[natedogg]

The question of his loyalties is actually much more of a concern with Romney than with a catholic or Obama (who is a terrible candidate for plenty of other reasons, no need to read his church's embarassing screed).

Mormons really do take direction from their prophet on what to think, how to think, and how to conduct their daily lives in many aspects. They have a bi-annual "general conference" where he hands out new directives on how to live. The entire church's population watches it on a satellite feed. I'm not making this up. If you are at all interested in whether or not Romney's mormonism matters I would try to find copies of the last few mormon "general conferences" and watch them.

They also subscribe seriously to an eschatology that is at least as disturbing as the evangelicals' (Bush), and look where that's gotten us with Bush, having a president who believes in the end of the world and the return of jesus. You want any improvement in our foreign relations, esp middle eastern, do not vote for Romney.

He believes in prophetic, climactic final battles that are soon to occur in the middle east. He believes his prophet is the one true voice of god on this earth and that whatever the man says is actually inspired by direct communication with god. He really believes that.

Also, at one point his religion's secret temple ceremonies required each mormon to swear an oath to work to destroy the united states. This was later removed eventually due to outside pressure. But a mormon's loyalties are first to the prophet, then to the country.

The only exception is if he's a jack mormon who doesn't really take it seriously but then, that speaks to a whole host of other reasons not to vote for him.

Either way, he's a terrible candidate for president JUST based on the fact that he's mormon.

natedogg