Regrettably, this was not a unique incident. For example, following my own conversion many years ago, as I served as an LDS missionary, I was shocked to hear a few of my fellow missionaries spread gossip and highly offensive so-called "humor" regarding some other religions.

In my mission in Asia a few missionaries desecrated a site sacred to another religion by entering a holy place's inner sanctuary where they knew their presence was forbidden. (LDS readers might consider how they would feel if a non-Saint were to break into the Celestial Room of their local LDS temple.)

Very few missionaries engage in such behavior, but even this small number demonstrate that there is a profound disrespect for other religions among a small minority. There are some things we can do to help improve the situation.

Typically, missionaries are called at the age of 19. Neuroscience has demonstrated that many people of this age have not yet physiologically matured in the brain centers responsible for judgment and discretion. This makes it all the more important for families and teachers to convey, from an very early age right through adulthood, the need to show the utmost respect for the practices and beliefs of different religions.

This would be an excellent topic for Family Home Evening lessons, sacrament meeting talks, missionary preparation classes and other opportunities for instruction.

Here are a few tips as Latter-day Saints strive to increase respect for other religions among their membership:

* Make it a point to teach your youth, potential missionaries and members to respect other religions - to feel that respect inside and to show that respect outside. This is, in part, how we show the love of Jesus Christ to other people. Respect means more than just avoiding heinous misbehavior; respect includes being appreciative of and grateful for the fact that other people obtain much good from the practices and beliefs of their religions.

* Do not countenance religious-based humor. In many cultured circles humor based on ethnicity or gender is no longer acceptable and may even be the grounds for discipline - for example, in the corporate world - because such humor sends the message that bad behavior is acceptable. Latter-day Saints should adopt a stance of zero tolerance with regard to humor or misbehavior directed at other religions. This is not being "politically correct"; it is being neighborly and civilized.

* Beyond that, Latter-day Saints should make it a point to be the best-informed people, not only about their own religion, but about others, as well. Ignorance breeds contempt; true knowledge engenders respect. A good place to start: Huston Smith's book, The World's Religions. In general, it is best to learn about a religion from works written by believers in that religion, or by respected and reasonably neutral scholars of religion.

The most important reason for learning about other people's religions is to further mutual understanding and respect. In a post-9/11 world, this would be a great gift for Latter-day Saints to present to the world.

Let us be known by the depth of our compassion and our understanding of other peoples.

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* MARK E. KOLTKO-RIVERA is an elected fellow of the American Psychological Association. His book, The Psychology of Worldviews, is due out this year; another book, on Mormonism and Freemasonry, is due out next year.