Gingrich: Not for us to judge Romney's religion

By: Lucy Madison

(CBS News)

Republican presidential candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich spoke out Sunday against a Dallas pastor and Rick Perry supporter who recently disparaged Mormonism as "a cult" - noting that "We're not running for theologian-in-chief."

In an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation," Cain (who was joined on the show by Gingrich) argued that while it was fine to question candidates on their principles and values, he did not support getting into "the specifics of your chosen religion."

"We're not running for theologian-in-chief. We're running for President of the United States of America," he said.

The Texas megachurch pastor, Robert Jeffress, has come under scrutiny in recent days after likening Mormonism to a "cult" while speaking to reporters at a conservative gathering where he introduced the Texas Governor.

"Rick Perry's a Christian. He's an evangelical Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ," Jeffress told reporters at Friday's Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., after making his introductory remarks for Perry. "Mitt Romney's a good moral person, but he's not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity. It has always been considered a cult by the mainstream of Christianity."

At an event in Iowa, where Perry flew after his speech, the Texas Republican rejected the pastor's comments, and responded negatively when asked if he agreed with Jeffress' characterization of Mormonism.

"No," Perry said. And, "No, I've already answered that back there. I told him no."

Nevertheless, Perry's association with the pastor could prove politically damaging.

"I think that none of us should sit in judgment on somebody else's religion," Gingrich told CBS' Bob Schieffer on Sunday. "I thought it was very unwise and very inappropriate."

When asked if he thought Mitt Romney could be defined as Christian, Gingrich's response was, "I think he's a Mormon, and they define themselves as a branch of Christianity."

Cain concurred: "I believe that they believe that they're Christians, based upon their definition," he told Schieffer. "But getting into whether or not they are more Christian than another group, I don't think that's relevant to this campaign.

"While I believe that the American people want to know, what are your values? What are your principles? Because your values and your principles may impact how you make decisions, but not get into the specifics of your chosen religion," Cain said.

Lucy Madison
Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by DanerMuhlig October 12, 2011 3:20 AM EDT: .
~Mormonism Not Christian
Mormonism [Church of Latter Day Saints] is not Christian is because it denies the doctrines
of Christianity. Mormonism denies that there is only one God, Jesus is God in flesh,
forgiveness of sins is by grace, Jesus rose from the dead physically.
God, One of Many Gods, is An Exalted Man, Who is Married with Many Wives
Mormonism teaches that God is a an exalted man, that he used to be a man on another
planet and he is only one of countless gods and that God is married and he brought one
of his wives to this world and produces spirit children who then inhabit human bodies at birth.
God Had Sex with Mary
Mormons say God had sex with Mary and produced Jesus! According to Mormonism there
was no virgin birth. "The Father came down from heaven...and begat the Savior of the World;
for He is the Only Begotten of the Father which could not have been if the Father did not
actually beget him in person...The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of
our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood." (Brigham
Young, Journal Of Discourses, Vol. 1 page 238 and8:115)
Man Can Become God
Mormons believe that man can become God! "The Lord created you and me for the purpose
of becoming Gods like Himself." Brigham Young (Journal Of Discourses 3:93).
Jesus Was A Polygamist
The reason people "persecuted Jesus Christ, was because he had so many wives; there were
Elizabeth and Mary, and a host of others." [Journal of Discourses, Vol 1. ppl 345-346] "The
Scripture says the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with HIS TRAIN; I do not know who they
were, unless his wives and children." Brigham Young [Journal of Discourses,Vol.13.pg309]
Jesus and Satan Are Spirit Brothers
Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers. [Journal of Discourses, 93:21]
Salvation through Joseph Smith
"No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God
without the consent of Joseph Smith...every man and woman must have the
certificate of Joseph Smith." [Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.289-91]
The Bible Is Not Infallible and Is Not Reliable
Mormons teach that the Bible has many errors and is unreliable and was corrupted in
translation and it is not infallible.They believe their Book of Mormon is God's Word. It is
"the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of our religion." Joseph Smith
Polygamy Marriages in Heaven
Mormon's believe that you can be "sealed" to more than one woman and therefore have
Baptism for the Dead
Mormon's baptize people in water on behalf of dead people for the forgiveness of their sins.
Mormon's Holy Underwear
Mormons have a Temple Ceremony where the person is given "Mormon
Underwear" that is to protect them against the Evil One.
Joseph Smith, Mormon Founder, Met Jesus
In 1820 Mormon founder Joseph Smith was 14 years old and he said God the Father and
Jesus met him outside of New York. Three years later he said an Angel named Moroni
inspired him to write the Book of Mormon, which is "another Bible" and "new revelation" of
Jesus Christ and it is about an ancient people who came from the middle east to the
Americas. The Mormons follow 2 other books, Doctrine & Covenants & Pearl of Great Price.; Reply to this comment


by MarianoApologeticus October 10, 2011 7:38 PM EDT: Can someone in the media please conduct the least bit of research!
Romney and any Mormon offended by being referred to as cultists needs to be asked why they adhere to a religion whose prophet, Joseph Smith, referred to Christianity, in general, as being cultic—actually, claimed that God Himself referred to Christianity, in general, as being cultic, specifically "all wrong," an "abomination," "all corrupt" and "far from me."
See:
http://www.examiner.com/messianic-jewish-in-national/rick-perry-on-robert-jeffress-mormonism-as-cult; Reply to this comment


by Zann-Zel October 10, 2011 1:05 PM EDT: Are any of you paying attention to what is happening right now in Egypt?
People are getting killed because they do NOT practice Freedom of Religion and Tolerance there!

