I wish it were possible to respond to everything that's been written. However, I think the idea of the Washington Post and Newsweek organizers is to hear from as many people as possible. Also, it would require a full-time commitment to respond to the dozens of issues that have been raised - even if we restricted comment to those posts that actually address the original question!

I've personally read every response in this thread at least twice, and some several times. I hope I've done that thoughtfully and tried as far as possible to get inside the head of the person writing. It's impossible to understand everything that shapes a person's opinion without undergoing similar experiences, but we all learn and broaden our perspective when we try. I think this is what the original question was trying to get at.

It does seem appropriate to respond at this early stage to one comment that's come up a couple of times about my own full-time role. Of course, I'm the only contributor to this thread and future ones who can't remain anonymous. I've been quite transparent about the fact that I'm an official spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Newsweek-Washington Post knew that, of course, when they extended the invitation. Nevertheless, the experiences and responses I give are my own.

My experiences may not be the same as yours, and I make no judgment of those who are angry because theirs have been different. I wish it were otherwise. However, I do not know your circumstances and can only base my comments on my own 40 years of activity in the Church and involvement with the lives of its people all over the world. For me, the four decades since my conversion have been a deeply enriching experience that has brought me to an understanding of Jesus Christ, his gospel and Atonement, and blessed the lives of my family immeasurably.

Oh, and by the way, some of the most senior spokespersons in the Church today are women - including Kim Farah at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City (frequently quoted in US newspapers), Elena Nechiporova in Moscow (who oversees all of Eastern Europe public affairs), Gabriele Sirtl in Frankfurt (public affairs director for Europe Central Area) and Leni Pilobello in the Philippines.