The media wasn’t interested in Obama’s spiritual mentor and pastor for twenty years - the one who routinely says things like ‘U.S. KKK of A.’ in his sermons - but now they are all over Mormonism. NBC produced a ‘special’ on the religion which featured jaded former Mormons and an over dramatic Brian Williams, who breathlessly questioned what really goes on in the Mormon temple.
One featured interviewee was Abbey Huntsman, daughter of Jon Huntsman, Jr., who is not an active member of the church. She told Williams, "It's very black and white still. You either live by the Mormon doctrine or you do not."
She also told Williams, "I don't think (Mormons have) done a good enough job of opening up. They've been secretive."
Pat, who is a Mormon, took some offense at her comments. He joked that God isn't a "black and white" person, and that when it comes to faith and religion some people just might want to have a code of ethics that are respected by church members.
"These are supposed to be rules passed down from the beginning of time," Stu added.
"The Ten Commandments don't change," Pat said.
Williams also asked Huntsman what went on in the Mormon temple, wondering why he as a non-Mormon couldn't get in there when he could walk across Fifth Avenue and into St. Patrick's without question. And while Huntsman clarified it's just a sacred space, she said that she hopes the policy changes and more people are allowed in there.
"You're talking about a church not a temple. If there is a Mormon church you can worship in there at Sunday. Temple is different. Read the scriptures. Temples are different. As with ancient times not everybody can go in there willy-nilly. It's not a secretive place. It is a sacred place," Pat said.
Pat said there is a process in place to be able to enter the temple, and if you go through the process you can enter. But since it is a sacred place not anyone can just enter whenever they please.
"Looking at it from a presidential perspective. Here's a guy most likely not going to be sleeping around. Most likely not drunk when he needs to press the button. It's a positive to me. I want a guy who's boring," Stu explained.
"If anything, the typical profile of the average Mormon lends itself to you'd be good at that sort of job. Which is why Mitt Romney I think has been successful at business, and good at managing people, and managing, large controversial decisions over his life. To act as if this is scary thing, to me, is this bizarre approach only the media could come up with."
Nevertheless, Pat thinks the tactic of making Mormonism a scary thing in the media is going to only get worse.
"October is going to be bash a Mormon month," he said.
Check out a clip from the NBC special below:
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