Here's someone at the WaPo who doesn't quite get what the Church is in business for."On family planning, does the Catholic Church represent Catholics?" No, the Catholic Church represents God, or at least that's what they're shooting for. One could have a good debate on whether that stance on that is Godly or not, but the Catholic Church is a theocracy, not a democracy.
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CNN wants to play up the Mormon cult meme; everyone else has let it rest. They've played the moderate evangelical going against type card in getting Fuller's Richard Mouw to sign off on Mormons as fellow believers, or at least close enough to not write them off.
Mormons are heterodox in their view of God, Jesus, eternity and a number of other things. Even if they appreciate some orthodox Christian writers and has a scholarly streak, it doesn't make them orthodox Christians.
Some other thoughts on that front-
(1) The religious test clause doesn't apply to people's voting decisions. I'm free not to vote for Keith Ellison because he has Nation of Islam sympathies, but Congress is not free to bar him from taking office because he's a Muslim. Likewise, people can vote against Romney because they don't like Mormonism; it may not be right, but it is perfectly legal.
(2) Stating that Mormonism is heterodox isn't bigoted in it of itself. Refusing to vote for someone because of it leans in that direction.
(3) I'd rather have someone of another faith who would do a good job in a political office than a believer who is ill-suited for the job.
(4) There's very little in Mormon thought that would lead a follower's policy in a direction opposite of that of orthodox Christians. That's not to say that there aren't theological differences, but the nature of God being an evolved being rather than an unchanging I Am doesn't play out in tax policy or foreign policy.
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I liked what I heard of Terry Francona yesterday as he got to play color-man for the Detroit-Texas game. If he wants to get into broadcasting for a bit between managing gigs, he would seem to be a natural.
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Interesting piece on French politics and the rise of the National Front. They really aren't far right, they are nativist lefties. They're economics would be not far from the French socialists in their distrust of globalism and lean towards larger government. The only thing that isn't leftist is their distrust of foreigners. Jean LePen's daughter Marine is now in charge, and she might wind up being the next president if the she can beat out Sarkozy for second in the first round, then beat the Socialist nominee in the run-off.
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The OWS folks forced the closure of the Air and Space Museum yesterday when they tried to swarm it. It's ironic, for it is the exploits of government-bought aircraft and spacecraft that make up the most eye-catching part of the museum; it's one part of big US government conservatives would get positive about, yet our arch-lefties shut it down.
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