Thursday, July 9, 2015
Episode Ten | "All Apologies," by Nirvana (& Madie & Kate)
Episode Ten is probably our best yet! (At least according to Madie.) We talk about our first hate comment, another great comment we got, and our purpose for the show. We also dive into Chapter 15, which we have lots to say about. Stay tuned for the next episode, when we find out how Sophia's plans to change actually crash and burn.
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Ok, here’s a short story length comment, (made up of mini-comments). I guess I could post them as loads of separate comments and make it seem like oodles of people are commenting, when it’s really just me….Also, I feel kinda spammy repeatedly referencing my own blog posts (and a bit narcissistic, like quoting myself...). Obviously not badly enough not to do it, but you know...anyway--
ReplyDeleteFirst, thanks for the shout-out. Glad to listen and engage in productive discussions about Mormonism. That’s why I started my blog after all.
Second, not that you need my validation, but I think your tone throughout the podcast is pretty spot-on. The focus is on the text and the ideas it conveys, not about the author (I mean, we all know that the author’s dead. Like, who even cares about authors any more?).
Third, totally with you about feeling the Spirit from a variety of sources, not limited to Church-produced material (thank heavens). David O’McKay (pretty sure it was him, I think it talks about this in the talk “Your Refined Heavenly Home”) used to refer to authors and poets as the mini-prophets and would wake up at 4 or 5 or something to speed-read a book or two before getting started on his day’s work. Memorized like a thousand poems or something. When I taught Sunday School a couple of years ago I always incorporated a pop culture reference (or two or three) into my lessons, since I feel like media has a way of conveying or illustrating truths that we miss or not fully grasp from purely reading scripture. Or maybe that’s just my inner heretic talking, trying to justify my love for literature and film.
Fourth, I absolutely find Church boring or otherwise atrocious. Coming back from my mission was super rough. I started a fairly extensive ‘faith remodel’ and it made Church less bearable than it had been previously, which was quite a feat. I’m at a place now where I can usually find some value, although it takes some severe effort, a dash (or two or three) of snark, and some snacks to make it through some weeks. (I actually blogged about this recently as well: https://conorhilton.wordpress.com/2015/06/21/the-church-of-boredom/) Also, check out Eugene England’s essay “Why the Church is as True as the Gospel.” Brilliant. I link to it in my post and may have sent it to Madie in response to some earlier comments on the podcast, but it’s fantastic. Big fan.
Fifth, you touched a bit on lessons about trials and how when you’re actually in the midst of one that the lessons seem insensitive and awful. I’ve got lots of feelings about this. Trial Lessons are some of my least favorite in all the lessons because they just seem to propagate a dangerous mentality that I see little value in and shifts the focus away from what I think really matters. I reject the idea that most of our trials come from God, but am confident that if we turn to God in the midst of the trial or afterward, we can work with God to consecrate that trial for our good. (More extensive thoughts on that here, gosh, I’m just linking to myself all over the place: https://conorhilton.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/who-started-the-refiners-fire/)
[Part 2]
ReplyDeleteSixth, gotta love the failed attempts at extended metaphors and analogies. A terribly egregious one from a devotional a couple years ago involves sex and cookies (here, for your cringing enjoyment: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/lynn-g-robbins_avoid/). They’ve edited out some of the best bits that were just past innuendo they became so explicit. I died laughing in the JSB causing everyone to stare at my as though I was a heathen…which given my liberal, feminist, intellectual ways may not be too far off…
Seventh, loved your thoughts and discussion about not getting on people’s backs for not being smiley-happy people all the time (sort of blogged about this, so might as well link to three of my posts, I mean three’s like a holy number or something, right? https://conorhilton.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/shiny-happy-peopleand-not-being-one-of-them/). Anyway, I think it’s important to draw a distinction between Joy and Happiness. Not in the usual ‘pleasure’-temporary sort of way, but by understanding that Joy is a state of being that includes immense depth of feeling (like you were saying, both sadness and happiness). I mean, God’s joyful and He/She/They WEPT. Like, if God, a perfect, holy, celestial, exalted being weeps, then we sure as hell have a right (obligation, perhaps?) to feel sorrow.
Eighth, on the virtues of ‘trashy’ lit. I love genre fiction—I was a huge fantasy junkie for a long time, then got into sci-fi and still love stuff that plays around in those worlds. FWIW, some more direct commentary on stuff you mentioned: I thought Fault in Our Stars was rubbish and filled with cheap, emotional shots. It was just begging to be deep and emotional and I just didn’t care. The dialogue was snappy, but it wasn’t my thing. I wanted to like Catcher in the Rye, but was just irritated by Holden (also, the fact that John Lennon’s killer loved it probably sub-consciously interfered with my ability to enjoy it). Alice Walker wrote The Color Purple, which I need to read. And, I’m definitely pretentious and snobby when it comes to books and film. I mean, I like some utter rubbish, but I know that it’s rubbish. Actually, laughably terribly films are a sort of guilty pleasure of mine.
Ninth, I think there are some gaping holes in the world of Mormon art to really portray a spiritual, Mormon reality. I get it, I mean, I don’t know how to best go about showing it, especially without focusing on or creating the impression of a highly interventionist God, which I’m not a fan of. Or to avoid the cheesy sort of spirituality that pervades EFY music, seminary videos, etc. I think you might need to distance it somehow to really explore the depths and intricacies, but then I don’t know how to make it clearly Mormon, while still being removed enough to freely explore. Some of the later Ender books by Orson Scott Card explore bits and pieces of Mormon theology in interesting ways, but they also get a bit preachy.
Tenth, love the invitation to be a complete and whole person before trying to lose yourself in someone else. Great advice. I think. I mean, haven’t ever been married, so don’t know for sure if it works out, but seems like a solid game plan to me.
Thought-provoking as usual. Also, entertaining. What more could you want?