Mormonism is center stage again with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman running for President in 2012. I have seen one article after another talking about why evangelicals should not be voting for a Mormon.  A poll of Evangelical Christians in June showed that at least 34% said that they would not vote for a Mormon running for President under any conditions.

Well the conditions are this- the current President, Barack Obama is not an evangelical nor does he share many of our values, but he is a declared Christian none–the-less.

We will have to wait and see whether either one of these former governors becomes the GOP presidential nominee for 2012. Personally I do not support either of them, at least not right now.  Mitt Romney is the obvious front runner and all of the others running are vying for the top spot as the ‘I’m-not-Romney’ candidate.

Here’s my perspective on the issue.

Mormons and evangelicals definitely have some major theological differences that will probably separate us forever. However, we also share many values like pro-marriage, pro-family, pro-sanctity of life, Biblical morality, and we are on the same side of the culture wars. Also, both of us share a view of America as having divine origins and a special destiny among nations.

If we were voting for a new pastor or religious leader than there is no way that I could support a Mormon because of our differing theological views. But we are talking about the position of the President of the United States and according to the Constitution there is no religious test or requirement for that office.

If the choice is between a Mormon who shares nearly all of my values and a supposed Christian like Barack Obama who doesn’t. I will be voting for the one who shares my values whether he or she is Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or even Mormon. After all, one’s values and morality affect nearly every decision made while in office. 

I believe that it is important for people of faith with similar values to stand together at this crucial time in America, even if we are separated by differing theological views.

There are many secular folk in America who would like nothing better than to divide up ‘people of faith’ in the election to come. In fact there are many secularists and atheists who would like nothing more than to eliminate all ‘believers’ from public office.  Many in that camp would lump committed Catholics, Evangelicals, & even ‘Mormons’ together in the same ‘fundamentalist’ category.

Even though there are major theological differences between the three, politically we have a lot in common because of our shared values. To vote for Romney is not the same thing as joining the ‘Mormon Church’ or agreeing with their doctrine.  Neither should you have to agree with ‘The Pope’ on every issue before you give your vote to a Catholic believer. Should Evangelicals vote only for other Evangelicals?  The worst mistake I ever made politically was voting for the ‘Born Again’ candidate in 1976.            *Top

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