Humor me.

I have been sitting on these links for a couple of weeks, waiting until what felt like the right time. As most of you know, I am an enthusiastic (but hopefully not obnoxious) Latter-Day Saint. A Christian, no matter what some of my fellow Christians might believe. A Republican with a social conscience. A single mother for many years. Pro-woman without being anti-man. And I really hoped that Mitt Romney would win the recent election. Not simply because he shares my faith, although I am glad that he does. But because I believe his principles would do more to right our country than the programs of the current administration.

My guy lost. There are lots of opinions out there as to why that happened. Here is a perspective that made sense to me. Particularly the last two paragraphs embedded in the post. [Consider the defamation that Mary, the mother of Christ, and Mary of Magdala have experienced over the past two millenia. There are enough nut jobs protesting the dedication of new temples in this country, making light of things which I (and roughly 14 million other people) hold sacred.] I have heard it expressed that it was more important that Mitt run, than that he win. Makes a lot of sense to me. And while I was initially a little startled at the First Presidency’s congratulating Mr. Obama, it was a gracious thing to do.

I had hoped that Mitt’s election would mean that people in general would give up the stupor of religious bigotry. I remember being shocked to learn that people had worried that electing JFK would effectively turn our government over the the Vatican. Four years ago, I was delighted that we had advanced enough as a society to finally, finally elect a non-Caucasian to our highest office. (Even if I would have preferred a more politically conservative non-Caucasian.)

I am so grateful for parents who raised me to see people as individuals and not as stereotypes. I am thankful to live in Texas, where my children grew up around people of all faiths and colors and cultures. I grew up in Idaho. There was one black student in my high school, and two years later, his younger sister. I watched my kids carefully for signs that they might be developing prejudice. I would have jumped on that like a duck on a June bug.

I will be so thankful when the religious bigots can finally see us clearly. I don’t expect that to happen before the Millennium, but I can hope. I remember an old joke, printed in the Wall Street Journal when the children’s father was earning his MBA at Brigham Young University (I would have been pregnant with Firstborn at that time). As I remember it, one of the Cardinals tells the Pope, “I’ve got good news and bad news.”

“What’s the good news?”

“The Savior is on the phone.”

“What’s the bad news?”

“He’s calling from Salt Lake City.” Active Latter-Day Saints will know the real reason that’s so funny.

Here’s another link from my friend Kristen, with a Hugh Nibley quote. Hugh Nibley was an amazing man. That second link is well worth your time, even if you only read the first few paragraphs. I have heard that he could read the Dead Sea Scrolls like we read the funnies.

But where is the knitting news? you ask. I am about an inch above the ribbing on the body of Beloved’s sweater, and now I am heading back out to the living room to work on it some more. ♥

Edited to fix a couple of those links. Thank you, Secondborn.