From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #924 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Tuesday, December 17 2002 Volume 01 : Number 924 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 10:10:34 -0700 From: "Thom Duncan" Subject: RE: [AML] Film-Adapted Mormon Authors Doug adapted Where the Red Fern Grows. He didn't right the original novel. Thom Duncan >-----Original Message----- >From: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com >[mailto:owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Brown >Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 10:20 AM >To: aml-list@lists.xmission.com >Subject: Re: [AML] Film-Adapted Mormon Authors > > >LDS/Mormon authors I am aware of whose works have already been >> >adapted to film. Is anybody missing? > >I'm back on briefly! Have you included Doug Stewart with WHERE >THE RED FERN GROWS or does that qualify? > > >-- >AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon >literature online.org/list/index.html> > - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 10:26:32 -0700 From: "Thom Duncan" Subject: RE: [AML] Joyful Noise at Center Street Theatre (Daily Herald) Kim says: >Only one sad thing about this article and the posting on the >list--there is no information on how to get tickets or where >the theater is located (address), or what the dates of the >run are. The article convinced me to want to see it...but now >I have to track down how, when, where... Center Street Theatre 50 West Center Street Orem 225-3800 for tickets Performing Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through January 4. Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 10:30:30 -0700 From: margaret young Subject: Re: [AML] Adultery and Consequences Actually, I never mind when Eric disagrees with me. We have a history of friendly disagreements and we both respect each other's perspectives. I think you say some valuable things in your post, Eric, as Gae Lyn did in hers. But surely I'm not the only one on the list that thinks it's a real tragedy--and a sad commentary on our society and culture--that so many women lack the inner strength to get out of abusive marriages UNLESS there's the promise of someone BETTER who will lure them into his arms and whisper tender things to her. (And we know that abused women tend to find abusive partners--one after another--and often tend to come from homes where abuse was the norm.) This dependency is truly frightening, pinning the woman's worth on how well she appeals to a man, sending her not to her own strengths but to a MAN who will presumably love her enough to help her out of a bad situation. In reality, the woman tends to go from one lousy relationship to another. I'll be very honest here and admit that Bruce and I had a really difficult first year of marriage because I was still reeling from the messages I had gotten about myself during my four years of a bad marriage. I won't repeat the things my first husband told me I was or the names he called me (though I doubt I'll ever be able to fully forget them), but they went into my marriage to Bruce right along with me, and he dealt with my enormous insecurities and my over-reactions to tiny things that simply had become triggers. The way I finally ended my first marriage was when I saw my husband yelling at our daughter and realized that the abuse would not end with me, but would carry over to her. That was something I could not permit. Actually, I remember very well the day--shortly before I left the marriage--when my husband called me a terribly demeaning thing and I did something different than wilt: I reacted with anger and yelled, "No, I am not that! I am NOT THAT!" By the way, I have written about this, and Eric is the only one on the list who has read what I've written. Because it is intensely personal, I have opted not to publish it--yet. I predict that at some time, I will. (Eric thinks I won't be able to resist it.) The book I wrote actually won a Utah Arts Council award. The judge was the speaker at the award's ceremony, and took me aside later to ask, "What are you going to do with this book?" The problem was that it revealed things about me I'd rather not reveal--yet. Including a rebound romance, which I will not detail. But you can see that when I talk about my experience, it isn't just what I've observed in others' lives. So my opinions are pretty strong. [Margaret Young] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 10:27:04 -0800 (PST) From: r talley Subject: [AML] R-Rated Movies [MOD: Okay, it's official... (deep breaths). I'm opening up AML-List for another discussion of the R-rated movies issues. Let me start with a plea that everyone will be calm, clear, and respectful in dealing with each other's views. Please view this as an opportunity to share your own feelings and to listen with respect to those of others. Thanks again--and let me just express my personal appreciation of the fact that I think AML-List is just the sort of place where such a discussion can, and (I fully anticipate) will take place. --Jonathan Langford] I'm just curious . . . I've seen several R-Rated movies and other media recommended. How does viewing this type of entertainment or reading this type of book, fit in with the Prophet's counsel, or the Lord's commandment issued through His mouthpiece, to not view R-Rated films (or other such media)? Rebecca Talley __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 14:17:57 EST