It’s time to highlight some things that have come across my transom lately with a heavy slant towards those associated with AMV in some capacity or another.
LDS Cinema Online and the new Prop. 8 documentary
Kevin has posted an in-depth review of “8: The Mormon Proposition” that actually finds a few things to like among all the preaching to the choir.
Earth day musings from Patricia
And they’re not quite what you think they would be. But you still get the fantastic writing and insightful commentaries on how we use language and relate to difference and the natural world that one has come to expect from Patricia.
Jonathan Langford at King’s English July 13
Jonathan will be reading from his novel No Going Back at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, as part of the King’s English Bookstore’s local author showcase. The bookstore is located at 1511 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, UT 84105.
Mormon criticism of a non-LDS film
Theric recently sent to me this link to a column by Davey Morrison that does a Mormon reading of “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Davey summarizes the field of Mormon criticism and then takes the approach that “Mormon film is any film as seen by a Mormon” and attempts to prove it. The result is quite interesting.
Zarahemla Books new releases two-fer
Hopefully you’ve already read my interview with Stephen Carter about his new collection of personal essays. But that’s not the only Zarahemla Books summer title. Chris has also published a collection of short stories by Darin Cozzens. Currently you can (35% savings off of the cover price).
Ask Mormon Girl on the Great Mormon Novel
Joanna Brooks takes on the whole Great Mormon Novel question. Note that the discussion takes place both at Mormon Matters and the Ask Mormon Girl blog. See Wm get all snippy and whiny! See the same attitudes play out all over again! But anyway, Joanna makes a great point about how the discussion often ignores female authors (although, you know, the Shakespeares and Miltons come up with Whitney for a specific reason, which I’ve already discussed. Short answer: they are the founding geniuses of English language literature. When authors to emulate gets brought up in all seriousness it’s almost always Chaim Potok and Flannery O’Connor. And as I mention, many of the most celebrated and widely read authors of Mormon-themed literary fiction are Margaret Young and Angela Hallstrom. But I digress) and makes the claim for Terry Tempest Williams.
A Motley Vision 
Hey, thanks for the link! I also just wanted to throw my support behind Terry Tempest Williams, whose “Leap” is among my favorite books ever.
Just a comment on the Prop ‘8’.
The crux of the question in my mind is, “Are we a Christian Nation?”
Even if we were/are based on ‘Judeo-Christian’ values, the establishment clause, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”, is what kept ‘we the mormons’ from being completely eradicated more so than what already occurred. Joseph Smith was able to take courage in the fact that ‘Mormonism’ was protected by the Constitution of the United States and that the ‘Christians’ of his time had to deal with it. Which is why he was willing to appeal to the ‘law’ for his grievances during the persecutions.
That brings me to my argument. Even if at the time of inception people say the country was based on ‘Judeo-Christian’ values, the ‘establishment clause’ is the loophole for anyone to believe, I’ll borrow our terminology, “how, where, or what they may”. That includes freedom to not believe.
I read a talk by Elder Nelson addressing the youth in the Sheraton Hotel on this topic. I fail to see the threat that ‘same-sex’ marriage poses. So they are walking to the beat of a different drum and are not following the traditions of our fathers.
Are they bad people for not doing so?
Currently we have private clubs that are WHITES ONLY, it’s 2010 and it’s a modern occurrence.
“What are you saying by bringing that up?”
I am saying the alarmism that, ‘this is the slippery slope to Man – Man – Man, Woman – Woman – Woman, Man – Woman – Man – Cheesegrater, Woman – Woman – Woman – Animal’ is fallacious reasoning and will not happen.
Society will move on.
If they, GLBT’s, in that living situation, have found their happiness, good on ’em. If we don’t like it, well we can do what others do, turn off the T.V., change the radio station. etc.
I see no secular reason that they should not have access to the same exact. And whatever religious reason I can think of is irrelevant in terms of it being negated by the establishment clause. My theology is for me and not to be projected on others unless by means of law. It is by personal communication and discussion by way of reason and persuasion.
So this should keep being brought up to vote and eventually the fear will ebb and fall away eventually and they will be treated like the rest of us.
Preview Is My Friend: “My theology is for me and not to be projected on others by means of law.” oops…
Just a reminder that AMV is not for political discussion per se (although obviously there is room to talk about where the aesthetic and the political meet). I’d also really prefer that ya’ll comment on the specific blog posts themselves.
I especially enjoyed the Prop 8 Review (very Eugene Englandesque) and the Mormon review of Pan’s Labyrinth–I’ve often applied my Mormon theology to movies I’ve seen, the whale scene from Fantasia 2000 (eternal progression!) and The Passion of Joan of Arc (obviously parallels Christ, but also Joseph Smith) being two examples.