Politics and Romney’s religion

Re “For them, faith trumps works,” June 16

I don’t remember ever reading a more immature article than the one on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and the Mormon Church. The article starts by quoting 26-year-old Jason Thurman implying that Romney could not be guided by God because he is a Mormon. The quote, “The faith draws among the most unfavorable ratings of any religion,” is amazing. Surely The Times can do better than that on a church of 13 million people.

There is plenty of biblical support for Mormons’ “untraditional” view of the Godhead and other “mysterious” teachings. Those who imply that Mormons are not Christian are sorely misinformed. The official name of the church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The faithful whom I have met in the church are working very hard to be the best they can be.

STEPHEN RALPH

BOSWELL

Los Angeles

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Why are Christians troubled by Romney, whose Mormon faith requires an irrational acceptance of, as they see it, nonsense? Most major Western creeds expect their followers to believe the unbelievable. Even otherwise rational Christians are convinced that Moses parted the Red Sea and that Christ walked on water. How is a Mormon belief in “seer stones” any more bizarre?

All religions seem strange when assessed from the restricted point of view of another religion. And Christians who are reluctant to elect a Mormon might also ask themselves how well the faithful Christian George W. Bush has done following his faith.

HARRY GORDON

Long Beach

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The article describing the thought process of some religious fanatics is quite scary indeed. Our country was founded on a strong belief in religious freedoms, and for people to refuse to vote for a candidate with whom they agree on the issues simply because the candidate is not of the same religious sect is ridiculous.

The founding fathers would not have approved; they included this admonition in the Constitution: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” The thought process of most of those quoted in the article is more aligned with theocracies in the Middle East. Is that the future of the United States? God, I hope not.

ROBERT L. STEIN

Irvine

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Does the guy in the article who said, “A Christian person’s strength is superhuman. I want [a president] who has that extra on his side,” think that President Bush is not a Christian or that God is giving him superhuman strength to screw up?

MICHAEL J. DIXON

Santa Monica

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How sad is it that the evangelicals value religious affiliation over a political candidate’s competence, skill, talent and experience -- not that Romney possesses any of those attributes. Perhaps evangelicals need to reread the Constitution, particularly the part about the separation of church and state. Just a thought.

DAVID ROSEN

Long Beach