On the Royal Wedding

April 30, 2011 By

I have before me the souvenir issue of the Daily Telegraph, awash with the colour and joy that was the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. For me, a favourite image is not the balcony kiss or that dress, iconic though they already are; rather, it is the image of the mass of people on the Mall. In all its massive yet polite reverie, this image offers a strong contrast with another scene from yesterday’s news, namely that of angry Syrians tearing down a poster of President Assad.

And so I am led to wonder: what is the secret of peaceful, consensual government? Part of it may be chronological. Where once English kings were reviled and even beheaded, the centuries have led us kindly to this happy place. The Syrian Arab Republic has existed for not much longer than Queen Elizabeth has been on the British throne. Still, the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom does seem to be a singular, remarkably robust thing. Let us explore what all this means. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: ,

The Constitution Hangs by an Umbilicus

April 28, 2011 By

Smart people make more money.
Smart people don’t reproduce.
High intelligence is genetic.
Dumb people make less money.
Dumb people reproduce a lot.
The rich get richer because there are less of them.
The poor get poorer because there are more of them.

Slacker Educated Mormon Men need to get married.
Gradually, smart Mormons,
(who reproduce a lot)
will take over all positions in the US Gov. requiring
high intelligence.
The constitution is saved.

Corollary. The Devil fought polygamy, not Joseph Smith.

Filed Under: Modern Era, Mormon, Politics

Leave Them Sister-Wives Alone!

April 28, 2011 By

Now that Big Love is over with, I’ve started watching Sister-Wives on The Learning Channel. This is a show about a polygamous family: One husband, four wives, 16 kids. It’s actually very interesting and I’ve been enjoying the show. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Film & Television, Marriage, Media, Politics, Pop Culture, Society & Culture Tagged With:

Come Ye Poets of the Bloggernacle!

April 26, 2011 By

[Note: Due to the unforeseen martyrdom of Jon McNaughton's art sales in the BYU Bookstore at the hands of Teh Godless Libruls, we feel the need to eugooglize this fine art, and thus we have resurrected this thread. Haiku only, please.]

Originally posted on September 29, 2009

Art inspires art.  This art, found on the sidebar, inspired me.

I choose to respond in haiku.  You may respond as well, but we will only accept comments in haiku.  (5-7-5 for those of you who don’t remember high school English….)  Here are some thoughts to get you started: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Art, Media, Mormon, Politics Tagged With: , ,

Heroic

April 21, 2011 By

In case you miss it in the sidebar, here’s the video of the most interesting thing to happen in the COB for years: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Mormon, Pop Culture

Tuesday Afternoon Poetry

April 19, 2011 By

Harbor Hills Ward: Newport Beach

You emerge from your car, laughing.
“I forgot to tie my dress,” you say,
turning your back to me, and I do it for you.
And I think I understand how Cinderella felt
once, that early afternoon,
when the ball was still imaginary:

Standing there,
in her wrinkled black polyester,
grasping Drusilla’s sash,
her callused fingertips
not fathoming the silk,
it’s that fine, bluer than
Gatsby’s shirts, softer,
wealth slipping through her fingers,
fluttering, catching on a hangnail–
Cinderella hopes she doesn’t smell of onions
as she ties a lopsided bow
on her sister.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Economics, Guest Post, Mormon, Navel-Gazing & Poetic Observation, Society & Culture Tagged With: ,

Does the charitable deduction make sense for Mormons?

April 18, 2011 By

This year, Mormons will likely be disproportionate beneficiaries of the charitable deduction as they deduct money paid for tithing. The issue is whether allowing Mormons this deduction makes economic sense. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economics, Mormon Tagged With: ,

Things About Which Two Reasonable People Can Disagree

April 14, 2011 By

A week or so ago, as the US Federal Government was on the brink of a shutdown, William Howell, a public policy professor at the University of Chicago, discussed how the factions in the US government had become so polarized in an editorial for CNN. He noted the following:

The polarization of the two major parties has consequences for a great deal more than just the contents of legislation. It fosters a broader political environment in which compromise invites ridicule, in which pragmatists are presumed to lack conviction, and in which each political faction is convinced not merely that it is right, but that those who disagree with it are stupid, evil or both.

