By contrast, the LDS Church specifically prohibits any use of church resources and information for election campaigns for candidates or political parties. Some individual church members will try to claim that the church leadership has quietly endorsed one candidate or another, but the leadership actively tries to be evenhanded in welcomiing contacts with politicians of both major parties.

This of course does not prevent individual politicians from setting themselves up as opponents of the LDS Church in order to appeal to a non-Mormon constituency in Salt Lake City proper (which excludes the Mormon-dominated suburbs in Salt Lake County in cities like Sandy and Draper). That was the stance of former Mayor Rocky Anderson of Salt Lake City, who enjoyed trading on his status as a lapsed Mormon to enhance his image as a free-thinking progressive. Anderson freely engaged in attacking the Church and in attacking members of the city council who were LDS. He was basically playing the role of the representative of the larger, non-Mormon national culture condemning the “narrow minded” local yokels, in the inimitable tradition of Federal governors and military commanders during the extended territorial period of Utah. Even then, the Church did not actively campaign against Anderson. The fact he could get re-elected in Salt Lake was a constant statement that the Church did not control Utah politics, and that Salt Lake is not a “Vatican City”.

This is sad, very sad. Jews have made inestimable contributions to science, literature, and music not to mention scripture. They deserve gratitude and respect, not persecution.

I’ve wondered if a similar form of bigotry plagued Romney’s campaign. Don’t get me wrong — Mormons can’t compare to Jews in terms of education, wealth, or business influence. But many Mormons do adopt a high-achieving mindset.

Mr. Romney is by all accounts very smart and has been very successful in “big business.” His financial savvy strengthened his candidacy in my eyes, but in others it may have triggered fear and resentment. Notwithstanding the family-friendly image of Mormons, the church also has a corporate image (leaders and missionaries in business suits, an official logo, impressive HQ building in SLC, strong organization, etc.). To me, seeing ecclesiastical leaders in business suits symbolizes the equality of all members before God. (My Bishop is just as likely to be a plumber as a lawyer.) But some non-Mormons may see business suits and other corporate features and think they represent money and power. I’ve wondered if this corporate image plays a role in anti-Mormon prejudice.