Obama and Romney shun confrontation on religion

Maybe the economy is a political black hole, sucking every other issue into an impossibly dense void.

Maybe Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are just private, cautious men by nature.

For whatever reason, neither President Obama nor his Republican challenger is talking much about religion these days — neither about his own faith nor that of his opponent, or the social issues that motivate religious voters.

It is a striking departure from the faith-based overtures heard in this year's Republican primary and in some past presidential campaigns, and it serves to mask a central aspect of each man's life story, in which faith plays an important role. But analysts on both sides of the political spectrum say religion is perceived as a no-win subject by both campaigns, and it is not likely to play a prominent role in the 2012 election.

"Put it this way," said Republican pollster Whitfield Ayres. "There is more downside than upside right now for either candidate to spend a lot of time talking openly about their faith."

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Vladimir

When the liberals think it will give them an edge, they will do it.
Evermyrtle

I can well understand both of their positions! Neither of them want to open that can of worms! They know that if they do their own positions, on what is so important t America will come out. They both will tell us what they think we want to hear. They do not seem to have a clue, that what we want is the truth. and "that truth could do them in." Neither wants the truth to be exposed. anymore than it already is.
keyboardshark

Better yet, why doesn't Mitt start asking questions about Obama's past? We do not know any more about him than we did in 2008 when the 'mystery man' was magically transformed into POTUS. Most of his records remain hidden, and his 'birth certificate' is an obvious forgery.

"Obama has lived for almost 50 years without leaving any footprints — none! There is no Obama documentation — no bona fides — no paper trail — nothing.

Original, vault copy birth certificate — Not released (lawyers’ fees greater than $2,000,000 ~ birth certificate is $15)
Certification of Live Birth — Released — Counterfeit
Amended Certification of Live Birth — Released — Counterfeit
Obama/Dunham marriage license — Not released (if one exists)
Obama/Dunham divorce — Released (by independent investigators)

Noelani Kindergarten records — Records lost (this is a big one — read two frames)
Soetoro/Dunham marriage license — Not released
Soetoro adoption records — Not released

Fransiskus Assisi School School application — Released (by independent investigators)

Punahou School application — Missing
Punahou School records — Not released

Noelani 3rd Grade records — Not released
Soetoro/Dunham divorce — Released (by independent investigators)

Selective Service Registration — Released — Under suspicion

Social Security Number — Released (by independent investigators) — Under suspicion
Occidental College records — Not released
Financial Aid Records — Not released
Passport — Not released and records scrubbed clean by Obama’s terrorism and intelligence adviser
Columbia College records — Not released

Columbia thesis — “Soviet Nuclear Disarmament” — Not released
Harvard College records — Not released
Harvard Law Review articles — None
Illinois Bar Records — Not released
Baptism certificate — None
Medical records — Not released — nor is the source of this nasty scar
Illinois State Senate records — None
Illinois State Senate schedule — Lost
Law practice client list — Not released
University of Chicago scholarly articles — None

White House Visitors list — The complete list

The Blagojevich Interview — judge denies access to the FBI report

The Illinois State Archives told Judicial Watch that they never received any request from Senator Obama to archive any records in his possession.

In 2007, Obama told Tim Russert that his records were “not kept.”"
http://state-of-the-nation.com/4948/obamas-missin…
- msjallen
  
  keyboardshark, I totally agree with you. None of the Republican candidates were my choice but I will vote but I will vote for Mitt against 0. If Mitt will speak out about 0's secret past as well as his negative known past I believe people who thinks he is so great will come realize the truth about him. However, there will be many who rise up from the dead who will vote for him regardless as well as all those illegals he legalizes.
  - Ohthehypocrisy
    
    Yes, because you are sheeple… You believe that it makes a difference. You believe that you can choose the type of government for yourself.. Good little Sheeple… Go vote and see if anything changes.
    - Curious
      
      Umm… a govt by the people for the people? We get what we deserve if we do not stand up for good…
      
      "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." ( Edmund Burke)
    - keyboardshark
      
      Ohthehypocrisy says: "Good little Sheeple… Go vote and see if anything changes."
      
