CNN's religion section notes today that W. Mitt Romney (W for Willard) still has a major hurdle to overcome on the road to the White House. His religion, Mormonism.
Now personally I can't understand why it should be such a big deal -- who should honestly care what one's belief system (or lack thereof) is just as long as they can do the job? (I said as much last December.) But it's the United States, and the Gallup group finds that at this particular moment in time Romney may be in trouble, because 18% of Americans think being a Mormon should be something that disqualifies an otherwise competent person for any public office. Much more frightening -- that's the same percentage as in 1967 when Mitt's father, George, was running for the GOP nomination as Prez (the nod eventually went to "Dick" Nixon).
The battle won't be for Democrats or Republicans who would have made up their minds by now anyway. It's the sea of independents who, knowing as much as they do about the LDS church (whether that info is right or wrong), may decide to go with -- pardon the expression -- the devil they know; in other words, Barack Obama may not be their kind of believer; but they'll more likely believe Obama's credentials as a Christian, than Romney's good faith which many believe is not even a Christian one no matter how Romney protests that it is such.
If only one of the Osmonds were running for President -- Donny, Marie, any of them ... then there wouldn't be this debate. Sad but true.
As I said and say again, keep religion out of it. The States may have marginally improved over the last four years but it is nowhere near out of its funk yet. Stick to the real issues.
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