Anyway, I really liked hearing further from those who were interviewed for the doc, especially Terryl Givens and Marlin Jensen. One thing that I found surprising was the response to the comment that the doc presented interviews with intellectuals and writers who had been exed, but none that were faithful believers. Of course, as was pointed out, this is not true: Terryl Givens and Richard Bushman were interviewed as well. But it is astonishing that it was not until this program that we get to hear Givens say that he felt no pressure at all from the church to write any particular way in his published writings on church subjects. It wouldhave been nice to hear from him and Bushman on this point in the doc.

Marlin Jensen, whom I had no prior knowledge of, continued to be fascinating and wonderful. This program was a great follow-up to the documentary. I hope a lot of people get to see it.

Despite the occasional factual error, and despite cringing at a few of the interviews, I thought the program was fantastic, and that we can hardly hope to have a better portrayal by a national producer anytime soon. I’d like to hear again from some of the best speakers interviewed to hear what they think of it now that they’ve seen the production.

And hey, the Spirit inspires me to write this.

Sometimes I think it would be fun to come up with a Mormon Testimony-o-matic. Fill it will phrases like

out of the best books
line upon line
The Spirit will witness the truthfulness of…
In a conference talk in 1997, Neal A Maxwell said…
obedience is the first law of heaven

Of course, it would have to be structured just right. Maybe one of the blogging lawyers could do this when they’re supposed to be working, instead of blogging when they’re supposed to be working. Add a link to any of the big blogs’ sidebars. Then, whenever a newbie shows up to bear testimony to us because we’re all such a bunch of fringe-y intelekchels, who need to hear The Truth, they won’t have to actually WRITE anything. They can just hit the Testimony-o-matic button utton and out will spit something exactly like comment #8.

Maybe, like Uncle Abner says, we are in serious need of being preached to here, even though we are not really interested in listening. But even if that’s the case, Br. Brosnahan, By Common Consent is not the proper venue for a sermon. We talk TO each other here, not DOWN to each other.

Well, except for me. But I’m in Fowler’s stage five, and highly evolved spiritually, so I can get away with it.

I dont need to read a porn mag to know what it is.

That’s a cop out David. There are precious few pieces of writing that define themselves at a glance the way a porn mag does (for one thing, they don’t have as many photographs!).

WE are really do have the gift of the ministering of angels and we will be taught if we turn to the sciptures and the “best books” line upon line precept upon precept until our knowledge is perfect.

Again, I hate to keep bringing this up, but there is a continuing problem in defining such terms as “best books” vs. “lies.” You act like we all know what these are without reading them, but someone has to read them to determine which category each piece of writing fits into. If you’re not going to do it, you’re just taking someone else’s opinion about it.