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Could I Vote for a Mormon for President? An Election-Year Guide to Mitt Romney's Religion
Mitt Romney is a Mormon, but does that mean he’s a Christian? Does he belong to a cult? Does he wear funny Mormon underwear? These questions and more are answered in this accessible and concise introduction to Mormonism, in which two sociologists of religion take an objective and often humorous look at 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s beliefs. Geared to voters wondering whether Romney’s Mormon faith should affect their vote, Could I Vote for a Mormon for President? comes at key time for those in search of unbiased information about the candidate and his faith.
144 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2012
About the author
Ryan T. Cragun
18 books18 followersRyan T. Cragun (1976-) is a husband, father, and sociologist of religion (in order of importance). Originally from Utah, he now lives in Florida and works at the University of Tampa. His research and writing focuses on religion, with an emphasis on Mormonism and the nonreligious. When he's not working, he's spending time with his wife and son, watching science fiction, hiking, playing soccer, or tinkering with FOSS, Gnu/Linux, or computer hardware.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 4, 2012
I have a small collection of 'Mormonism Made Simple' books (OK, I admit it, 'Mormonism for Dummies' is one of them), and this book is by far the best. It's intelligent, informative, balanced, and very entertaining. The Romney candidacy makes it topical, but I hope that when the election is behind us the publishers will put out a revised edition: 'Could I be friends with a Mormon?', maybe.
Why is this book so much the best of its kind? Primarily because the authors have a rare combination of authority and distance. Books on religion are typically written by people who are either apologists or unsympathetic critics. Cragun and Phillips know the LDS Church inside out, while looking outside in. They write from a standpoint of tough love, which is exactly the right perspective.
Another reason it's great is that they bring some scholarly insight to the table without being dull or intimidating. For example, they describe the missionary program for young Mormons as an example of what sociologists call a "total institution." I had never thought about it in those terms, but they make a good case; I came away with a much better understanding of something I thought I understood already.
The last chapter of the book is entitled 'Would a Mormon president take orders from Salt Lake City?' They answer 'no', and I agree. People fear that the faithful of any description will be doctrinaire and inflexible, but the irony of applying those concerns to Romney is that he seems - and I don't mean to be insulting - completely unprincipled. Far from worrying about him seeking guidance from the Prophet, we should probably be worried about whether he has any ideas that aren't adjusted for electoral advantage.
If you don't know a lot about Mormonism - or possibly even if you do - this book is required reading. I'd love to see Cragun and Phillips expand it with descriptions of everyday Mormon life and culture, because there's an entire subpopulation out there trying to follow the commandments of 'Leave it to Beaver' and 'The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.' The authors have only scratched the surface of how simultaneously weird and wonderful it is, and I can't wait for the full guided tour.
Why is this book so much the best of its kind? Primarily because the authors have a rare combination of authority and distance. Books on religion are typically written by people who are either apologists or unsympathetic critics. Cragun and Phillips know the LDS Church inside out, while looking outside in. They write from a standpoint of tough love, which is exactly the right perspective.
Another reason it's great is that they bring some scholarly insight to the table without being dull or intimidating. For example, they describe the missionary program for young Mormons as an example of what sociologists call a "total institution." I had never thought about it in those terms, but they make a good case; I came away with a much better understanding of something I thought I understood already.
The last chapter of the book is entitled 'Would a Mormon president take orders from Salt Lake City?' They answer 'no', and I agree. People fear that the faithful of any description will be doctrinaire and inflexible, but the irony of applying those concerns to Romney is that he seems - and I don't mean to be insulting - completely unprincipled. Far from worrying about him seeking guidance from the Prophet, we should probably be worried about whether he has any ideas that aren't adjusted for electoral advantage.
If you don't know a lot about Mormonism - or possibly even if you do - this book is required reading. I'd love to see Cragun and Phillips expand it with descriptions of everyday Mormon life and culture, because there's an entire subpopulation out there trying to follow the commandments of 'Leave it to Beaver' and 'The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.' The authors have only scratched the surface of how simultaneously weird and wonderful it is, and I can't wait for the full guided tour.