From: RichardDutcher@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Film-Adapted Mormon Authors In a message dated 12/11/2002 9:46:31 PM Mountain Standard Time, tmanning.eagle@sisna.com writes: << I'll tell you what author I'd like to see have a film adaptation: Brady Udall's recent book _The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint_! I think it would be great. >> I agree. It could be a wonderful film. The film rights were purchased by Michael Stipe's company. I don't know if it has been filmed yet. Richard Dutcher - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 14:25:20 -0700 From: "Thomas C. Baggaley" Subject: RE: [AML] Film-Adapted Mormon Authors >From the LDSfilm.com web site on the "Other Possible Upcoming Films by Latter-day Saint Filmmakers Not Yet in Production or Pre-Production" page - http://www.ldsfilm.com/announced.html "The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint: Book by BYU grad Brady Udall, about a half-Apache who ends up in an LDS family, has been optioned by Michael Stipe's Single Cell Pictures (Being John Malkovich); Michael Cuesta to direct" - ---------------------------- "The function of a score is to enlarge the scope of a film. I try for emotional penetration - not for complementing the action. For me, the important thing about music is statement. I can't describe how I arrive at the decision to make a statement, I simply feel it and react to it."- Jerry Goldsmith, composer Contact info: Thomas C. Baggaley Composer 9446 Fox Hunt Drive Sandy, Utah 84092 Tel: (801) 942-3580 E-mail: thomas@baggaleymusic.com Web page: http://www.baggaleymusic.com - -----Original Message----- From: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com [mailto:owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Travis K. Manning Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 8:37 PM To: aml-mag@lists.xmission.com Subject: [AML] Re: Film-Adapted Mormon Authors I'll tell you what author I'd like to see have a film adaptation: Brady Udall's recent book _The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint_! I think it would be great. Richard D., why don't you get on that in a year or two, or somebody. Travis Manning - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 18:23:47 -0600 (CST) From: Rich Hammett Subject: Re: [AML] The Role of the Reader On Tue, 10 Dec 2002, Thom Duncan wrote: > Does the story itself say it is wrong, even in the Joseph Smith > Translation? The point being that here is an account apparently written > by a prophet wherein no judgement is made as to the act written about. > We know its bad because we know that incest is bad. So if the story > itself doesn't clarify the act and lets the reader figure out the good > and the evil therein, then why can't the books DB publishes be similarly > vague? Thanks, Thom, that's the point I was trying to get at. And there are dozens of similar examples in the Bible. The Book of Mormon seems to me to be far more moral, on the surface. But carrying the Bible and trying to exclude other works on this basis is just plain inconsistent. rich - -- \ Rich Hammett http://home.hiwaay.net/~rhammett / rhammett@HiWAAY.net "Better the pride that resides / in a citizen of the world; \ than the pride that divides / when a colorful rag is unfurled." - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 18:28:16 -0600 (CST) From: Rich Hammett Subject: Re: [AML] Titanic On Tue, 10 Dec 2002, Elizabeth Walters wrote: > I agree that it's unfortunate that Titanic with all the dazlling > visual effects, butchered soundtracks, and fancy costumes aside > was not much more than a $200 million dollar Harlequin romance > novel in terms of the main plot. But when you make a movie > centered around such an infamous chapter in history, you can't > just have the story be about the ship and have a general overview > of all the people who suffered. They have documenatries on the > discovery channel for these things. Yes, the movie could've done > without the nudie scene and the steamed windows scene, but to say > that was what the movie was about or that a few minutes of Mormon > unfriendly footage overshadows a 3 1/2 hour film comes across to > me as narrow-minded criticism. While it wasn't the best movie > (what James Cameron movie is?) I think Cameron nailed the point > that this ugly episode in history affected the lives thousands of > people. Even fictional star-crossed lovers. > > [Elizabeth Walters] I am nearly certain that the film, as originally test-screened, contained much less of the DiCaprio love story. I believe that Cameron nearly entirely re-edited the thing after those screenings. I recall this from industry news before the movie's release, but I don't remember more than that. Surely some of you industry insiders can confirm my vague memories? rich - -- \ Rich Hammett http://home.hiwaay.net/~rhammett / rhammett@HiWAAY.net "Better the pride that resides / in a citizen of the world; \ than the pride that divides / when a colorful rag is unfurled." - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 18:40:56 -0600 (CST) From: Rich Hammett Subject: Re: [AML] Filling Our Minds On Wed, 11 Dec 2002, Annette Lyon wrote: > I for one am getting tired of hearing the justification for writing certain > things based on the argument that they're in the scriptures that way. I'm > sorry, but who among us is going to pick up a novel and read it in the same > mind set and with the same purpose that they would