Prejudice and Misconceptions:

What do people really know about Mormons?
In a world that is scared, jealous, and prideful it isn't hard to get caught up in the tangled web of bigotry. One group of people that gets the beating out of this mess, are the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (abbreviated LDS, often called "Mormons".)
Fortunately, society mainly discourages bigotry against most social groups. Oddly enough, prejudice against Mormons is more socially "fashionable". A recent Bloomberg poll from the Los Angeles Times indicates that original bigotry against Jews and Catholics is "less popular".
Only 10% of Americans stated they would never vote for a Catholic president, and only 15% said the same of a Jew. Disturbingly, 40% of the population said they would never vote for a LDS president.
Of course, the bigots of the world are not the people quietly disagreeing with Mormon doctrine; the bigots are the people who purposely spread lies and slander to discredit the LDS church. This is the source of misinformation that causes misconceptions.
One example of this protest against the Mormons happens twice a year when the Church holds a biannual General Conference for its members. Some members travel to Salt Lake City (LDS Headquarters) to see it live, rather than broadcasted.
Unfortunately, these poor people have their spiritual experience interrupted by the "street preachers" who scream at the participants to let them know that they are "going to hell". What would a Muslim do if these bigots displayed themselves at Mecca? How would the Jew feel if this kind of hatred visited the Wailing Wall?
The internet is another great place to find examples of anti-Mormon prejudice. But if these web-masters really wanted people to find out the "real truth" about Mormonism, why don't they ever provide links to www.lds.org or www.mormon.org? (Official sites of the Mormon Church)
Could these enemies of the Church really know more about the LDS members than the members themselves? What a concept! In fact, you could also discover all about Jews from the Nazis, and learn more about African Americans from the Ku Klux Klan!
So, why is it that people do not like Mormons? Many people claim that they do not hate the Mormon people but simply their doctrine. Some people believe that Mormons are not even Christian because they do not believe in wearing or displaying "the cross".
Others find they do not like "Mormonism" because they simply feel it is "stupid", "far-fetched", "brain-washing", or "satanic"
The Bible says "By their fruits, ye shall know them" look around at what the Mormons are doing. What is so bad about not getting drunk and beating your family? What can be said wrong about avoiding STDs and the emotional stress of premarital sex? Who can call a man evil when he stays faithful to his wife and teaches his children to be honest and forgiving?
So, next time a LDS person walking, don't assume to know all about them because of watching South Park episode 712. Walk up and ask them what they truly believe.
They should know, right? They live it everyday of their life! The world is a vicious place but it doesn't have to be. Don't be a bigot; find a way to open the mind to other's beliefs.