religious diversity roundtable

this thing was pretty cool, they basically had leaders from several religious groups on the panel to discuss the religious diversity in happy valley where the lds church is the dominant religion.

the panel was made up of....
greg johnson (evangelical), director, standing together.
father michael sciumbatto (catholic), st. francis of assisi, orem.
elder donald j. butler, the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints, utah south area.
robert millet, department of religious education, brigham young university.
scott mckinney, pastor, christ evangelical church, orem.
caru das, krishna consciousness temple, spanish fork.
brian davis (episcopalian), weber state university, pluralism project.
janet riley, pastor, springville community presbyterian church.
terek nosseir, islamic society of greater salt lake.
imam mohammed shoaibuddin, islamic society of greater salt lake.

they all had some really good things to say. i was really impressed by caru das and robert millet (who i once did not like by association of joseph fielding mcckonkie). i especially like when millet said (to paraphrase) "we need to check our agendas. if we were more bent on seeing others as friends instead of potential converts, this would be a much happier palce." i think his words can apply to more than just lds and those who aren't of this faith, but to all of us. i think we tend to look at others (in the church) as persons with different beliefs, values, etc instead of looking at them as friends. i am just as guilty as the next guy.

oh yeah, and i met and got this girls phone number at this thing tonight. hopefully i can get a date with her this weekend


donating blood

i went to the red cross today to donate some blood. (i don't believe in selling plasma. god gave me my life for free, what right do i have to turn around and sell it to others). so i get this male nurse that seemed lost and confused as he was doing everything. he ends up missing my vein and jerked the needle around in my arm to find it. that's not the best of feelings. so now my arm is bruised and i'm going to look like a junkie tomorrow. shouldn't i be blessed for doing a good deed?