Bridging the Religious Divide: Open letter to the community
For more than eight months, a unique citizens' project has sought, without preconceptions, to open a window on what is probably the best-known and least-addressed challenge of our community. The "religious divide" between Mormons and non-Mormons is pervasive. It is reflected not merely in our religious practices, but in our politics, employment and commercial practices, our architecture, our schools, our recreation and, often most troubling, in our emotional lives and ties with our families and friends. Recognizing its depth and breadth, citizens from both sides of this divide came together, without an agenda for "solutions," mutually believing in the healing power of honest dialogue. Following a background description is an open letter to the community from the "Bridging the Religious Divide" project, much of it in the voices of the participants.
From dissension to dialogue
Salt Lake City's "Bridging the Religious Divide" project is a community-building initiative designed to bring people from different faiths and cultural backgrounds together for honest, open dialogue. First conceived in response to the contention and division provoked by the Main Street Plaza dispute, the project is based on the simple concept that when people come together to talk, listen and get to know one another, they can find ways to respect differences and enjoy common ground.
To create an opportunity for citizens to speak on a more personal, one-to-one basis, a second phase of the project provided for small group dialogues. Interested citizens were divided into 13 groups with approximately 10 members each. Each group included several members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as people from other religious and nonreligious orientations. This included Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Wiccans, Buddhists, atheists, agnostics, people who identified with no particular religious path and people who embraced multiple religious paths.
All groups agreed to meet at least four times between April 30 and Oct. 1. Many met more often. Each group was facilitated by a trained facilitator. The stated purpose of the project was "dialogue" — an opportunity to have a conversation across religious differences and to explore whatever issues, feelings and concerns emerged between group members.
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