Is this why Americans took Mitt seriously?

[chakka35]

I couldn't understand why even a few Americans could even consider the plainly potty Mitt as a potential President when you look into the breathtakingly stupid things that Mormons believe.

But then I was reminded by The Times that 47% of the American people believe that God created human beings in their present form only 10,000 years ago. In other words nearly one in two citizens of what is supposed to be the most technologiclly advanced nation on earth happily rejects
evolution in its entirity and most of archeological knowledge.

I reckon a half-trained chimpanzee would have a good chance next time.

[jno]

I haven't found any assessment of how much of a role Mormonism played in the election. My guess is not much. Americans are wary of it, but I suspect that's not so much because of the religious beliefs involved as because they're thought of as all polygamists, which is anathema to most Americans (as it is here) but is a cultural rather than religious matter.

[plautus]

The received wisdom is that if Romney had not been a Mormon he might actually have won!

[naomi24]

The Church of Latter Day Saints outlawed polygamy at the end of the 19th century. Some breakaway groups still practise it, but the marriages aren’t recognised as legitimate by the church or by the state.

[ludwig]

I found this article which is relevant to the discussion..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20327593

[oldgreyweird]

Creationists don't believe "man was chasing around after dinosaurs for his lunch a few thousand years ago." Dinosaurs aren't in the bible, so they don't accept their existence. Why let massive evidence get in the way of a good fairy story? They can't cope with reality.