OK Friends, I need to get on my soapbox.  

Please indulge me (or don't read this- ahh!! the beauty of living in America!!)  

Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas chose the Values Voter Summit to loudly proclaim that Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not a Christian because he is a Mormon, and Mormonism is a cult.   First of all, to be clear,  I don't care if you vote for Mitt, Obama, or a little green man from Mars. I do take offense with my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being called a cult.  

 

I know my beliefs are "out there" to some of you.  I know you don't believe what I do, and you really can't understand why I go to church for three hours every week,  donate a portion of my income, wear the clothing I wear and spend the amount of time doing church-related things that I do.  You and I may differ on what Jesus looks like, what he wants us to do, and how to do it.  Does that mean we can't get along?  Really?  I think our differences make us awesome. I think our differences make us better.

But please, can we stop with the "cult" crap? 

 There are 14 million Mormons on six continents. We spend our time helping others, mostly not of our own faith. Since my church started keeping track of charitable donations in 1985 we have donated over 1 Billion dollars.  We are often first in line after a natural disaster to offer relief.  We have a program to assist training care givers in underdeveloped countries neonatal resuscitation.  We partner with the the Red Cross and UNICEF to help stop measles, and donate 1 million dollars a year to that cause.  Since 2002 we have helped 5 million people have access to clean water in 4500 communities.  We have provided vision treatment to over 180,000 people around the globe.  We have donated over 300,000 wheelchairs in 101 countries.  This is just the big stuff.  I am not counting the hours or dollars we happily donate to help our neighbors, our friends and our communities.   Jesus said, ( yea, the same Jesus you say I don't believe in) "By their fruits ye shall know them."  Sorry, but I think we have some pretty great fruit....if I do say so myself....  

Is my church perfect?  Nope.  Full of a lot of strange people.  But it is also full of amazing, talented, kind, thoughtful followers of Christ who just want to make a difference in their community,  and live a good life.  The leaders of my church are amazing men and women donating their time and energy to make our world a better place.  I don't follow a Charles Manson that wants me to climb around the Hollywood hills and murder people.

  I am not part of a cult.  I think, I choose, and I act.  All by myself.  

I follow Jesus Christ. Even if you don't like how I do it, or think I am not "really" a Christian.  

How about we stop all this nonsense of name calling and look to find what we have in common?  How about we work together as Americans to solve the problems that our great country is facing.  How about we learn to listen to each other- we might be surprised to hear a suggestion or a thought that actually might work.  Let's make our country a wonderful place  for our kids, our grandkids and all those who follow after them.  Let's stop pointing fingers at each other like snotty nosed kids on the playground who blame each other for everything that is wrong with little thought as to how we have contributed to the problem.  Let's dig out the ancient art of compromise to look for ways to solve the really hard problems.   Let's go out there and roll up our sleeves, shut our mouths, and get to work.... because I believe we really all can make a difference.... one random woman at a time!!! 

For more info on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints- go to www.mormon.org

Here is the link to Pastor Jeffress' comments: http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2011/10/07/values_voter_summit_perry_s_anti_mormon_endorser.html






And this is a link to one of my leaders talking of Christ.... You choose! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wIJIKxt5nk&feature=related