For followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the candidacy of church member Mitt Romney and his “Faith in America” address Thursday pressed two big buttons.
It stirred pride in their Mormon religion and dismay at the bigotry it still arouses.
“It was a good speech,” said Camille Swenson, a 48-year-old Mormon and surgical assistant from Grand Junction. “People who don’t know any LDS people are still suspicious of us. There are so many misconceptions, some totally ignorant.”
Swenson said that Romney’s candidacy and his leadership skills should drive home that Mormons are not weird.
The church’s official position on Romney is simple: “The church’s mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, not to elect politicians.”
Church leaders would not comment, except to direct people to that statement on their website.
For Swenson, the most memorable part of Romney’s speech was his answer to a frequently asked question — whether, as a Mormon, he believes in Jesus Christ as the savior of mankind. He said he does.
“That was the most satisfying moment,” Swenson said. “People always question whether we are Christians.”
Quin Monson, a political science professor at LDS-run Brigham Young University, believes the speech accomplished what Romney needed.
“He unequivocally stated that he’s not going to take direction from church leaders if elected president,” Monson said.
“It was also an honest and accurate portrait of who he is and what he believes,” Monson said. “I don’t think he answered all of people’s specific questions about church doctrine. And that’s not his job as a presidential candidate.”
Lisa Crockett, a 36-year-old homemaker from Castle Pines North, said that the speech was well done and that she finds “something familiar and reassuring” in having a fellow Mormon run for president. She does not, however, plan to vote for him.
“My politics are slightly more liberal than his,” Crockett says. “I have lots of (Mormon) friends who are jazzed about him, really excited, and are looking to be more involved this election.”
If Monson has a criticism, it is that Romney should have more forcefully condemned the religious bigotry that his candidacy has revived.
“Mormons have been subjected to attacks on their doctrine from the beginning of their history,” Monson said. “I wish he’d said that persecuting people for their beliefs is still happening and just as wrong today.”
