Mitt Romney supporters want everyone to forget his faith because of how often Mormon history and doctrine are misconstrued by outsiders.
If everyone in the world associated Mormonism only with integrity, family values and hard work, Mitt and his followers would wear Mormonism like a badge.
I imagine it wouldn’t be all that different from candidates who keep reminding voters that they were POWs or have strong affiliations with well-known charities or constituencies.
Voters do — and should — consider a candidate’s past and his or her influences, but in the case of the candidate’s religious experience, voters are asked not to judge that which they are in no place to judge.
But practicing Mormons seem to be in a unique position to judge a Mormon candidate for his faith.
They will not wonder whether he is a polygamist or if he really believes Jesus and Satan are brothers. They know what he learned in Primary and what he means when he calls himself a member of The Church.
Further, when Jon Huntsman is ambivalent about Mormonism but still claims membership, Mormons who know how little room their faith actually leaves for such ambivalence might reasonably wonder whether President Huntsman would represent his constituency in name only, just as he seems to be doing with his faith.
Bryce Johnson
Gilbert, Ariz.
