There’s a little controversy going on regarding Focus on the Family’s online video voter guide … and it involves Mitt Romney. Rather than explain it, read from Time magazine:
Last week, the political arm of James Dobson’s Focus on the Family released an online video voter guide to help Christians sort through the “pro-family” records of the presidential candidates. The guide offers largely negative appraisals of Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mike Huckabee, and a far more glowing description of Mitt Romney.
But not everything the voter guide says about Romney is true. In one key part, Tom Minnery, a public policy expert at Focus on the Family, says the following:
“Mitt Romney has acknowledged that Mormonism is not a Christian faith, and I appreciate his acknowledging that.”
On Saturday, I read this quote to Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney’s traveling press secretary. He did not hesitate or mince his words. “The governor has not made that acknowledgment,” Fehrnstrom told me. “He has said that his belief is not the same as others. But there is no doubt that Jesus Christ is at the center of the LDS church’s worship.”
In fact, the Church (of Jesus Christ) of Latter Day Saints, also know as the Mormon church, holds as a central belief that it is a Christian faith. This belief is a concern for some evangelical Christians, who see Mormonism as a competing religion. On the campaign trail, Romney has avoided discussing his faith in depth, and he has acknowledged that there are differences between his faith and others. But he has not been quoted saying Mormonism is not a Christian faith.
“Now some people define ‘Christianity’ differently,” Fehrnstrom continued. “Some people believe that ‘Christianity’ is a group of evangelical churches. Others believe that ‘Christianity’ is any church that follows the teaching of Jesus Christ, and that is what the LDS church believes.” I asked Fehrnstrom if that was also what Romney believed. He said yes.
So what is Minnery talking about? On Friday, the Associated Press reported that Minnery “based his interpretation” of Romney’s views on a December address on the role of religion in public life. In that speech, Romney said.
“There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church’s beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history.”
Minnery told the AP that he believes this means Romney does not believe he is a Christian, an interpretation that strains credulity. In the same AP article, Minnery said that he had spoken with the Romney campaign after posting the video, and that the campaign did not contest his views.
Needless to say I am profoundly disappointed in James Dobson and others unwillingness to get involved…But if they are starting to get negative about Mike and positive about Flip Flop Romney…I will have lost faith in Focus on the Family’s political power…
For months, Dobson has been playing it coy, seeming to favoring (sic) the Mormon Mitt Romney over Baptist preacher Mike Huckabee, who would otherwise appear to be the natural Christian right choice. In December, Dr. Dobson praised a Romney speech as “a magnificent reminder of the role religious faith must play in government and public policy. His delivery was passionate and his message inspirational.” Dobson even made a congratulatory phone call to the candidate.
When Romney lost the Iowa caucuses to Huckabee, Dobson attributed the outcome to “conservative Christians,” but he has not warmed to the former governor of Arkansas. Huckabee, Dobson cautioned after his Iowa victory, “may not become the Republican nominee.” And Huckabee, who has spoken of his great and longtime friendship with the Dobsons, has wondered aloud why no endorsement appears to be coming his way. In the Citizenlink.com assessments, Huckabee was found wanting in terms of foreign policy and “fiscal” issues. (A couple of minutes in the video citing the candidate for his evangelical “authenticity” were apparently edited in after the video was first posted.) Romney, on the other hand, was praised as “solidly conservative” and unlikely to renege on that stance.
