the Southern Baptist vs the Mormon

I have to admit that the article from Slate does not paint the SBC in the greatest light, but I find it pretty accurate according to my experience. Religion is playing a significant role in the GOP race. I appreciate Huck's background and I believe he has been unfairly criticized for playing a religious card in the campaign. The truth is there was no way for him to have a chance and the Christian vs Mormon historical dilemma not be to be raised.

I'll provide a couple of excerpts for those looking for a quick read.

"As the race for the Republican presidential nomination heats up, the competing theologies of the front-runners are getting as much attention as their differing policy proposals. Mitt Romney, a devout Mormon and the former governor of Massachusetts, faces a tough challenge from Mike Huckabee, a Southern Baptist minister and one-time governor of Arkansas. Huckabee's surge in Iowa owes itself in part to the strength of evangelical voters there who like his values and dislike his competitor's faith."

"And the SBC got serious about tempering the expansion of what was becoming the fastest-growing religion in the world. They developed programs, trained pastors, hosted Mormonism-awareness conferences, and published articles to help spread the message to Southern Baptists that Mormonism was a dangerous cult religion they had to avoid."

"On Dec. 6, Mitt Romney delivered his much-anticipated "Faith in America" speech. Romney promised that no Mormon leader would direct his presidential decisions and declared that Jesus was "the son of God and the savior of mankind." The next day, the Southern Baptist Convention published its last article in a three-part series on Mormonism on an SBC Web site. The articles briefly explored the Mormon Church's history and outlined key differences between Mormonism and evangelical Christianity. Deeming it "a false religion," the articles also distinguished Mormonism as a "theological cult" rather than a "sociological cult" because it held important doctrinal differences with orthodox Christianity but was not helmed by a controlling leader."

"When the time comes for Republican Southern Baptists to choose a candidate to back in the primary, they will be thinking as much of Sunday school lessons and church educational programs about Mormonism as they will of competing policy proposals."