Good Thing God's a Republican

Quote:  “I do not speak for my church on public matters — and the church does not speak for me.”  John F. Kennedy, speaking to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, September 12, 1960.

Figure of Speech:  chiasmus (key-ASS-mus), the criss-cross figure. From the Greek letter chi, or “X.”

This week Mitt Romney plans to do a Kennedy, delivering  a speech about his religious beliefs.  Kennedy, a Catholic, faced opposition from groups who feared he would take orders from the Vatican.  Today’s religious fundamentalists oppose Romney because belongs to the Mormon Church — a cult, say Christianists.

Kennedy deployed a chiasmus (Figaro’s favorite figure!) which states a clause and then repeats its mirror image.  Kennedy’s speech may have made the difference in a close election against a Quaker named Richard Nixon.

Can Romney pull off the same feat? Unlike Kennedy, he can’t advocate separation between church and state; the Republican base isn’t too keen on that part of the Constitution.  Instead, Mitt should emphasize values over doctrine, saying he stands for marriage and family far better than horn dogs like Giuliani and Thompson.  That strategy won’t win him Iowa, where voters seem to enjoy a direct line to God.  But it will help him in the more profane states like New Hampshire.  Which happens to be the state of sin where Figaro lives.

Snappy Answer:  “Enough about church. Let’s talk about God.”

Comments

[Kathy Adams]

I am a non-Mormon from Salt Lake City, so I know of which I speak. I love that Romney is getting positive strokes from liberals, because the only thing we liberals hate more than cults are self-righteous, born-again Christians!

[Rick]

I'm sorry to say this, but I've had multiple, negative experiences in business with Mormons who only hired and promoted from within their own temple, even though these were publically-traded companies.

The re-branded "LDS" *is* a cult; it is *not* mainstream Chrisitianity; intelligent believers and non-believers should be worried if a Mormon becomes President.

[Figaro]

Does a belief that's not mainstream make it a cult? If so, when did Christianity stop being a cult?

Fig.

[Mari]

And he should definitely use the metaphor horn dog, if he can work that in (no pun intended).
Your snappy answer is to the point. Enough about church, let's talk about...spirit. People.

[Marco]

I'm interested in Ms. Adam's comment, because I'm not sure who in the liberal party has given pretty-hair props of any kind.

[matepare]

My favourite 'Chi' - now that I think I know what it is, is: "Ask not what America can do for you, ask what you can do for America"...delivered in that nasally new England accent.

[matepare]

My favourite 'Chi' - now that I think I know what it is, is: "Ask not what America can do for you, ask what you can do for America"...delivered in that nasally New England accent.

[Figaro]

Swap "country" for "America," and you have the right quote, Matepare.

Fig.

[Rick]

Yeah, yeah... every religion is a cult of equally irrational foundation; thus the word has no meaning. C'mon, Fig. You know better.

Mormons believe that Jesus came to North America, that Native Americans ran off the Israelites who were here first, that only men can have positions of authority (no female pastors or elders), and that the Jews who died in the Holocaust should be converted to Mormonism so they can each get their own planet in the afterlife.

If that's not a "cult," at least admit that it's a nutty bunch of folks stuck in the 19th century. If *that's* what's informing Mitt's soul, God help us all.

[Figaro]

It's wacky all right, Rick. But while Romney wasn't the greatest of all governors of Massachusetts, he wasn't a "Mormon" governor either -- just a governor who happened to be Mormon.

As my pal Aristotle said, virtue is a matter of character dealing with choice. I'd prefer examining a candidate's choices to plumbing his soul.

Read Romney's speech today and comment below today's blog. I'm curious to know what you think about it.

Fig.