As discouraging as they may sound, I just don’t know how much to make of the poll numbers of those who won’t vote for a Mormon. When it comes down to comparing specific candidates, is religion that much of a factor for that many when there are so many other important issues to consider?

Perhaps, some respondents are full of bluster and could actually for a Mormon, if they had to.

Just to provide some historical perspective, in 1959, the year before JFK won election as the nation’s first Catholic president, 25% of Americans polled, including 22% of Democrats, 33% of Republicans, and 18% of independents, said they would not vote for a Catholic. Okay, so JFK had a 25% disadvantage, while Mitt Romney, who is currently in the lead for the GOP nomination next year, has merely 22% to overcome. The fact that this is even a problem for one of our leaders at the top of the political food chain, especially when we’re facing so many serious challenges to our future, is very troubling. Have we not learned anything about discrimination and bigotry since 1960?