In my line of work, I am often in the position of having to disagree with what someone is saying. The fact is, I’m paid to disagree with people (who are also being paid to disagree with me). There are at least three kinds of disagreements that I am frequently involved in. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Mormon, Navel-Gazing & Poetic Observation, Politics, Society & Culture, TCoJCoLDS Tagged With:

The Illuminated Matsby, Vol. 13

April 13, 2011 By

New picture of the Rome Temple just released…

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Art, Film & Television, Media, Mormon, Pop Culture Tagged With: , ,

Ethics of Criticism in the Church Redux-Sort of

April 11, 2011 By

Church culture generally eschews public criticism/correction with the principle becoming better outlined over the last 150 years or so. In post-1890 Utah, Church leaders were going through some growing pains over politics and the establishment of a two party system. To even out the voting pattern, they actively campaigned on the Republican side. The result was hurt feelings all around and worst of all (in President Woodruff’s opinion), flamboyant political rhetoric made it’s way into public discussions between Church leaders on the campaign trail. It took some time for this to dampen out and political views are mostly held incognito now – in terms of party. But places remain in the institution where criticism is leveled, anonymously mostly, at other Church members and sometimes it’s pretty virulent.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Mormon, Society & Culture Tagged With: , ,

The Reciprocity Resolution

April 9, 2011 By

One of the significant memes from this past General Conference was a concern that so many of our people are not getting married. As usual, men just aren’t getting with the program and need to shape up and hop to it. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Gender & Sexuality, General Conference, Marriage, Mormon, Society & Culture Tagged With: , ,

Feasting (Way Too Much) Upon the Word of God

March 24, 2011 By

The Interwebs are abuzz with news of some research coming out of Northwestern University’s medical school which, according to lead author Matthew Feinstein, says that youth who exhibit high levels of religiosity tend to become chunkier later in life. In layman’s terms, if you send your kids to early morning seminary, you’re condemning them to a lifetime of obesity.[1]
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Mormon, Religion, Science, Society & Culture Tagged With: ,

Immigration Lolz

March 15, 2011 By

Imagine, if you would, the phrase ‘neener neener neener,’ sung to the tune of the Hallelujah Chorus…
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Current Events, Politics, Race, Society & Culture Tagged With: , ,

Elder Holland on Japan: “These are solemn times; these are sober times.”

March 15, 2011 By

In response to the devastating events of the past several days in Japan which have resulted from an initial earthquake, followed by a tsunami and several large-magnitude aftershocks, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles gave a press conference moments ago.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Current Events, Society & Culture, TCoJCoLDS

BCC Zeitcast 67: Jonna

March 14, 2011 By

In this episode, Scott B. is joined in the virtual studio by Jonna, a pop music singer in Finland and a convert to the LDS Church. Topics include Jonna’s musical career and current projects, her conversion to the Restored Gospel, and its impact on her personal and professional life.


[Read more...]

Filed Under: BCC Zeitcast, Features, Media, Mormon, Music, Pop Culture Tagged With: , ,

Leaping to conclusions or asking rational questions?

March 14, 2011 By

So last week, I started listening to a new podcast. Slate’s Hang Up and Listen podcast features three sports reporters and their topic last week was, amongst other things, the Brandon Davies situation (already much discussed elsewhere at BCC). I’d like you to follow the link and listen to the Davis segment before continuing onward; don’t worry, I’m patient. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Mormon, Race Tagged With: , ,

A Shinto Prayer

March 11, 2011 By

With all the respect from the depth of our hearts we ask that the gods hear us, such as the spirit that hears our intent together with the spirits of the Sky and the Land. Take the evil, disasters and sins and purify all.

Kimigayo wa
Chiyo ni yachiyo ni
Sazare-ishi no
Iwao to narite
Koke no musu made.

Filed Under: Comparative/Ecumenical, Current Events, Navel-Gazing & Poetic Observation Tagged With: , ,

BCC Zeitcast 66: Movies & Mormons

March 10, 2011 By

In this episode, Scott B. is joined in the virtual studio by Robert Moncrief, a young LDS film maker in Southern California. Among other topics, they discuss Robert’s current film projects, his experiences as an LDS film student in California during Prop 8, the current state of LDS cinema, and the Mormon cultural aversion to R-rated movies. Also, they talk about the scourge to humanity that is George Lucas.