July 3, 2012
There are two things that are annoying about the Presidential coverage regarding Mitt Romney and Mormonism: 1) The way the media treats Mormonism and 2) the lack of good information coming from the media regarding Mormonism. I don't pretend to be an expert on the religion at all - I've read plenty about it, I consider myself informed, but I couldn't tell you much of anything in detail. Could I Vote for a Mormon for President is a solid entry-level reader into the Mormon religion, both in terms of history of the religion, a primer on the beliefs and traditions of the Mormon religion, and a great starting point for the political implications.
The book works well in part because the authors are so good. They're both academics, both former Mormons, and both capable of having an even-handed look at Romney and their former religion while being skeptical of both. The major media should really look at this as an example of how to be opposed to something they're covering, because this works very well. The book is divided into bite-sized chunks relevant to different topics, ranging from historical information to clearing the air on more confusing topics (such as the temple garments). It's short, sweet, structured well, and refers to more detailed texts at the end of each segment for those who want to know more.
I have very few complaints overall: I wish it was a little longer, and as someone who was already somewhat informed, more detail would have been preferable. With that said, it's a book a lot of people who are in the dark probably should read. I trust, given the publisher and the pedigree of the authors, that the facts are in place fairly well, which helps, but other than that, this is a really solid book that deserves a place in the discussion over the next 100 days, if not the next four years.
The book works well in part because the authors are so good. They're both academics, both former Mormons, and both capable of having an even-handed look at Romney and their former religion while being skeptical of both. The major media should really look at this as an example of how to be opposed to something they're covering, because this works very well. The book is divided into bite-sized chunks relevant to different topics, ranging from historical information to clearing the air on more confusing topics (such as the temple garments). It's short, sweet, structured well, and refers to more detailed texts at the end of each segment for those who want to know more.
I have very few complaints overall: I wish it was a little longer, and as someone who was already somewhat informed, more detail would have been preferable. With that said, it's a book a lot of people who are in the dark probably should read. I trust, given the publisher and the pedigree of the authors, that the facts are in place fairly well, which helps, but other than that, this is a really solid book that deserves a place in the discussion over the next 100 days, if not the next four years.
July 3, 2012
Publisher's remarks: This is a unique book. Other books to date that have discussed Romney's Mormonism have either come from Mormon apologists or from non-Mormon authors hostile to Mormonism and lacking an insider perspective on the religion. This one, on the other hand, is by two former-Mormon professors of sociology who have the insider knowledge you only get by growing up in the religion, but who can be honest about the less savory facts since they're no longer members. The authors are smart, funny, and frank, and are conscientious about backing up every point with scholarly depth, breadth, and rigor. They've written a book whose usefulness, I believe, will far transcend this election season.
September 16, 2017
This was a very good book to learn about Mormonism. The book looked at 18 different questions about Mormonism and objectively described answers.
July 31, 2012
Disclosure: I received this as an advance copy from the publisher, and have interviewed Mr. Cragun (to be released at a later date). I am an active, practicing Mormon.
With the focus being on Mitt Romney and his bid for president of the United States, many questions have been brought up concerning his religion. Is it a cult? Do they really read a "Golden Bible"? Does he wear special underwear? And what really goes on in those big temples?
Both Ryan Cragun and Rick Phillips, prominent sociologists, attempt to answer these questions and explain the religion that Mitt Romney belongs to in "Could I Vote for a Mormon for President?" From the offset, both authors make it clear that they will not be delving into Mr. Romney's politics, and neither feel inclined to vote for him. This book focuses soley on explaining Mr. Romney's religion, and how that might pertain to him as president.