the scriptures? Didn't > think so. I think you've answered too quickly. I, for one, look for the same type of wisdom about life in EVERY book I read, every movie or TV show that I watch, every conversation I have or even those I hear on the train. But maybe I'm more intense than your average reader. > Until that happens, you can't make the comparison between Lot's daughters, > David, or any other scripture story and what fiction writers can "safely" > use in their writing. And let's hope that *doesn't* happen. I wouldn't want > someone reading my work and considering it scripture. The only One who wants > or deserves that kind of resonsibility IS the author of the scriptures. Well, I've already said that I DO read that way, but implicit here is another angle, which might be more difficult. I DO look for wisdom about life everywhere like I do in scripture. But I also don't depend on a single reading of a single text for absolute truth. Everything I read, even in the scriptures, gets passed through my own moral compass. As somebody else said, it's obvious that what Lot did was wrong--well, it's obvious to me because of my moral compass. I have heard people in many groups try to defend Lot's action as moral, based on the fact that it is in Holy Writ. And I don't see a problem with approaching all literature like this. To put a more Mormon vocabulary on it, to approach all things through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. rich - -- \ Rich Hammett http://home.hiwaay.net/~rhammett / rhammett@HiWAAY.net "Better the pride that resides / in a citizen of the world; \ than the pride that divides / when a colorful rag is unfurled." - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 22:07:37 -0600 From: "Kumiko" Subject: [AML] re: Udall Movie From: "Travis K. Manning" Subject: [AML] Re: Film-Adapted Mormon Authors Travis K. Manning wrote: >>I'll tell you what author I'd like to see have a film adaptation: >>Brady Udall's recent book _The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint_! >>I think it would be great. _Miracle Life_ has long been optioned by Michael Stipe's Single Cell Pictures. (They made "Being John Malkovich"). Michael Cuesta (L.I.E.) is set to direct. - - Preston Hunter - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 19:53:54 -0700 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] Titanic Jacob Proffitt wrote: > you can't seriously hold up "gave me > a new experience that I would have never had" as a yardstick for > cinematic worth, can you? I have as yet never had the experience of > being held upside down by my toes covered in savory nectar while > neighborhood kids play pi=F1ata with a bee hive, either, but I'm not > itching to head for a cinematic equivalent on the basis that new is > good. Sinking ships happen, being held upside down covered in savory nectar while bees attack does not. If it makes you feel any better, let me amend my statement to say, gives me a new experience that is worth experiencing. > And frankly, my imagination is good enough that I doubt watching > Titanic is going to provide something I can't get any other way > (particularly considering it is merely the work of anothers' imagination > and not some newly discovered documentary)... But that's what all literature is about. One person imagining what something is like, and sharing that so others can experience it as well. I have a pretty good imagination too, yet I find other people imagining things I would never have thought of. To be restricted to only what my imagination can provide would result in a pretty sterile life. Sure, you could get anything you can get from _Titanic_ in other ways, if you search around or imagine long enough. But why? It's there in _Titanic_, and well done. Film is a powerful, visceral experience. A lot of people like to complain that film doesn't feed the imagination like books do, because all the sounds and images are there in front of you--you don't have to imagine them up yourself. That's true, but I question the presupposition that that makes film worse than literature. Rather, they serve two different purposes. Frankly, my imagination is orders of magnitude inferior to the experience film gives me. I couldn't possibly feel the sinking of a ship or twenty minutes of a deadly battle in my imagination with quite the same power as films like _Titanic_ or _Saving Private Ryan_ can give me. Life is not an imaginary dream--life is real with real sensations of sight and sound. Film is as close as we can get to life (so far) on a sensory level, without actually having to live it. The ghosts of my imagination cannot compare to the reality of film. If I want to experience something on a deep, powerful level like reality, film is my best choice. Besides, my imagination didn't take a nap while I watched _Titanic_ anyway. It was alive and active, imagining me there and how it would feel and how I would react. So what if it wasn't imagining the images and sounds as well? I'll read a book later to exercise that part of my imagination. Film, literature, personal imagination--it's all wonderful stuff, and in combination synergistically invigorates our lives tremendously. Why not experience it all? I didn't watch _Titanic_ for historical information about the event--I watched the Discovery Channel documentary for that. But the documentary didn't make FEEL what it was like to be there. James Cameron did that. