Friendship and Trusted Rivals

One of the big ideas of religious diplomacy is that we must move beyond suspicion and contempt regarding those we strongly disagree with in the area of values, worldviews, politics, and religion. Through a strategic process of interaction we believe it is not only possible to move beyond these things, but also to develop friendships that can be maintained despite differences. Years ago, we produced the video US and THEM: Religious Rivalry in America, and this hope for friendship through religious difference was expressed by the film’s narrator, Bryan Hall a Latter-day Saint, in conversation with Pastor Robert Jeffress, a Baptist Christian. As you can see in the video clip below, while Bryan was hopeful, Pastor Jeffress seems less than enthusiastic about the possibility. Even so, we hope others will join us in seeking trust-building relationships and friendships despite our differences.