****************************Placemark*********************
June 24, 2007
An Open Letter to Shirley Dobson
Chair, National Day of Prayer Task Force
Dear Mrs. Dobson:
I poured out my heart to you, telling you how hurt I am because as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I am excluded from your National Day of Prayer. I received your two-page form-letter response dated 6/19/07 and I am more hurt than ever. You have insulted me personally and you have insulted my heart-felt beliefs. Furthermore, and most grievous, you have insulted my Savior, Jesus Christ, whom I love with all my heart. I am a daughter, as you are, of our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost is my witness. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died for my sins to save me and I love Him and thank our Heavenly Father for sending His only begotten Son to die for me. This is the first time in my life that I truly understand what it feels like to be discriminated against.
You, madam, are ignorant about my Church and my beliefs. You lumped me in with the Muslims. You talk about theological interpretations and how we Mormons make you feel uncomfortable. You said the LDS community is not compatible with the Evangelical community. You said, “The Book of Mormon is too far outside that belief system to accommodate.” Even people with disabilities are supposed to be “accommodated” for God’s sake.
We Mormons, for your information, include the entire Holy Bible - Old and New Testaments, King James Version, cover to cover - in our Scriptures. We read and study the Holy Bible. I have read the Holy Bible at least three times through. The Holy Bible is precious to me and I believe it to be the inspired Word of God. The Book of Mormon is also precious to me and I believe it to be the inspired Word of God. The Book of Mormon speaks of the Messiah, the Savior of the world Jesus Christ, the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, and my personal Friend and Redeemer. The Book of Mormon is a history of the early inhabitants of North America. You have obviously not read the Book of Mormon or you would not make such ignorant statements about it. The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ.
Because the Catholics have additional Books in their Bible, are they excluded from the National Day of Prayer? I guess so, because I found the Catholics stuck down in the left-hand corner at the bottom of your official letterhead along with the Jews and other Protestants with whom you also do not feel comfortable.
You should be fired immediately so as not to hurt any more innocent believers out here with your exclusionary, ignorant, cliquish practices. Bottom line: If an American does not practice “Evangelical Christianity” exactly as you dictate, then that American is “outside” your good graces. You scare me. The worst part is that you are thoroughly convinced that you are right and all of the rest of us who do not believe exactly as you do are wrong.
There is no way to get through to you, obviously. Your mind and heart are closed. How very sad.
I campaigned and voted for President George W. Bush. He is my President, too. I saw him on C-Span with you and your spiritual “in crowd” praying on the National Day of Prayer. Can you imagine how it feels, knowing you consider me unfit to pray with my own President? Can your hard heart even have a clue?
You said it doesn’t matter – no big deal – because the National Day of Prayer is “privately funded” and was “never intended to be ecumenical”. Then why is the President of the United States involved? He represents all of us Americans, doesn’t he?
Who appointed you God? Whoever did should fire you before you turn the entire nation into religious factions that are afraid of one another.
cc: The Honorable George W. Bush
P.S. If Mitt Romney becomes President, will you hold the National Day of Prayer without him?