In 1998, the Southern Baptist national convention was held in Salt Lake City. That year, the Southern Baptists had reaffirmed their official stance that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a Christian church, and they planned on doing missionary work to help the LDS people understand true Christianity. Utahns were bracing themselves for the Baptist onslaught, and some were undoubtedly brushing up on their Bible bashing techniques.

That same year, before the convention, President Gordon B. Hinckley addressed the issue in his April General Conference address. "We must teach our children to be tolerant and friendly toward those not of our faith," he said. In the same talk, he told the church, "A holier-than-thou attitude is not becoming of us . . . . Love and respect will overcome every element of animosity."

After all was said and done, the Baptist convention came and went without making too much of a ruckus. No great theological battles were reported, and though the media made a big deal out of the whole affair, the Baptists came and went pretty quietly.

A similar situation will be occurring in Provo on April 10. The Soulforce Equality Riders will be at Kiwanis Park "to tell BYU that their anti-gay rhetoric causes [gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender] suffering," according to the group's Web site. Monday, Janet S. Scharman, BYU's student life vice president, sent out a campus-wide e-mail, encouraging everyone to act civilly toward Soulforce members that may come on campus. We at The Daily Universe echo Scharman's suggestions and encourage students to continue practicing that same civility at Kiwanis Park, where the main rally will take place.

The Soulforce visit is still a couple of weeks off, but we as a campus should be ready and must decide to take the higher road before they arrive. Students who aggressively confront the Equality Riders with a "holier-than-thou attitude" will only reinforce the group's beliefs that Latter-day Saints, and BYU students in particular, are intolerant and prejudiced. More bad than good will come from students feeling the need to call the group to repentance. This message will be transmitted on from them to others across the nation and will only paint the university and the church that owns it in a negative light.

BYU students should follow President Hinckley's council and treat the Equality Riders with love and respect. Those students who can't find it within themselves to do so should just avoid the group all together.



Copyright Brigham Young University 21 Mar 2006