Hey, so i just wanted to say that Yes i've grown up in slc, and it's a very LDS society. Everything is dominated by the church from government to business to friendships with people. I'm not LDS but i've found it to be an extremely oppressive culture and society and It's extremely frustrating to me when it comes to major issues, and the way they are viewed here. People that i'm friends with that are Lds would disagree or not even realize it, but they are almost forced to view and believe things a certain way. It's nuts. And you wouldn't believe the homo-phobic tension around, it's not like everyone is whispering about it and asking everybody if they are gay like would be in a paranoid witch hunt, but it's a topic that is discussed often, and often in church and meetings unrelated. Because i'm not a member to a particluar organized religion I have an outside view and will get a sense of things but at the same time refuse to believe they may actually be true untill a random time when i go to church with a friend, or have a serious talk about the religious beliefs and concerns they have about the current times. At that time i'm completely and utterly blow away, what i thought wasn't just crazy suspicion it's actaually reality and not hush hush reality, open and blantant reality. I know what i'm talking about may be confusing and you may have no idea what i'm talking about but i wish i could give an example to explain it better. I must say though that I witnessed my best friend of the last several years be, i dare say brainwashed, and went from being really open minded and wary of the strict culture of the church and even anti-establishment at some points, to being super LDS and a kind of a yes sir- how hi sir... kind of personality. Now he's on a mission and it's wierd to hear from him because he's Elder so and so now and talks differently and overall seems not who i'm familiar with. Anyway i'm planning on moving out of state and to the north west soon, so it may be a nice change from everything, and maybe a fresh start. But first....a lot of things to work out here at home......