New York Times Columnist Mocks Romney’s ‘Magic Underwear’

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Last time I checked, people choose religion, not ethnicity.

Y'know, choose, like politics.
It's open season on politics, ain't it?

What makes religion different?
Oh, that's right, I've asked that one a trillion times, even started threads on it, never got much of an answer.

Of course this is America and you're free to choose any religion or no religion. But in realistic terms, people are raised in certain religious traditions and it becomes a part of their identity, even if they decide to stop practicing. There are strong social and family pressures against breaking away from the religion on which one was raised.

It's not exactly going to the ice cream parlor and picking a flavor.

It's more like nationality. You can emigrate, but it's not something people do lightly. And when you get to a different country, you still maintain your old national identity to one extent or another.

Yeah, but you can unload on my nationality, and I won't bat an eye.

With religion...it's like...a love affair, and you tell the person their love is fucking around town, and torturing dogs.
There's no way to break it to 'em that you don't get a bad (and irrational) gut reaction.

But...that doesn't mean you don't tell 'em.

I've.. never even heard of this practice.
I'll be back after I finish rolling on the floor laughing so hard I can't breath.

Mocking magic underwear is always ok. The ridiculous should be made fun off.

What are magic underpants?

I did give links to the practice...

If Calvin has his lucky rocket underpants, I don't see why Mitt Romney can't have magic underwear.

The idea that God moonlights as a fashion designer is a little weird, though.

He does seem to have an odd fixation with headgear...

I knew a Mormon who told us about the magic underwear, but I forgot the rationale behind it. Regardless, he quit Mormonism (long story) and became a career criminal.

HA! Wouldn't it be funny if he converts to Islam in prison?

Hmmm.....this I find interesting - one of the reasons for the sacred underwear is to ward off evil and temptation. I'm guessing they would be more effective in that regard when compared to this underwear:

Meh, not really.

The single largest determinate, in fact more than all other factors combined, of a person's religion is their parent's religion.

While there might be some choice for those with the ability to think for themselves, most of the drones don't really have a choice.

Well...I ain't on the hook to babysit 'em.
Neither should our culture be geared towards it.

Why, oh why, oh why can't Americans leave religion out of politics? Why is it so important to have a president whose views on spirituality line up with your own? There are plenty of things I don't like about Romney, but I simply don't care about his religion. He is one of the few candidates who is not saying that his religious views would be his guide to his policies, and that is something I can respect. The only ones whose religion bothers me are those who think they should use their office to favor their own particular religious values. Romney is not one of those.

And I say this as someone who is not in agreement with his religious beliefs. I would rather criticize him for things that actually matter.

Because we haven't burned it out of us yet. I think we need a theocracy to come in and take over. Then after a few thousand burnings at the stake we can have a revolution to overthrow the government and then people will be like "let us put religion over here on this nice coffee table and not worry about whose what anymore".

Well, you have to try and put yourself in my shoes here.
My point of view is, religion is a form of brainwashing.
So, to me, these assurances of "his religion won't effect his policies", is like "his kleptomania won't effect his policies", or "his coprophagia won't effect his policies", or "his schizophrenia wont effect his policies".

Not exactly hopped up to blindly take their word on that....to put it mildly...

I mean, come on...magic underwear...

Magic fuckin' underwear.

I mean, at the sad stage our culture is at, they ALL have to shovel some religion shit to get elected, that's how the game is played, but...magic underwear?
We're in JohnM territory there.
Would you vote for JohnM?
Seriously?

I had this discussion with my wife a couple weeks ago (Seattle has this 'I'm a Mormon' ad campaign, Fayetteville doesn't do other cities? anyway...).

How is Magic Underwear any weirder than a Virgin Birth? Or water into wine? Or turning people into Salt? Or talking snakes?

Christianity has just as many crazy ass beliefs, but we give it a pass b/c we grew up hearing these crazy ass stories. Depending on how you look at it we're either a Christian or post-Christian culture. Either way pretty much everyone in America is exposed to Christian beliefs and myths from an early age. We've heard them so much we're pretty much inoculated. They don't shock us.

All religion has some crazy batshit insane beliefs. I'm pretty sure it's a basic requirement. For me, it comes down to what said religion tells it people to do, and how it treats them.

Probably not making a lot of sense, so a compare and contrast.

Scientology and Mormonism both have crazy ass beliefs, and yet the Mormons I know are much better people/much better treated by their religion than Scientology.

[edit] Let me rephrase that 'better person' bit. Back in the before she got tangled up in Scientology she was more socially and civicly involved. She had better friendships, volunteered more, went out and socialized more, basically was a better citizen. Now she has to work multiple jobs to afford her 'church' and spends all free time volunteering with the 'church'.

Hmm, yeah, but Christianity in the western world has had a couple centuries to get watered down.

Mormonism and Scientology are new.
Fresh religions are more...sincere...

Shit, Mormonism (allegedly) abandoned their officially held racism in the 70's.
And...within my lifetime..I'm older than them being desegregated.

Yeah, the bullshit's a little too fresh...

Damn that First Amendment, anyway...

Yeah, Bullshit! did an episode on this, actually.

And really, it looks to me like Romney had this one coming if he was bashing on single parents. Was he not bashing on single parents or at the very least suggesting that at the very least that children needed the "traditional nuclear" family structure in order to turn out okay?

Then you're part of the problem, wanting everyone to believe the same things you do and classifying those whose beliefs do not line up with your own as morally or intellectually inferior people. There is no serious difference between you and the strictest religious fundamentalist, except in the particular beliefs you require everyone to hold if they are to be "approved."

You are merely showing your ignorance here. The Mormons never claim, pretend or believe that there is any spiritual power of any kind in that garment. It is merely a reminder to them. You might as well call a wedding ring "a magic ring" and make fun of those who wear it day and night because of what it symbolizes to them.

But then, maybe you do that, too...

So, you'd vote for JohnM?
Okay.

When I see you pipe up with these words in a Sokar thread, I'll take you seriously as something more than a boring textbook hypocrite.

Riiight.

Like you rush to criticize all those people who believe as you do when they act like an ass.

Just another dodge you employ when you have no pithy remark stuck in that corner.

On the level of a Sokar?
Hasn't happened often, and I have.
Next.

Religious bigotry is A-Ok as long as it's not directed against Muslims.

I'm sure none of the Christians on WF have ever made a snide remark about Mormons...

Magic underwear with the power to stop stinky farts!