Why We Care About Mitt Romney's Dog and Bullying

It is inaccurate to say that non-Mormons are not supposed to enter an LDS church. Everyone is welcome in the church buildings. However, only members in good standing can enter into a temple after it has been been dedicated. Before the dedication everyone can go on a tour to see what it looks like inside.

Bryan of UT 12:15PM September 09, 2012

Ms. Milligan,

At the end of your piece you say: "It's a big job with a lot of responsibility and power. We can't help wanting to know who these candidates are, and what makes them tick."

I can't help but agree with you. It's extremely crucial to know about the kinds of activities candidates participated in throughout their lives, as this can assist in understanding which values and principles lead the candidate to make life's important decisions. Obviously, we must look at the candidate's entire life to see what kinds of patterns emerge and what, if any, changes there have been in their behavior as they've aged and matured.

This leads me to a question that has been troubling me. Please don't view my question as a veiled accusation. I am not a regular reader of US News and therefore don't know what you may have written in the past on this subject. I am asking about those in the media in general. Why were these questions never asked about our current President when he was a candidate? In one of his own auto-biographies he admits to using illicit drugs. It seems like this is at least as valuable in forming an opinion of the man's character as the story of Romney putting his dog on the roof of his car is. And on the subject of bullying, the President has his own story--again, from one of his auto-biographies--of an act of childhood cruelty. But nothing was ever said of this incident in the media.

Maybe these things matter, maybe they don't. But how can people decide if they matter if they're never given the information? What's worse, when everything one candidate ever did is closely scrutinized in the media, while nothing about the other candidate is ever brought up, it leads to the impression--by a trusting public--that the first candidate is unworthy because of his actions and that the second candidate is without blemish.

The media also has decided that it's vital for the public to know as much as possible about Romney's church. While I would not agree that the tenets of one's faith should disqualify a candidate, looking at a candidate's faith is important in several ways: First, does the candidate belong to a church that espouses certain non-theological principles that run counter to what we as Americans believe? (Some churches seem to have moved beyond just the spiritual and are now active in poloitics as well.) Second, does the candidate act one way on Sunday and an entirely different way on the other days of the week, or if the candidate belongs to a Christian faith, does he live a Christian lifestyle? And lastly, it is essential to know what kind of people the candidate surrounds himself with. If the candidate claims to be a serious adherent to his faith, then it is likely that the kind of people who attend his church are the kind of people he surrounds himself with.

We need to know as much as possible about our candidates. But the same questions need to be asked about every candidate. Otherwise, the media have no credibility.

Wilbur Diggs of MO 3:14PM May 26, 2012

"He is a member of a church that does not welcome outsiders—non-Mormons are not even supposed to enter the church."

This is untrue. Anyone is allowed to attend Mormon church services. They have over 55,000 missionaries worldwide attempting to invite people to attend those services. The attached to each church is a sign that says "visitor's welcome."

It is only Mormon Temples, not weekly church services, where only members are allowed to enter. This is because Temple are used to make covenants whichy you only make if you believe in them.

Please do a little research and get your facts right before you write biased hit-piece like this. Mormons are hardly outsiders. They are the fourth largest church in America.

Brian of NY 9:39AM May 25, 2012

This website has been targeted on a mormon apologist site for flaming.

Apologinsulting: The practice of defaming the person delivering the evidence/proof against the Mormon Church's claims because no valid argument can be made against the evidence/claim. (see also Petersoneptitude and "shooting the mo-ssinger")

Not only would Mitt Romneys bodyguards have to wait outside the temple, but even his own cousin points out there are issues with Romneys oaths and the fact he pretends to believe in the fraud that is Mormonism.

google Kinderplates for further information.. 30 seconds.

huggy of UT 4:37PM May 23, 2012