Politically, news commentator Glenn Beck and Senator Harry Reid have very little in common. Beck is known best for being one of the main powerhouses within the tea party movement. Reid is a Democrat from Nevada, and has served as Senate Majority Leader since 2007. However, Mormonism is a tie that binds both high-profile men, and according to an article in The Washington Post, they have had a heavy hand in the growing emergence of the religion in the public eye.
There are roughly six million Mormons in the United States, but what the general public knows about members of the faith is still relatively sparse. So much so that when Mitt Romney—another prominent Mormon—announced his bid for president in 2007, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints headquarters started receiving calls asking for clarity on the basic beliefs of the religion. Today, as a second Mormon is expected to enter the race of president in 2012, more people are seeking a greater understanding.
But not all attention paid to the religion has been positive. Polling in 2007 found that a sizable minority would be less likely to vote for a Mormon presidential candidate. Surveys also found that Mormons rank just above Muslims in how the general public views them as a religion in America. In a push to celebrate the diversity within their faith, Mormons are trying to repair their image by distancing the church from the tea party movement and focusing attention back on the basic tenants of the faith.
This article was featured in the February 9, 2011 issue of Diversity Best Practices’ email newsletter, Diversity in the News. To read additional stories from that issue, see the related content section below. To subscribe to Diversity in the News, register on the newsletter page of this website.
