

Mormon Gold platesWhen religious minorities run for public office, people get worried about whether loyalty to their creed or religious hierarchy may affect their ability to perform elected duties. How might Mitt Romney’s faith affect his social, economic or diplomatic priorities? Should Americans be wary at the prospect of a devout Mormon president? Garrett Amini is a Seattle web developer, a past leader in the secular student movement, and former Mormon. He studied the Mormon religion first as an insider and then as a skeptic. He discussed his thoughts in an interview with Valerie Tarico of Moral Politics Television, Seattle. 




Tarico: Do Mormons think of themselves as Christians?

Tarico: How is Mormonism different than Protestant or Catholic Christianity?








Tarico: From the outside the beliefs you listed sound strange.







Tarico: Why is the culture so conservative?



Tarico: How about Mormon doctrines and internationalism?


Tarico: Talk to me about women and reproductive rights.








Tarico: Anything else?


About Valerie Tarico

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21 Responses to Is Romney’s Religion Dangerous for America? One Ex-Mormon Offers His Views

  1. Vince Baiamonte says:

    Good article. I thought it was very fair, and I am a Mormon. Frequently former members of the church tend to be bitter and are not fair on how they portray the church. Hats off to Valerie for making an effort not to judge.


  2. Orin Porter says:

    Not a bad synopsis of the relevant reasons why most non-mormons are suspicious and concerned about a potential mormon presidency. I can’ argue with most of what was said, other than to say there is a whole lot more about mormonism, and a devout follower who also happens to be running for President, that can be exposed and shared by the media. Perhaps they’ll get to it as Romney gets closer to an eventual nomination.

    While I’m a conservative, I, for one, will not vote for Romney. I’d rather wait for more years and have the presidential pendelum swing back to a more conservative candidate. While he may look like the “right” candidate, he’s got a lot of shortcomings – with his religion being one of them.

    The LDS church should teach all their members who wish to run for public office to be true Independents. That might begin to address their desire to overcome the suspicions and resistance of a more informed electorate.


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  4. Interesting, Valerie… thanks. Also to you, Garrett. I know a fair amount about Mormonism and a lot about religion and psychology, and I think Garrett’s observations and his “conclusion” re. a possible Romney presidency make good sense. It wouldn’t be something to hit the panic button about, though I see grave problems with almost any “traditionalist/conservative” religious believer as President. Bush I’d classify as such, though he was perhaps only loosely affiliated. Clinton I wouldn’t, nor even Reagan, who I wasn’t much impressed with as president, and was actively disturbed by the way many Christians revered and almost deified him.

    While I imagine Romney’s faith is genuine, I suspect it is largely “unexamined” by him, at least at any depth. It may well be he has serious doubts and reservations, but he appears the type who will “play the game” at whatever level needed to gain and retain a leadership position… whether in his church or in a state or national governing position. I still can’t figure out his drive to become President… probably some interesting family/church family (and subconscious) issues. With Obama, I think it’s a lot “cleaner”…. more “what you see is what you get,” with a genuine gifting and (growing) skill to lead. To me, the former is not a trustworthy leader. George W Bush had similar dynamics going on and I think did us a lot of harm.


    • Thank you, Howard. Romney does seem the type who’s inner life is unexamined. Some people change over time and it seems to be a trajectory of growth. Others change and they seem to move simply with the flow of expedience or social influence.


  5. Rich says:

    Not a bad interview. Full disclosure: I am Mormon and a democrat. In fact I would consider my self an extremely devout member. I love the church, pay a full tithe, go to the temple, and wear the garment, etc.

    My only issue is that I am a bit jealous of the attention ex-Mormons get as experts on the Mormon faith. It seems people think it is impossible to have an objective view of the church if you are an active member.

    I think if you really crave an objective view, Richard Bushman’s book “Rough Stone Rolling” is a very well researched and open book about Mormonism. Then if you really want to understand Mormon culture and the spirit of it all, watch General Conference this weekend (March 31 and April 1).

    Now as far as what there is to fear about Romney. There is nothing to fear about his faith I can promise you. I would only consider his politics. Mr. Porter dislikes Romney because he is not conservative enough but then also mentions his religion as a reason: for shame. I must admit I am always hurt a little when I hear such declarations. We may have different beliefs, but we are human. We do not have a monopoly on good people or a monopoly of people that will go to heaven. We are people just like you who want the same things as you: peace, prosperity, and justice.


    • Thank you for your generous words and suggestions. As a former evangelical, I tend to mistrust the ability of believers to see the dark side of their faith, just as many believers–quite fairly–mistrust outsiders to see the goodness that can be found there; hence my interview of Mr. Amini. Interestingly, one of the first things that troubled my faith as a young evangelical was the notion that my devout Mormon friend Kay was going to be tortured for all eternity and I would be blissfully indifferent to her torment. Kay was — probably is to this day — a much better person than I am.


    • I’m with Valerie on this, both in her suspicion/concern and her experience as a formerly deeply-involved, once-loyal Evangelical. While a lot of Evangelicals, especially in late teens and 20s, do reexamine their faith and the core structure of what I’d call the myth-ritual-social system, only some see what really composes it and how it got that way. It took me decades of probing (from my teens to about 45) to finally realize a BIT of the role of myth-making and the personal and social psychology of religion, and I’m still gaining further clarity by ongoing study (having “left the fold” of traditional beliefs now about 17 yrs. ago).

