(RNS) For Mitt Romney the answer to the Palestinians is crystal clear: Give up. After all, in his view Palestinians are “culturally” defective and God is on the other side. By Sam Bahour.

(RNS) As he competes against a Mormon in the presidential election, President Obama has appointed the first Mormon member of his White House faith-based council. By Daniel Burke 

(RNS) Most Americans who know that Mitt Romney is Mormon say the presumptive GOP nominee’s faith doesn’t concern them. But a new poll indicates there may be an “enthusiasm gap” for Romney among white evangelicals. By Daniel Burke.

JERUSALEM (RNS) Despite international pressure -- including support from both U.S. presidential candidates -- the International Olympic Committee has refused to include a moment of silence at Friday's opening ceremony to honor Israeli athletes killed by terrorists at the games 40 years ago. By Michele Chabin.

(RNS) Stephen Mansfield, an evangelical author on the faith of politicians, has turned his attention to Mormons in his latest book, “The Mormonizing of America.” By Adelle M. Banks.

SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) As Americans celebrate the nation's founding, some Mormons may outdo their neighbors this week in fireworks, fanfare and frenzy to express their outsized patriotism. Other Mormons caution against linking political perspectives on American exceptionalism to specific theology or teachings. Peggy Fletcher Stack.

(RNS) Three out of four Mormons said Mitt Romney's rise to become the presumptive GOP presidential nominee is a good thing for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But less than a quarter expect the media to cover the church fairly, according to a new poll. By Daniel Burke.

(RNS) Nearly one in five Americans would not vote for a Mormon president, a percentage that has barely budged since 1967, according to Gallup pollsters. By Daniel Burke.

(RNS) Mitt Romney was a lukewarm Mormon before leaving for a 30-month missionary stint in France at age 19. He came back on fire for his faith and a budding leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Romney's experience is common among Mormons, where the most ardent converts are often the missionaries themselves. By Daniel Burke.

SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney. The matchup is both thrilling and complicated for one particular group - black Latter-day Saints. "I've been black my whole life and a Mormon for 30 years and never thought either of these (candidacies) would happen in my lifetime," says Utah attorney Keith Hamilton. By Peggy Fletcher Stack.

(RNS) The relative ambivalence among prominent evangelicals about this new "Mormon moment" -- and the fact that Mitt Romney's campaign could mainstream Mormonism right into the Oval Office – could radically shift the dynamics on America's political and religious landscape. By Jonathan Merritt.

(RNS) One study says that Mormonism will hurt Mitt Romney's quest for the White House. Another says such fears are "exaggerated." How do we make sense of such contradictory claims? By Daniel Burke.

WASHINGTON (RNS) If used against him in the fall presidential election, negative stigmas or stereotypes about Mormonism could be hard to overcome for Mitt Romney's campaign, according to an academic study released Monday. By Steve Koff.

SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) In his new book, evangelical scholar and seminary president Richard Mouw argues that understanding Mormonism isn’t just about being nice, it’s a Christian mandate. By Peggy Fletcher Stack.