Analysis: Religion row in Republican bid

10 Oct 2011, 6:13 pm   -   Source: SBS/AFP
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Stanford Professor Shanto Iyengar speaks to SBS about the role of religion in the Republican primaries, after Mitt Romney's Mormon faith was decried 'a cult'.

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Stanford Professor of Politics Shanto Iyengar speaks to SBS about the role of religion in the Republican primaries, after Mitt Romney's Mormon faith was decried 'a cult' by an evangelical supporter of his main challenger, Texas Governor Rick Perry.

"The Republican primaries are controlled by the Evangelical wing of the party. Evangelicals make more than 40 per cent of the primary electorate, and of course, a Mormon religion in the eyes of Evangelicals is not a mainstream Christian Church," Mr Iyengar told SBS.

"This is a recurring issue with the Romney campaign and it's going to play out again in the Primaries season".

The supporter who made the "cult" comment, Reverend Robert Jeffress, had introduced Perry at a convention of social conservatives as "a genuine follower of Jesus Christ."

The next day Jeffress did not shy away, insisting to CNN that "evangelicals have a right to select a competent Christian over a competent non-Christian."

Perry quickly distanced himself from the remarks, saying he did not see Mormonism -- also the faith of longshot candidate Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah -- as a cult.

But he clearly sees Christian backing as crucial, having rallied thousands in prayer in August at a Texas stadium as he sought to burnish his credentials among religious conservatives.

Americans have always had a Christian president, and until Barack Obama, they've always been white.

Mormonism, which originated in the 1820s in western New York state, is controversial because it fuses Christian theology with teachings that some religious scholars feel are not consistent with standard Christian doctrine.

Watch the interview on YouTube: 

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Your Comments

Ultimate truth?

Caradoc - from Victoria, 8 months ago

What a lot of tot. Your own use of the term 'ultimate truth' clearly indicates that there is no sense of acceptance for diversity or equality. The world has seen the ravages of mono-cultural theocracies before; and the belief in an unfounded ultimate truth is frightening in an age where education, knowledge and reason should provide society with a bright, well-reasoned and hopeful future.

Have we got hope?

Righteous - from Western australia, 8 months ago

The fact that you even mention the word 'hope' clearly indicates that ignorance comes from those not prepared to face the fact that it is 'religion' in the 21st century as it has always been; that determines the values of each generation. Turn away from a Christian notion of God and submission to what is ultimate truth claims in how a culture should live and then watch the culture disintegrate as it moves further towards a focus on nihilism

Grand opulent highness

Some One - from Brisbane, 8 months ago

How, as a socialist lefty news outlet can you own my thoughts when i post a comment here?

Grand opulent highness

Some One - from Brisbane, 8 months ago

In the 21st century we are having debates about religion..... Has mankind got any hope?

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