This is America we have Freedom of Religion - lets Keep it that Way by allowing each other to worship/or not, in the way we each choose.; Reply to this comment

by Anti-Bigot October 10, 2011 10:59 AM EDT

I've been reading with mingled amusement and depression the comments here in which I'm portrayed, along with my wife and family and many of my friends, as a fool and a brain-dead robot because I'm a believing Mormon.

For those who would like to sample professions of their faith from (right now) slightly more than three hundred believing Mormon scholars and scientists (including myself), such statements can be found here:

http://mormonscholarstestify.org/

http://mormonscholarstestify.org/category/testimonies

With best wishes to all.

Reply to this comment


by Zann-Zel October 10, 2011 1:03 PM EDT: Not everyone is against you.
I'm not Mormon - but I do know that they are Christians.
And that they are a very good group of family oriented people!
(I have close family that are Mormons.)
They aren't a "cult" - they aren't brain dead and they aren't in any way evil!

by 2happy2ride October 10, 2011 9:40 AM EDT

How ironic, you angry liberals tout your self-righteous indignation over the belief of another man, yet you support a man who attended a bigoted, anti-Semitic, anti-American church for 22 years. A man whose wife stated she had NEVER been proud of the USA and a man that was the 1st in American history to boycott the boyscout jamboree and refused to honor the "National Day of Prayer" but had a Ramadan dinner to celebrate his common faith with other Muslims and professed to have Muslim faith, then after the reporter's suggestion to change it to Christian he agreed. He didn't even have the backbone to profess his true faith, a snake by any definition. Against logic, there is no armor like ignorance.

Reply to this comment


by Bisk1 October 10, 2011 2:05 PM EDT: Angry Liberals ?? Cain and Gingrich ??? Are you sane ???????


by DannyHaszard October 10, 2011 9:24 AM EDT: The definition of a destructive religious cult is like alcoholism-if booze controls you instead of the other way around you are an alcoholic.
The Watchtower society Jehovah's Witnesses as an example is not benevolent and won't let you leave their organization in peace.
If they try to ruin your reputation and break up your family for trying to get out then they are a cult!
Please examine the Jehovah's Witnesses pedophiles go door to door and come on our property.
Many court documents and news events prove that Jehovah's Witnesses suppress evidence when a child comes forward with allegations of molestation within the congregation.
Whenever you surrender your logic and reason to anyone who asks you to trust them because they know better it's possibly a cult.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....
-
Danny Haszard

http://www.dannyhaszard.com; Reply to this comment


by Dgiesselmann October 10, 2011 8:30 AM EDT: Newt doesn't have a clue so don't waste too much time on him. He's like the bad seasonal cold that won't go away - it just festers up a bit now and then. He thinks the protest on wall street is happening because those who protest are not educated... uhhhh....sounds like he needs an education. Some of the richest are the richest because they defrauded the the middle class. The schemes and scams of the wall street RGBs backfired but... our politicians bailed them out, selling us out at the same time. Do you, Newt, NOT UNDERSTAND? WILL YOU EVER GET IT? We need to fully clean house because it seems just about every existing polician has been infected with something that makes them avoid an understanding of what's really truly going on here.; Reply to this comment


by MarilynLaCourt October 9, 2011 9:52 PM EDT: Does Mitt Romney wear magic underwear? Does senate leader Harry Reid wear magic underwear. He is a Mormon too.

I have great respect for Harry Reid. But I do not understand his membership in a religious organization that supports really bogus beliefs, and the notion that god speaks to specific individuals and tells them to stop their discrimination against blacks. Is their god an adolescent who is just now learning that blacks are real people? Christianity is bogus enough but Mormons add to the text?

What I do not understand is people who subscribe to a religion but disagree with their religion's beliefs.

Harry Reid is a good example of hypocricy. It seems his religious thingy has more to do with politics than it has to do with his religious affiliation. Same is true for Mitt Romney.

Sorry folks, religious affiliation has more to do with politics than it has to do with a real commitment to a religious affiliation.

You cannot be true to two masters.; Reply to this comment


by pbr90 October 9, 2011 6:49 PM EDT: Debate over religion is more appropriate than it has ever been, particularly where public taxes support faith-based initiatives now, and particularly, where some think that Mormonism is an economic system that operates like a cult, not a religion, per se, by virtue of its commune like practices.

The question of Christianity may not be the focus of such questions; the question of how a Presidency fits into such schemes may be very pertinent if the American people are expected to pay for it now, or in the future, through foreign loans.; Reply to this comment

by GOPeconomicterror October 9, 2011 5:00 PM EDT

A Temple garment (also referred to as garments, or Mormon underwear)[1] is a type of underwear worn by members of some denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, after they have taken part in the Endowment ceremony. Garments are worn both day and night and are required for any previously endowed adult to enter a church temple.[2] The undergarments are viewed as a symbolic reminder of the covenants made in temple ceremonies, and are viewed as either a symbolic or literal source of protection from the evils of the world.[3]
The garment is given as part of the washing and anointing portion of the endowment. Today, the temple garment is worn primarily by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and by members of some Mormon fundamentalist churches.

Mormons believe that God created multiple worlds and each world has people living on it. They also believe that multiple Gods exist but each has their own universe. We are only subject to our God and if we obtain the highest level of heaven we can become gods ourselves.
D&C 76: 24
24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.
Pretty mainstream, huh Newt???????????????????????????????????

Reply to this comment


by micpowellira October 10, 2011 12:33 AM EDT: Mormons don't believe that each world has people living on it. For example all Mormons know that nobody lives on Mars or Mercury.

Everybody wears symbols on their clothes. It tells people what you like to do, like play golf, attend concerts, watch football, etc.


by GOPeconomicterror October 10, 2011 8:12 AM EDT: Nice to know there are no Mormons on Mars, or Mercury.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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