Apr 4, 2007 12:08 am US/Eastern
America Looks At Mitt Romney's Mormon Faith
SALT LAKE CITY (CBS) ―
Despite his early fundraising success, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is spending more and more time defending his religion on the campaign trail.
KUTV news reporter Katie Baker visited churches in Salt Lake City and found that faith seems to be a top campaign issue.
She says people don't seem to be talking as much about his views on Iraq or abortion, as they are about his Mormon faith.
A new book is out, called "A Mormon in the White House."
Now people of all faiths are taking a closer look at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints--and because evangelical Christians make up a large part of the Republican base, their opinions matter.
Romney's religion is front and center.
Responses vary among Utah residents when asked whether they would vote Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, into the White House. Some say "yes," but still others say "no" or remain undecided.
Many evangelical Christians agree with Romney's values, but Pastor Paul Robie from South Mountain Community Church says that may not be enough.
"He certainly is a moral candidate," says Pastor Robie, "That's a positive for evangelicals, but at the same time, it's problematic for a great deal of evangelicals that he is LDS."
Greg Johnson, a Christian pastor, and Dr. Bob Millet, a professor of religion at the Mormon-founded Brigham Young University, recently spoke on Christianity and the LDS faith all over the country. Both agree their respective religions are different.
"We aren't mainline Christians," says Dr. Millet. "We believe we're Christian, but clearly not what you would call Protestant or Catholic."
The topic of religion in politics isn't new. When John F. Kennedy ran for president, he put Catholicism in the spotlight. At the time, some voiced concern he would take orders from the pope.
In this election, it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints being scrutinized. The concern: Would Mitt Romney take orders from the Mormon prophet?
Dr. Millet said "we asked him. Your LDS faith is on the mind of everybody. Do you think you're going to have to answer to the church, answer to the Prophet if you do indeed become president?"
Romney's answer, "I subscribe to what Abraham Lincoln said when he was about 28-years-old. He was talking at an event that is now known as the Lyceum Address. And he said that people who take the oath of office subscribe to America's political religion and that when you take the oath of office your highest commitment to God is to abide by the Constitution and the laws of the country."
Romney went on to say he doesn't mind people talking about his religion. He's not the only one.
Pastor Greg Johnson says, "I think it's a wonderful opportunity to have a national conversation and spiritual conversation about what is Mormonism."
A possible conversation that could last through November of 2008.
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