I would like to give this book 3.75/5 stars, however, I'll err on the side of positive for GoodRead's rating system. As I read the book, I kept asking myself who the book was for. I don't believe it would be for anyone familiar with Mormonism, either from a believer's perspective or a disaffected Mormon's perspective. This book also was not written for anyone involved in the evangelical right, since Cragun and Phillips make no effort to endear themselves to those groups. As a matter of fact, the authors attempt to be as neutral as possible, and I feel on the whole they accomplished that very well. Many of the issues are explained in a fair manner, and while the book isn't bogged down with footnotes, at the end of every chapter is a very handy "Additional Reading" section that lists (in my opinion) some of the best books on a given topic. The book is a quick read, and engages much of Cragun and Phillip's personality in a lighthearted and fun way.
My quibble came with the author's treatment of a few issues, most notably polygamy. A sensitive subject within Mormonism, it is a subject that will be brought up by Mr. Romney's opponents, and is one that needed to be addressed in the context of the book. However, aside from reporting the circumstances of the situation and allowing the reader to make their own opinion, Cragun and Phillips seem to have determined that Smith invented polygamy as a way to satiate his own personal libido. While there are many sources arguing for and against that concept, at the same time, polygamy could have been treated with more objectivity, especially when contrasted with other areas of the book that were very well done (such as the Mormon temple ceremony, and what happens in the Mormon temple).
I would recommend this book for anyone curious in Mr. Romney's religion, and curious how that would affect his presidency (Spoiler: It won't). The book was written for journalists looking to get some background information into Mormonism at a high level, and aside from the treatment of polygamy and a few other places, it was a very good and accurate read.
With the focus being on Mitt Romney and his bid for president of the United States, many questions have been brought up concerning his religion. Is it a cult? Do they really read a "Golden Bible"? Does he wear special underwear? And what really goes on in those big temples?
Both Ryan Cragun and Rick Phillips, prominent sociologists, attempt to answer these questions and explain the religion that Mitt Romney belongs to in "Could I Vote for a Mormon for President?" From the offset, both authors make it clear that they will not be delving into Mr. Romney's politics, and neither feel inclined to vote for him. This book focuses soley on explaining Mr. Romney's religion, and how that might pertain to him as president.
I would like to give this book 3.75/5 stars, however, I'll err on the side of positive for GoodRead's rating system. As I read the book, I kept asking myself who the book was for. I don't believe it would be for anyone familiar with Mormonism, either from a believer's perspective or a disaffected Mormon's perspective. This book also was not written for anyone involved in the evangelical right, since Cragun and Phillips make no effort to endear themselves to those groups. As a matter of fact, the authors attempt to be as neutral as possible, and I feel on the whole they accomplished that very well. Many of the issues are explained in a fair manner, and while the book isn't bogged down with footnotes, at the end of every chapter is a very handy "Additional Reading" section that lists (in my opinion) some of the best books on a given topic. The book is a quick read, and engages much of Cragun and Phillip's personality in a lighthearted and fun way.
My quibble came with the author's treatment of a few issues, most notably polygamy. A sensitive subject within Mormonism, it is a subject that will be brought up by Mr. Romney's opponents, and is one that needed to be addressed in the context of the book. However, aside from reporting the circumstances of the situation and allowing the reader to make their own opinion, Cragun and Phillips seem to have determined that Smith invented polygamy as a way to satiate his own personal libido. While there are many sources arguing for and against that concept, at the same time, polygamy could have been treated with more objectivity, especially when contrasted with other areas of the book that were very well done (such as the Mormon temple ceremony, and what happens in the Mormon temple).
I would recommend this book for anyone curious in Mr. Romney's religion, and curious how that would affect his presidency (Spoiler: It won't). The book was written for journalists looking to get some background information into Mormonism at a high level, and aside from the treatment of polygamy and a few other places, it was a very good and accurate read.
December 8, 2013
My blurb: "Ryan Cragun and Rick Phillips have written a scholarly but highly accessible analysis of Mormonism in politics that is even-handed, educational, enlightening, and even entertaining. It should be read by anyone who's planning to vote for Mitt Romney -- or against him."
July 14, 2012
Via First Reads. And to some degree, rendered moot now, although the basic primer to Mormonism may be useful for some.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews