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Poll sheds light on widespread bias against Romney, LDS

Two important points jump out of this story: 1-most people don't personally know a Mormon, 2-Romney can overcome bias by talking about his core values which coincide with what other people believe.

I know there will be many jumping in here with indignation about the level of prejudice, but given the above 2 points, we can stop complaining and do SOMETHING!!

First, get out of your LDS-only circle and be friends with non LDS. Work alongside non LDS in community, school, social groups that build up society in someway so that people can see what we're all about.

Secondly, we need you out here outside the Wasatch Front. If you are mobile, can go on a mission, or take a job assignment somewhere else - DO IT!!

I think everyone there has this idea that the world knows who we are now (thanks to the Olympics??) but this article illustrates just how obscure we are.

I know a Swiss journalist who went to the Olympics and came back saying he 'didn't see any Mormons'. Maybe you guys in Utah are a bit TOO QUIET!!

I am LDS and I have followed news stories of Romney's campaign almost from the beginning. I am saddened to see that Evangelical Christians have essentially created a religious test for political office. Their bigotry against the LDS church has been planted and nurtured by the pastors of their local congregations and national leaders for years. When their local leaders show anti-LDS videos, distribute anti-LDS pamphlets and pay professional anti-LDS detractors to come to their churches and present anti-LDS seminars under the guise of "religious education," how can we expect the rank and file members of their congregations to form an unbiased opinion of LDS people? I do not think Mitt Romney can say anything in "the speech" that will win Evangelical Christians over to support him in significant numbers. The prejudices and bigotry of literally generations will not be overcome in a mere 45 minute speech. I hope I am wrong.

""What's relevant is there is this bias out there, supposedly in a religiously tolerant society. Let's have a discussion and hopefully that will decline."

How could you possibly suggest that this is not a religiously tolerant society? Perhaps you have confused 'tolerate' with 'advocate'. As a Christian, I love mormons just as I do all people; but I cannot support a faith that believes in many gods, even though it only worhips one, as this is contra to scripture. This does not make me hate LDS members. Nor does the LDS claim of being the 'only true church on earth' offend me, as I know otherwise. You have witnessed my tolerance; I disagree, and yes, this will in some part keep me from voting for a mormon president.

Before someone suggests that I am a bigot, I will be willing to discuss this point with any mormons lining up to vote for a muslim or scientologist, at any level of political office.

Perhaps the bias has something to do with Joseph Smith's first vision where he asks God which church to join and Joseph hears God say they are all wrong and an abomination.

As much as LDS people do not like their beliefs being disparaged, neither does anyone else like being told their religion is wrong, especially by the prophet and founder of a religion.

Much of the negative feelings towards LDS stem from the national publicity of Warren Jeffs and his cult in Colorado City AZ.

I think that members who live in areas where LDS is fairly common don't know how difficult it is to be LDS in areas where we are about 0.1% of the population. It is different if you have to travel 40 to 70 minutes to get to church. Especially if you no longer drive. Dating is almost impossible and misconceptions abound. Ask some RM's about the stranger misconceptions they have been told.

The stress of trying to live church standards when all around you regard it as being rediculous and unnecessary is very real. You become an outcast in your own community and for some in your own family.

Support is pretty much limited to the odd visit by Missionary's. They too are relieved to run into members. It's been years since I've seen a home teacher and I have no idea if there are even any single LDS ladys in my age group anywhere near here.

I retired young because I got ill and cannot really travel. I had planned on traveling the world to study a variety of languages. Now at 53 and retired 2 years I have no idea of my role in the World.

The professors mentioned in this article really shouldn't be surprised by the bias against Mormons. They live in the south (Vanderbilt University s in Nashville), the heart of evangelical Christianity, and they should know that especially Baptist preachers, in some congregations, spend a portion of their regular Sunday sermons spreading hatred and deciept about the Mormons. Last week the Washington Post published an article by Mary Jordan about the Mormon Church in Nigeria. A man named Joshua Ebiloma expressed why he joined the Mormon church and the article stated, "He immediately liked what he heard inside, especially that no one preached that people of other faiths were going to hell." I won't claim that no one ever makes a disparaging remark about other religions at an LDS sacrament meeting but the church leadership - local or church wide - will never degrade another religion. That is not the case in the evangelical church and so the only information many evangelicals have or accept about Mormons is the bigoted opinions of ministers trying deparately to hold on to the cash cows.

out of all the candidates, republican or democrate, I believe he is the one with the most dignity. I dont see him crashing and burning on his words or his politcal stands. He is what he is and will be the same today and tomorrow. I would feel secure with someone like him in the White House. He is a man of his word with nothing to hide.......

This article helps me see the wisdom of Elder Ballard's talk last general conference about the benefits of having L.D.S. Church members simply get correct information about the Church to the citizens of the world.

