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　　In U.S. presidential politics, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt¹ Romney has a narrow lead over Georgia businessman Herman Cain in the latest CNN-ORC public opinion poll. Most experts consider Romney the frontrunner for the Republican Party's presidential nomination² next year. But in recent weeks, Romney has been on the defensive³ about his religion and the issue came into focus during the latest Republican candidates' debate in Las Vegas. Romney is a member of the Mormon Church, which generally follows Christian⁴ precepts⁵, but adheres to its own founder⁶ and holy book separate from the Christian Bible.
在美国总统竞选的政治态势中，在最近的民调中(CNN-ORC)，前麻萨诸塞州长米特·罗姆尼一直微小领先乔治亚州的商人赫尔曼·凯恩。多数专家认为，罗姆尼为明年总统大选，在共和党提名竞争中居于领先地位。但最近几个星期来，罗姆尼因为他宗教信仰，陷于守势。这个问题成为最近共和党侯选人在拉斯维加斯辩论中的焦点。罗姆尼是摩门教徒。摩门教的信仰一般和基督教的教义一致，只是它有自己的创教者，以及除了圣经之外，还有自己的经文。
The intersection⁷ of politics and religion in the 2012 race for the White House came into sharp focus because of comments from an evangelical Christian pastor⁸, Robert Jeffress, who supports Texas Governor Rick Perry for president.
在竞争2012年白宫之路的政治和宗教交口上，由于一名基督教牧师罗伯特·杰夫里斯的言论，引起激烈争辩。杰夫里斯支持德克萨斯州长里克.佩里竞逐共和党的总统侯选人。
Jeffress opposes Mitt Romney because of his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church.
杰夫里斯反对罗姆尼，只因为他属于耶稣基督后期圣徒教会，也就是摩门教会。
"In my estimation, Mormonism is a cult⁹," said Jeffress. "And it would give credence¹⁰ to a cult to have a Mormon candidate."
杰夫里斯说：“依我看来，摩门教派属于邪教。我们选出来自摩门教会的侯选人，等于我们信任邪教。”
Mormons generally follow Christian precepts, but adhere to their own church founder, Joseph Smith, and a holy book, the Book of Mormon, which is separate from the Christian Bible.
一般说来，摩门教奉行基督教义。此外，他们还有遵循自己的创立者约瑟·斯密斯，以及一本摩门经。这本经书不同于基督教圣经。
Jeffress says Mormons are moral people, but are not part of mainstream¹¹ Christianity - a view many Mormons dispute.
杰夫里斯说，摩门教徒都是道德良好的人，但并不属于基督教的主流。这一点许多摩门教徒并不同意。
The religious issue was raised during the Republican debate in Las Vegas this week, when Rick Perry was asked about Jeffress's comments.
这项宗教争议发生于本周二在拉斯维加斯的共和党辩论中。有人请德州州长佩里评论杰夫里斯的言论时，他说：
"That individual expressed an opinion," said Perry. "I didn't agree with it, Mitt, and I said so. But the fact is Americans understand faith and what they have lost faith in is the current resident of the White House [President Barack Obama]."
“这是个人表达的意见。我并不同意，罗姆尼也和我一样不会同意。事实上，美国人了解信心是什么。他们已经丧失的信心，是对白宫里现任总统丧失的信心。”
Mitt Romney said that using any kind of religious test for political candidates is wrong.
罗姆尼说，利用宗教来检视政治性的后选人，是错误的。
"That idea that we should choose people based upon their religion for public office is what I find to be most troubling because the founders¹² of this country went to great lengths, and even put it in the Constitution, that we would not choose people to represent us in government based upon their religion," noted¹³ Romney.
他说：“根据宗教信仰来选人择担任公职的理念，在我看来是最令人感到不安的。因为我们国家的开国元勋们做了如此长远的努力，甚至在写入宪法，规定我们不应基于宗教，选举我们在政府中的代表。”
Public opinion surveys show that most Americans are tolerant of different religious views, unless they are seen as extreme.
据民意调查显示，除非那些被认为是极端的宗教观点，不然，大多数美国人都能容纳各个不同宗教的观点。
That was backed up by a recent sampling of opinion in Los Angeles. However, Romney might be hurt by the reluctance¹⁴ of some Christian voters to support him, says Daniel Cox with the Public Religion Research Institute here in Washington.
华盛顿公共宗教研究所的丹尼尔·考克斯说，某些基督教徒不愿支持罗姆尼，对他可能造成伤害。
"Evangelicals are a vital part of the Republican primary constituency," said Cox. "They are about one in four voters overall and they make up a significant portion of the Republican primary electorate¹⁵, particularly in places like Iowa and South Carolina and Florida."
他说：“福音教义派是共和党选区中的主要部分。他们占全部选民的四分之一。在初选中更是重要的一群。特别是在爱奥华，南卡罗来纳和佛罗里达等州。”
But Cox says there is a way for Romney to overcome some of those doubts.
可是，考克斯说，罗姆尼也有一些方法来克服选民对他的这些疑点。
"If Romney can convince voters, particularly Evangelical voters in the Republican primaries, that he shares their political values, there is a good chance that the religious values may not be as important," Cox explained.
考克斯说：“如果罗姆尼能使选民相信，特别是让共和党初选中福音教派的选民相信，他和他们有着共同的政治价值观，很可能，宗教价值观就不那么重要了。”
If he wins the Republican nomination and defeats President Barack Obama next year, Romney would become the country's first Mormon president.
如果罗姆尼赢得了共和党总统后选人的提名，并且明年又在大选中击败现任总统奥巴马的话，他将是美国历史上第一位出自摩门教会的总统。