Romney, Conservatives Push Democrats to Re-Insert God into Platform

COMMENTARY | CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When the Democrats removed the word "God" from their platform on Tuesday, it brought cries of outcry across the conservative world, including Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Granted, the Democrats left a long adage about faith in their document, but they removed the G-word and the naming of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

And then reinserted both.

"I think their having removed purposefully God from their platform suggests a party which is increasingly out of touch with the mainstream of American people," Romney told Fox News on Wednesday. "I think this party is veering further and further away into an extreme wing that Americans don't recognize."

Now that Romney has fired that shot across the bow, questioning other's religious values, why doesn't Fox News and Mike Huckabee question what Mormons believe?

It would be very educational. We'll get to that later.

First the Democrats. What could the Democrats possibly gain by leaving God out? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Besides. God is everywhere. Right? Why not the Democratic platform. That said, I understood the party platform's position on Israel, which deviated from earlier precedent by removing direct naming of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Apparently that caused the pro-Israel zealots to respond with fear, maybe hoping the rapture will visit Charlotte this week.

Not likely. Charlotte didn't get raptured during the subprime crisis. I doubt this will do it.

When I heard the Democrats had removed all mention of God from their platform, I thought they were out of touch as Mr. Romney suggested. When I reviewed an advance copy of Michelle Obama's speech Tuesday night, I was surprised she did not mention the divine or providence or God when she discussed how her husband made decisions.

"As president," she said, "you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people. But at the end of the day, when it comes to make that decision, as president, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision and the life experiences that make you who you are."

Granted, the founding fathers talked about Providence or the creator, rarely the male-in-the-sky God most Judeo-Christians have been taught. Most of them were nominally Christian, either Diests or Episcopalians or Congregationalists. But since Charlotte native Billy Graham became the nation's pastor, America's Christian has become less associated with mainline denominations and more with evangelical Christianity. It struck particularly struck me as odd the Democrats would remove God from their platform here in a battleground state they are trying to win.

Rev. Mark Harris of First Baptist in Uptown Charlotte, a leader in the movement to pass Amendment 1 outlawing gay marriage in the North Carolina constitution this past May, found it interesting the Democrats had removed the G-word. And then put it back in.

"I would like to think it came from people within the party," Harris said. "Maybe that and the plank about gay marriage had something to do with it. Latinos and African American tend to be in favor of traditional marriage. As a born-again, I would like to think people in both parties recognize the sovereignty of God."

Earlier, when the "God" language was still out of the platform, no pun intended, Harris said this: "I was at a forum with pastors and elected officials (Tuesday) in High Point? and every one of the elected officials said their faith had a place in their policy. And they were mostly Democrats."

Now to the Republicans. When Fox News and the conservatives go after the Democratic platform, they raise a fair question. It also raises the question of whether Romney is a Christian. "That's an interesting question," Harris said. "As a Mormon, I think he sees himself as a Christian. I do believe Orthodox Christianity sees some real differences that are somewhat less than or different than Orthodox Christianity."

Somewhat less? Different?

Harris said he agrees with Romney on sanctity of life and sanctity of marriage. What about sanctity of scripture? The evangelical litmus test? From my understanding, Mormons believe that they had a new revelation of scripture, the Book of Mormon, when God and Jesus came to Joseph Smith in upstate New York in 1820. Allegedly, he was told not to join any church, but to start the real church of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe they are the true church of God and Jesus. At one point, they believed in multiple wives until that was outlawed.

"There are major theological differences, and they are quite different," said Harris, who likes Romney's character. "In terms of orthodox Christianity, without question they are off the mark. At the end of the day, we have to remember we are not electing a pastor-in-chief. I do believe character matters in a huge way. But if I were drafting a perfect candidate, I would draft an evangelical Christian."

Personally, I applaud conservatives' outcry of the Democrats' flip-flop. And while I don't care so much that Romney is a Mormon, and I think he is a good person, I don't think evangelicals, Fox News or Huckabee have ever examined and explained what Mormons believe and how it differs from evangelical beliefs. Every evangelical pastor in America should explain to his or her congregation exactly what Mormons believe. Better still, have Romney explain it.

He wants to president? Have him explain what he believes.

While he's at it, questioning the Democratic Party platform and values, he might reveal his tax documents and his investments in Caymans. I would like to know if most Americans who were blessed with the same great wealth he has earned, accumulated or inherited would use the tax laws the same way he uses them. I want to hear whether he thinks those tax laws he has benefited from are fair or not. Just as he questions the Democrats, I question if Romney's party, the party of Abraham Lincoln, is veering further and further away into an extreme wing that Americans don't recognize.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-conservatives-push-democrats-insert-god-platform-033900504.html

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