I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and am loyal to it as an institution and as the proponent of a faith.  Although I am keenly aware of the flaws any body of men and women will display, those weaknesses inherent in the human condition do not diminish the greatness of an institution.  I believe in constructive explanations about shortcomings, ways to understand or process what appear to be flaws.  In that sense only do I believe in apologetics.  To deny the existence of shortcomings is, I believe, to depart from the warnings given to us by Christ, Nephi, Mormon, Moroni, the Apostle Paul, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and others.  I like the comment made by President Hugh B. Brown about us Mormons:  “We are a lay church; and this gives rise to much mediocrity.”

It helps to have a sense of humor if you’re going to try to be a faithful Mormon.  It also requires thick skin.