Freedom requires religion? This guy should be laughed off the stage, let alone nominated for President.

http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/jesus-judas-and-dead-sea-scrolls-peddling-religious-sensationalism-america

OK. I stand corrected.

The June 1986 edition of Ensign, the "official magazine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," explained the answer this way: "On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some -- especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel 'who was in authority in the presence of God,' a 'son of the morning' ... Jesus was Lucifer's older brother."

Here's the original Ensign article.

A similar idea is from the recent tragedy in Colorado that involved a Security Officer shooting a mass murderer. She then gave credit to God for taking out the culprit while failing to acknowledge that God must therefore be responsible for the gunman's actions from the beginning.

While this concept could probably be expressed more poetically by many of the readers here and is only slightly related to this thread---I just had to say it because I am sick and tired of seeing this particular logical fallicy being repeated over and over by people in the media.

Actually, I wouldn't. I see it all the time. (insert smilie or frownie here as appropriate.)

It was my search for information as both an atheist and the father of a scout that brought me to this site. Many many people assured me that there is no religion in scouting even though the scouts themselves say differently - such as on the membership application.

I don't really want to turn this into a discussion about scouting per se, but it's interesting to contemplate whether the idea that "all faith is okay as long as it's faith" is some kind of Mormon wedge.

I'm surprised and delighted to see so many people express outrage over this thinly-veiled slap at atheism. This may well be a further sign of the mainstreaming of nonbelief, thanks to the efforts of our passionate spokespeople.

Wow, I'm impressed too!!! The mainstream media treating atheists like ordinary people who deserve rights, instead of treating us like the bogeyman? I guess all it took was another out group (Mormons) picking on atheists in order to get a little sympathy. Thanks, Mitt!!! :D

But even though Mitt's vision of freedom excludes non-believers, I won't respond in kind. I'd rather include everyone, see my passionate secularism.

Romney's idea that Freedom needs Religion reminds me of something I'm going through now — that the Boy Scouts of America require members to believe. It doesn't matter what you belive, as long as you're not an atheist. Since the Mormons are the biggest sponsor of the BSA, I wonder if there's a connection here.

That and BSA's discrimination against gays is enough for me to not want anything to do with them. In fact, I've brought it up a few times to others how the BSA discriminates against both atheists and gays. You'd be surprised at how surprised most people are to hear that.