ROMNEY ARTICULATES ON FAITH

 By: Paul Lim
College Press Staff Writer

 

 

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivered a speech this morning from the Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.  The former Massachusetts Governor spoke to an audience regarding his faith, his philosophy on religion’s relationship and government, and misconceptions about his own faith.

Romney spoke on the diversity of faith and religion in the United States and made the point of blurring the line between denominations and to respect each other as a people of faith.  “If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States."  He opened his speech with a reflection on former President John F. Kennedy and his similar challenge of running for President as a Catholic.

He stated, "Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.”

The Governor’s faith has been something of scrutiny since he kicked off his campaign.  He assured, "I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected because of his faith, nor should he be rejected because of his faith.”  In an effort to debunk misconceptions and impressions of the Mormon faith, Romney pushed to ensure an understanding of a common thread among all faiths in the United States saying, "It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions.”

The Presidential aspirant believes the United States is shifting to a new “Religion of Secularism” and that the secularists “are wrong.”

“They [Secularists] seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life.”

Laying out an informal timeline of American history, Romney took note of the impact religion had on the Founding Fathers and the creation of the United States.  When remarking on those who believe religion is something not meant for public domain, Romney remarked, "There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us," he says. "If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator. And further, they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom."

Romney also made sure there was an understanding between “Freedom of Religion” and “Freedom of Religion”.  Speaking on the Secularist philosophy that religion should not dictate an elected leader’s decision, moreover, respecting the Founding Fathers and those who came to the Americas for the freedom to practice religion.  "We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion,” he says, "I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty."

Romney’s father, George Romney, also a Mormon, ran for President in 1968.  

Former President George H. W. Bush, former First Lady Barbara Bush, wife Ann Romney, and four of his five sons were in the audience.  Romney spoke for around 25 minutes.