Is Romney Good for the Church? Who cares?!

I do not care for Mitt Romney. Anyone who has spent more than a few moments reading past posts in my blog should not be too surprised by the above statement. I have plenty of reasons for disliking him and not wanting him to be elected as president. That said, something I dislike far more than Mitt Romney is the reason I hear sited so often here in Utah for electing him. I have spoken with so many people who are excited for the possibility of a President Romney because of what it will do for the Mormon church.

Excuse me if we don't see eye-to-eye at this point, but I do not see this as a compelling reason for electing a person. Last time I checked, this election is not for Mission President but for American President. Selecting a president is serious business. We are selecting the man who will make incredibly important decisions that will affect us all for the next four years. We are selecting the proverbial "leader of the free world." This is a decision that should be made in the light of what is best for America, what will help us be the best nation we can. This is not a decision that should be made based upon the gains we, or an officiated organization, hope to acquire as a result.

It ridiculous that we get angry with people bringing his religion into the debate. We are annoyed that people will not vote for him because they believe that he will be in the pocket of the church. Then we immediately turn and speak of how important it is that he be elected so that he can carry on God's work in the White House. If I'm understanding correctly, what we're saying is that it's OK to vote for someone because of their religion, but it's not OK to vote against someone because of their religion. Sorry, we can't have it both ways.

Don't get me wrong. I am completely fine with people who honestly like Mitt Romney because they think he will make a good president. I may not have that same view, but I respect your right and reasons for having that view. I encourage you to take that belief right to the polls. But, if you nothing about Romney except that he is Mormon and you are planning to vote for him, I urge you to dig a little deeper. The office of President of the United States of America should be much more than simply a tool with which to speak to our neighbors about the gospel.