Pew Forum Roundtable Discusssion

[kccougar]

I just read the transcript of this Pew Forum roundtable discussion on Mormons and social/civic giving. They did have one mormon on the panel, but I was impressed with how they very accurately captured (in my opinion) the essence of your typical LDS ward.

http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Mo...ivic-Life.aspx

[Paperback Writer]

I found the point interesting about bridge building to the extended community. In effect, LDS have substantial volunteer capital but are lousy bridge builders, for the most part, to others in the community. In my view, it is not a new phenomenon and is consistent with my expereince.

Growing up in the midwest, I became friends with a dozen or so guys and we continue to be friends to this day (decades later). Few of the families were of the same faith, I was the only LDS. Because of our friendship, the parents and siblings also become acquainted. At first out of concern for who their kids were hanging out with but it later expanded to where our parents invited each other to social functions, informal vistits, etc. Except for my parents, they didn't understand why I couldn't just hang out with the other LDS kids. Didn't accept invites to parties because alcohol was served and didn't regularly attend our football games and other events. They were content to stay within their LDS ward circle. Around that time, the film "The Outsiders" was released an my friends joked that I didn't really have parents, that I and my youunger siblings were being raised by my older brother and sister since they at least knew them from our high school.

In summary, Mormons continue to be an insular people and that's not always good from a community perspective. Little wonder why we can continue to be viewed with suspicion and why there's a lot of misinformation out there.