Mitt Romney, Huckabee . . . Politics . . . Religion - I'm torn!

I admit, today I am torn between wanting to blog about politics and wanting to blog about religion. So I'll start with the politics and end on the positive note that religion brings into our lives.

• Okay -- so Huckabee won in Iowa. Any respect I may have had for Iowa voters and their IQs seriously dropped! But, he's a Baptist preacher in a Baptist state, so I guess it's not surprising.
  
• Apparently his lack of knowledge of foreign affairs doesn't bother the Iowa voters.
  
• Apparently his "compassionate" pardoning of over 1,000 criminals wasn't a problem. And I do mean criminals, not innocent people or those with exigent circumstances. I believe Sean Hannity said it was double what the last two governors had pardoned, I'll have to double-check on that. I gotta say, we have the freedom to break the law but we have to face the consequences. In everything we do, we have to face the consequences . . . doesn't he get that?
  
• And of course, the fact that he was the keynote speaker when the Baptists held their national convention in Salt Lake City and concentrated on anti-Mormon rhetoric would definitely ring as glorious music in evangelical hearts, and it did. So Huckabee took Iowa.
• Or, let's ignore the fact that he slyly digs at the Mormon religion whenever given the chance certainly wouldn't appear to evangelicals or anyone else as bigoted behavior driven by power and greed to gain the White House.

So yeah, I'm going to ignore those facts except to say that I find the man lacking in all human decency. More about how I formed this opinion on Huckabee here . . . AND, how his behavior over the last few weeks has reinforced it.

A note on Mitt Romney . . . it's been interesting for me to see that everyone of Mitt's commercials have been solely attacking the political records of his opponents. Isn't that what we want to know? We want to know what these people have done, then it's our job to go get the entire story.

John McCain is now saying that he supports a border fence, never mind that it was killed by a Democratic congress and now we have to start over, but he's still pushing hard on his "amnesty bill." Mitt's campaign mentioned that in an ad and John practically had a stroke.

The other candidates and the press are calling Mitt's ads negative. But are they? He hasn't attacked Huckabee's character, and oh wow, there is plenty of ammunition. He hasn't attacked anyone's religion, family or belief system. He has stuck to the issues. That's not negative folks, those are the facts. And isn't that what political races should be about? The facts?

So let me ask this question? Are you going to vote a candidate into office based on his or her good looks, or lack thereof, or do you want a candidate that knows and understand the following:

1. That Abbas is losing power in Palestine and Hammas is gaining it, thereby creating greater instability, and there's some irony for you, in the Middle East and a greater danger to Israel?
2. That the loser American jihadist is calling for suicide bombers and booby-trapped vehicles to greet President Bush when he arrives in Israel to have a sit down with his hosts and Palestine? Why isn't this man strapped to a gurney with drugs running through his veins, ticking down the seconds of his life because of the treasonous bastard he is? He's calling for the assassination of the American president and the complete and utter destruction of his homeland, America. Doesn't anybody have a problem with that? I know our law enforcement. I know our military. Catch the idiot and bring him in to face the consequences of his actions.
   
3. That the situation in Pakistan is critical on the war on terror, for the mountains of Pakistan are the new breeding ground and haven of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, whom I lovingly refer to as the "spawn of the devil."
   
4. That securing our southern border is of utmost importance because not only are illegal immigrants bent on a better life or greater freedom in carrying out their illegal action pouring over the border, but Middle Easterners and known terrorists from countries which are marked as enemy countries are pouring over that border as well?
   
5. That Congress is broken and in dire need of repairing. Our founding fathers laid out very clearly the responsibilities and actions of Congress and they have abdicated those responsibilities in the back room deal making, pork barrel politics that have driven this country to the point it as at right now?
6. That our military needs to be free of political machinations and desire to win at the polls rather than to win the war on terror. If no one understands how insidious this enemy is -- I ask you to look to Europe and examine the situations France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain, Sweden and others are facing now that Muslims are the majority, or approaching it, and are fighting for the installation of sharia law.
7. That it is time for political doublespeak, lying and posturing to stop and the candidates to face the American people and simply state who they are, what they believe and what they intend to do.
   
