Mark,I wanted to A) tell you that I appreciate you...

2009-03-10T11:43:00.000-04:00

Mark,

I wanted to A) tell you that I appreciate your comments on charity and your honesty about how difficult it is sometimes to muster what we feel should be natural. I have a loose familial relation who I serve frequently, but charity isn't the word I'd use to describe my relationship with her. At any rate, it was a delight to discover your blog. I also wanted to B) largely agree with your comment and provide some clarification. As an grad student in English at UNC, I FREQUENTLY encounter things that aren't kosher with Mormon culture generally. I read lots of books that will never be taught at BYU--Morison's *Beloved* being only one example. Many of these books I appreciate deeply and strive to share with Mormon friends despite their occasionally counter-culture content. Knowledge about pot, exposure to the real world are not things I would ever want to restrict. However--there ARE substances/experiences that will change us INSTANTLY if we experiment. Pornography, cigarettes are only two possible examples. The chemical stimulus these two drugs provide creates an instant chemical dependence in SOME (but not ALL) individuals. (For more on this, you might read Malcolm Gladwell's *Tipping Point*, the smoking chapter.) Since we never know whether we are individuals who can withstand these drugs or not, the only safe course is not to experiment, not to risk opening our eyes, so to speak. I am by no means in favor of a bubble--just some well placed absolute barriers, ones specifically identified by mandate of the First Presidency.

Thank you for defending cultural exploration, and I love that you care enough to write a lot!

Comments on The Mormon Anomaly: the greatest of these is charity

Mark,I wanted to A) tell you that I appreciate you...