I just got back from a trip in Asia. Coming from the US which seems to be at a stagnated cross roads of what it wants to be in the future, Asia is hopping with vibrancy and new construction. Every city seems to have a new state of the art airport and everything seems to be pushing forward into a modern world of high speed rail and other technological marvels. It was nice to see some postive changes for the better while coming from a country that frankly seems to be falling apart and wondering what to do next.

I saw no glimps of Mormonism. None. It seemed like I was in a world far beyond the worship the past, dated Mormon mindset. It was a world of hard work, saving what you made, and investing in a better future. I actually in a strange way saw what originally made the US great in Asia without all the forced religious hocus pocus. Religion and spiritualism was there is you wanted it but it was not part of the politics. If anything being educated and working hard to make something of yourself was the overall focus. Self-Improvement was big.

I think it's time to leave the Mormon mindset. Leave it in the past. Sure, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and the whole pioneer thing is a short interesting part of history but in reality, it's holding us back. It's making a few related church leaders rich while the rest of the church suppport it. It's no different than the royal families of Europe. If you think about it, what the Mormon church is about is what this country was set up to try to escape from.

Will the church leave its history behind? Can it still claim to be the only "true" church without Joseph Smith's first visions? The lds church is also a top-down organization that wants to force its traditions on others.

Also, can the church really convince Asia not to drink tea? I was sorry to give drinking tea up when I joined the church. I can drink it without sugar, and I can have an herbal tea in the evening. Even coffee has its health benefits. Mormons tend to drink too much fruit juice which has lots of sugar.

Church sure does look small when you get out of the U.S.

There are many places in the US where the church looks ridiculous and backwards. I live at the beach and there ain't no mormons going to the beach.....I think they are scared of it. Maybe something about the devil controling water? Such magical thinking......it is refreshing to see countries where people try to stay focused on reality and self improvement.

We live on an island. In 11 years, We've never seen a mormon at any local restaurants, the beach, art shows (we have some big ones) or the parks. I guess they're always at the church.

THOUSANDS of miles away.

Not such a big deal here though in this little place. You'd think such an important big American ever-so-true-in-dreams church would swamp the whole world but only in the dreamy environs in the apartments of the 15 little men in that quaint city of Salt Lake do such miracles happen.

Oh well.... there are similar dreams in other religious headquarters, like the moonies, jehovah's nitwits and other godbothering sects I suppose.

Briggy