This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Robert Kirby's "Dear God, give it to me straight" (Tribune, May 18) should really be titled, "Dear God, release me of my Philistine proclivities."

Kirby referred to an obviously Pentecostal religious denomination as "the First Congregation of the Hollering Redeemer." He stated that the pastor spoke during the church service in "Neocracker Georgian" and that "speaking in tongues with a Southern accent was a whole other level of 'huh?'"

Even if Kirby does it under the guise of "humor," using his column as a platform for his barely veiled bigotry and ignorance is not only distasteful, it promotes the stereotyping and condemnation of people whose cultures and ideologies differ from our own.

Instead, people should strive to embrace and support the diversity of culture and belief among our societies. All religious tenets contain their own brand of uniqueness, including Kirby's Latter-day Saint faith.

The placement of Peggy Fletcher Stack's "Utah Pentecostals praise God in 'language of angels'" alongside Kirby's column only highlights his insults.

The term "cracker" is a "disparaging term for a white person." In using this term against others, Kirby only condemns himself.

Jill Gadette Christensen

Salt Lake City