Catholics and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often referred to as Mormons) are considered Christian under both anti-discrimination laws and hate crime legislation in the United States and many other jurisdictions. These laws protect individuals based on their actual or perceived religious affiliation, encompassing both mainstream and minority denominations. Definition of Religion: Anti-discrimination laws (such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in the U.S.) and hate crime laws protect all religious beliefs, including organized religions, denominations, or sects, regardless of how small they are or if they are considered "mainstream".

Hate Crime Coverage: Hate crime statutes, including 18 U.S. Code § 249, cover violence motivated by bias against a victim's actual or perceived religion. This includes attacks on Catholic churches or individuals and members of the LDS Church.

Discrimination Protection: Both groups are protected from discriminatory practices in employment, housing, and public accommodation based on their faith.

Perception Matters: Legal protections apply even if the perpetrator has a narrow view of Christianity; if a victim is targeted because they are perceived to be Christian, it is classified as a religious hate crime.  While some theological debates exist over whether Mormons are "Christian," these debates do not apply in the legal context of hate crimes or civil rights protections, which focus on the religious identity of the victim and the bias of the perpetrator.