Aware from that 21-year-old experience of how thoroughly you know the Book of Mormon, I trust you already have a clear understanding of why for American members love of country and love of the gospel are bound together. In line with what John Fowles and other commentators have said, the establishment of the United States as a free land was foretold by Nephi as a prerequisite to the restoration of the gospel to the earth. The scriptural text leaves no doubt that God directed the preparation of this land of promise for the fulfillment of His great purposes.

The patriotism most American Latter-day Saints feel is an appropriate expression of gratitude to God for the gifts of freedom in America that made possible the reestablishment of Christ’s church. The display of American flags on the grounds of temples in the U.S. seems a fitting extension of this sense of appreciation — and, I should add, a symbolic reminder that we as a church are committed to the principles upon which the twelfth Article of Faith is grounded.

I concede that Americans could stand to be more aware of the differing cultures from which our membership is drawn, and that our leaders in particular ought to be sensitive enough to deliver messages during the conferences of the Church that have the broadest, culture-blind references. Like Ken Jennings (and no, he won’t remember me, though I was in the Yongsan Servicemen’s Branch with him in Korea when he was a high school senior), I’ve seen the Church thrive in multicultural environments where members from many cultures share the blessings of fellowship and understanding without prejudice or division. In any case, those of us Americans who have the privilege of living our day-to-day lives in other countries typically do understand this important dynamic in an increasingly diverse and international church. But it is unrealistic to expect that the many ordinary U.S. Saints who only ever leave their country for short vacations (if at all) will feel the need to internalize a sense of international cultural sensitivity or have the occasion exercise it.

Brother deCoo, I think you, who understand these issues, bear a responsibility to help educate European Saints as to the true nature of American members’ love of country and its relation to their faith. It behooves you also to help explain to Americans why Europeans generally don’t seem to feel similar passion about their own nations of origin. (I don’t profess to understand it, though I have some ideas insufficiently developed to present in this forum.) You, who are in the rare position of having broad experience observing both American and European cultures, can best bridge gaps in understanding by softing the harder edges of opinions held about those on the other side of the cultural divide. In this case, it seems it’s the Europeans whose opinions seem to have become most hardened.

In truth, each of us, regardless of cultural origin, should live by the principle of putting ourselves in the other person’s shoes. We should be sensitive to the feelings and solicitous of the concerns of others while downplaying our own; quick to listen, slow to speak; anxious never to give or take offense; speedy to forgive, reluctant to accuse. If we do this, cultural differences melt away and we become brothers and sisters in a flagless, borderless Zion. The discourse you’ve begun will certainly help this process. Thanks for what you’ve done.

– Bruce Andrew (American Foreign Service Officer; Vienna, Austria)

Jeopardy! put the kibosh on my blog when I tried to start one over the summer, afraid that media outlets would purloin quotes from it when Jeopardy! wouldn’t grant them interviews. But it’s an idea I’d like to come back to.

I guess I should post something mildly on topic before I return to lurking. As an American Mormon who grew up overseas, I’ve been fascinated by the turns this thread has taken, especially as it’s touched on the problem of anti-Americanism. I’m never sure if “anti-Americanism,” as used in this thread, refers to something I can understand (after all, we haven’t always been the best stewards of our superpower status) or something I disagree with (holding problems with our government against individual American citizens personally, or blindly condemning all things American, from Mark Twain to Pop Rocks, just because of isolated disagreements over policy). Anti-American feeling, whether it’s the just variety or not, is going to be on the rise worldwide in the years to come, and the Church’s reputation could take a huge overseas hit as a result, depending on how successful we are at “re-branding” ourselves as an international church. Maybe I’m stating the obvious here…I assume our full-time missionaries in Europe and elsewhere are already dealing with this problem every day.

I’m heartened by occasions where I’ve seen an international “community of saints” form, seemingly blind to national boundaries and devoid of the more divisive aspects of patriotism. I once attended a Singapore branch where U.S. and Commonwealth expatriates served and worshipped happily alongside the native Singaporean members, ethnically Chinese and Malay. The unity was really quite seamless. When the Area Presidency chose to divide the unit into two branches, one native and one expat, to allow for more leadership opportunities among locals, it was a tough, tough time for all concerned. Tears were shed, as President Monson might say.

A) He used the same email address as the real Ken (assuming that the real Ken posted here previously)
B) He’s funny like Ken
C) He included the “!” in Jeopardy!.

Do we sometimes fall all over ourselves to hold up LDS folks who do well in something or other? No doubt. But I’m reasonably certain that in some future day, “Who is Ken Jennings?” will be the Jeopardy question/answer to “This Mormon blew everyone way on Jeopardy! but was never asked to speak at General Conference.” (It’s an little known rule in the Church that you can’t read the top ten on Letterman and then speak at General Conference.)