Yes, tomorrow the winners of the photo caption contest will be announced. I know you have all been waiting with tingling toes and other extremities…. Well now, the time has finally arrived. Or close anyway.

In a long overdue action, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued an APOLOGY for the Mountain Meadows Massacre of September 11, 1857. Lest you think this another carefully worded, “Well, we sure don’t think we played a part, but we’re really sorry it happened” type apology, let me quote from the actual apology, as it was noted in the Deseret News.

“We express profound regret for the massacre carried out in this valley 150 years ago today, and for the undue and untold suffering experienced by the victims then and by their relatives to the present time,” Elder Eyring said.

“A separate expression of regret is owed the Paiute people who have unjustly borne for too long the principal blame for what occurred during the massacre,” he said. “Although the extent of their involvement is disputed, it is believed they would not have participated without the direction and stimulus provided by local church leaders and members.”

Wow. Kudos to the Church for their actions. I would like to point out that I have ENCOURAGED this very action for years. The Catholics did it, and it worked in their favor!

I realize the movie September Dawn had some impetus in forcing their hand, although I haven’t really heard good things about the movie as of yet. But this is a positive step in the RIGHT direction. Acknowledging past mistakes is integral and important to moving forward. Plus, people aren’t as inclined to call you a cult when you are not hiding the less than savory parts of your past.

Just my take.

Today, while waiting for Thing 1 and Thing 2, er, the children, to exit their orthodontist appointment, I was privy to an interesting conversation between three young men.

Two were Mormon, and the third appeared to be investigating Mormonism. I’m not sure. I swear, they were NOT more than 17, of course the older I get, the younger everyone else gets. Perhaps the most vocal and VERY LOUDEST of the three was getting ready to depart on his mission. Again, don’t know. They were not official missionaries, because EVERYONE knows how to spot those poor suckers.

These three were in short and T-shirts.

Brother Vocal said many things in the time I was listening to their conversation (and don’t accuse me of eavesdropping, because they were LOUD. Just give me credit for NOT jumping into the middle of it!), but the one that sticks out the most is one I hear over and over again.

The Mormon Church is the fastest growing religion in the world.

NOT! Even the official Mormon Church does not make this claim, and yet it is repeated by members over and over and over.

I wanted to jump up and tell Brother Vocal that he was DEAD wrong, but these WERE teenaged boys, after all. Too much eye-rolling makes me go into seizures, and you can bet there would have been eye-rolling galore if I had stepped in.

What I wonder is, SHOULD NOT the young who are vocal about their religion, KNOW THE TRUTH? Where are they GETTING THEIR INFORMATION? MTV? Get it? MTV=Mormon TV? Oh, never mind.

Anyway, he recounted quite a few sad little myths, but the one thing he kept doing, over and over, was reciting the FLAWS of the other religions. He claimed that Buddhism was created so the Chinese government could control the Chinese people. Considering that Buddhism is based on the teachings of Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, who incidentally is from India, I’m a bit worried about Brother Vocal’s intelligence.

I know, I know, he’s young, but if you are going to scream from the rooftops about something that you believe is true, SHOULDN’T YOU HAVE YOUR FACTS semi-straight?

One thing that his young friend/potential convert picked up was that he had absolutely NO knowledge of the Bible. Young Friend kept pointing out Bible verses and Brother Vocal was totally stumped. And the other guy? He must have been window dressing. He didn’t say too much.

Some of the other nuggets?

“Some people think Mormons are arrogant, but what you need to understand is that we are not arrogant, we are confident. We know we have the only true thing.”

“Those Catholics did the same things the Chinese people, did, too. They just don’t talk about it much.”

“The Book of Mormon is true, and all you have to do is pray about it. You will know it’s true after that. I promise you that.”

Okay. So, how did it end?

Brother Vocal drove off in one car, Friend in another, and I have no idea.

But it was interesting….

…when you have your OWN personal topic on the Mormon Apologetics Board. And indeed, I do. I won’t say I am terribly popular there, but it’s been interesting.

Since I am a big advocate of ex-Mormons and believing Mormons finding common ground, I will regard it as a positive.

Many very nice Mormons, there, and even some that have been gracious and come around after initially accusing me of being a big fat ANTI-MORMON! Well, kinda….