Romney and Sharpton Clash Over Mormonism - washingtonpost.com

Romney and Sharpton Clash Over Mormonism - washingtonpost.com:

"Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and civil rights activist Al Sharpton traded angry, racially charged accusations yesterday, with Romney alleging that Sharpton had uttered 'bigoted' comments about Mormonism.

On the campaign trail in Iowa, Romney was asked about Sharpton's comment during a debate Monday that 'those of us who believe in God' will defeat Romney. The former Massachusetts governor told reporters that such a comment 'shows that bigotry still exists in some corners.'

Sharpton angrily denied Romney's charge in a telephone interview yesterday, and he accused Romney of stoking a verbal war with him to gain support among conservatives.

Sharpton said his comments have been taken out of their original context -- a debate about religion with journalist Christopher Hitchens, who Sharpton said had suggested that Mormonism once advocated segregation."

A couple comments for Romney:

1. Don't get into a spitting contest with a man who is so skilled at it.
2. Don't worry too much about an avowed atheist's take on the details of religious history.

I am not a Mormon, and I find much to disagree with Mormon theology and practice. I am aware that the Mormons dropped their stance that persons with African blood were ineligible for the priesthood back in 1978 -- nearly 30 years ago. This article quotes Richard Ostling, a well-respected AP religion writer for many years as saying that there is no record of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ever advocating segregation. This was based on Ostling's research into a book on Mormons in the United States.

There are plenty of substantive reasons to question any given candidate's positions without resorting to religious bigotry.

Unfortunately, the quadrennial presidential political shenanigans are on us even earlier than usual.....