'Excommunicated' by GOP, Bob Bennett says Romney, religion, economy make 2012 election unique

Scripting Bella, the human female character, as promiscuous, but Edward, the vampire male character, as chaste is "a move Jesus would make!" Heath said, noting that he loved to take cultural outsiders and make them the heroes of his stories (like the Good Samaritan).

Flake observed that the history of the LDS Relief Society was not uncommon in 19th Century America, where many "benevolent societies" were formed by women, in part because they were excluded from full participation in their respective religions. Of course if a society got too big, it was quickly subsumed by the male leader of the congregation, or pater familias, Flake said.

Wesley grad student Andy Millman, 23, worked with a group of Mormons and Protestants to plan the two-day conference.

"I think a lot of Christians say Mormons aren't Christian, but I disagree with that," Millman said. "Events like this can change that perception."

A key part of interfaith dialogue is acknowledging differences and then working toward common ground, rather than starting with discussions about common belief — which will lead to focus on differences, Millman continued. Helping the disenfranchised, though, is something all religious people agree on, he said.

A discussion on helping the needy and social justice concluded the conference.

Executing the missions to share the gospel and feed the hungry can often prove dilemmatic, said Frances Adeney of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, "Because if people are hungry, they're not really going to be able to listen to the proclamation of the gospel," but luring people to baptism through hand-outs just creates "rice Christians."

Warner Woodworth of Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management shared a quote from LDS founder Joseph Smith: "A man filled with the love of God is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race."

Woodworth says his Christian attitude shapes his life. In addition to paying 10 percent of his income as a tithe to the LDS Church, Woodworth said he donates a "social tithing" of 10 percent of his time to valuable causes.

Charity also informs his teaching style. He tells his business students that "I work to convince them not to work on Wall Street and join Satan's cause. Of course it's futile."

One of Woodworth's students came to BYU as a staunch environmentalist who'd signed a "zero population-growth commitment," but then he joined the LDS Church and had five children.