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Two Distinct Utahns - One Big Divide?

WOMEN TALKING TO BRIDGE RELIGIOUS DIVIDE

Last January nine women got together in Elise Lazar's living room to try an experiment: They began a conversation to help build a bridge between Utahns who are LDS and Utahns who aren't. Not a big bridge, of course, because there were only nine women. A footbridge, maybe.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...03090%2C00.html

Divide Big - Utahns Distinct Two

I have heard this is a problem in Utah, and it may be a problem in other areas where there is a large LDS population. It is not a problem, I don't think, where I live because there aren't enough members in the area to cause non-members to feel excluded. At least I don't think so.

While it is true that as a group we tend to socialize together, but I think it is more a result of spending so much time together in Church related activities. We form friendships. However, where I live, once your child goes to school, chances are pretty good they will be the only LDS member in their class or on their sports team. If you were to hold a birthday party and only invite their LDS friends, you would pretty much be excluding all of their school and sports friends.

As adults, I can't imagine most of the people I work with having fun or feeling comfortable at a cookout at my house. A blessing on the food, and more importantly, a cook out without beer! They would probably consider it "un-American."

My final thought - I don't see how we get past people thinking we only want to befriend them with an interest in converting them. That may not be the only interest we have, but for most of us, it is definately an interest and not a minor one either. We are always being challenged to share the gospel with our friends and neighbors. It can be a difficult thing to do without giving the impression that this is what we have been planning for all along. Not insurmountable, but it does require a good deal of forethought...

Two Distinct Utahns - One Big Divide? Studies Doctrine Mormon

I think this is a problem everywhere and that's why I think the First Presidency is focusing so much about being kind with people from other religions, because as Pres. Hinckley mentioned, he has received too many letters of people who are from other faiths who have felt hurt because of the reaction of certain members of the Church towards them and their families. Do we think we know better than other people? Do we think because we have the Gospel in our lives that other people 'will burn in hell', do we think that we are automatically saved?. We need to be so careful about pride....as I always say, we will be surprised when we all die, who really 'made' it and who did not.

Divide Big - Utahns Distinct Two

It's been said so many times in church that it makes me cringe to hear it -- when other faiths are denigrated in a classroom or from the pulpit, or even in Relief Society! Ouch! "Those other churches..." don't have the truth, don't understand the gospel, members are deceived, in danger of burning.. etc ad nauseum. We have so many members who are converts, or who have family members in other faiths, or people visiting or investigating, we should be very careful what we say about other churches when in positions of authority.

The church, as viewed by many outside of it, is viewed as an "all-white, all-male" dominated "cult." Some LDS folk are brought up so sheltered that hearing of something the rest of the world may view as normal is shocking to them. I know from experience; I have some of these in my own extended family.

To bridge the gap between LDS & non-LDS people is a fine goal, and I hope that their efforts continue. There is probably as much work to be done on the member side for tolerance and love as there is in educating non-members about the church.

Rox

Divide Big - Utahns Distinct Two

Farseer, great points. I think we also should start by following the counsel of Pres. Monson when he talked about the term 'non-member' he said something like we should not refer to someone for something they are not because it is hurtful and that's so true. I think the word investigator if they searching for a Church is a good one or just 'friend of the Church'...it seems not like a big deal but I think from small things like this big changes can occur and healing could take place.