Voting for a Mormon?

With Mitt Romney leading in the polls, a lot of people, especially in Evangelical circles, are asking the question, "Can I vote for a Mormon?" The question I have to ask is, "Why not?"

First off, I know what you're thinking. Before I even get started, you're wondering if I've gone off the deep end. I know more than enough about Mormon doctrine to know not to endorse their real teachings. I'm not a victim of their well financed and slick PR campaign that has been undertaken to remove the stigma of their doctrines and history. I am not going to advocate a Gospel other than the one in the actual Bible that requires no separate book to figure out.

I also want to go on record that I am not endorsing any presidential candidate including Mitt Romney. Even when I was more embroiled in politics in my broadcasts, I didn't endorse anyone. In fact, I find it unlikely that I ever will. The question at hand is that IF Romney is the nominee, can a follower of Christ vote for him in good conscience?

Let's examine this carefully. In the past, we've had no qualms with voting for an agnostic, a Catholic (gasp, gulp! pardon the absurdity), or any other of a long string of pretenders to faith that made a show of believing but the fruit wasn't on the tree. Why should a Mormon be any different?

Yes, their actual beliefs are not in line with orthodox Christian beliefs despite their claims to the contrary. Morally, however, the teachings are close enough that they do line up with most evangelicals. They are supposed to be prolife, hold to a traditional view of marriage (at least since 1895) as being between a man a woman, and in personal responsibility. Whether Romney actually would govern that way is entirely dependent on him not on his faith. Many presidents have claimed a faith but it didn't influence their administrations or policies.

Please keep in mind that one of the most popular talk show hosts, Glenn Beck, is a professing Mormon and many of you listen to him every day. You trust him to give you information, right? His beliefs don't seem to bother you much when you're listening to him, do they? Interesting.

So, vote for Romney or don't. Base it on his positions, policies, and record. Yes, filter everything through the Word but no more or less so than with any of the other candidates. Frankly, I'm more concerned about voting for someone steeped in liberation theology, a mix of Marxism and the Bible to create a socialist doctrine, than I am about voting for a Mormon. I know what a socialist doctrine leads to when its proponents govern and it's far from actually leading in a Christlike manner.

Again, I'm not endorsing Romney or his belief system nor am I endorsing any of his primary opponents. I don't endorse candidates. All I'm saying is that voting for a Mormon is no more or less dangerous to our country than voting for a candidate of almost any other religion. Don't let it be the main factor in your vote.