This post was inspired by A teenager speaks on new movie standards. In her recent discussion of the current state of movies, and particularly award winning movies, Camila B. states that she is concerned about “movies throughout the decades and the negative changes that I have noticed.” She then goes on to lament that “the ...
When I was in graduate school (2001-2007), my department regularly held symposia. Most of the symposia were members of our department or faculty at our university presenting their research. But occasionally we would bring in outside scholars to talk about their research. One of those scholars was Frances Fox Piven, Professor of Political Science and ...
Folks, sorry Sunday has come a little late this week! I’d like to claim that I was just so busy, but really it was a combination of massive Spring cleaning, plus a bit of getting sucked in by the call of the Legos, and then forgetting (until Sunday evening) that I had plans for Sunday ...
Back in October 2008, I posted a public response to an email that a Mormon friend of mine received and then forwarded on to me for comment: Enough with the Emails from Mormon McVeigh Wannabes. An excerpt from my message to the Mormon author of that email rant: I’m very concerned, Brian, by the lack ...
Hey, Mormons: Wilco Tango Foxtrot? (Comments are now closed at the original post, so please comment below) Serious kudos to The Millennial Star and John Fowles for taking on this topic in this M* guest post: Harry Reid fireside canceled because of politics IMHO, it’s a pitch-perfect response to this outrageous situation, and ought to ...
My book club recently read Under the Banner of Heaven by John Krakauer. Despite my interest in all things mormon, I did not recommend this book to my group. I had read it before, and found it frightening. The Lafferty murders were especially heinous (to my mind) and disturbing on many levels. Other book club ...
I was saddened last week to see this story about a New Zealand man who hit his daughter in the head with a lump of concrete when she refused to go to the mormon church with him. Now, I think this man is an abuser, and would be an abuser no matter which religion he ...
Our revulsion at the cruelty of the Supreme Leader’s henchmen is a powerful refutation of the postmodernist credo that anything goes. After the enlightenment discredited the authority of tradition and religion, the notion that reason or civilization could provide an ersatz God has also collapsed. The efforts of analytical philosophy could neither remove the ambiguity ...
Do LDS Missionaries who died while serving missions deserve a memorial? Samuel the Utahnite thinks they do, and, in fact, has created a web page remembering those who have died in the service of the LDS church since 1999. He reports that he has gotten numerous complaints from faithful Mormons about the page — almost ...
One of the staunchest defenders of abortion rights was killed Sunday, May 31st, as he walked into his Lutheran Church. George Tiller, long villified by anti-abortionists for performing late term abortions (one of very few doctors who would do so in the US), was shot and killed. This was the second time someone shot him. ...
Today is the day for (U.S.) nationwide demonstrations for equality (see Join the Impact). A number of our friends here in Outer Blogness have been covering the protests live, such as John R. at the Irvine protest, and many others I gathered up last Sunday in Outer Blogness. Chino has gathered up some more coverage ...
On the occasion of Ronan’s remembrance of the Coventry bombing, I am exploring theodicy with Jon and Right Trousers. I would agree with Right Trousers that the choices of the survivors can give meaning to the suffering of the victims. At least, we are taking responsibility for our actions. But since our choices cannot undo ...
I caught this article in my local paper today about a disturbed young Mormon (returned missionary even) opening fire in a St. Petersburg courthouse. I don’t attribute his actions to Mormonism, so don’t attack me for that. Even so, it does indicate there are good Mormons and bad Mormons (not debated, generally, but I like ...
There is a reason why retention approaches zero. There is a reason why people can study their way out of the Church. There is a reason why a large percentage of non-American return missionaries seem to leave Mormonism. There is a reason why the United States remains the only western democracy that does not grant ...
Have you heard Mormons justify seeing a given R-rated movie on the basis that the R-rating was “just for violence” (not nudity or sex)? I have, and I don’t think it’s just my imagination that Mormons see graphic (non-violent) sex as worse or less appropriate for entertainment than graphic violence. Orson Scott Card argued (with ...