We should be used to it, but it still stings when it happens. The LDS church has been inexistance for about 178 years now, and yet the intolerance and hatred always seems to surprise and hurt. The Washington Post did an article about how the community in Washington D.C. was trying to block the building of one of our churches on 16th Street (with about 45 other churches in the vicinity) for various reasons. The nastiest part of the article was this little tidbit:

And the Mormons are finding little support from the neighborhood's clergy,
including one pastor who said his objection is rooted not in architecture, but
theology.
"They don't accept Jesus as the Messiah; they accept him as the
prophet," said Edward Wilson, pastor at Church of Christ, a block from the
Mormon site. "It's wrong, I disagree with it, and I wouldn't want them in the
neighborhood."

To get a job as a pastor, those people have to at least have a graduate degree in religion - yet, I lowly religiously uneducated gal that I am know that the doctrinal issue he has with us is something he should bring up with the ISLAMIC church. That's their view, not ours. We're the flippin' Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints! And you don't want someone in your neigborhood you disagree with? Blegh. So Jared found their church e.mail and sent a note to the offended/offending pastor:


Dear Mr Wilson,

This afternoon I read the story on the proposed new Church on 16th Street in the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302750.html?hpid=moreheadlines). Hopefully the Washington Post mis-quoted you in reference to the beliefs of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The quote reads: "They don't accept Jesus as the Messiah; they accept him as the prophet."

Your quote could not be more untrue. My guess is that you were mis-quoted. I'd suggest contacting the Washington Post and asking them to correct the error so that you can set the record straight. Individuals so misquoted, who have failed to do so, have often lost credibility on matters of religion, and my assumption is that you are not interested in that happening.

If you were quoted correctly, I would direct you to the following website (created and maintained by the same church) which repeated attests and testifies of the divinity and saving mission of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: http://jesuschrist.lds.org. They do not hold Him to be a mere prophet: "Mormons" do, indeed, accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Messiah, the Alpha and Omega and their personal Savior. They are grateful for his mission and sacrifice and strive to live lives, showing their devotion to the Lord by blessing his children around the world.

With Love and Respect,
etc.

I hope this pastor reads this with a little more compassion than he usually does with those "untouchables" he disagrees with. This is my issue with religions where people are paid to teach others -it's a business, not a faith.

Rant over. Enjoy the holiday - go hug someone you don't agree with!