Links For Your Convenience:
[Read more...]

Filed Under: BCC Zeitcast, Features, Film & Television, Media, Pop Culture Tagged With: , ,

Missions and the British Mormon Male

March 8, 2011 By

Armand Mauss has recently written on the costs of membership in the Mormon Church for European Mormons. They are high. Read any of Wilfried’s old T&S posts and you will have this view confirmed. I would like to note another way in which European Mormons shoulder a heavier burden than do their American co-religionists generally: missionary service.

My insight is largely anecdotal and Britain-specific. It may not elicit any sympathy (after all, Zion is a city of sacrifice). However, some realisation of the specific challenges of international Mormons is useful for an American audience, I hope. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Missionary, Mormon, Society & Culture, TCoJCoLDS Tagged With: ,

Tractatus de Corpore et Mundo Naturali

March 5, 2011 By

I have been working on an ‘ecological’ version of Mormon theology. This is a doodle of what I think is important to include. My apologies to the ghost of Wittgenstein.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Mormon, Science, Theology, Doctrine & Policy

Brandon Davies, Twitter, & Whaaaa?

March 3, 2011 By

Seriously: for the past two days, brandon davies has been a trending topic on Twitter. That means, in the entire worldwide Twittersphere, with violent upheavals in the Middle East, a new iPad announced, and Charlie Sheen redefining “radical,” Brandon Davies is one of the top 10 topics on Twitter.[1]

This follows the ESPN story divulging Davies’ Honor Code violation: he had sex with his girlfriend. The chatter on Twitter is deafening and polarized, with SocialMention.com reporting that he’s getting tweeted about every 7 seconds. From what I can tell, half of the tweets are “Good for BYU,” and the other half are “Whaaaaa????”
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Film & Television, Internet & Social Media, Media, Mormon, Navel-Gazing & Poetic Observation, Society & Culture Tagged With: , ,

Could you qualify as a “Conscientious Objector”?

March 1, 2011 By

The following is a submission from Ron Madson, written on February 23, 2011, the fourth anniversary of his father’s passing as a tribute to his legacy.

My father was a WWII veteran that served in Patton’s infantry in the European theatre. It wasn’t until he was 91 years old before he told me the details of his war experiences—and I am not aware if he told anyone else. My father was the most Christ-like person I have ever known. In the fall of 2002 I sat with my father listening to the war rhetoric seeking to justify our nation’s invasion of Iraq. This man, who rarely showed emotion and spoke seldom, emotionally told me that he did not believe that there was any scripture or Christian principle that would allow us to attack another country as we did in Afghanistan and were about to do in Iraq. He was certain that in our anger, fear and pride we, like the Nephites of old, were abandoning our covenant with the Lord by being the aggressor. He was hopeful that as a people we would surely denounce these wars. Knowing his character I am certain that if he were magically young again, he would have applied for conscientious objector status as to our current wars— as he would have in Viet Nam. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Post, Navel-Gazing & Poetic Observation, Politics, Society & Culture, TCoJCoLDS Tagged With: , , ,

Reducing the Carbon Footprint of the Faithful: LDS Church Debuts Green Buildings

February 28, 2011 By

George Handley serves on the Executive Board of Utah Interfaith Power and Light and is the author of Home Waters: A Year of Recompenses on the Provo River (University of Utah Press 2010), a book that blends LDS theology, history, nature writing, and memoir. He will also have an article forthcoming in the Summer 2011 edition of Dialogue.

