Sometimes when reading articles about the LDS Church, I see approaches to stories that make journalists appear much as zoologists; they seem to be observing the unusual habits of people in their gilded cages.
I felt that way as I read a Washington Post article about LDS singles wards in the D.C. area. It described the courtship rituals, if you will, of the Mormons much as I imagine a zoologist might describe the courtship rituals of the sage hen. I exaggerate, but the impression is sometimes a strong one. In fairness to The Washington Post on this occasion and to other journalists, it’s hard to deny the reality that Mormon youths – and singles of all ages – comprise a worthy news story.
The number of Mormons is growing in D.C. as in many parts of the country, and our emphasis on family and chastity is unusual by the world’s standards. As LDS singles navigate the turgid moral waters of today, tension and struggle follow as most strive to maintain faithful standards, and it takes discipline.