More on Romney and Adam and Eve
EmailAfter GOPer Mitt Romney joked over the weekend that Adam and Eve looked promiscuous, I asked whether his humor was based in some part on his faith.
Ryan Bell, an LDS church member and Romney supporter who blogs over at www.romneyexperience.com writes me today, saying:
"Just wanted to answer the question you posed in your post about Romney’s comment on Adam and Eve.
"No, there is nothing in the Book of Mormon or any other Mormon doctrine or belief that posits that Adam and Eve were promiscuous.
"In fact, this is a little ironic, given that Mormons have a much more favorable view of Adam and Eve than most Christians. Where many Christians believe that Adam and Eve’s sin was sexual, Mormons affirmatively reject this as unsubstantiated sensationalism. Further, Mormons believe that the expulsion from the Garden was somewhat foreordained, so that while Adam and Eve’s act was a "transgression" (a violation of God’s law), it was not properly a "sin") (a violation of God’s law made with knowledge of the wrongfulness of the act and against God’s will).
"In other words, rather than seeing Adam and Eve as promiscuous, Mormons view them as quite the opposite- wise fore-parents worthy of great respect.
"Hope that clear that up for you. Yes, write this one off to customarily awful ‘Dad humor.’"
- jt
USS Gabrielle Giffords Honors Courage 
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
I seriously doubt Ryan Bell’s contention that many Christians believe Adam and Eve’s sin was sexual in nature. Especially since after God blessed them, He told them to “Be fruitful, and multiply…” The “original sin” was simply disobeying God by eating of the forbidden fruit.
Posted by: James Danley | November 12, 2007, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
Are the “actions” of two fictional characters really relevant? You see, we evolved. Adam and Eve didn’t exist. So debating whether they were promiscuous is about as relevant as determining what hockey team Huck Finn rooted for.
Posted by: DKNY | November 12, 2007, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm
Breaking: Romney is a dork. Copy that.
Posted by: cordelia525 | November 12, 2007, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
“You can do just what you want if–first you clear it with the pontiff”–Tom Leher, early 1960′s. “The whites begat, the reds begat–the folks who should’ve stood in bed begat”–Finian’s Rainbow, late 1940′s. “I’ll do a benefit for any religion. I’d hate to blow the hereafter on a technicality.”–Bob Hope. “Adam and Eve had many advantages–the principle one was that they escaped teething.’–Mark Twain…The first two quotes above were songs, the last two were jokes. Maybe we should remember that Romney was making a JOKE–about a painting almost all of us have seen, painted 500 years ago. He joked that if Adam and Eve had had huge leaves like the ones in a certain New Hampshire yard, they wouldn’t have LOOKED so promiscuous. In the painting, they are standing around, topless, holding an apple, wearing fig leaves, grinning at each other. Who cares what Romney’s religion, or anybody else’s says abnout Adam and Eve?? IT WAS A JOKE. That we are still talking about religion here just floors me. If he had said ANYTHING about religion, that would be an opening, folks. What a great opportunity to talk about political humor we’ve just wasted.
Posted by: SteveW | November 12, 2007, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
Why are we even talking about this ? This sort discussion doesn’t belong here.
The fact of the matter is this. Mitt Romney is the sharpest guy since Ronald Reagan, with a mind that will transform DC until a more effective place for the American people. Everything he has ever done has been wildly successful.
I’m LDS (Mormon) and a big Romney supporter, but I am getting really sick of all this Religious talk.
Look at the man and what he’s done and will do. Not what misconceptions you have about his faith !
Mitt Romney would be great for America.
Posted by: Scott Taylor | November 12, 2007, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm
James,
While MOST Christians I know do not hold the view that Adam and Eve’s sin was sexual, I have known hundreds, even thousands, who have held that view. (I grew up in two very predominantly Christian areas of the country and recently moved to another, albeit less so.)
But forgetting American Christianity for a minute, the traditional Catholic view of Eve as temptress and seducer is well-documented. You can see it in any museum in Europe.
Perhaps Many Christians are (justifiably) embarrassed of the traditional Christian view of Eve–but there are of course other things to be embarrassed about in historical Christianity. (As well as other religions. . . )
Posted by: Matt | November 13, 2007, 1:14 am 1:14 am
The word Romney was looking for and missed was ‘immodest’. No translation needed.
Posted by: Clay Anstead | November 13, 2007, 2:23 am 2:23 am
So Who Cares whether Adam and Eve gained knowledge of a sexual nature, or did they learn Calculus and determine that the universe is created from membranes and strings?
Whatever they did, ( from my humble opinion) they did good and I thank the early apes that I am here typing on my keyboard for all the rest of humanity to see.
Life is a journey. Enjoy the ride.
- Nissan ad from the past.
Posted by: Chuck | November 13, 2007, 6:46 am 6:46 am
Yeah, let’s disregard the religion of the guy. The idea that an angel visited some guy in western New York in 1830 and delivered to that guy inscribed gold plates is no more preposterous than the idea forming the foundation of any other religion. Nothing to see here.
Posted by: DKNY | November 13, 2007, 9:05 am 9:05 am
Considering that mormons don’t follow what is written in the Jewish Bible, no less the Christian Bible, I’d take Ryan Bell’s statements as nothing more than hubris. Mormons call themselves Christians, but they’re no more Christian than Hindus, except that they say they are using one side of their face while calling Christianity “abominable,” “great whore of Babylon,” etc. The mormon messages is simple: “if you don’t believe exactly as we do, you’re not getting into heaven.” And before you tell me that’s not true, I was told this by mormon missionaries.
