Flo Wineriter, Humanists of Utah chapter president, had a letter published in the Sunday, March 8, 1998, edition of the Salt Lake Tribune.

It is encouraging to read in the Public Forum the intelligent discussions of religious concepts generated by LDS Apostle Boyd Packer's address on the question "Is Mormonism Christian?" Public discussion of differing religious beliefs has been historically discouraged for a variety of reasons. The result, unfortunately, has been unintentional bigotry, suspicion and condemnation of those who hold religious convictions different from our own.

To grow beyond tolerating the beliefs of others to accepting the right of others to their beliefs requires an intellectual understanding of our differences. That will not happen with the continued indoctrination in isolation of religious concepts. We need enlightened public disclosure of the various religious beliefs concerning the nature of God, Satan, sin, salvation, redemption, heaven, hell, the purpose of life and death. Public and private religious discussions need not degenerate into proselytizing debates of who's right and who's wrong but can be conducted in a knowledge-seeking atmosphere.

I believe the "Three R's" program is promoting this approach to religious education in Utah's public schools. Perhaps the Salt Lake Tribune could make a meaningful contribution to this dialogue by publishing a series regarding the variety of religious concepts in the Saturday Religion section.

I look forward to the day when we cease to just "tolerate" those who have different beliefs but actually "accept" one another because we understand our different religious beliefs.

...and just for fun:

On a somewhat lighter note, Rolly and Wells of the Salt Lake Tribune held a "limerick contest" in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Board member Earl Wunderli won the contest with this limerick printed on March 13: