Iowa Caucuses: Are Mormons Christians?

Dear Madame L,

I watched the MSNBC coverage last night of the Iowa caucuses until I couldn't stand it any more. When I went to bed, Romney and Santorum were tied for first, with Ron Paul close behind, and Gingrich was threatening to "tell the truth" in his future ads against Romney. 

This morning I see that Romney and Santorum remained still essentially tied, each with 25% of the vote, with Romney only 8 votes ahead of Santorum. So it will be close, and I guess that's good.

But here's my question: While I was watching last night, I heard some evangelical woman tell a TV reporter, "I can't trust a Mormon for President. That religion is so different from the Bible."

Madame L, since you're a Mormon, like Mitt Romney, what do you think of this?

Sincerely,

Are Mormons Christians?

Dear Christian Friend,

And here Madame L thought the presidential election was about politics, not religion! 

But thanks for the question. Yes, like Mitt Romney, Madame L is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Madame L has lived in a part of the country with strong evangelical influences, where she was once told by a neighbor that that neighbor's children were not allowed to play with Madame L's children and the children in a Catholic family in the neighborhood "...because Mormons and Catholics aren't Christians." But even though she's heard it before, Madame L is still appalled at the ignorance and surprised at the hypocrisy of some self-described true Christians.

Madame L welcomes the opportunity to talk about her Christian faith, because, of course, Mormons, like Catholics, ARE Christians.

Madame L will, in coming days, answer your individual questions about specific points of the LDS Church's teachings. 

Full disclosure: Even though Madame L is a Mormon, she cannot think of any reasonable or likely circumstance in which she would vote for Mitt Romney for President. She takes it back: If she had to choose between Romney and the rest of the Republican field, which isn't going to happen, then she would choose Romney or Huntsman, not because they're Mormons, but because they're not nut-cases.

Unlike that evangelical voter you saw interviewed on TV last night, Madame L bases her political votes on the policies and records of the candidates. That's why she's going to vote, again, for Barack Obama, for President in 2012.

More About Mormonism Later,

Madame L