Last updated on July 17th, 2012 at 10:29 am
In the United States Constitution, Article Six says, “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States,” and it was the only mention of religion in the Constitution prior to the adoption of the Bill of Rights. Article Six is important to maintain a secular aspect to the government by not excluding any American from serving in the government, or from giving preference to a particular religion to make laws affecting every citizen. In light of the mounting questions regarding Willard Romney’s shroud of secrecy regarding his personal finances and growing concern over his dubious separation from Bain Capital, it is worthwhile to look into why instead of transparency, he is secretive and subverts the truth in order to achieve the most powerful office in the land.
One of the primary aspects of a cult is absolute secrecy. Before going any farther, this article is not an indictment of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but it never fails that referring to Mormonism as a cult incites a rash of hateful emails and phone calls deriding the mention of the c-word in relation to Mormonism. However, by all definitions from religious, behavioral, and sociological scholars, the Mormon faith is indeed a cult. Besides the aforementioned secrecy, the main aspects of a cult are a divinely inspired leader, secret teachings that are immutable and beyond criticism, preoccupation with bringing in new members, an exalted status for itself and its leadership, absolute obedience to its leader who is not accountable to any authority, and a secret strategy for imposing a theocracy. By definition then, Mormonism is a cult and the overriding feature is secrecy surrounding the origin of its dogmata, the unchallenged authority of its leader, and plans for world domination.
There are volumes available detailing the secret plans to seize control of the United States to save the Constitution and establish a world Mormon theocracy. In fact, there is a secret political organization within the church called the Kingdom of God whose goal is gaining a political stronghold in the U.S. government and place the country “under the rule of the priesthood” whose members are sworn to secrecy under penalty of death. Brigham Young stated in the Journal of Discourses (p. 341) that the Mormon goal was “no more or less than the complete overthrow of the nation, and not only of this nation, but the nations of Europe.” This is relevant to Willard Romney’s practice of lying and deceiving the American people as to why he wants to be president and why he is concealing the true nature of his departure from Bain Capital. It is also relevant that Romney has sworn absolute allegiance and obedience to the President of the Mormon Church, or as he is referred in Mormon circles, “President Pro tem of the world.”
The only reason Romney’s religion matters is that he has spent his entire life learning that secrecy and, to a degree, deception is accepted and practiced as a matter of course. The recent revelations that there are discrepancies in disclosures about exactly when he left Bain Capital should be enough to raise red flags, and his reluctance to follow his father’s example and release tax returns going back 12 years is causing suspicion from Democrats and Republicans alike. Yesterday he said he would only release one more tax return, and then not until his accountants finish it, but no more because there are secrets he is desperate to keep out of the public domain such as the millions he has hidden in off-shore accounts. An honest man who had nothing to hide would want to set the record straight, but apparently Romney’s record of earnings and dealings as head of Bain Capital are too secret for the American people to learn.
Romney’s secrecy problem does not end with his alleged departure from Bain Capital, because in 2007 at the end of his term as Massachusetts governor, he spent nearly $100,000 of state funds to replace computers as part of an unprecedented attempt to keep his records secret. In fact, Romney’s effort to wipe out his records as governor are similar to Mormon founder Joseph Smith having a newspaper’s facilities burned for reporting on his practice of polygamy, and no, Romney is not a polygamist, but there is a reason he, like Smith, feels the need to erase evidence that may be damning to his chances of becoming president.
The Founders were astute to include prohibitions on any religious test for public office, but there was no religion that demanded absolute obedience to a religion’s “President Pro tem of the world” when the Constitution was written. Romney took a secret oath and pledged complete devotion of his money, time, and talents to the LDS church for the sole purpose of building up the kingdom of god on Earth, and it raises a legitimate question of where his loyalties lie if he is elected president. Obviously, Romney has not disclosed to the American people that his first allegiance is to his church’s leader instead of the Constitution or the people he expects to serve.
A candidate’s religion is private and personal, but that has not been the case with President Obama and Romney should not get a pass just because Mormons are nice people, albeit very secretive nice people. For some unknown reason, Americans want their leaders to be religious and it is a curiosity to say the least, but they also want their leaders to be honest and transparent. Willard Romney is neither honest nor transparent, and whether it is because of a lifelong involvement in a secretive cult or he has something to hide regarding money and his tenure at Bain Capital, his actions are raising legitimate questions about why he is so secretive. He needs to come clean with the truth because the problem with keeping secrets in 2012 is that with technology available today, there are no secrets.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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