Some people feel that it’s wrong to make judgments about others based on their religious beliefs ““ I really couldn’t disagree more.
During a debate one week ago between the Rev. Al Sharpton and atheist author Christopher Hitchens about the existence of God, Hitchens pointed out that Mormonism is an example of how religion can promote reprehensible ideas such as racism, and referenced Mormon Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
In response, Sharpton joked that “those that really believe in God” would defeat Romney anyway.
Although Sharpton’s comment ““ which basically translates to: Our God is better than your god, nanny nanny nanny ““ was immature, not only did he have every right to make it, but he was quite justified in doing so.
Of course, an enormous controversy erupted, with Romney telling the press that Sharpton’s comment “shows that bigotry still exists.”
Being a bigot and being critical of someone’s religion are two very different things.
According to KSL, an NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City, other religious organizations such as the Catholic League and the National Clergy Council have also agreed with Romney and called on Sharpton to apologize and even end his career.
If Sharpton were a bigot, he probably would have said ““ in all seriousness ““ that Romney, and all members of the Mormon Church, should not even be allowed to run for president. Instead, he simply made a joke expressing his dislike for Mormonism.
His response was mild in comparison to Hitchens’ accusation that recent history of the Mormon Church is rooted in racism.
This is exactly why Romney and his supporters jumped at Sharpton’s throat and not Hitchens’. What Sharpton said was petty and unimportant and made for an easy target ““ but what Hitchens said was true.
According to Professor Armand L. Mauss of Washington State University, the Mormon Church refused to let blacks participate in certain rites or be married in the church. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter decided the church’s tax-exempt status would be reconsidered due to its discriminatory policies, so the President of the Mormon Church, Spencer W. Kimball, magically received a message from God saying blacks were cool and could join the church too.
To put this into perspective, 1978 was a mere 29 years ago, at which time Romney was already 31 years old. So, for about 13 years of his life ““ I’m willing to chalk up the first 18 to youthful ignorance ““ Romney knowingly and publicly subscribed to a faith that promoted racism. Yet Sharpton is the guy who’s got some explaining to do?
Of course that means the rest of us do as well. According to a poll done by Rasmussen Reporters in 2006, 43 percent of American voters said they would never even consider voting for a Mormon candidate for president of the U.S.
It seems that Romney is trying to suppress the widespread suspicion of the Mormon religion by making it an unacceptable and politically incorrect sentiment.
But please, don’t let that stop you.
When individuals choose to declare themselves candidates for the highest office in the U.S., they knowingly and willingly open up every aspect of their lives to the nation’s scrutiny. Furthermore, when they publicly affiliate themselves with particular ideologies, they will be judged based on those ideas as well.
Of course, some people may still feel that Romney’s being treated unfairly. After all, many Christians claim to believe in a Bible that tells people to beat their children with rods and that women should not be allowed to speak in church.
I do agree that Romney is being singled out. Unfortunately, however, most Americans, unable to understand how one can have morals without acquiring them from a church of some sort, would rather elect an inanimate object than vote for an atheist or agnostic. So we are reduced then, as usual, to deciding between the lesser of two evils.
And I’d be proud to say that the American people refused to elect, for president, a man who, until the age of 31, was part of an organization that promoted racism. There’s something about that religious “bigotry” that gives me hope.
Do you think the Rev. Jerry Falwell’s heart failure was a reaction to Hitchens’ new book “God Is Not Great”? Tell Strickland at kstrickland@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.