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 11:08:15 -0700 From: "Thom Duncan" Subject: RE: [AML] Titanic >My disagreement was with the statement that the Billy Zane >character was cartoonish. I felt he was very real to life for >the aristocracy of the early 1900s and his actions were about >what I would expect as well. A more skilled writer would have made the character more nuanced. This is like the first thing they teach you in writing classes is that no one is all black or all white. That is, if you want to write meaningful, lasting literature. If you're writing James Bond villains, they can be all evil -- the genre doesn't require nor do its fans (like me!) expect the villains to be nuanced. But Titanic wasn't an adventure flick. It had the air of "film" about it. Within that context, I found the Billy Zane character way too evil for my tastes. Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 09:58:44 -0700 From: "Thom Duncan" Subject: RE: [AML] Thomas Murphy Case [MOD: This is a compilation of several responses by Thom.] >So, is it just me, or does this guy Murphy seem like a >spinmeister of the first order? I'm not convinced that he's >being threatened with excommunication over an honest scholarly >difference of opinion or for anything he wrote. There's an >attitude problem here, IMHO. If Murphy is spinning, he's following in the path of Nibley. Before Nibley and his "spin" on the limited geographical theory, it had been taught at the highest levels that the Nephites covered both the North and South American continent. [another response] >Note the word choice, "excommunication." Proper word choice >would have been "disciplinary council" since that is all that >was "scheduled." I know from sources close to Tom that excommunication would have been the only outcome of the DC. He was asked to recant the views in his paper. >The announcement continues, "We are inviting Native Americans >and Polynesians to express themselves on the racial >implications of being labeled "Lamanites." The vigil and rally >will be conducted peacefully and with dignity." > >Note here that the writers use the words "peacefully" and >"dignity" with no sense of irony. Having seen photographs of >the Salt Lake Temple rally--how convenient, by the way, for >the Church they protest to have provided them a $8.1 million >dollar "soapbox," but I digress--I ask myself how "dignified" >is it to stand in front of said church's holy temple and >ridicule that same church's scriptures with a hand-painted >signs that read, "And it came to pass, that no DNA was found >throughout the land," ""We thank thee O God for a mayor to >guide us in these latter-days in the Rocky of our salvation," >and "You can't excommunicate facts"? Makes one yearn for >Conference weekends when all we have to confront are signs >telling us we're going to hell and such. (Photo courtesy of >the Deseret News, the self-same church's lackey >mouthpiece--see below.) What's undignified about it? Or do you find the that a group of people excercing their Constitutional rights to public protest undignified. >(As a side note, please note the careless use of the word >"facts." Murphy has presented no "facts" to support his >arguments. He has presented the inferences and conclusions he >has drawn from the research of others in conjunction with his >own reading of the offending text. These are not "facts" in >the sense of being beyond reasonable dispute.) They are facts in that there is no DNA evidence that the American Indians decended from the Jewish people. No one has refuted that. >Note here the contradictory word choice: The man, Thomas >Murphy, is "being threatened with excommunication." Which is >it? Well, as we find out later from the actual events, he's >now only threatened with a fireside chat or two with his stake >president. Originally, a dc was called on Tom. The SP backed down for some reason and then re-scheduled the fireside chat. >"He has published his findings and is requesting the LDS >Church to officially open a serious dialog on these two issues." > >Published? Where? The press release gives one location to >find Murphy's research, http://www.mormonchallenge.com. That is not completely correct. The research was done as part of a legitimate academic research project. You make it appear as though Tom wrote the article with the ultimate goal in mind of being posted on an anti-Mormon site. [another response] >How very sad for anyone that would consider attending >such a vigil. I considered it because I know members of Tom's family. But didn't make it up there for various reasons. I resent the idea in the remainder of your post that there is something wrong with the testimonies of those who might choose to attend such a vigil. Some of us faithful LDS don't share your belief that the decisions of local leaders (or even world leaders) need never be questioned. [another response] >What I think is really interesting is that the group Thomas >Murphy has become part of is Living Hope Ministries. They >call themselves a non-denominational Christian church. Looking >at their web site they pick apart the Book of Mormon, the >prophet and use former members to speak against the book of >Mormon and its teachings. I see no problem with the church >excommunicating someone who no longer believes in the >teachings of the church and has aligned themselve with those >that are out to do harm to the church. Just to be technical, neither of those last two things you mention are grounds for excommunication. There are