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Summarized by Kent Larsen
West LA Ward Helps Sponsor Billboard
Los Angeles Times 23Jan00 D1
By Cory Fisher
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- An LDS ward in West Los Angeles has joined
with three other faiths to rent a billboard promoting prayer. The
billboard is located at the intersection of Santa Monica and Westwood
boulevards and contains the simple phrase, "I think, therefore I
pray."
Bishop W. Courtney McGregor said the billboard was something all four
faiths could agree on, "We found that one of the many things we had
in common was a belief in prayer," The other churches include the St.
Paul the Apostle Church (Catholic), the Sinai Temple (Jewish) and the
Islamic Center in Beverly Hills (Muslim). The billboard, which will
include symbols representing each faith, costs about $10,000 a month.
The idea for the billboard started with meetings between Bishop
McGregor and the Rev. Bill Edens of St. Paul's. They then approached
the other faiths. The faiths managed to cooperate after agreeing to
respect one another's beliefs, "We must learn to respect the unique
gift that each religious tradition brings," Edens said. "We pledge to
affirm each others' faiths while remaining deeply committed to our
own, and to work together to build a better world."
They hope that the billboard will provoke though among commuters and
pedestrians that see it. "We're hoping the sign will spark discussion
and cause passers-by to think about their own spirituality," said
Rabbi David Wolpe of the Sinai Temple. "We want people to see that
others of their own denomination have joined with other denominations
to share a common message."
But it may be clear enough for some people, "I don't know what it
means," said passing pedestrian Tanya Evans.
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