TODAY'S LETTERS: Readers React To Steve Benson's Thoughts About Mitt Romney and Mormons

By: E&P Staff Readers wrote in today aplenty about an article about former Mormon Cartoonist Steve Benson's thoughts on Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Also, dozens of others -- a more mixed selection -- posted at E&P Editor Greg Mitchell's blog, which also carried the story. To see those comments, go to
cartoonist.

On Benson, Romney and Mormonism

I'm a little surprised that you would give a megaphone to Steve Benson, an embittered ex-Mormon with an ax to grind against the LDS Church. Romney is no more likely to be a puppet for his church than John F. Kennedy was for his. The only thing Romney failed to do in his Faith in America speech was to close the loop as Kennedy did earlier. Kennedy stated that if his moral duty were ever to come in conflict with his duty to the nation, he would resign. It's a stretch to conclude that Romney's omission of such a statement somehow indicates that he would robotically follow the counsel of Mormon leaders or become Evangelist In Chief. He drew an adequate line in that regard.

Randy Wright
Executive Editor
Daily Herald
Provo, Utah


Could you please tell Mr. Steve Benson that Mitt Romney has not been a zealot to his religion. I know for a fact that mormons are strongly opposed to abortion. Yet.... Mr. Romney and his father and mother supported it.... Please add that information. And tell Mr. Benson to appreciate the wonderful grandfather he had and to stop using such a great man to draw attention to himself. Honest, hard work will get him farther in life.

Hugh Sammons


I disagree with Steve Benson's insistence that Romney cannot live his faith with integrity while upholding the presidential oath of office.

Benson is right that Romney has made a temple covenant to devote his time, talents, and other blessings to the service of what we believe to be God's church (I am also a practicing Mormon). However, that doesn't mean Romney would be obligated to follow the dictates of Salt Lake City as U.S. President.

Let me suggest an analogy: a Mormon trustee of someone's estate would not feel obligated to tithe the value of that estate to the church, because the estate is not hers. She holds it in trust for another and it would therefore be unthinkable to tithe on its value. Likewise, one does not 'own' the U.S. presidency; it is a position of trust vouchsafed by the American people. Romney could no more put the office of the US President in service to the will of our church leaders than our hypothetical trustee could tithe on someone else's estate: it would be a dereliction of duty, and for the same reason.

It would be a fair question to ask Romney if he views the office of the presidency as a position of trust or as a matter of ownership, but it is disingenuous to insist beforehand that temple covenants leave him (and, by extension, all Mormons) no way to honestly serve both Church and State.

Chuck McKinnon


I read with interest your article related to cartoonist Steve Benson's distrust of Mitt Romney's recent speech on faith in America.
(See "Ex-Mormon Cartoonist Steve Benson Says Romney Not Telling Truth.")

Mr. Benson goes to great lengths to point out that "Romney, like all 'temple Mormons,' made his secret vows using Masonic-derived handshakes, passwords, and symbolic death oaths that he promised in the temple never to reveal to the outside world" -- and that Romney also secretly vowed to devote his "time, talents," and more "to the building of the Mormon religion on earth."

What Mr. Benson failed to point out is that he, as an ex-Mormon, once held the same beliefs that Mr. Romney professes. If Mr. Benson is to be believed, as a former "temple Mormon" he made the same vows and promises that he now publicly ridicules in Mr. Romney. What he doesn't indicate is why his decision to break those promises, exaggerate them, and misrepresent them should not be viewed with the same skepticism and suspicion with which he urges "media people and other Americans" to view Mr. Romney.

Mr. Benson also states that he distrusts Mr. Romney's speech "because the candidate has changed his public positions on issues." It seems a bit confusing why it is possible for Mr. Benson to change his public position relative to the Mormon church, and why this should not somehow engender distrust in what he says. Does Mr. Benson think that his personal flip-flopping should somehow not affect his own trustworthiness, yet it should affect Mr. Romney's?

Perhaps Mr. Benson's charges against Mr. Romney are just a simple case of the pot calling the kettle black, but it does make one wonder why E&P would lend credulity to someone who obviously is comfortable wielding a double standard without the slightest regard for veracity and integrity.

Allen Wyatt