Nearly a week after the presidential election, I want to return to something I mentioned soon after the votes were counted.
Which is that Christians who call themselves evangelical appear not to have withheld their votes for Mitt Romney because of his Mormon faith.
I think that's progress. There has been, after all, a lot of anti-Mormon prejudice among such Christians for a long time. Even Billy Graham's website once labeled Mormonism a "cult," though that reference was removed as the election neared and Graham essentially endorsed Romney, even if not by name.
For many, many reasons, I did not vote for Romney, but my choice had nothing to do with his being a Mormon. As a Presbyterian, I certainly have many theological differences with Mormons, but I know -- and respect the fact -- that there is no religious test for public office in our country. And, more than that, I respect most of the values Mormons hold.
Any Mormons I've known have been decent, honest, trustworthy people. I think Romney can be described that way, too, though I came to distrust his ability to be reasonably consistent when he changed his positions on so many issues so many times.
That said, I'm glad a major political party nominated him and that he ran a close race for president. It knocks down one more silly barrier in this country, and from now on Mormons who run for office should not have to explain their religion or apologize for it.
The next barrier that needs to fall, of course, is the one that so far has prevented us from having a female president. But now that we're past the Catholic, Mormon and African-American barriers, I hope that's next.
So take a Mormon to lunch today. Or a woman. Or both.
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ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH
The Vatican says the Catholic Church will continue to fight hard against gay marriage. Doesn't the church get tired of being on the wrong side of history on various issues?
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