SPEAKING FREELY.

Not many people are backing Rev. Robert Jeffress, the Texas baptist preacher, who says that Mormonism is a cult, so that no one must vote for former Gov. Mitt Romney, because he is a member of that spiritual or religious divinity.

However, the heading, "Jeffress throws Jesus under the bus" on the Internet is too strong, if not naive. (POLITICO, Opinion column, 10/11/11).

The reason for that (heading) is a quotation from Jesus, "Judge not that ye be not judged"; but it does not give credence to the article that it is found in, or is it in line with present day politics in America.

As far as we all know, and in reference to what the news media venues have reported, the pastor was expressing his views on the religious aspect of a candidate, who happened to be a Mormon; and he (the pastor) was, and is still, allowed to exercise that privilege, under the First Amendment Right of the United States Constitution. Freedom of expression, in the current case.

In short, it (Amendment) permitted freedom of speech, among others; and that was exactly what the pastor was doing.

If the public was to leave that out, in regard to its political inclinations, then the whole Constitution would be meaningless. It would only be a collection of words or rules from which there would just be the act of "cheery picking", and not too much else could be done with it.

Romney's faith of Mormonism was what the pastor was referring to, and as faith went in human nature, it should become a trait of the person at whom the assertion, under all circumstances, would be pointing.

The other person then has to come out and defend it (faith) fiercely, and in no uncertain terms, because it was part of his life that was under attack or that has again been released for a closer public scrutiny. The same thing happened a few years back, when Romney ran for the presidency.

Romney should be bold and faced the challenge that came with his religious background. If that did not happen, or would not happen, then who should blame the pastor for doing what his own faith told him to do?

In the same frame from which that first quotation was culled, there was another quotation that started with, "I am the way......"; and went on to show what the pastor was being vociferous about.

So, if there was just one route to use to go to a certain particular place, why on earth would anyone go by any other route?

Putting politics aside, the pastor was demonstrating what the true person of Romney was; and that was exactly what people were aspiring to know. For the person and his beliefs could not be separated; and that must be brought into account, particularly, if that person was running for the presidency of the United States.

It would be like saying that President Barack Obama was a Muslim. That would be talking about his person; and that would be a serious topic indeed, as far as the public was concerned.

In that instance, the president would have no alternative, but to defend himself to the fullest; that he was a converted Christian; and that he was very passionate about his religion; no matter how many times he was confronted with that question.

Right now, the Romney camp is not putting up a strong defence, except by saying or issuing some statements that one's religion was not important in the current political atmosphere.

Of course it is important, because it (religion) is not even the extension of the man; it is his persona, anyway it is looked at.

To many, Rev. Jeffress has not been totally wrong in bringing up the question of Romney's religion once more; for he has every right to speak his mind; and as the U.S. Constitution affords every American that right, so must he.

It will be for voters to decide, as always, what a person stands for; and that, fortunately or unfortunately, will include his religion.

Right or wrong, Rev. Robert Jeffress must be accorded the same right, as anyone else, to speak freely.