The June 19 editorial “The Mormon test” discussed a poll showing that 25 percent of voters would be less likely to support a candidate who is Mormon. The editorial was right to say that this is unacceptable, but if The Post wants to discuss religious prejudice among voters, there is a much bigger story. The same poll also shows that 61 percent of voters would be less likely to support a candidate who does not believe in God at all.
More voters were troubled by a candidate’s lack of religious faith than by any other factor in the poll, including race, sexual orientation, lack of political experience, past drug use or marital infidelity.
In a country that cherishes religious freedom and bans religious tests for office, this widespread bias against nonbelievers is deeply troubling. At least Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman may acknowledge their religious faith and still be considered viable candidates. A nonbeliever who was honest about his or her views on religion would be politically dead in the water.
Randall D. Eliason, McLean
l
“The Mormon test” editorial referred to a “long-standing doctrinal rivalry between Mormonism and Protestant fundamentalism.” Indeed, the doctrinal rivalry is rooted in the Mormon rejection of belief in the Trinity — the basic tenet of orthodox Christianity.
But an identical rivalry prevails between Mormonism and all mainline denominations of Christian orthodoxy, i.e. Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran and Presbyterian. The isolation of “evangelical Protestants” for their doctrinal differences with Mormons is a less-than-subtle example of the media’s proclivity to characterize evangelicals as intolerant. In the very words of the editorial: “Religious prejudice is never respectable.”
And the editorial’s blunt characterization of the “story of the loaves and fishes” as “myth” is offensive to Christians of both evangelical and mainline traditions.
P.C. Brown, Potomac
Loading...
Comments