Dancing to common ground

"Mom, who's your favorite contestant on So You Think You Can Dance?" my 11-year old asked.

"Chelsie."

"You always like the Mormon contestants:  Chelsie, Brooke (White), David (Archuleta), Lacey (Schimmer), Benji (Schwimmer).

Don't you think you're showing too much bias toward the Mormons?"

I wanted to say, tried to say, "No, I'm not."

But I couldn't.

Because he was right.

I am biased.

Which tells me just how much my identity is wrapped up in my Mormon-ness; if a Mormon contestant does well, somehow I do too.

It was also a gentle reminder that stepping outside of my religion to find common ground is not so easy.   Put more specifically, for me, or anyone, whose identity is tied up in our gender, race, religion, ethnicity, if we meet two people -- and we share a religion -- who will we befriend?

We are drawn to people like us.

It's human nature.

But isn't everyone ultimately like us?

Maybe we have to just look a little harder.

In addition to your Mormon-ness, what are your other identities?  How can you find common ground by tapping into these identities?