I am a mormon, and I agree 100% with Jafet Quezada’s letter (“Some Mormons are too cocky” Oct, 14). So does an LDS church leader. He says,
“Occasionally I hear of members offending those of other faiths by overlooking them and leaving them out…I have heard about narro-minded parents who tell children that they cannot play with a particular child in the neighborhood simply because his or her family does not belong to our church. This kind of behavior is not in keeping with the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ…that is our doctrine, a doctrine of inclusion.”
He continues, “I believe it would be good if we eliminated a couple of phrases from our vocabulary: “nonmember” and “non-Mormon.” Such phrases can be demeaning and even belittling. Personally, I don’t consider myself to be a “non-Catholic” or a “non-Jew.” I am a Christian. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That is how I prefer to be identified-for who and what I am, as opposed to being identified for what I am not. Let us extend that same courtesy to those who live among us. If a collective description is needed, then “neighbors” seems to work well in most cases.” (Elder M. Russel Ballard of the Quroum of the Twelve Apostles, Ensign, Nov. 2001, p.35).
-Kellen WilsonJunior, Finance and Spanish