As if I don't have enough to do.

And so begins this, my newest blog.

I keep another blog, all about my knitting adventures, as well as life in general, but the people that read it, read it for knitting content, not my religious beliefs. That said, I really felt I needed a place to address the adventures and misadventures of being a Mormon in Seattle.

Here is how it all began

A few days ago I was in a public place. I was standing outside of a room full of women who I am vaguely acquainted with, the door was open. This is what I hear. . .

loud laughter
"And I said, what are you a MORMON or something? Quit wasting my time."
more loud laughter

I didn't stick around to hear any more of the conversation. It didn't really matter to me what it was about, anyway.

I walked down a flight of stairs and commented to a friend (who knows my religious affiliation) about what I had just heard. Her response:

Well, it is a pretty common punch line.

Was that supposed to make me feel better? I wasn't feeling terribly well that day, so I told myself that I was likely being too sensitive and I just needed to go home and sleep, so I did. When I woke up I remembered, and the next day, I remembered again, and the next day, and today I decided I MUST VENT!

I was wondering if that line has been changed if people would think it less funny, less appropriate. . .

"What are you JEWISH or something?"
"What are you a MEXICAN or something?"
"What are you GAY or something?"

I certainly would not say any of those things.

Then, last night, as I'm sitting here in my living room, being sick, and watching reruns of That 70's Show (which I find hysterical,) Red Forman asks why all these kids go everywhere with him and proclaims,

"I feel like a damned Mormon."

Now that I found funny, very funny. Why? That is what I asked myself.

My answer, because it's true. Mormon families often have several kids, I plan on having about 3 of my own, and if my husband has his way, it will be more. We value family, we value children, and yes, it causes havoc and chaos sometimes. THAT'S why it's funny.

So why was the woman's comment not funny to me? Well, I didn't know the context, but it was the way that she said it for one. It was devaluing something I hold dearly, it wasn't pointing out an unusual quirk. What ever the person did or said that prompted her to make the comment was "wasting her time." Are my core values and beliefs a waste of time? No, no they are not.

I'm sure (OK, not sure, I hope) that this woman didn't realize that what she said was inappropriate. However, it does point out to me that she is ill informed and ill educated. Even if it wasn't intentionally prejudicial, it was ignorant.

And so, what do I do about it? I write. I write about what it means to me to be LDS, why I believe what I do, and how I came to believe it. I write about how I act the way I do, and why. I write about the comical, and not so comical aspects of being a Mormon, and hope that maybe one or two people will be better informed, better educated on what it means to be a Mormon.

That is, what it means other than being the unappreciating punchline to poorly conceived humor.