between the two faiths. Honest, I'm not offended. But it stands to reason that Mormons have lost the right to be taken seriously when they complain that "traditional Christians" say horrible things about their own religion. What, there is a huge difference, but only Mormons are allowed to see it?

So long as any criticism is aimed at theological issues, to me it seems fair. Religions are defined by their theology, after all. Maybe Christians do need to be a bit less harsh regarding our differences, but Mormons could be a bit more forthright about them.
-- Lee Dise
Virginia Beach, Virginia

REPUBLICANS HAVE JOBS
Re: Philip Klein's Hungry Democrats:

Seeing more visible turnout, excitement, activity, and participation from Democrats in Iowa (and elsewhere in the country) as compared to Republicans could have something to do with the demographics of the situation.

I personally know of no Republicans/conservatives who have the time to attend bogus political circus acts and speeches or who can take significant time from work during the day (or even after business hours) to do anything except get ready for the next day.

Plenty of Republicans/conservatives will turnout and get involved when it's important they do so...but most of us have to actually work and produce something for a living and have to set priorities accordingly.
-- Dave Schallert

Mr. Klein's article is a reminder that self-identified "conservatives" who wanted to punish Republicans in 2006 and/or thought throwing away an election or two was a brilliant strategy have damaged the GOP far more than the Democrats whose purposes they so mindlessly served. If insurgent Democrats (seems fitting considering their unwavering support for the terrorist insurgents in Iraq) do seize the White House this year then they, corrupt labor unions, homosexual activists, abortionists, pseudo-scientists, billionaire "vulture" capitalists, lobbyists and other beneficiary's of government pork, proponents of tax increases, MS-13, the government of Mexico, Putin, oil producing states, Islamic extremists, the world's dictators and the run of the mill American coward longing for a pre-9/11 delusion owes these so-called "conservatives" a big thank you for not only the Democrat's victory, but killing the Reagan coalition and short circuiting the Bush/Rove political realignment that seemed a possibility in 2004.

Still their is a silver lining to every political commentators dark cloud -- the GOP can bash the surrender monkey's of the DNC with victory in Iraq, that John Conyers and Congressional Democrats are advocating not only an increase in the income tax and capital gains but also an increase in the Federal gasoline tax of 50 cents, despite the credit crunch the stock market has expanded more than at any time in history, an economy despite Democrat efforts to talk it into recession is still stronger than Clinton's anemic "boom," a strong pro-life record of accomplishments, a Supreme Court moving in the right direction and the failures of the incompetent and embarrassing Reid/Pelosi Democrat Congress as an illustration of Democrat change.

Historically, Republicans go into the Presidential election with forecasts of defeat based on polling and predictions of massive Democrat turnout. That hasn't happened. Even Democrat "star" Bill Clinton was a minority President winning by a plurality of the vote in two elections thanks to Ross Perot siphoning off Republican voters. This year I'm hoping Michael Bloomberg throws his hat in the ring as an independent alternative to the two parties. That can only be good news for the GOP and ultimately the nation if it helps thwart a Democrat seizure of the Presidency.

The GOP's unspoken motto in 2008 should be "Let Democrats starve!" Remember: politics is civil war without the bloodshed, and defeat is never victory.
-- Michael Tomlinson
Jacksonville, North Carolina

Letter to the Editor

topics:
John McCain, Barack Obama, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Business, Religion, Islam, Abortion, Law, Supreme Court, Military, Iraq, NATO, Conservatism, Immigration, Oil, Unions