I'm a member of two often-misunderstood minorities: I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I'm a member of the open source community. Both of them are wonderful things, but it's difficult for people to understand them.

Thousands of articles have been written about open source and why it's so great, both for users and for developers. I recommend those articles. In a nutshell, they explain that open source is ten times better than commercial software in many situations, and ten times worse in others. If you're serious about technology, you need to know the difference. I lean toward open source because the free exchange of ideas leads to fast, sustainable progress.

Not as many articles explain why the church is so great. The church is wonderful because it takes a good person and adds a life of vividly beautiful things, making that person an even better person. Things like a clear mind, great relationships, gratitude, the ability to learn and teach, and a passion for life come as a direct result of taking the Lord's teachings to heart.

Here is a bit of subjective evidence. The coolest kids in Utah high schools always seem to be the ones with a strong character, enthusiasm, and genuinely friendly nature. They're cool because when you talk to them, they treat you like you're cool too. I have to think the church has something to do with that. I was a computer nut in high school, yet several of the student body officers, theater folks, athletes, and cheerleaders counted me among their friends.

Here is another example. The church is getting me to sing and direct music. I sang a solo a few months ago and now I'm the choir director in the ward. The church pushes me outside my shell (csh, bash, ksh, sash...) and gets me to live more of life.

Sometimes the church sounds too good to be true. Well, the benefits of open source software often sound unbelievable too. The analysts disagree, so you can't take an analyst's opinion on these things.

If you've read this far but don't want to risk missionaries showing up at your door, go buy this book, about to be published for the first time by an independent publisher. The Book of Mormon is not an instruction manual for being a good Mormon. It is a history of people who lived on the American continent between 600 BC and 400 AD. The authors wrote their stories for the benefit of their children and future generations.

If you decide the church is right, you don't have to move, since less than 20% of the church is in Utah. Also, the church has no actual preference toward any political party. :-)