'Mormons Rock!' says Newsweek cover story about LDS Church, Mitt Romney

Featuring Mitt Romney's head on the body of a leaping Mormon missionary, Newsweek's cover story this week – titled "The Mormon Moment" — has some Latter-day Saints leery about what the feature might say concerning their faith.

"Don't judge the story by its cover alone," said Newsweek reporter McKay Coppins, an active Mormon who worked closely on the project. "I think members of the (LDS) Church will find that the package treats Mormonism fairly."

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints might take issue with some of the wording in the article, like calling the temple ceremonies "secretive," or making casual reference to the LDS temple garment, which members consider sacred.

Yet some Latter-day Saints will likely be pleased with the article's positive message reflected in its headline: "Mormons Rock!: They've conquered Broadway, talk radio, the U.S. Senate — and they may win the White House. Why Mitt Romney and 6 million Mormons have the secret to success."

"The article is refreshing and very positive," said LDS scholar Phil Barlow, a professor of Mormon studies at Utah State University. Indeed, the piece, which offers a secular defense of Mormonism, reads at times like a sales pitch for the faith.

Written by author Walter Kirn along with Coppins — a former contributor to the Deseret News and Mormon Times — Andrew Romano and David A. Graham, the article points out a general reluctance among LDS politicians to discuss their faith in public.

"In recent weeks, Newsweek called every one of the 15 Mormons currently serving in the U.S. Congress to ask if they would be willing to discuss their faith," the article states. "The only politicians who agreed to speak on the record were the four who represent districts with substantial Mormon populations. The rest were 'private about their faith,' or 'politicians first and Mormons second,' according to their spokespeople."

The authors argue that this hesitancy is unwarranted because there is a strong pro-Mormon argument to be made that "centers on the distinctive values and characteristics that have come to define Mormons outside the church walls – in their communities, in their careers, and in the culture at large." The article posits that the LDS Church's unique culture and theology create a proven formula for producing American "winners." Featuring interviews with various successful Mormons in business, academia and politics, Newsweek says there is a strong case for the church and that LDS politicians should start making it.