Columnist contrasts Elder Russell M. Nelson and Rev. Robert Jeffress

The Rev. Robert Jeffress of Dallas is taking some national heat for his comments last weekend about presidential candidate Mitt Romney and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, referring to the LDS Church as a "cult."

One columnist even went so far as to compare the Christian influence of Rev. Jeffress with Elder Russell M. Nelson of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — and found Rev. Jeffress to be lacking.

Daniel Ruth, a columnist for the St. Petersburg Times, had a lot to say about Rev. Jeffress, referring to him alternately as "the Torquemada of Texas (a reference to Tomás de Torquemada, an infamous leader of the Spanish Inquisition)," "the Simon Legree of Leviticus," a "scriptural snake oil salesman" and a "biblical bully."

"The issue of Romney's Mormonism has been burbling at or near the surface of the political discourse this election season," Ruth wrote. "And just as churlish quips made about Barack Obama's work as a 'community organizer' served as a stand-in fear mongering euphemism for helping black people empower themselves, so too have allegations that Romney wasn't 'conservative' enough provided cover to make the point he actually wasn't Christian enough."

For Ruth, the Christianity of Mormonism was illustrated by a recent visit by Elder Nelson to his newspaper's editorial board.

"At 87, he was lean, fit, mentally sharp and about to embark on a multi-nation tour on behalf of the church," Ruth said. "There were no horns. No signs of Beelzebub. No harems. This was just a thoughtful, spiritual man."

Ruth said Elder Nelson "readily acknowledged the church's image problems. His solution? Simply live a moral, decent life. Be a responsible member of the community. And by living a virtuous life, you set an example for others to recognize Mormonism is not a threat to anyone — except perhaps Starbucks."

Although he says he is not a religious man, Ruth posed a question: "What if I suddenly faced some personal crisis and I wanted to talk to someone for spiritual insight, guidance or consolation? Whom would I be more comfortable with? Would it be the bloviating little God-baiting parson in Dallas who is so quick to condemn, to judge, to exploit the worst ignorant fears in people? Or would it be the octogenarian gentle man, who may hold dogmatic beliefs I don't subscribe to, but nevertheless yearns to simply lead a meaningful life?

"I think," Ruth concludes, "I would be on the next plane to Salt Lake City."