As so often, I couldn’t agree with Christopher Hitchens more, here on the subject of Mitt Romney using his religion as a weapon and then crying bigotry as a shield:

According to Byron York, who has been riding around with Romney for National Review, it’s working, as well. Most journalists have tacitly agreed that it’s off-limits to ask the former governor about the tenets of the Mormon cult. Nor do they get much luck if they do ask…

It ought to be borne in mind that Romney is not a mere rank-and-file Mormon. His family is, and has been for generations, part of the dynastic leadership of the mad cult invented by the convicted fraud Joseph Smith. It is not just legitimate that he be asked about the beliefs that he has not just held, but has caused to be spread and caused to be inculcated into children. It is essential. Here is the most salient reason: Until 1978, the so-called Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was an officially racist organization. Mitt Romney was an adult in 1978. We need to know how he justified this to himself, and we need to hear his self-criticism, if he should chance to have one.

Mike Huckabee doesn’t believe in evolution. That’s relevant, and to me disqualifying (disqualifying even to a vice presidential slot, I might add). If a believing Catholic were running (I don’t count Rudy Giuliani, nor did I count John Kerry), his or her religion would have direct bearing on his or her views on any number of issues, from abortion to birth control to foreign aid to support for Israel. And so on and so forth with every major religion.

Now, if there were a brighter line in our politics currently between religion and public policy, such questions might be less relevant. I’m more comfortable with a given candidate’s religion the more sure I am that they don’t actually believe it (see: Giuliani, Rudy; Kerry, John; Clintons, Bill and Hillary) or that they consider it a truly private matter (see: Bush, George H.W.). But when a candidate is both devout and vocal — saying, in effect, vote for me because I’m X — well, the values of X become a lot more important.

Mike Huckabee is saying, in his most recent ad, “Faith doesn’t just influence me, it really defines me” (as the words “CHRISTIAN LEADER” float across the screen). Mitt Romney has based his entire campaign on the idea that “people in this country want a person of faith to lead them,” hoping to convince an Evangelical GOP base that Mormons aren’t so scary.

So, yes, religion’s on the table. You can’t use religion as the basis of your appeal and then run and hide behind the words “religious bigotry” the second someone questions your beliefs — especially, in the case of Romney, when your church has an immensely disturbing history.

None of this means people shouldn’t vote for religious candidates if they want. America’s a very religious country, and profession of belief is a net positive for most candidates. But it does mean that what you believe becomes fair game. No having it both ways.