Sometimes, the world needs a"somebody"
who is willing to do "something"
...and sometimes that somebody is you!
Have you ever had something strike a chord within you that left you with a feeling of restlessness. You are without question moved to do something about the act that was unjust.
Well, that was my experience the other day during a morning work-out. I watched a segment air on "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet".
The topic, a raid that took place at a Polygamist Ranch in Texas.
The story: local law enforcement responded to a call they received from a 16 year old girl, a child herself but already a mother of 4; alleging she as well as others in their sect were victims of sexual, physical & mental abuse.
The raid of this polygamist compound belonging to The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ (which has no affiliation whatsoever with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints) received national attention & with good reason. Although despite the ability & resources available to learn and verify information, the discussion made on the show, & having even an expert panel there to help explain and offer up understanding to the gravity of the legal and moral agency in this case unfortunately had someone completely unreserved & willing to say things they evidently knew very little of.
The offense: generalizing the accused, members of the FLDS church; as "Mormons".
As a whole, implying that "Mormons" believe it to be their constitutional right to impose defiling acts upon their members under the pretense of their religious freedoms. I have to admit just writing that thought out makes me want to vomit in my own mouth ...how anyone could justify such behavior & do it in association to the name and teachings of Jesus Christ!
Uh! I need a moment....
So the purpose of "The Letter"
Well, it isn't this letter I believe will have anyone jumping out of their seat to sign me up for the next Nobel Prize. But it is such, that I put back into the Universe that which was right and true. I didn't sit this one out and thankfully, wouldn't let this just "be". ( -regardless of what it means or doesn't mean to anyone else.)
I am posting my letter below because it is symbolic of the marks I will leave from my life, standing up as a disciple of Christ and being a witness to that which I know is right, just and true.
I would like to think that I stood up for 13,193,999 people who share with me a divine lineage as my heavenly brothers and sisters. But what really means the most to me, is that I stood up for my heart, my essence and most importantly, I stood up for that one who has already stood-up for me, our brother Jesus Christ.
Standing in that holy place because whether on the cross or down upon his knees in the Garden of Gethsemane (where he defended me) he suffered for the sins of the world, he did it for "us". He overcame the world and death and I know that he lives, he loves me and saves me daily. I know the only way back to him is through our obedience. He has showed us the way we should go. It is the best way there is and only way I know that provides me the opportunity to give back, in any measure what he has given to me. I will obey his commandments and continue to prepare myself to live with him forever. I owe him everything.
My restlessness is at PEACE!
Dear Mike & Juliet,
I love your show. It often leaves me feeling I have expanded my knowledge & understanding. In my opinion, the best things the show offers to its audience is it's ability to find balance in presenting real life issues with a variation of perspectives and opinions, along side the pros and cons. This open minded approach provides validation as a whole and manages to withhold that "judgment" which typically shuts down peoples acceptance & understanding. HOWEVER, having said that, I was appalled and am without adequate words to tell you the degree of disappointment I felt. When the discussion on the recent raid of a Polygamist Ranch in Texas, allowed for one of your guest/panel "experts", Lisa Pinto, to make a statement that grossly generalized & completely misrepresented "those" of a faith, totally different than that of The FLDS church. "Those" mentioned, being the members of "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints." How did such a thing happen? It happened by referring to the accused members of the FLDS (The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) as "Mormons". ...I feel ignorance on such matters, to this degree and in a day and age where we have information at our finger tips, is to say the least, unacceptable! ...especially for "panel experts"... and is seemingly contrary to the make-up of The M&J Show as previously mentioned. As a "Mormon" myself, or rather member of The LDS church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), this generalization represented me, my children, our beliefs, our faith, morals, convictions and most unfortunately, our Savior Jesus Christ. As being "ONE" along side those accused of such heinous acts of child abuse & compounded by their outrageous justification of such acts based on religious beliefs and associated to Christs teachings. This, SO very, very, wrong on EVERY level.I hope you can understand how the lack of clarity in some way is an attack on my character and I speak on behalf of the other 13,193,999 members of my faith. ...Therefore, I would like to offer for the future, the proper use of the term "Mormon" in all cases would be simply require clarification initially, providing that separation among the two faiths. That would in fact be on track with what makes The M&J Show, a success. ...and I wish for you just that, success and more.
Sincerely your non-FLDS friend ; ),
Sonya Just
Hartford, NY
sonya.namaste@gamil.com
How you can find out more about The LDS church.
www.mormon.org
www.lds.org
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sonya.namaste@gmail.com 