Posted by: Michael | November 13, 2007, 9:15 am 9:15 am
I think I have read the Bible some 20-times(just parts of it)..I would turn the pages looking for that Lead-in of the words used//alot of stories “about” Adam&Eve live outside the Bilble..and Noah and his Ark also have good travel..considering that God is the main Representation in the two stories I think it can be granted that Earth and Heaven were always the One True God..if you then have a Hades–or–Hell living inside of such stories you get into the realistic side of Bible-visions for humanity..<<–a corruption in the Belief that God is the instrument for ALL People leads back to the Bible//the purpose so being..is the Good Act of God Fearing People.
Posted by: Mark S. M. | November 13, 2007, 9:27 am 9:27 am
Exactly, Michael. And in that respect, fundamentalist Mormons are just like fundametalists of other religions. What a wonderful enterprise.
Posted by: DKNY | November 13, 2007, 9:28 am 9:28 am
Wow. America is so damn dumb that we are asking about Adam and Eve,out of christian mythology? We’ve got bigger problems people. But while we’re on the subject – another fundie nutjob like Romney ISNT going to help the mess that the GOP has gotten America into. Save the country, Vote Edwards.
Posted by: Kirk Berryhill | November 13, 2007, 9:35 am 9:35 am
Did he say anything about the Adam and Eve belly button conversations?
Inquiring minds NEED to know.
Posted by: flyover | November 13, 2007, 9:58 am 9:58 am
And what color was the Buddha’s bicycle? It’s basically the same question.
Who cares about Mitt Romney’s religion? I used to be a Mormon and belonged to other Christian congregations too. I quit them all because one sect was – SURPRISE!!! – as absurd to me as any other branch of Christianity – and yes, Mormons are indeed a Christian religion. Just because they believe different things than your Christianity and wear different funny church uniforms than your church uniforms doesn’t make their faith any more ridiculous or cult-like than yours. Vote against Mitt because he’s a double-talking conservative twit whose policies will be disastrous for the country and because he’s a lying flip-flopping politician, not because his mythology and yours don’t jibe.
Jeez people, grow up and try acting a little more like your Christ.
Posted by: speedtats | November 13, 2007, 10:21 am 10:21 am
Matt, I stand corrected. But it amazes me that so many would take a “Hollywoodized” version (symbolically speaking, since clearly this interpretation appears long before movies) of the events. That’s because with a more literal interpretation Eve did not sin until she disobeyed God by eating of the forbidden fruit. Thus only after her “eyes were open,” and knowing right from wrong, did she tempt Adam — who still remained free of sin (and not knowing right from wrong) until he also disobeyed God by eating of the fruit. I bet today’s feminists are upset that Eve didn’t just keep the knowledge of right and wrong to herself.
Posted by: James Danley | November 13, 2007, 10:30 am 10:30 am
“We’ve got bigger problems people.” Some of you bloggers need to lighten up! Whether you believe in Adam & Eve or even in God is not the point. I bet some of you have water cooler discussions with co-workers and friends about movies, books or even the ballgame. Do you tell your friends, “We’ve got bigger problems” so we shouldn’t discuss that movie, book or ballgame? I doubt it!
Posted by: James Danley | November 13, 2007, 10:43 am 10:43 am
Welcome, speedtats. I hope you stick around.
Posted by: DKNY | November 13, 2007, 10:51 am 10:51 am
“if you don’t believe exactly as we do, you’re not getting into heaven.” …this is different from any other religion how?
The LDS church not using the Bible? then why is the King James version the fatter volume in the Scripture case? and you all must not have read the Book of Mormon, because there is a lot that parallels the Bible
and btw, the LDS interpretation is that once Eve bit the apple, she knew that in order to fulfill the whole go forth and multiply thing, they both had to be cast out…so Adam had to bite, too
Posted by: phillygirl64 | November 13, 2007, 11:50 am 11:50 am
The sin was disobedience: the punishment toil and pain (of childbirth) But of course they had to be promiscuous and incestuous- how else were they to multiply? Where did the sons get wives?
These literal folks have yet to get a brain.
The story is wonderful allegory – they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil – that is they began to think for themselves and stopped obeying like sheep, relying on instinct. It was the birth of reason with all its resulting toil and pain, and probably recounts the evolutionary transition from Neanderthal to modern man capable of reason.
Posted by: JoshuasGrandma | November 13, 2007, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
Missionaries are 19-21 year old young men. There are some young womnen also. I heard it joked years ago that if the Church were not true the missionaries would have destroyed it years ago. Now maybe a missionary in his excitement and newness has stated something incorrectly. but I bet he didn’t do it with any animosity towards anyone. Most missionaries know that they cannot and are not called to convert anyone to the LDS faith. Conversion comes through the Spirit. Conversions come when someone truly wanting to know something asks God in a very humble and sincere way what is true. Missionaries are sent to invite the world to listen to a message. They then innvite someone to ask God if the message shared is indeed from God. If someone joins the LDS church is because they have accepted the invitation to ask God and have found that God approves of their choice to be baptized.
Posted by: Wendy73 | November 13, 2007, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm