John 15:17-18

Despite Jesus's repeating calls to love each other--or at least not hate each other--sometimes Mormons hate Liberals. And despite the long-standing assumption of being open-minded about the world, sometimes Liberals hate Mormons. Muslims, Jews and Christians often don't exactly get along. Where does that put people like me? I'm a Mormon and a Liberal. I believe in Muhammad, Moses and Jesus Christ. Statistically, that makes me one of the most hated people alive. We all profess to believe in loving each other and trying to do good in the world. So how do we justify doing just the opposite?

I have never been attacked. I have never been the victim of ethno-religious violence. I've never been called a "rag-head" or accused of being an anti-feminist, although I have been called a "filthy liberal" in jest. At least I hope it was meant to be funny. But that doesn't mean it's easy to be a Mormon and a Socialist-leaning Democrat. This past election season was very lonely. All anybody--me included--wanted to talk about was politics and religion, and--coupled with high blood-pressure--that is not the best way to win friends and influence people. I often ran to the Anne Frank Memorial in Boise. If you've never been there, it's awesome. It's well designed and very pretty being right on the banks of the beautiful Boise River. Surrounding one side of it is a wall covered in quotes--one from President Hinckley--about the evils of genocide, racism, sexism and hate in general. I loved going there, because people--blacks, women, men, whites, Jews, children, Mormons and Liberals--have suffered to become enshrined there. And because they suffered so much because of who they were and what they believed, I can suffer this little while standing for who I am and what I believe. Scriptures like this one in St. John really helped me get through. These verses take place during the Last Supper.

These things I command you, that ye love one another.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

I know it's after Easter--though just one day, and I try not to facebook or blog on the Sabbath--but it's important at this Easter time to remember that Christ suffered everything. He knows exactly what it's like to be hated for what He believes. He is hated every day, hated deeper than any of us can imagine. And that's not even close to what he suffered in Gethsemane for me and for you. Sometimes I feel like I'm climbing a steep mountain, believing so differently from most of the people around me. And sometimes I just feel tired. But I never want to give up. Jesus suffered and died so we could go through life without giving up, and giving up--changing what I believe in or, worse yet, remaining silent--would be to give up on myself and my Savior, which I never, ever want to do.