A Mormon/ex-Mormon ticket?

Mr Cosgrove,  when he mentions Notre Dame, leaves out Gov. BoB Mc Donnell's other graduate credentials.. MA and law degree from Pat Robinson's Regent U.
Even Vice Presidents candidates get throughly vetted.. say hello to Sara Palin..  

I am so glad that the religious test/credentials/background/biases are front and center for this election.

Wait this an eminently qualified atheist is a serious candidate for a high public office!  We have a good one in Californa for whom I'd vote in a New York minute:  Fortney "Pete" Stark.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Stark   He's head and shoulders above so many of the good Kristyuns who are parading around like they have been anointed by God.

" a Catholic with five children, Notre Dame". Didn't Obama get a honorary degree from Rubio's alma mater? They have something in common. I wonder if 5 children meets the threshold for being a "good Catholic", and to top it off-worked in the real world for 20 years! Passes JR's litmus test!

''Passes JR's litmus test!''


What a silly statement. 


Also I don't consider politics the real world but 20 years in politics for McDonnell is certainly enough for a political job and that is what the vice president is.

Rubio is a self-described Catholic but that would come as a surprise to the members of the evangelical church he attends.

It seems to me that there is very little difference between Fundamentalist Catholics and many of the Fundamentalist Protestant denominations.

It seems to me that there is very little difference between Fundamentalist Catholics and many of the Fundamentalist Protestant denominations.

My son says that he aspires to become a Vice President.  He considers it the best job in the world in terms of responsibility and benefits.  There should be a long line of individuals who would love the job, I would think. 

As to this particular ticket, isn't it more fun to speculate on Santorum's running mate?  He'd have to pick someone using the same (unfortunately not successful) strategy that Kennedy used; that is, someone who would not be preferred to himself, so as to prevent becoming a target. 

For instance, it could be Sara Palin, except that Santorum would worry too much about potential dangers she could face.  It could be the return of Dick Cheney, except that he's now OK with homosexuality.  Certainly, JR's suggestion would be great considering the uproar in Virginia over the ultrasound legislation. 

This is all for entertainment, after all, given Obama's landslide in November.

Religious fundamentalism is where people go so that they can feel safe and saved, with the answers to life and death and God in their pocket.  Fundamentalism is a static mindset, with no room to question, grow or meet the Living God. 

Apparently, this stunted expression of religious faith is what the many of the American people want to hear from their politicians, and the Republican candidates for President readily oblige.

Catholicism is a religion that is steeped in mystery, and calls its followers to enter into profoundly transformative relationship with God.  Among other things, this surrender in faith means giving up the safety of knowing what it's all about.  No wonder the Fundamentalists are wary of it!

The increasingly fundamentalist expression of faith from many Catholics is disconcerting to me.  I'm not sure if it makes any difference if Marco Rubio attends both Catholic and Protestant denominations, but I wonder if Catholic fundamentalists truly understand what Catholicism is.  (Rick Santorum is a Catholic fundamentalist, in my book).

" Religious fundamentalism is where people go so that they can feel safe and saved, with the answers to life and death and God in their pocket. Fundamentalism is a static mindset, with no room to question, grow or meet the Living God. "


Religious fundamentalists are people who reach conclusions when they are tired of thinking.

One name I heard bandied about for Romney's vice president is Bob McDonnell, the governor of Virginia.  He is a Catholic with 5 children, an ex military officer and graduate of Notre Dame.  Was an ex athlete, got a law degree, worked in the hospital supply business and for 20 years has been in politics in Virginia.

Political theorizing on my part only, any religious difficulties with a Romney-Rubio Republican ticket would seem to me to be outweighed by two factors... grabbing the Latino vote and, more importantly, winning the very important state of Florida.  

An article from Thursday about this story.  It orginated from Rubio himself as part of an autobiography


http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/23/sen-marco-rubios-religious-journey-catholic-to-mormon-to-catholic-to-baptist-and-catholic/?hpt=hp_t3

''there is very little difference between Fundamentalist Catholics and many of the Fundamentalist Protestant denominations.''


You have gotta be kidding.  It this a lame attempt to put Rubio down.  Fundamentalism is a term that originated 100 years ago as part of a movement in American Protestant churches and one of its precepts was that the Catholic Church or Romanism was basically flawed, maybe even evil. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fundamentals


I have conversed with several Evangelicals/fundamentalists on the web and a couple in person and one of the themes of their religious training was the corruption of the Catholic Church and a heavy emphasis on anti=Catholicism.  One actually ended up marrying a Catholic and was amazed at how unlike the Catholics were compared to what he was taught.  I do not know if this training is still as heavy as it was only 15-20 years ago because a lot of the Evangelicals have embraced Catholic candidates.


Now the word, ''fundamental,'' is shall I say, a fundamental word of the language and as such can be used with whatever one whats to associate it with.  So are there fundamentalist Catholics.  I suppose the term would apply but it has no meaning with how the term is used by several Protestant denominations.  Though on theological doctrine there will be a lot of over lap.  Just as so called liberal Catholics and conservative Catholics have a lot of over lap.


Oh, by the way nearly all the Evangelicals I conversed with were very pleasant to deal with though most did not know I was a Catholic.  Maybe if they did, they would have shunned me or still have remained friendly.  I do not know because believe it or not the conversations I had with them only related to their religion and they did not know what I believed.  Maybe they thought I was conversion material.

Maybe the rest of the paragraph should have been included.  Here it is


The term ''fundamentalism'' was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the Protestant community of the United States in the early part of the 20th century, and that had its roots in the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy of that time. The term usually has a religious connotation indicating unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs. ''Fundamentalism'' is sometimes used as a pejorative term, particularly when combined with other epithets (as in the phrase ''right-wing fundamentalists'').


And part of the package of beliefs was a virulent anti Catholicism.

I have seen these discussion long enough to know the term is mainly used as a pejorative and a way of slurring people one does not like, just as the term ''right wing'' which does not have any real relevant meaning any more is used to disparage others. 

My labeling of some Catholics (and Protestants) as fundamentalist was not intended to be perjorative, JR, but rather an accurate depiction of how they express their faith.  There is little difference between Catholic fundamentalism and the Protestant versions.

According to the AP story I read Saturday, Sen.Rubio attends his Catholic Church for the sacraments and Christ Fellowship, a megachurch that is swallowing up everything in this area, for the sermons and community. He sometimes has listed his faith as "Catholic" and sometimes  "Baptist." I personally wonder what a Catholic bishop might think of that, but since Rubio is Republican I don't expect ever to find out. From the Catholics I know and know of who shifted to Christ Fellowship - and then asked for ashes on Ash Wednesday and the Stations of the Cross during Lent - Christ Fellowship sounds less hard core Baptist and more "I'm OK, you're OK, and have you heard our praise bands?"

 There are a lot of ex? former? Catholics attending one of the branches of the local megachurch. There is no indication from on high that their position should be seen by us as more troublesome than that of fervent Catholics who have to pay for contraceptives. Nor that we should be scandalized when they show up for the things Catholcs do well, like Easter and funerals, and communicate fully, as they do.

Fundamentalism is the demand for a strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology, combined with a vigorous attack on outside threats to their religious culture.

From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalism