[SeattleUte]

I think mental gymnastics come into play becuase the LDS Church falls into the post-Reformation side of Christianity that takes an essentially literalist view of the the Bible. This strain of Christianity is virtually gone from Europe, and is now most prevalent in Utah and the Souteastern United States. Catholicism has long since moved away from any literal belief in any of the Biblical stories except for Jesus' miracles and the atonement, Catholic Hagiography regarding miracles, which it's possible to reject and still be a devout Catholic, notwithstanding.

Yes, I know, Mormons don't accept all of the Bible as being perfectly true. But the fact is that the lore surrounding the Book of Mormon, the bestowing of the priesthood keys, etc., and belief in "modern revelation," stamp Mormonism as extremely of the Biblical literalist point of view. As modern science marches inexorably forward methods for objectively testing the old stories become more sophisticated and potent. Hence, mental gymnasitics. Catholics live much more easily with doubt than Mormons or evangelicals, basically because modern cutlure originally took root within its precincts.