My husband's thoughts on Romney and the Election

I expect that after the dust settles someone will write an op\ed that says what I think, but until then I'd like to give my thoughts.

The Romney candidacy has been a bigger deal for members of the church than most people think, and that's why there's so much lamenting about his loss. Mitt Romney was one of our best examples. He represented what we members hold up as a good member: he was Bishop and Stake President, he's got five boys and is a family man, he served a mission, he's proud of his faith, he's successful in business and politics. He's even good looking.

A lot of hope was wrapped up in him and excitement for this guy (not Harry Reid or some right-wing crackpot) to be the guy we wanted to present on the world stage as being a model of us. We'd have an opportunity to explain our religion finally and when people would see the Romney's and their good example they would be curious to learn more. Missionary work may even pick up. There was an article in the Deseret News that basically said all this a couple of days ago.

So when the country got to take a look at Romney and the church it didn't really go as hoped. People and reporters asked hard questions about us. It wasn't misunderstanding. On the contrary, they understood and asked up to clarify. The church, Public Affairs especially, responded quite often like they would to members asking questions, with half answers and "don't worry about that" type responses that might work on members who feel the social and spiritual pressure to not push it anymore, but that don't work on others. Like when the church said that no one who says disparaging remarks about people because of their skin color is a true disciple of Christ, and then CBS brings up Brigham Young quotes from the Journal of Discourses that does just that and Public Affairs responds "it is what is it." that's not convincing.

So Mitt Romney became each member of the church in spotlight by proxy. We wanted to succeed, to impress, because it represents us. While a lot of other people see in Romney so little concern for others, arrogance and condescension, lies and misrepresentations, weird religious beliefs, we didn't. Because that's us up there.

Criticism of Mitt Romney from the right will probably come out soon because "how could anyone lose to Obama and this economy?" Then the protection of being the front runner of the Republicans will be gone and Republicans won't give Romney a pass on his mormonism any more. We'll see who his true friends are.

The country took a proxy for us as members and did not like what they saw. The nation said no, and now we're all distraught because we were rejected. Now we ought to look more clearly about how we really are and if we are admirable, likable, and nice to people.

Rather than predicting the end of the nation and a rejection of God's favor because the nation rejected a "righteous priesthood holder" maybe to ought to do some introspection into what things we should improve on, and how we can more clearly see ourselves as we really are. To me Romney losing was a relief that other people could see what I saw, and what I see in other people in the church that have caused me quite a lot of grief. I'm glad it's over.

For FHE the other day we talked about how without charity or love you are nothing. I asked the kids if they'd like to be in heaven with a bunch of people that read their scriptures, went to church, said their prayers but were mean. The disgusted look on their faces gave the answer. Or would you rather be with nice, inclusive, and loving people even if they didn't come to church all the time or even were members. I think that's what we should work on instead of righteous indignation.