Joseph Smith Jr., the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once stated that the Constitution of the United States would “hang by a thread” and the priesthood of that church would be the only ones who could save it.
This is widely viewed as gospel by Mormons throughout the country. Many Mormons today openly declare their belief that we have reached that critical juncture and the Constitution does, indeed, hang by a thread.
All that is of utmost importance given that Mitt Romney could possibly be elected president this November. Romney holds the church’s high priesthood; he possesses a temple recommend, which grants unfettered access to any Mormon temple in the world.
Within temple walls, he has sworn allegiance and loyalty to the Mormon prophet (currently Thomas S. Monson), whom Mormons put on the same par with Abraham, Moses and Paul, above everyone else on Earth. Loyalty to the Mormon church takes priority over family, country, and even the electorate who may send him to the Oval Office.
A friend of mine recently characterized the election of Romney as tantamount to electing a Roman Catholic cardinal. Even non-Catholics know that a cardinal’s first loyalty is to the Pope, and that is as it should be. In the same vein, Romney’s first loyalty is to the Mormon prophet.
If Romney were completely honest and forthcoming about his faith, he would readily admit that:
1. The Mormon church is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth,” as proclaimed by its founder and believed by Mormons today.
2. All other churches are “abominations” in the sight of God, as Mormons believe Jesus Christ told Joseph Smith in person, face-to-face, in 1820.
3. The president of the Mormon church is a prophet, seer, and revelator just like Moses, and as such, his authority is without question and his edicts must be obeyed by anyone who believes the foregoing.
4. Because the Mormon church is all about obedience to God’s appointed apostles and prophets and eternal exaltation in the hereafter (available only to Mormons), a Mormon like Romney must put loyalty to Mormon leadership ahead of loyalty to anyone or anything else.
If the preceding weren’t enough, Romney has already taken a significant step demonstrating my thesis. He appointed former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt to head up the effort to determine appropriate candidates for administration positions (read: transition team). Leavitt, like Romney, is an active, temple-recommend-possessing, high-priesthood-holding Mormon. Speculation across the web is mounting that Leavitt could even become White House Chief of Staff.
Is this what America really wants to replace the Obama administration?
Shouldn’t the president’s first loyalty be to the American people regardless of political bent, doing what’s best for the country as a whole? Mitt Romney would not be that kind of president. From the people he would appoint to the Cabinet, White House staff, ambassadors and diplomats to foreign policy positions and the overall course of his administration, Romney would do it all with deference given to what the Mormon church and its prophet and apostles would want.
SCOTT CHRISTIAN BAUER
Salt Lake City
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