You know I"m a Mormon, I also wear the "funny underwear" In response to your cartoon I guess I would say meh! kind of funny. I don't feel any kind of visceral response to this. Its not like no one has ever seen them before. You know it is rumored that the whole fashion of boxer-briefs came about when professional athletes would see their Mormon counterparts changing into them in the locker room and thought they looked cooler than the traditional tighty-whities or baggy boxers. In one documented instance Steve Young from the SF 49ers was asked by a team mate, "hey man those are pretty cool, where do you get those?" Steve's response, with a chuckle and a smile: "you couldn't afford them" meaning to get them you would have to join the church and pay your tithing.

Today, if anybody wants to know what wearing the garment feels like, just go by your self a pair of boxer briefs and a regular T-shirt. I know, pretty crazy huh.

Well, as a Mormon, I find the garment pictures distasteful.

In comparing depictions of Mitt in his underwear with depictions of other politicians in theirs, that's totally missing the point. Wearing the garment has a religious significance that wearing a crucifix might have for a pious Catholic, or which a yarmulke might have for a pious Jew. The difference is, the crucifix and yarmulke are INTENDED for public eyes, while the temple garment is worn under the clothing because it is meant to symbolize something very personal between you and God. It's not a public thing, which is why the garment is worn beneath the clothing.

Most stuff critical of my faith just rolls off of me -- I'm used to it. But when I see public depictions (like the above) of something that was always intended to be very personal, I frankly feel violated. It's very jarring. Depicting Mitt in a garment is more analogous to a cutesy, dismissive depiction of the cross or the yarmulke.

Daryl, you either didn't do enough research to know that this would be offensive to Mormons or you didn't care. I'm uncomfortable with disrespect shown to ANYONE's cherished beliefs, mine included. I'm not familiar with your work. Do you regularly show dismissive depictions of what large groups of people consider personal, private and sacred?

I am not a Romney fan, but I am not a fan of denigrating people's religious beliefs either. It is not like Romney isn't giving you plenty of legitimate fodder. This Mormon bashing is weak. Go after his writing off his wife's horse on his taxes or something like that...

I have to agree with the above- Romney's mormon underwear is the LEAST weird of any depicted in the article above. I myself have worn white brief and a tshirt plenty of times, but never heart boxers or gas pump boxers. Not sure what's supposed to be so "weird" about mormon underwear anyway, apart from being a bit longer on the leg.

So Daryl, when are you going to draw Mohammad? No, you're too much of a coward d and a hypocrite to do that.

I demand an apology from Hillary Clinton!!!!

The cartoons leave me a little ill at ease. I don't think we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) should be immune to political satire. But Mitt is a Politician not the poster boy of my faith. Mitt Romney no more represents my faith or politics as does a pedophile priest represent Mother Teresa. It would be nice if us regular 47% Mormons could watch this political circus without the fear of having things we hold sacred held up for mockery. The artistry is great though. UGhhhh! Why couldn't it be John Huntsman as our first national candidate or better yet good ole Harry Reid

This is really offensive and distasteful. Of course, no media pundits will call this cartoon out. Draw Muhammed however and...

Seems like the cartoonist forgot the compass and the square over the nipples and the straight line over the belly button and the knee.

• The compass - Because this campaign is completely lost.
• The Square - Because Mitt's seems to have forgotten fairness and what is just.
• The Dash over the belly button - Because Mitt has no idea what it feels like to be hungry in his over-privileged world.
• The Dash over the knee- Because Mitt will be crushed to his knees by this campaign. After this he'll have a hard time being winning an election for dog catcher.

Yeah these markings really do exist in the Mormon garment. The Mormon interpretation of their meaning may vary.

And congratulations Lorren ... We can give Daryl the benefit of the doubt that he wasn't intentionally trying to stick his finger in the eye of every Mormon in the world. You certainly don't feign ignorance when you try to offend. I'm not sure whether to respect the nakedness of your attempt to offend, but I suppose I'll take open guile over covert guile at any rate.

Dear Daryl,

If Mormons started rioting in front of NBC and calling for your head on a stick would you take more care? I guess since we aren't the "rioting calling for death to the infidels" type of church, we must simply courteously insist that you get a measure of class and repent of your insensitivity. I wish that would work, but my experience with folks like you is that it won't.

Oh the hypocrisy!!! And Daryl Cagle exemplifies yet another great hypocrisy of the left.

If it were known that a male Democrat candidate wore panites and a bra under his suit, the left would be celebrating their "progressive" success. Yet a Republican candidate wears an undergarment that symbolizes his sacred covenants with God, and you ridicule him. So much for "diversity", right?

While perhaps the left would also ridicule a Republican candidate who is Jewish wearing a yamika, is there any doubt they would be completely silent if a Muslum Democrat candidate wore a Kufi?

And what kind of freaking pervert really cares what kind of underwear another man wears anyway? Geez!!!

