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Video: PBS on ‘The Evangelical Vote’
Editor’s Note: WORLD associate publisher Warren Cole Smith appeared in a segment on the evangelical vote that appeared on PBS’s Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. Warren addressed the concern that some evangelicals have about GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney’s Mormonism. (See “Can a Mormon be president: Two opposing views,” by Timothy Lamer and Warren Cole Smith.)
Topic: Commentary, Election 2012
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back to top34 Comments to “Video: PBS on ‘The Evangelical Vote’”
Gingrich’s past adultery troubles me more than Romney’s Mormonism (which I respectfully say is not Christian, regardless of their label and claims). But I would vote for either of them to defeat Obama in a political election because Gingrich and Romney are far far far better options politically and for America than Obama.
The primary news is, we have Santorum!!!
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I disagree with how Smith treats Romney’s Mormonism. For a political election, I look for values related to better governing more than to orthodoxy according to a particular religion or denomination. It’s a political office and religious test is not a necessity for me. Even character or policy tests leave us with mixed motives and tough choices since all candidates have flaws.
I did not say I necessarily ruled out any particular factor related to a candidate but that I put all the factors into a realistic light next to the biggercture. I reserve the right to weigh all the options and factors and wait until a decision is required and then just vote for what I believe to be the best of the options available And that always calls for a lot of give n take and patient deliberation.
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In 1960 evanglelicals were afraid of a Roman Catholic becoming president. Turns out, our fears were unfounded.
A large part of our problem was caused by an avowed twice born Southern Baptist.
We can’t go by a person’s professed religious beliefs when determining a leader.
However, if the person were from some radical -read Ialamic – religion, that would definitely be different.
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Chas, it wasn’t only evangelicals in 1960 who were wary of the allegiance of a Roman Catholic as head of our country. And then the GA mafia didn’t help our reputation.
Now, in considering a Mormon, we still ponder the role of morals in leadership. I think that is important, regardless of religion.
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Wow. Even in a story about evangelicals and their vote, Ron Paul is ignored.
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Tych,
Ron who?
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Tychicus – that is because most evangelicals undertand that RP views are dangerous.
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i’m in a quandry about which gop candidate can win.rick santorem is the closest to my values,however newt can say most of what needs to be said, the way i want it said.mitt may be the candidate and i would vote for anyone but the present dictator. mitt’s values are more important than his mormanism to me. in ky. our primary is so late it’s rare,if ever that we decide the candidate.we do all get behind the republican, even if it is ron who.we put his son in the senate with our votes, and probably will again.
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The Publisher speaks. Must be im-po-tent.
The only unifying theme among all evangelicals these days is dislike of…someone. Why do I not find that surprising?
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#9 – “Why do I not find that surprising?”
Few are surprised, Arcadia, by what they make up in their own minds.
Evengelicals tend to be most unified by their love of the traditional family.
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Sorry that Evangelicals don’t fit into you narrow-minded view of them, or the slot you want them in, Arcadia. That must be frustrating.
Would anyone vote against Romney if he were a Jew?
I remember the Catholic thing even though I was a kid. Chas rightly reminds us of those unfounded fears. I mean, think about it: JFK slept around all over the place, it’s not as if he was a true Catholic. Romney is a decent person and has taken care of his family.
I’m also with Joel Mark — defeat Obama.
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The point of #5 is that Ron Paul IS an evangelical. He is the only evangelical left in the Republican race.
And some of us evangelicals do support him and believe him to be the best candidate that we have had for decades.
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We need to do something radical with the finances!
Interesting that Ron Paul has the young following him and the old against him.
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Sorry, should have written sOmeone.
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NJLawyer, I guess it depends on whom one counts as “old.” I know quite a number of people well over fifty who support him. I’m not saying that is “old,” but fifty-five or sixty-five is surely closer to old than to young.
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The problem I have with Mormonism is:
(1) that they falsely claim to be Christian. They were a lot more honest, calling us abominations, back in the 60s. Be honest about who you are!
(2) the prophets in Salt Lake City have a lot more power/control over their faithful then the Pope had over an unfaithful JFK. The equivalent power of the LDS “Quorum of the Twelve Apostles” hasn’t been seen in the catholic church since the 1600’s.
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No need to get tetchy, Cheryl….
just because you’re getting a little long in the tooth!
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Sorry to say it, but after hearing and reading Warren Cole Smith’s views, I am afraid that PBS chose him because they were looking for an extreme position.
Mormonism is a Christian-derived cult. Romney as President (or even candidate) puts more of a spotlight on the non-orthodox positions of the Mormons. I am convinced that many recent Mormon converts have little idea of the true beliefs of “their” religion. They may learn some things that will open them up to discussions with Christians.