I find it interesting that this report, though I have not read the polling information in whole, states that bias and discrimination is higher against those of the LDS faith than against women or blacks; this almost makes discrimination against those of the LDS Faith and OK behavior.

Thoughts?

Isn't it all about losing members to the LDS faith ?

Probably the the poll showing half of Americans aren't aware Romney's a Mormon is accurate, and probably nearly as many as that don't know anything about Mormonism. But for those, such as I, who are aware of some of its kooky beliefs, we're not admirers of that anti-Christian sect.

But that's not the only reason given the opportunity, I'll vote against Romney. Another is that he was a draft dodger whilst I was fighting in Viet-Nam. There are those who equate money-grubbing success with patriotism, but I, of a family on this side of the Pond since 1732,don't.

Giuliani was also a coward & he, his hedonism aside, too forfeits my vote.

Who cares, Mormons need not apologize for who they are. Just because MR wants to run for president doesn't mean Mormons have to change the way they live and go about thier everyday lives. I love it here and I'm not a Mormon. If you want to get outside the Wasatch Front go for it.

It is always interesting to me when someone says that "YOU need to change your opinion of ME" yet this person refuses to evaluate their own opinions of others.

Mormons want others to accept them as being Christians, but one thing Mormons will never change is the doctrine that they are God�s only true church � something about others being "an abomination in God�s sight."

Sounds a little hypocritical to me.

I will never vote for Mitt Romney. His religion has nothing to do this. Come to think of it... I'm a Mormon too.

I will never vote for Mitt Romney because of his love affair with socialism. He liberal record on Gun Control, Abortion, Gay Civil Unions, Taxes, and other issues, repulses me.

The first woman Senator for Florida was Paula Hawkins, herself a Republican in the South. She never used her Mormon faith as a gimmick or prop.

The same can be said of J. Rueben Clark, a US Ambassador to Mexico, and current US Senator Bob Bennett.

Nobody cares about their religion. Romney's camp is simply saying, "if you don't vote for Mitt, you are a bigot", and that just isn't true.

Mitt Romney is a liberal, and that's what seperates him from Fred Thompson, Ron Paul, and Mike Huckabee.

"When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States."

I'm not sure how someone makes a statement like that knowing what we all know about the "covenants" made in the temple. If I were still a member, I'm not sure how I could get around a statement like that.

That guy will just about say anything to get into office. Deplorable

As an Orthodox Lutheran Christian Pastor, I would never vote for a Mormon or any candidate for public office adhering to a Non-Christian religion. Mitt Romney's "Mormon Speech" was a sad promotion of syncretistic heresy, and a false vision of America's exclusively Christian national political heritage. Moreover, Romney gave no consideration to the traditional Civic Use of God's Moral Law as the universal basis for all other law and laws. Nor did Romney make any real distinction between the world's false religions and the Holy Christian Faith, even claiming -- against God's Word -- that everyone was a child of God! Of course, God wants everyone to become His child -- which only happens through His gift of Faith in Christ alone.

Beyond his Mormonism, Romney has proved himself to be a political trimmer -- willing to compromise the sanctity of innocent human life and other fundamental human rights, while favouring Sodomy. In summary, Romney's record indicates that he is unbelievable and unworthy for public office.

Who is worthy? My family and I are supporting Christian Patriot and Veteran, The Hon. Duncan Hunter for US President in 2008.

In Christ's Love,

+ The Rev. Fr. Philip Mullen
Columbus, Ohio, USA

I have lived in many areas of the country and the world. I am a member of the LDS church and was also in the military for a good many years because of my ex-husband. This is one of unnoticed microcosms of our society, where predjudice resides in abundance. At one of our duty stations,in the south, we had a Baptist pastor who targeted us as soon as he knew we were LDS. He would create problems and harass us constantly, asking carefully worded questions to, "trip" us up at command functions. Being of superior rank, he used that to express his bigotry and prejudice in the work place as well. He went as far as to create a confrontation, which came to the attention of an officer superior to him and LDS. The officer quietly took him aside and handled the situation. The man was still predjudices but the open hostilities has ceased. How sad, in this world where information abounds, people are encouraged to learn and decide things for themselves, that this sort of bigotry and predjudice is alive and well.

If Mitt truly is seeking office to serve the people, then he is definitely living the standards of the LDS church. Christianity is all about serving others, not just your own religion. I see nothing wrong with the statement that he will not serve only one religion and one interest, etc.

Thanks for telling us who is worthy!. Good luck with this Duncan Hunter guy, too bad he won't get elected local dog catcher. Oh and by the way I would never vote for a judgemental, bigoted, self proclaimed Orthodox Christian Pastor either.