I am not a Mormon or a Romney supporter, but why does Hitchens think Romney needs to answer for the entire Mormon faith? Why does he need to answer for Joseph Smith, who died decades before Romney was born? Why should he have to answer for any anti-black racism, wives in heaven, or any decision made by the Church in order for Utah to become a state? No, I don't buy this, nor do I think I need to analyze his religious beliefs any more than I need to analyze Hillary Clinton's. Does Hitchens honestly believe Mitt Romney represents all Mormons? Does Huckabee represent all Southern Baptists? Does Hitch represent all athiests? Because if he does, then athiesm is in BIG TROUBLE!!!

"I am not a Mormon..."

hehehe

"why does Hitchens think Romney needs to answer for the entire Mormon faith? "

He was born a mormon and has held leadership positions in the church. Hitchens asks that he explain how that will impact a possible presidency, given the innumerable bizzare beliefs of mormonism.

"Why does he need to answer for Joseph Smith?"

He DOES need to "answer for" JS, because JS created the entire religion--including writing ALL the key doctrinal texts of the religion (except for the bible which was much downplayed in the early church). Mormonism IS Joesph Smith.

"Why should he have to answer for any anti-black racism?"

Because he was a member and had leadership roles in the church during that time. Because Mormonism at that time was the ONLY, relatively major, established religion that had racism AS PART OF ITS DOCTRINE! Rmoney needs to explain why he choose to belong to a church that went so far beyond any other church at the time to OFFICIALLY embrace racism as part of its religious teaching.

You've got it backwards. No one is asking Romney to answer for his Mormon faith. He is asking us not to ASK him about his Mormon faith. He is attempting to silence criticism, not to open discussion.

Simply put, he doesn't want -- and refuses to countenance -- questions about his judgment and his intelligence, which is, at the end of the day, what his belief in golden tablets, magic spectacles and the Planet Kolob (and other key tenets of the Mormon faith) is all about. But for voters, the candidate's judgment and intelligence is key. If he wants to remain silent and be thought a fool, that is his right. But if he wants to convince us he is a man of sound judgment, then speeches like yesterday's, that attempt instead to shut off debate, are not helpful.

Because Romney does what most politicians do by saying, in effect, "I am very faithful and hold deep religious convictions which will motivate me and inform my decisions. Except when you don't want me to."

Kennedy said something similar, except he made a specific promise to resolve a crisis of faith in favor of his public duty by resigning if necessary. Romney is telling us there's no possibility of such a crisis.

No, Romney should not be held to account for everything the LDS church ever did or taught. He just needs to explain how he plans to act if he has to choose between an order from his church and the public interest. That doesn't seem to be an unreasonable demand. He'll probably just lie, which is essentially what every other politician running for high office would do.

Again, StevieN, you already said everything I was just preparing to say. Arghh! You keep beating me to the punch!

djfakt:

Again, StevieN, you already said everything I was just preparing to say. Arghh! You keep beating me to the punch!

From now on I'll try to stand back and let you have at them, djfakt. I've had more than enough of mormons to last me a lifetime on earth AND kolob :)