Controversial Book by Controversial Author Blows Lid Off Romney's ''Soft Secrecy'' Campaign
Revelation Press's New Book Fans the Flames Ignited by Sunday's
New York Times Article: ''What Is It About Mormonism?''
WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--On Sunday, the New York Times Magazine published Noah Feldman's
hard-hitting article that tore back the curtains on what Feldman calls
the "Soft Secrecy" that has shrouded the Mormon Church for more than
50 years. This soft secrecy has let the Mormon Church appear to
assimilate into mainstream Christianity while preserving their own
secret, controversial beliefs, secrecy that protects Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney's Presidential campaign.
By publishing this revealing expose of Mormon beliefs and the
Mormon's organized secrecy,
(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/magazine/06mormonism-t.html?_r=1&o
ref=slogin)(Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted
into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if
one exists.) Feldman - a contributing New York Times writer, a Harvard
law professor and adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign
Relations - legitimized what the Mormons, and Romney, have long tried
to stigmatize ... the public exploration of the controversial tenets
of the Mormon faith.
Among the key points that Feldman made is the struggle that the
Mormon Church has made to assimilate into the American religious
community without revealing to mainstream America their own beliefs.
As Feldman wrote: "Faced with the allegation that they do not believe
in the same God as ordinary Protestants, or that their beliefs are not
truly Christian, Mormons find themselves in an extraordinarily awkward
position. They cannot defend themselves by expressly explaining their
own theology, because, taken from the standpoint of orthodox
Protestantism in America today, it is in fact heterodox.
"What is more," Feldman continued, "what began as a strategy of
secrecy to avoid persecution has become over the course of the 20th
century a strategy of minimizing discussion of the content of theology
in order to avoid being treated as religious pariahs."
"This well-reported and strongly-substantiated article has paved
the way for the release of my own book, 'Mitt - Set Our People Free!'
(http://www.therevelationpress.com)," according to author Michael D.
Moody who, like his college fraternity brother and Mormon Bishop Mitt
Romney, is a seventh-generation Mormon. "The very beliefs Noah Feldman
illustrated - especially their sacred Mormon oaths - are in conflict
with the Presidential oath of office. Mitt Romney swore these oaths
when he assumed the mantle of Mormon Bishop, pledging him to follow
unquestioningly the revelations of their Mormon President and "Living
Prophet." They believe he talks directly with Jesus Christ, who
commands His followers through this Prophet.
"Should Romney become U.S. President," Moody explained, "his oaths
create an inevitable conflict of interest. Just as an Army private is
not free to question his General's orders - and does so only at the
risk of a dishonorable discharge - Mormons such as Mitt Romney
question their Living Prophet's revelations and edicts only at risk of
excommunication. This penalty is unthinkable to any faithful Mormon -
and in Romney's December 6th speech, he swore to remain faithful to
his religion.
"As Noah Feldman pointed out," Moody pointed out, "since the days
of founding Prophet Joseph Smith, Mormons have held their secrets
close - including their 'White Horse Prophecy:' one day a Mormon
leader will literally ride in to save the U.S. Constitution - and to
transform America into the base for the institution of a world-wide
Mormon theocracy. Since his college days, when I was Mitt's fraternity
brother at Brigham Young University," Moody said, "Mitt's made it
clear to his intimates that he was pre-ordained to fulfill this
prophecy, to become the Mormon President who would save our
Constitution and transform America as Joseph Smith prophesied.
"Romney's sworn commitment to the Living Prophet," Moody said, "as
well as his adherence to the belief that he was the leader chosen to
transform America, is why Mitt Romney - while a skilled leader and
very likable man - finds himself in a conflict he can't resolve. His
sacred Mormon oaths both precede and supersede the President's oath to
preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Given that choice, any
faithful Mormon would have to put his family and his Church first,
which is something that no U.S. President can afford to do," Moody
concluded.
The release of Moody's book, "Mitt - Set Our People Free!," which
followed so closely on Noah Feldman's landmark New York Times article,
has legitimized America's first close political look behind the hazy
curtain of what Feldman called the Mormon's half-century of "soft
secrecy" that has hidden details of their beliefs even as they have
inserted themselves into the American religious mainstream. Moody's
controversial book closes the loop on Romney's dilemma.
Media only: Mike Moody is available for interviews - contact Daryl
Toor: 404-483-8222 or dtoor@attentiongroup.com or Ned Barnett:
702-696-1200 or ned@barnettmarcom.com.
for Revelation Press
Daryl Toor, 404-483-8222
dtoor@attentiongroup.com
or
Ned Barnett, 702-696-1200
ned@barnettmarcom.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