8. That it is time for fiscal responsibility at the government level instead of . . . "Oh yeah, you need those guns for the military, well I want my Woodstock library first and then I'll think about helping you." You think I'm kidding? I'm not, look it up.
9. That Democrat candidates now in the race are pushing socialism to the utmost and the American people don't even realize it?
10. That this democracy our founding fathers fought and died for, that untold numbers of men and women who have fought in wars defending freedom and this nation have fought and died for, that this American Constitution is divinely inspired and this country is a beacon unto the world in the cause for freedom and democracy?
    

Oh, the world loves to hate us but what country do they turn to when they're in trouble and losing the battle, the war or whatever . . . oh yeah, you guessed it, America. But that's a whole other blog.

With all this, do I still support Mitt Romney, even after Iowa? Oh yeah! With everything in me. Because in every one of these, I've seen proof that Mitt has delivered in each one of these areas. I will fight with everything in me to make sure that he is being sworn in as President of the United States in January of 2009.

Primary and caucus time is upon us. Study the candidates, more importantly study their stance on the issues and vote your conscience. Do not let your friends or neighbors influence you unless you absolutely trust their opinions and know them to be accurate. That includes me.

Okay --- that's it for politics today, on to religion.

December 31st of 2007 ended the year of study on the New Testament for Mormons. Each year we study a different book of scripture. 2006 we studied the Old Testament. 2007 we studied the New Testament. And now . . . for 2008, we're studying the Book of Mormon. Of this book, Ezra Taft Benson said:

The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with His infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time." (Conference Report, April 1975, 94-95)

Some of my favorite passages of scripture, which are many, are found in the Book of Mormon. It is the keystone of our religion (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) . . . not the chief cornerstone, but the keystone because the words of scripture within its pages do the following:

1. It is the keystone of our witness of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer
2. It is the keystone of our doctrine
3. It is the keystone of testimony

I am so excited to be studying the Book of Mormon again. I love each book of scripture, valuing the many lessons and points of inspiration provided, but Nephi's psalm in the Book of Mormon, wow - that speaks to me. Mormon's plea that we condemn them not for their imperfections but rather give thanks that we may learn - that speaks to me. That God speaks to men, women and children . . . for it is their god-given right - that speaks to me. Alma's treatise on faith is one of the most beautiful I have seen, outside of Joseph Smith's Lectures on Faith - that speaks to me. Of Jesus Christ and His role in our eternal salvation - that speaks to me.

Of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon, Ezra Taft Benson also said:

The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity. Unlike the Bible, which passed through generations of copyists, translators, and corrupt religionists who tampered with the text, the Book of Mormon came from writer to reader in just one inspired step of translation. Therefore, its testimony of the Master is clear, undiluted and full of power. But it does even more. Much of the Christian world today rejects the divinity of the Savior. They question His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and the reality of His glorious resurrection. The Book of Mormon teaches in plain and unmistakable terms about the truth of all those. It also provides the most complete explanation of the doctrine of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired book is a keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One. (Ezra Taft Benson, "The Book of Mormon - Keystone of our Religion," Ensign, Nov 1986 4)

So yeah, I'm really looking forward to Sunday School this year!

I came across this really great link on F.A.R.M.S. that provides all types of geographical and archaeological proof of the Book of Mormon, which isn't really important but is really fun to read. I blogged about it on LDSBlogs.com, so the link is to that article which will provide a link to the actual F.A.R.M.S. site.

Have a great Sabbath, what's left of it anyway. Missionary sons have gone home and yes I miss them already. Arthur has arrived, another missionary son and I'm glad he's here, Sete made it back safe and sound and my husband is doing well. So all is good and right in my little world. Oh yeah, remind me to tell you what happened to my brother this morning . . . I'm still shaking my head over it.

Tomorrow morning I'll be in Salt Lake City for a radio interview with BusDriver Fred on Globe Radio . . . I'll let everyone know how it goes. The interview is at 7:00 -- and its being conducted on the Salt Lake Community College campus. That's about all I know.