Senator Rick Santorum attacked President Obama's theology this weekend. The surging Pennsylvania Senator cited President Obama's "crazy theology," not "based on the Bible," a theology that "elevates the earth over man."
Senator Santorum came back to say he did not question the President's faith. He does accept the President as a Christian.
I am personally glad we got that all settled before the general campaign begins. Perhaps we will not have to hear about Mr. Obama's Muslimness anymore if Mr. Santorum continues his successful campaign against the undeniably Mormon Mr. Romney.
Imagine, in America, a general presidential campaign where we must choose between a Muslim and a Mormon. The horror.
Mr. Santorum, a devout Roman Catholic, is obviously positioning himself as an acceptable religious choice between two seeming extremes. A fellow with a Muslim sounding name, ebony of skin, against a rock-jawed Mormon, who is either from Mexico, Michigan or Massachussetts, are the supposed front runners, though Mr. Romney is faltering badly for someone who has spent so much money.
We are going to have to argue religion before this ends. Religious people will get a chance to answer some tough questions. We can do the nation a favor if we answer them thoughtfully and well.
Mr. Obama is not a Muslim. He is a baptist kind of Christian, won to faith in Jesus Christ by his pastor, who is apparently a veteran of the USMC, loud and sometimes profane. You remember the video, I suppose.
Mr. Romney is a Mormon, from a long line of Mormons. He is supposedly a devout Mormon, but not fanatical. It appears Mr. Romney is also a "Moderate Republican" who can "govern from the center" but he is also "severely conservative," which may or may not be akin to being "severely addled," or "severely odd," or even "severely hypocritical."
Mr. Santorum is a devout Catholic. As such he would accept the pronouncements of the Pope as a god on earth, the papal bulls from previous ages, the church councils and then the Bible, complete with the extra fourteen books of the Apocrypha, including Bel and the Dragon.
Mr. Obama is a Christian with a solid family life and a good education. He came from the depths of society to get an Ivy League education and win the presidency. He is a decent man with good basketball skills. I still don't know why he smokes cigarettes.
Mr. Romney is an adherent of Mormon theology, which is a work in progress. Mr. Romney's theology includes beliefs that Jesus and Satan are brothers, his own soul was pre-existent and, if he does well, he will one day be God over his own world. In the governor's office in Massachusetts, Mr. Romney enacted universal health care which became the model for the federal government's revised health care reform plan. Apparently, except for controlling health care costs, Romney-care is doing a lot of good for the people of Massachusetts.
Mr. Santorum is a former Senator from the state of Pennsylvania, defeated by Robert Casey, Jr, in 2006, by a margin of 59% to 41%. Mr. Santorum's anti-abortion, anti-birth control, deficit reduction and strong early stand against Iran's hawkishness mark him as a conservative's conservative. In the debates he did not show himself as particularlys statesman like but he may have just reflected his opposition. At the very least, one would have to say he did better than Mr. Perry, has less baggage than Mr. Gingrich and did not try to effect a $10,000 wager while on stage.
Mr. Santorum also has a long standing marriage and a large family. No one has seriously questioned his personal morality.
In the 2008 election we saw one man run as a Post-Modern, Mr. Obama. We saw a refined woman run as a Modern, Mrs. Clinton. We watched one man run as a Traditional, Mr. McCain. The nominative clash in 2012 will apparently feature a Roman Catholic, Mr. Santorum, a Mormon, Mr. Romney, and a Free Church Baptist Christian, Mr. Obama. If the election is decided on who has the least crazy theology, which one will America choose?
Let us hold out some hope that the election is no decided on Popes, Temples or Profane Preachers.
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