Actions speak louder than words, or so they say. In which case the actions taken by the LDS church to green their architecture according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards represents a major sermon on the Christian duty to reduce our ecological footprint. LEED certification was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council as a way to facilitate architectural design that works to reduce the ecological footprint comprehensively (see http://www.usgbc.org). Last spring, the LDS Church unveiled a new multi-congregation building in Farmington, Utah with 158 solar panels on its roof, state of the art Solarban windows to reduce interior heat in the summer, dual-flush water-saving toilets, bike racks, instantaneous water heaters, comprehensive recycling, xeriscaping, and a meter in the ward library that measures the building’s savings in units of electricity, gas, and, yes, carbon. This is one of four prototypes that the church will use to apply for a portfolio certification so as to then roll out all future meetinghouses according to LEED standards. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Post, Modern Era, Mormon, Science, Society & Culture, TCoJCoLDS Tagged With:

War and Peace in Our Time: Mormon Perspectives

February 25, 2011 By

The people at Claremont Graduate University continue to outdo themselves. On March 18-19, 2011, the Howard W. Hunter chair for Mormon Studies is sponsoring this conference.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Announcements, Current Events, Mormon, Mormon Studies

BCC Zeitcast 65: What the Tribune Didn’t Tell You

February 24, 2011 By

In this episode, Scott B. and Matt Page continue the ominous & ghostly themes at BCC this week with a discussion of Bigfoot and UFOs in Mormon Folklore, evil music, a suspicious Culligan man, and all of the details of Matt’s life which–for various reasons–were missing from an article about Matt and his artwork in the Salt Lake Tribune a couple of weeks ago. Actually, they really just make fun of Brad Kramer for half an hour or so.


Links For Your Convenience:
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Art, BCC Zeitcast, Features, Internet & Social Media, Pop Culture

Musicals and the Church’s Work in Africa

February 24, 2011 By

I find it interesting that the new Broadway show THE BOOK OF MORMON throws a freshfaced missionary into Uganda, where the setting is supposed to show the ludicrousness of mormon faith and idealism when confronted with the hellish realities of man’s cruelties to man.

The reality is that Mormons are already in Uganda, and we’re doing just fine, thanks. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Film & Television, Media, Missionary, Mormon, Pop Culture, Society & Culture Tagged With: , , ,

Speaking of ghosts…

February 24, 2011 By

Let’s hear your ghost stories. Here’s mine: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Missionary, Navel-Gazing & Poetic Observation, Society & Culture Tagged With: , ,

I Wanna Shake Your Hand

February 23, 2011 By

Last year I was hanging out with Steve Evans and Aaron B.  Steve’s dog had recently died, but they were dogsitting another wee pup.  The new dog walked in and Aaron B. did a double-take.  “I thought your dog died!  Is that a ghost dog?”  I immediately shot back:  “You should ask to shake its paw.”  [Read more...]

Filed Under: Modernly Revealed, Mormon, Pop Culture, Society & Culture, Theology, Doctrine & Policy Tagged With:

Technology, Humanity, and Jeopardy

February 23, 2011 By

The inevitable future, as depicted by Matsby

All the hubbub around IBM’s new Jeopardy champ has stirred up talk in pop-futurist circles of the coming Singularity—the idea that one day humankind will create a machine that is intelligent enough to build an improved version of itself, which will then replicate and improve itself in the next generation, and so on until eventually humans are rendered obsolete.

Another vision of the Singularity is that human consciousness will somehow be “loaded” onto machines, freeing us from the bonds of biology and anatomy.

Both are fun theories to think about, and form the basis of lots and lots of bad sci-fi stories and a few good ones.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Books & Journals, Current Events, Internet & Social Media, Media, Navel-Gazing & Poetic Observation, Science, Society & Culture

How Redefining Beauty Campaigns Reinforce Our Notions of Women and Beauty (Part II)

February 16, 2011 By

In Part I  I highlighted the fact that Salt Lake City has more plastic surgeons per capita than any other US city. I noted that this could be an indicator that either:

  1.  Utah/Mormon culture makes girls and women more susceptible to media messages, or
  2.  Mormon girls and women are receiving messages about what it means to be beautiful from influences besides media, or
  3.  A combination of media influence and Mormon religious culture compound to make a bigger impact on girls and women about how to be beautiful and desirable.
  4. Or, as has been noted, it could mean nothing more than SLC has lots of plastic surgeons.

First, media influences play on the natural desires of women to want to be beautiful and attract male attention. Contrary to the idea put forth that advertisers are trying to get women to want to look a certain way, marketing techniques simply take advantage of women’s own existing vanity. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Film & Television, Gender & Sexuality, Media, Mormon, Society & Culture, Women Tagged With: , ,
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