The Unity of Zion: Members of LDS.net Meet for a Meal
On Thursday, June 26 (2008), I drove from my home in Arizona the several hours it took to arrive at 5:00 p.m. at Sandy, Utah’s Southe Towne Center. I was just in time for dinner at the Olive Garden.
You know hanne_line? She is from Norway. She was visiting the United States. Since she was coming so far, she wanted to meet as many LDS.net members that could make it to the gathering.
I sat across from HiJolly (and I found out that he and I are shirttail relatives!). Honor was on my right hand, and skalenfehl’s lovely wife was on my left. pam was diagonally across from me. The rest of the friends at the table were VisionofLehi, Fernni, hanne_linne, skalenfehl, Elphaba, Strawberry Fields, Nyal (and Nyal’s brother – not an LDS.net member – yet!), AND prisonchaplain (who was vacationing in Utah with his family and seeing Temple Square for the first time; prisonchaplain is from Washington). Honor even had checkerboy on the cell phone for a minute or two for a shout out. Jonathan, Karen and Richard from More Good Foundation were also there. (I’m sorry if I missed noting anyone’s presence – let me know!)
Read MoreMy Roots in LDS.net
When I first started chatting online in 1996, there wasn’t an LDS.org website. I was also a bit naive, not realizing most people I encountered online had no idea who Mormons were. When the question of where I was from was asked, there would always be one person in the room who would say, “Utah eh? Are you a Mormon?” When I responded “Yes,” the conversation in the room would always turn into a Q&A session about Mormons. It didn’t take me long to realize that most people just wanted to find out more about what I believed. They didn’t want to talk to the Missionaries, at least not at first. One person in that I was talking with in 1997 did contact the missionaries and was baptized. But, there are many others that only wanted a few curiosities resolved. It was then that I learned the most important thing I could do is set a good example for my religion, because I may be the only Mormon these people would ever talk to.I would be the one who would determine their perspective of all Mormons.
The Mormon and the Atheist
What happens when you bring together a Latter-day Saint whose commitment to the gospel is unwavering, and an atheist who does not believe in God?
What happens when you bring together a Latter-day Saint whose politics are far to the right, and an atheist whose politics are as equally far to the left?
What happens is the Latter-day Saint and the atheist develop a friendship that rises above their differing beliefs, polarized as they may be. A friendship that defies the odds, and demonstrates it is possible to come to respect each other, for who we are as well as who we aren’t.
I am the atheist, and my dear friend PaleRider is the Latter-day Saint, and we have become great pals, which would have been unbelievable ten months ago. Read the rest of this entry »
Read More