      Not voting at all will assure that nothing changes.
Richard Colonel

I have heard and read about the many empty spaces that people seem to find on President Obama. But let's have it from the other side. I have yet to see what actual education Mitt Romney has had. Did he serve in any of the military services. If so, which? How often does he attend church and does he realize that the Mormon Church is a cult?
- Vladimir
  
  Romney has an MBA and law degree from Harvard. He has not served in the military and he knows more about the Mormon church than you do, since you think it's a cult.
lambsev11

I think it says something about the lack of unity in the churtch that we have a Mormon running against whatever Obama really is. Can't a real born again christian win the presidency? Probably not anymore. Not enough "christians" can agree in faith, or even have the faith to know what it means to be born again. It is a GOOD THING to be born again, Jesus said YOU MUST BE born again. R U?
Curious

Romney is 'born again' – LDS believe in faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism (by immersion) and laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. All quite Biblical…
- Deep_Thinker
  
  The gift of the holy spirit comes through hearing God's word. Not from some hand laying.
  
  So what is Mr. Smith to LDS? Just a man?
Curious

Yes, and also Biblical is the receipt of the Comforter, or Holy Ghost (after baptism) for healings, etc:

Acts 8:19
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

Acts 8:17
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
- Curious
  
  Joseph Smith – First Prophet of Restoration / President Monson, 16th and current Prophet of LDS Church
  - Deep_Thinker
    
    How many people are allowed to go to Heaven? According to Mr. Smith, a man whom some call a "prophet"..
    - Curious
      
      Biblically, there are different degrees of 'glory' …. heaven includes more kingdoms than one. John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
      
      1 Cor 15: 34-41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
      
      You will never hear a Mormon condemning someone to hell because they are not 'Mormon.' All mankind will have the opportunity to know the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have the opportunity to accept or reject Him as their God and Savior – and have the choice to be baptized, or 'born again.' It is all about choice – God is Just and Merciful – No man is left without one day standing before Him and not having had the opportunity to choose.
      
      Salvation is in a sense two-fold. We will all partake in the resurrection and stand before the judgment bar of God, this is a gift to all men by the Mercy of God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ who overcame death and hell – Judgment Day man is judged and rewarded by his 'works.' We reap what we have sown.
      
      Doctrine and Covenants 76:111
      111 For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared;
      
      Revelation 20:13
      13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
      etc, etc…
      
      In addition to the degrees of glory, there is a place of no glory, called perdition (Hell will be thrown into the Lake of Fire) reserved for those who commit the unpardonable sin. Those who blaspheme, meaning the people who have known the fulness of the Gospel and know assuredly by the witness of the Spirit that Christ is the Son of God and then still deny Him – crucifying him afresh.
      .
      - Deep_Thinker
        
        Doctrine and Covenants 76:111
        111 For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared;
        
        - Don't see this in the Bible… If your trying to tell me that Mr. Smith wrote this, and it's gospel, I'm afraid you are poorly mistaken.
        
        Good works mean nothing for salvation, and I could quote many passages from the real Bible that prove so.
      - Curious
        
        D & C are revelations given through the Prophet….
        
        You have to keep in mind that salvation in the scriptures is spoken of as two-fold…that which is free and that which is rewarded. (Not to be confused with 'works' in references to the Mosaic Law) You might look at it as one applies to quantity of life and the other 'quality' We reap what we sow… there are many scriptures : )
- Deep_Thinker
  
  So because some of the early apostles (whom were given special powers from God) were able to give the power of the holy ghost, you think we have the ability to do that too?
  
  Is that the only way you believe you can receive the Holy Ghost?
  
  Is that the only power given in the old days you extrapolate onto modern believers, or can we perform other miracles?
Curious

The 'power' that you refer to is the Holy Priesthood. And yes, it was restored in theses last days, lost after the death of the apostles. The Priesthood is the Priesthood of God and is eternal – no beginning, no end. We are born with the light of Christ to guide us and the Holy Ghost will guide us and witness to us, but the Holy Ghost is given as a 'constant' companion after baptism (being born again) and is bestowed by the laying on of hands by those with Priesthood authority as recorded in the Bible.

Spiritual gifts, healings, miracles, etc are not a monopoly of the LDS church. Wherever there is good there is God and He does not hold out any blessings for any one who deserves.