By MICHAEL LUO
Published: December 7, 2007

COLLEGE STATION, Tex., Dec. 6 — In a heavily anticipated speech addressing the religion issue that has dogged the campaign of Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate mentioned the word “Mormon” only once today in asking the nation not to reject his presidential candidacy based upon his faith.

The only passing mention of his Mormonism in his 20-minute speech here at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library underscored just how touchy the issue of Mr. Romney’s faith has been since he began running for the Republican nomination, with he and his aides agonizing for months over whether to even give the speech. Those arguing against it said there was no need to do it because he was doing so well in early voting states, advisers said.

But the political dynamic has suddenly changed, with Mr. Romney’s onetime dominance of the Republican field in Iowa faltering as evangelical voters have been drawn to Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor, in these final weeks before the state’s crucial caucuses. Evangelical Christians, who make up a crucial voting block in the Republican Party, consider Mormonism to be heretical, and polls have indicated a significant number of Americans are less likely to vote for a Mormon presidential candidate.

Nevertheless, Mr. Romney said he would not distance himself from what he called “the faith of my fathers.”

“I believe in my Mormon faith and endeavor to live by it,” he said.

And showing the fine line he was treading, he promised not to be beholden to church authorities, and devoted the majority of his address to calling for a robust role for religion in public life, declaring there was a common moral heritage across religious lines in the country that he would champion.

“I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from the God who gave us liberty,” he said, drawing applause from an audience of about 300 invited guests, which included supporters and religious leaders. “Nor would I separate us from our religious heritage.”

While Mr. Romney was clearly directing his message to the evangelical voters, the reaction among their leaders was mixed.

Steve Carlson, a member of the board for the Iowa Christian Alliance and a member of a Pentecostal church in Sioux City, said there was little Mr. Romney could have said today to allay his concerns about Mormon theology and his candidacy.

Mr. Carlson had been leaning toward Mr. Huckabee, or Fred D. Thompson, over Mr. Romney, in large part because of problems he has with Mormonism. The speech, he said, did nothing to change that.

“He didn’t sway me one way or the other,” he said. “I don’t know anything he could have said.”

But Oran P. Smith, president of the Palmetto Family Council, a Christian conservative group in South Carolina, who watched the speech with some of his staff, said he thought Mr. Romney’s speech would break positively for him.

“He turned it into a very red meat conservative speech,” he said.

Mr. Romney’s speech was part of a delicate balancing act in which he asserted specific religious doctrines should not matter in the voting booth but argued the nation’s founders envisioned a prominent place for faith in the public square, a contention that was challenged after the speech by advocates for the separation between church and state.

The speech was peppered with declarations appealing to Christian conservatives about the importance of religious expression, whether in the civil right’s movement, or the anti-abortion cause, although he failed to mention he had supported abortion rights until relatively recently.

“In recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning,” he said. “They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America — the religion of secularism. They are wrong.”

Mr. Romney made clear he would not back away from his personal spiritual beliefs.

“Some believe such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy,” he said. “If they are right, so be it. But I think they underestimate the American people. Americans do not respect believers of convenience. Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world.”

But Mr. Romney said it was inappropriate for a presidential candidate to be asked to explain the details of his religion.

Religion seems to play a large part in American Politics. I wonder if this is healthy?

EVERYTHING plays a big part in American politics. Race, religion, gender, political leaning, private life, marriage, divorce, offspring, etc. ad nauseum.

When John F. Kennedy ran for president his Catholicism was a factor. Since we never had a Roman Catholic president before voters were concerned he would take his marching orders from the Vatican.

Now we have a Mormon running, Romney. It's totally unknown what persuasion his religion will have if he gets the presidency.

Obama has the same type of problem although the Democrats haven't highlighted it yet. His father is a Muslim & he had a Muslim upbringing & education. It's unknown how much of that stuck to him although his mother is a white protestant.

__________________
Proud Dad of a US Army Ranger SSG-Former 3/75 Rangers, 2/334-95 USAR at present
US Navy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
US Army 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired 1SG/MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not EVER talk about politics in services, OR has a specific person they encourage their members to elect (like Unions and other churches that I know of in TN). I feel that because we are respectful of all faiths that he is serious when he talks about needing all faiths.

Anyway, since so many people are now wondering about the Church the website is: http://www.lds.org if any of you are curious about our beliefs.

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-Fireball
Army Wife and mother of 3

Not being critical of your faith, Fire, but just stating a fact that anything unknown about a candidate is always subject to question from the American voters including religion. I personally like Romney & wouldn't be upset if he was elected.

My religion, WELS Lutheran, also will not back any candidate or party from the pulpit. For one thing our church would lose its tax exempt status & other than spiritual matters everything else is a person's own free will. Our pastors preach about morality without stating any particular politician's name so we can decide on our own whether they fit our ideals. I would say most but not all are relatively conservative in our politics.

__________________
Proud Dad of a US Army Ranger SSG-Former 3/75 Rangers, 2/334-95 USAR at present
US Navy 1960-1966 Submarine Service, Navy Diver-UDT 21
US Army 1980-2001 Airborne Infantry,G3, Army Instructor, Commo Instructor Company 1SG
Retired 1SG/MSG
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.

Right, you're not supposed to discuss it in churches because they can lose tax benefits. However, I was very surprised at the few I knew that did.

I didn't take offense at all and I wasn't even annoyed when I read it. haha I was just discussing. Sorry if I sounded like I was snapping. I had just finished reading some articles that had people stating that they thought it was just a "show" that he respected all faiths. hahaha So that is why I commented on how I felt he was sincere. Personally I felt and echoed his same ideas about all the faiths in America.

Like you had said about Kennedy with the Catholic background. There is just so much to take into consideration. I feel like there are some good guys running this time round. I like Romney and Huckabee... So we'll see... I will just keep plugging a long.

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-Fireball
Army Wife and mother of 3

To be overtly religeous in British politics would be like saying Don't vote for me. Due to our history its frowned upon.

Yep, so they crossed the sea and came to America... ROFL...

__________________


-Fireball
Army Wife and mother of 3

Religeous interference in politics goes on to this day in the House of Lords. But in the House of Commons its not considered a vote winner.

The start of the decline in Church attendences in England goes back to the 1st world war when God and country were rammed down our throats a at sickening rate by everbodies local parish Church. DO YOUR DUTY and serve your country. So they did and were turned into fertiliser for the French countryside. The Church hasn't really recovered from that and with peoples current materialistic values it doesn't look like it ever will.
I'm probably very typical of most Brits in that I don't see the relevence in singing out of date hymns in front of some guy in a strange costume with silly hat! , I believe in God but I think religion is mankinds handicap.

Yeah. Religion is an interesting thing.

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-Fireball
Army Wife and mother of 3