Written by Rene Thompson   

Rats, Mittens is falling apart too fast for me. I had been in the middle of writing a piece explaining why I thought Mittens was hiding his tax returns – my theory was that he wasn’t hiding from the Dems, they weren’t going to vote for him anyway or the religious right wing who already knew about Stericycle, but instead was hiding something from his church.

Yesterday, some financial records were leaked and bloggers, journalists and political junkies alike jumped to read them.

And so how did Mitt react? He made the outrageous claim that he couldn’t release his taxes because it was against his religion, a statement which proves he’s willing to even throw his own father, an honorable man under the bus. [The claim on its face suggests that George Romney was not a devout Mormon.] He then went truly bonkers and decided to become a full-fledged birther in front of a crowd.

So what would cause a candidate to so totally lose it? And attempt at smoke and mirrors so no one will note the real story.

It appears that this elder, this ward bishop, this Melchizedek priest was cheating on his tithing.

Apparently, instead of the full tenth that is required, Mitt and Ann gave 7%. Yep, even though his religion is very specific about the amount of tithing:

4 And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord. (Doctrines and Covenants 119:4)

and

15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed. (Alma 13:15)

The Book of Mormon goes so far as to say in 3 Nephi 24:8

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

So, what does it say about Mitt Romney? He didn’t just live under these rules, he taught them and oversaw others as a priest in their religion and apparently, he’s willing to, as the scripture says, rob G-d, throw his father’s reputation under a bus and bear false witness against the man he’s running against.

And what does the Mormon religion say about bearing false witness?

21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity. (Helaman 7:21)

Mitt Romney has known all along that as the presidential candidate for the Republican Party he was also going to be seen, fair or not, as the Mormon candidate because no other Mormon has gotten this close to the White House. Thus, he had a responsibility not only to his party but to his Church to conduct himself in a manner befitting the best the LDS had to offer.

Mitt has not lived up to those standards. He has lied, cheated, thrown members of his own family under the bus, born false witness and now he’s been caught cheating his Church and even using the fact that many knew little about his religion to try to cover his cheating. He is an insult to those who live by the word and live righteously within the LDS Church.

He has been willing to say whatever he thinks will get him what he wants to those he’s done business with, governed for, lived with and shepherded as a priest all for his own need for power.

Mitt Romney is not an honest businessman, not an ethical politician, and has been proven to cheat G-d and his own Church.

If he’ll cheat G-d, what makes you think he’ll treat humans any better?