Aren't you glad Mormons don't react like Muslims? Let's see if you're as big as you like to act - try something like this with Mohammed.

LorinM,

My hope is that you'll investigate those symbols. By investigating, you'll find that the symbols represent the tools of cathedral and castle builders of the middle ages. Your offense will turn into disbelief. Then we can both have a good laugh at the absurdities. Those magic underpants are a hoax and are very worthy of ridicule.

Lorren,

Two things:
1. I'm familiar with the conspiracy theories involving the Masons and so forth. And familiar with pretty much every other charge against the church and it's founding members. AND I am an active, believing Mormon. The case against our church is nowhere near as strong as our detractors claim. I could say more, but I'll leave it at that.

2. "Magic underpants." I don't believe in magic underpants. Do you? Nobody has ever told me that the garments I put on every morning have unusual properties, unless you think cotton has mystical properties. They're made of a variety of normal fabrics, they're manufactured in an unglamorous facility, and then they are unceremoniously shipped to certain authorized stores that can in some places be found in shopping malls. No inherent mystical qualities are claimed. However, they remind me of promises I've made to God, and that keeping those promises does come with unspecified assurances of spiritual protection. And I wear the reminders of my promises and God's promises with me 24/7. That's all there is. Anything you've been told beyond that is false.

As a Mormon/Christian myself, I would ask you to please draw Mitt w/out the garments. For one thing, they are sacred to us, more sacred than a cross would be to an average Christian. It is a part of our identity - of who we are. Also, as you stated, it represents the covenants we make with Jesus Christ. The covenants are about living a selfless life, not the self-centered lifestyle Romney promotes. By drawing him without the garments you are also making the statement that he has forgotten his promises and rejected his covenants. While I cannot judge his heart, I can judge his words and they do not tell the story of a Mormon that would honoring his.

E David,

Do you seriously think adherence to a particular political position amounts to 'forgetting promises and rejecting covenants?' Do you really believe that following religious mandates to be one's brother's keeper or to be in service to one's fellow beings can only be accomplished through the empowerment of coercive, bloated bureaucracies or social programs? Has it ever occurred to you that life experience has shown some of us that when we rely on inefficient and ineffective government programs to take care of the needy the result is institutional dependency? Are you saying that if we want to be true to our covenants and promises we should simply ignore the corrupting, morally corrosive influence of the nanny state?

No Brother Ferriman, I believe my religious responsibilities are best met when I support politicians and policies that promote prosperity. This enables more of us to follow Mr. Romneys example of generosity (giving up to 30% of one’s income to charity). Funny how you perceive this as a “self-centered lifestyle.”

As for Mr. Romney’s words to which you so strongly object: To me it seems disingenuous not to acknowledge that Mr. Romney’s video comments were made in the context of discussing campaign strategies. Any clear thinking person should be able to understand that comments Mr. Romney made about it not being his job to worry about the 47% were referring using campaign resources to win the votes of those trapped in the nanny-state status quo. Smart, effective campaign strategies do not equate to 'forgetting promises and rejecting covenants.’

“While I cannot judge his heart, I can judge his words and they do not tell the story of a Mormon that would honoring his.” Actually, you’ve done a very poor job of judging his words. Shame on you.

This is why I love Cartoons. They highlight the level of extremism of a group.

If you were to draw a cartoon of Martin Luther smashing his hand with a hammer as he nailed his thesis to the church doors, Lutherans probably wouldn't care. If you drew an obscene caricature of John Wesley, Methodists wouldn't care.

Now look at what happens when you draw a political cartoon of a modern presidential candidate that highlights his Mormonism. Just look at all the offended Mormons. Their offense is certainly not as extreme as what we'd see from the Muslim world, but much more extreme than your typical mainstream Christian.

The White House is no place for a religious extremist.

When people use the word cult and other disparaging words about someone else's religion they are purposely trying to insult someone else's faith in an attempt to make themselves look and feel superior. Thus, it says more about them than anyone else. To all those who are guilty of this I would suggest that they switch to talking about their own religious belief system instead of someone else's.

Ummm.......let me see......its OK to have the "free speech" to poke fun at a Mormon BUT its "unacceptable" to have the "free speech" to poke fun at Mohammad/Islam.

Am I the only one who's noticing this?

The "piss christ" is in Philadephia and thats OK too, BUT some obscure, crappy video about Islam is "unacceptable".

The "progressive" leadership and intelligentsia in this country are rolling out a media campaign to limit this country's Liberties.....starting with Freedom of Speech.

Presumably the model for this is based on the European version of "Hate Speech" laws, and now the pressure is being applied to make the US conform to this "international standard".

The Europeans may roll over and accept some extranational entity dictation of its domestic laws....but the US is not Europe and people here already resent our version of governmental big brother.

People.....this kind of @!$%# will lead to a 1776 solution....Bet on it.