We were talking about Mormons. Now, Mormons and Christians--in the Christian world, quite a clashing. I don't know how Mormons see it. We just watched the Mormon version of Pride and Prejudice; that's why we hit upon the topic. "They're required to have five kids," said my friend, "and even though this set of family's kids kept turning out with cerebral palsy and mental retardation, they kept having kids because they are required to have five, or they don't make it to the highest level of heaven."

"Yeah. Women are just there to have kids," I put in my two cents' worth of knowledge about Mormonism. "Mormons are good people; they have great values, but their views on women..."

We said something about all the rules Mormons have to follow. "They were written by a guy who was forming a cult and he said, 'This is how I want my wife to be, so I'm going to make it a rule of my religion,'" said my friend. I thought of something.

"We have lots of rules," I said.

"Well, yeah," she answered, "but those were God-inspired."

"Well... How about we say that women can't cut their hair? That was God-inspired," I countered. That's a reference to 1 Corinthians 11 in the Bible.

"Yeah, but... If you had short hair back then, it was like wearing a bikini to church."

I nodded. "Short hair was a sign of prostitution back then. But if that was a culture thing. The Mormons still follow the rules that they have written in their book of Mormon. We don't." Is that acceptable? was my implied question, but I couldn't articulate it. If we can change our rules to fit the culture, why don't the Mormons?

"Well, they don't have polygamy anymore. Except in Utah," said my friend.

Then she had to go. She was late for something. I knew that and understood, but I wished I'd been able to carry on the conversation.

I, personally, love playing the devil's advocate and challenging all of Christianity's stipulations and ideas--as long as it's with people I trust, and one-on-one. I like shaking up others' worlds. I wouldn't speak up in a theology or philosophy class, though, because I HATE the feeling of having 30 pairs of eyes turn fast on me. It scares the heck out of me and my intelligence level drops, cut off by the pressure of being the center of attention. But if my mouth didn't weld shut with eyes staring at me, I would still challenge all of their little pet beliefs!

Anyway. I just can't keep these thoughts out of my head--challenges, questions, pokings and proddings. I want to see if this Christianity thing holds. It's like my whole well-being hangs on it. Maybe it does.

Ah, philosophy. :)

-Stephanie

I have very little due this week. HURRAH!

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