Christianity will only benefit from Mormonism coming out from behind the shelter of, “After all, Jesus Christ is in our name!”
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Fawn Brodie was a historian. And she grew up LDS and wrote the book “No Man Knows My History” about Joseph Smith. He was a fraud and a scam artist continually on the search for a “Get Rich Quick” scheme. He had an affair with a young teen gal who was the housekeeper. Her name was Fanny Alger. Emma Hale Smith–Joseph’s wife– never conceded her husband’s secret polygamy but after his murder she and several other church “founders” bolted to the “reformed” branch.
Over the decades the church has moved away from its radical teachings. Even into the 60s the Mormon church had a view of blacks that George Wallace, Strom Thurmond or Lester Maddox would have been embarassed to articulate in public
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#12 Kyle A “The point of #5 is that Ron Paul IS an evangelical. He is the only evangelical left in the Republican race. And some of us evangelicals do support him and believe him to be the best candidate that we have had for decades.”
Exactly! Well, said!!
(… crickets chirping …)
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Ron Paul! I’m voting for him because he is the only candidate who is not owned by any lobbyists or corporate greed. He believes and lives the US Constitution. He believes in smaller Federal Government and our rights as citizens of this country. I will write his name in on my ballot if I have to.
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I even read a quote from Santorum yesterday where he said something along the lines of “the three of us still left in the race.”
It’s downright dishonest for Santorum, WorldMag, and all others to ignore the fourth person on the stage. Rude, really. When you’re in a room with 5-6 people and there’s someone who rubs people the wrong way, seems kinda goofy with silly ideas, do you really just ignore them? Or do you give them the honor and respect they deserve and include them in the conversation?
That’s what I thought.
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Roy, it doesn’t matter that (in your opinion) “most” evangelicals think his ideas are dangers — I disagree with that assessment — the man has worked for and earned his place on the stage and it’s wrong for the media (including World) to ignore him.
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*dangerous
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I have a question for Warren Cole Smith. I have no idea how he would answer.
First are you willing to send your kids to public school? Second would you send your kids to a class taught by a Mormon or a Muslim?
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Two observations:
1. Did any one find this piece biased? I ask because I did not, and in fact in its mild neutrality it seemed characteristic of most news stories I hear on NPR/ABC/CBS/NBC. (A strong contrast to the perpetually aggrieved FOX and MSNBC personalities. Half of FOX’s shows could be subtitled “Pretty Blonde Lady Incredulous and Angry about What Obama Has Done This Time.”) If you saw bias, can you explain it to me?
2. If you replaced “Mormon” with “Muslim,” Warren Cole Smith would be the only consistent evangelical right in that piece. “His personal faith is not an issue; I’m sure he’s a moral man; I’m not electing a pastor; etc.” All that would be out the window in a blink and there would be howls about destroying the American Way of Life. Just sayin’.
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In principle.
In practice, many enthusiastically support a man who broke it twice.
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JJF, you shouldn’t confuse principled family goals with less controllable political options.
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It’s not good to dismiss Romney due to his Mormon belief, nor is it good to dismiss a repentant Gingrich for past marital and egotistical sins. Further, it is unwise to dismiss Santorum due to his lack of finance and past electoral defeat.
The best candidate is in fact Santorum, though the liberal ruling class has effectively sidelined him as a politically incorrect social conservative.
At this point, while I prefer Santorum overall, I favor Gingrich, as he knows how to articulate conservative views with passion and clarity. His problem, however, is that his national favorability ratings are very low, and he tends to mouth stupid things such as landing a colony on the moon.
Romney, I fear is a bright, uninspiring moderate technocrat who is just beginning to get a bit of conservative fire in his style. I’m hoping that Romney will learn more from both Santorum and Gingrich about speaking with conservative passion and clarity, as realistically he is likely the best candidate to defeat Obama.
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But we can dismiss Gingrich for his views on the Constitution and the Courts. Just sayin’.
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I will have virtually no say in who the GOP nominee eventually is. But I’m not worring about it, because I know that, whoever it is, I’m going to vote for him. I’m basically in an “anybody-but-Obama” mode right now, and any of the present four Republicans represents hope and change as compared to four more years of the disaster that is the Obama administration.
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When RP talks about permitting drug use the Evangelical Community say wait a minute.
When RP talks about sending marriage back to the States where the Courts will decide the Evangelical Community say wait a minute.
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Pastor Roy:
Honest questions.
1- Would you like to see federal laws against alcohol consumption, also?
2- How about federal laws against foods high in trans fats?
3- How about federal laws against pornography?
I’m wondering how you differentiate between “things we ought to prohibit by federal law,” and “things which should be left to states to regulate,” and “things which ought to be left to the individual.”
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And I surely would appreciate someone’s thoughts on whether this piece was biased. Does it display an anti-conservative agenda?
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