      Few people are so inclined and will seek out the resources, put in the time, etc. What is unfortunate in that is that few “believers” (in whatever religion or sect) can see their particular “myths” as ways to organize and describe social relations and, to a lesser degree, abstract “reality.” Rather, they take foundational mythology and their groups’ early mythmaking as a clear (literal) and accurate representation of reality. In the case of Christianity broadly, and I think Mormonism similarly–based heavily as it is on the Bible and the attempt to restore Apostolic Christianity, that includes a serious muddling of a little actual history with much supposed “history” (myth-making in progress). The result is a dangerous cosmology including things like expected Armageddon, the “rapture,” “final judgment,” etc. (you can fill in parallels for Mormonism, probably).


  6. Griff says:

    Great interview and well written as I would expect from the well curated site, thebrowser. In the interest of self-disclosure, I am not Mormon, but Catholic, I am conservative but perhaps more libertarian, and I believe I will ultimately be supporting Romney. I found the statement “Mormons see the Founding Fathers as divinely inspired, and the U.S. Constitution as an inspired document nearly to the point of scripture.” quite interesting. If true, it seems it would put Romney in good stead with libertarians and segments of the Tea Party.
    While I remain Catholic, I would give little support to a candidates that rely on strict adherence to Catholic dogma in their political life. Finally, I think we all try to attribute too much of a political leaders religious background in either predicting future behavior or explaining past behavior. Unless someone explicitly states the basis of a decision you can never know the reason, and even then, you don’t know if the explicit statement is true.
    I believe there are many examples of political leaders that don’t follow the tenets of their religion in political life. Pelosi and the Kennedy’s are an example. Nevertheless, it appears that Harry Reid does in some respects as he appears to be steadfastly anti-abortion, at least as a form of birth control.


  7. John Mulquee says:

    The comment that Roman Catholics essentially give the Pope absolute control over their lives is wrong. Even the doctring of infalibility does not go that far. Individual conscience is still basic to Catholicism.


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  9. daphne sylk says:

    All religion is dangerous, it is not freedom, it is, as is any law, a restriction of freedom. We need laws, but we have quite enough of them already.
    The religious, by definition, believe they have some special insight into the world, even the mind of God. This ultimately permits, may in fact require, any level of abuse/punishment towards non-believers. Throughout history there are multiple examples.
    No religion allows a participant the flexibility to be religious in this room, but ignore his religion in the next. A believer who says his political life will remain unswayed by his religious life is either lying about his religious belief, or lying about his politics.


    • Well said daphne sylk, well said.


    • daphne,


      If you don’t like this “monopoly”, then Unitarianism would be of interest to you. It is very liberal and open minded. (Maybe because of this, main stream Christians don’t count Unitarianism as Christian.)


      It doesn’t help those already hurt, but strictly speaking a religion that values human life/soul will not permit this. Powerful people in history hid their evil deeds under “religion” — in ways that logically go against what the religion stands for.

      Don’t forget that many atrocities were committed under religion-less movements.


      I agree on you about this. What do you think about Obama’s belief? All I could find is some old articles like


  10. Tarico: From the outside the beliefs you listed sound strange.

    What a bunch of hooey. Mormonism is far and away more exceedingly strange. In the Bible, for example, it speaks of specific places and people groups, and almost all of them have been confirmed archaeologically. The Book of Mormon, on the other hand is archaeologically utterly laughable. Yes, utterly laughable.


  11. I visited Hill Cumorah in NY state, where Joseph Smith supposedly dug up the golden plates, and I saw the replica of the golden plates in the museum. Like your photo, it had a 3-ring binder.

    I can just imagine the angel Moroni saying, “Joseph Smith, how much would you give for this authentic stack of golden plates? But don’t answer yet–because if you act right now, this handsome leatherette 3-ring binder will be thrown in at no extra charge!”


  12. michael mouse says:

    ALL religions have been developed throughout history as a means to control the masses- to make them obey the people with the power as a means to collect money- tithes- to dominate weak followers and control the women. It does not matter which country or what it is called all religions use rules and blackmail with threats about life after death to keep control.


  13. Molly Bare says:

    I am a former devout Mormon who practiced for until I was 40years old, but I have not been active for the past 15 years. I was married in the LDS temple and raised my family in the church. None of us are active but all respect the church. I have issues with doctrine but as far as the LDS church as a whole is concerned, I have the greatest respect and can not say enough good. The people in the church are just like most other people. They struggle with the same issues as the general population and other religious people. They spend a good deal of time with emphasis on family and helping in the community. They try to be self sufficient and hard working and are taught to be industrious and to live within their means.

    As a woman in the church, I was treated with a great deal of respect and I felt that my opinion and worth was valued. I was asked to speak in church on a regular basis, teach classes with both men and women as students, and always felt like the men in the church were respecful and never felt like they viewed themselves as above me. I am sure there are exceptions in any situation.

    Romney being a Mormon is not going to factor in to what type of job he is going to do if elected President. The only effect that it might have is that he won’t drink too much at a function, he won’t say f— on camera, he will go to church on Sunday, and he won’t be disrespecting his job as President to mess around with women staffers.

    Mormons live in the real world, they understand the problems, issues, and diversity. They live in the world and try to make it better. Can’t see this as a bad thing!


  14. Mark Allen says:

    I also; was raised LDS (Mormon) and I believe the Mormon Cult to be the Anti-Christ. Simply put, most Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church Members) do not fully understand the faith (cult), where it came from, how it was conceived or the truth about the founder and conman; Joesph Smith. The members that do thing they know the truth, simply hide it and also hide behind it.

    The Mormon cult is dangerous and if our country ever has a Mormon President… We will have a new Hitler on our hands. This is mine and many others beliefs and our lives have been warned if we speak-out. So while we remain Seemingly Silent, thank God; we do have a Mormon in our most powerful office.


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