Romney firm gave millions to Mormon church

According to reports by ABC news, Mitt Romney's private equity company, Bain Capital, gave millions in stock holdings to the Mormon church. This news, while entirely legal, threatens to drive a deeper wedge between Romney and the voters he needs to win. 

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Romney's religion has been a divisive issue for many voters. While Mormons insist they are Christians, and include the name of Christ in the title of their church, their precise beliefs regarding the being of Christ sets them at odds with other Christian denominations who disagree on the nature of God and Christ. 

And believe it or not, this is a significant issue as voters struggle to relate to Mitt Romney. 

Generally speaking, voters want a candidate they feel they can identify with. For some Christians, mainly some evangelical protestants, the teaching of the Mormon church is objectionable, because it makes the claim to be a Christian Church while denying fundamental Christian beliefs. 

When this religious divide is added to Romney's personal and professional history - he has enjoyed a relatively comfortable life and once made his living as a venture capitalist, these  voters find themselves struggling to support him. Some profess they are doing so only by default, since they believe he is the only candidate that can defeat Obama in the upcoming election. 

Romney's widely publicized gaffes during speeches have not helped either. 

Romeny has explained that he is a faithful Mormon. There is every indication to believe him. According to all accounts, he tithes at least 10 percent of his income to the church, and he has held various positions of respect and authority including stake leader and bishop. 

It is unclear as of yet whether the millions of dollars in stock holdings were paid to the Mormon church as part of his tithe, or if they were simply donated in the spirit of philanthropy. The Mormon church allows members to tithe however best they can, which can include ways that do not involve direct cash contributions. 

Also, it is normal practice for large firms to donate stock and other tokens of value to charitable organizations, including religious ones. So while the news that Bain Capital transferred millions in stocks to the Mormon church may come as a surprise, there is no evidence to suggest that the transfers were illegal  or unethical. 

Ultimately, Mitt Romney has a popularity problem, and he hasn't even been elected yet. While most Americans claim they have a favorable opinion of Romney, they are not inspired by him either. Romney is riding to his nomination on a wave of disappointment in the other candidates and a general dislike of President Obama. 

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And with many evangelical protestant Christians now endorsing Rick Santorum, who is a Catholic Christian, it goes to show just how deep the spiritual divide is between evangelical protestant Christians and Mormons. 

Many contend that Romney needs to address these issues quickly and effectively. While Romney may inevitably win the Republican nomination, issues such as these may cause the Republican primary race to coninue until April.

Some Romney supporters argue that will consume precious resources that will be needed for the campaign against Obama. And with all indications that Obama's popularity has stabilized from its long decline, Romney will need every vote he can get for what appears will be a very close-and expensive election.

Of course, others argue that the race is far from over and that the process of vetting candidates is healthy and vital.They hope that entire process produces a candidate who can win the 2012 Presidential race against an incumbent President by providing a sharp contrasts in the positions of the opposing candidates. 

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