海角大神

As Republican candidate Mitt Romney鈥檚 voluminous tax returns sink into the American psyche, some line items stand out for sheer size, most notably his聽contributions to the Mormon church.

According to his 2010 tax returns and 2011 estimate, the former Massachusetts governor聽donated a total of $4.13 million to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over those years.

Tithing聽at a 10 percent聽level of income is required of observant Mormons. Church founder Joseph Smith wrote that members of the faith 鈥渟hall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you.鈥�

A slew of poll results over the past year, from Gallup and the Pew Center to CNN and ABC, have all shown that Americans鈥� attitudes toward Mr. Romney鈥檚 Mormon faith may play a decisive聽role聽in his campaign.

Now that the strength of his religious conviction has a聽dollar sign attached to it, the question arises: Will his tithing invigorate the uneasiness that many Americans, including evangelicals and some other Protestants, have toward the Mormon church and its adherents?

Some聽evangelicals who question the legitimacy of聽the religion,聽doubting its 海角大神 credentials, may warm to Romney鈥檚 generosity, says Michele Dillon,聽sociology professor at the聽University of New Hampshire in Durham. Others, she adds by e-mail, 鈥渆specially some who are already highly skeptical of Mormonism, will probably use his generous tithing as further evidence that Mormons, in these voters' minds,聽are too much in the clutches of their church, and who knows what he might do to advance some alleged聽鈥楳ormon agenda鈥� if elected?"

The eye-popping number may be just the push that the issue needs聽to move to center stage in Romney鈥檚 campaign, says presidential historian Charles Dunn.

鈥淩omney needs to tackle this issue head-on,鈥� says the author of聽聽鈥淭he Presidency in the 21st Century.鈥� He likens this moment for the candidate to the question that faced聽John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential race when Baptists and other聽Protestant groups questioned whether his聽Catholic faith would divide his loyalties.

Kennedy opted to take the聽discussion directly to聽the Southern Baptists, speaking at their聽convention.

鈥淗e addressed them directly and told them that he was an聽American first,鈥� says Professor Dunn, adding that聽the聽Democratic candidate made it clear that he would not allow the Vatican to make US policy.聽鈥淩omney needs to have the聽equivalent of this moment for JFK,鈥� he says, if for no other reason than to make clear that as the US Constitution says, 鈥渢here shall be no religious qualification for office.鈥�

Candidate Romney addressed聽the topic in his previous presidential run back in 2007, saying, 鈥淚 believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it,鈥� even directly tackling the doctrinal聽question that some evangelical groups have raised, suggesting that Mormonism聽is not 海角大神.

鈥淭here鈥檚 one fundamental question about which I鈥檓 often asked,鈥� he said, 鈥淲hat do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind.鈥�

But questions of doctrine may always drive the issue for a聽sector of the population,聽says Jeffrey Berry, professor of political science at Tufts University in Medford, Mass.

鈥淢ormonism could still emerge as a problem for Romney amongst a small group of Americans聽who are prejudiced against its teachings,鈥� he says.聽However the most聽damaging information arising from the newly released tax reforms for a wider swathe of Americans he suggests, may relate more to offshore tax havens聽and foreign bank accounts.

Even if the level of Romney鈥檚 tithing pushes the issue of his faith into the spotlight, the level and length of his聽generosity may聽actually help broaden his appeal among many who might not otherwise relate to Mormon practices.

The practice of tithing is not unique to the Mormon church, points out Villanova University political science professor Catherine Wilson.

鈥淚n fact, it is common ecumenical practice by people of faith both in the United States and throughout the world,鈥� she says, adding Romney鈥檚 large contributions to his church are representative of the fact that private charitable contributions to faith-based organizations far outstrip contributions to other kinds of nonprofits in the United States.

She notes that 33 percent of all private charitable contributions go directly to faith-based organizations, which is two-and-a-half times the contribution to any other nonprofit.

鈥淭his is an important part of the American philanthropic narrative that is largely unrecognized,鈥� she says, adding that this makes Romney鈥檚 tithing something to which most Americans can聽relate.