non-believers aplenty who no longer attend who are nonetheless allowed to stay on the records. And even joining another church is not grounds for excommunication (the only exception is if you join a polygamous group). Apostacy IS grounds for excommunication but what constitutes apostacy is not as crystal clear as you might think. What Living Hope Ministries (and I would bet a farthing or two that Tom is not a member of that group, since he is pretty much and agnostic) publishes on their website is unrelated to what Tom may write. His "worthiness" to remain Mormon ought to be decided on his writings and his alone. What I find very intersting about this thread (did I say interesting? I meant appaling) is the amount of posts from those who neither know Tom or who have read his writings who seem ready at the drop of a hat to kick a guy out of the Church. Who are we, brothers and sisters, to sit in holy jugement over a fellow Saint, inactive or otherwise, or a fellow human being, for that matter? Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 15:16:35 -0700 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: [AML] Church Discipline Articles [MOD: Reluctant as I am to create more work for myself by opening up to more of the sort of back-and-forth that the original Thomas Murphy article generated, still I do thank Chris for forwarding these news items to AML-List, and think that they are worthy of discussion *within bounds* as marginally relevant to AML-List's focus. Our purpose isn't to debate the Church, its practices, or its teachings, or the case of individual members. However, I think it is within bounds to consider incidents of this sort and the issues they raise as part of the Mormon culture within which and about which Mormon authors write. Let's keep the tone mutually respectful, and--if we can--keep sight of potential connections to Mormon letters...] Chris Bigelow speaks: Following are two Salt Lake newspaper articles related to recent Church discipline of LDS writers/scholars. I hope this is the extent of it and we are not entering another crackdown cycle. (FWIW, I personally think Thomas Murphy sounds like he's out to lunch, especially since I read his statement that the BoM needs to be treated as fiction. But the issue of how the Church deals with such a situation is a whole nother matter. I'm not so sure Whelan is out to lunch; I haven't read his book yet.) Scholar's LDS Tribunal Postponed Protesters near the LDS Temple bring attention to the cause of Thomas Murphy, who faces possible excommunication for his DNA studies. (Danny La/The Salt Lake Tribune) The Mormon church has indefinitely postponed a disciplinary council hearing scheduled for Sunday night that was expected to result in the excommunication of a professor whose writings question the Book of Mormon. Supporters of Thomas W. Murphy, a University of Washington doctoral student, decided to continue a rally on Salt Lake City's Main Street Plaza. About 15 supporters carried signs and marched around the exterior of the crowded plaza before stopping in front of the LDS Temple to talk to a gathering crowd. Murphy, 35, did not attend, but said in a Saturday letter to supporters that the church proceedings were canceled due to the publicity his case has received. His ecclesiastical leader also cited Murphy's statements that being excommunicated would hurt his relationship with his southern Idaho family, descendants of the first Mormon pioneers. Murphy said Matthew Latimer, president of the Lynnwood (Wash.) Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "wants to take some more time to get to know me and invited me to have some more private discussions before taking any further action." In a written statement, Latimer said he thought it "best not to proceed at this time," and said Murphy has the right to ask that his name be removed from church rolls. Murphy said he had not made that request -- and will not. "I do value my Mormon heritage. I would rather make a constructive contribution to the church's abandonment of its racist beliefs about American Indians than to leave the church," Murphy said. Murphy's trouble with the church grew from an article published in the May 2002 Signature Books anthology, American Apocrypha, that used genetic data to discredit the Book of Mormon claim that American Indians are descendants of ancient Israel. The conclusion also is the thesis of his doctoral dissertation. Church leaders have declined to comment on the details of Murphy's case. "The church should be like other churches and allow a loyal opposition," said Temple Square rally coordinator Kathy Worthington. "We're asking the church to put more value on free speech." Murphy's brother, Brandon, also an anthropologist, attended the rally. "You are told to tell the truth -- unless it contradicts the church," he said. He plans to leave the church in protest of the expected excommunication. Thomas Murphy, who is chairman of the anthropology department at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood objects to Mormon scriptural teachings that American Indians are descendants of Middle Easterners known as Lamanites, the heathen antagonists in the Book of Mormon. The "keystone" scripture of the Mormon faith relates how a group of Lamanites who decided to forgo violence and war then became white Christians. Murphy employed DNA research to refute those claims, and says the depictions of American Indians as Lamanites is racist and hurtful. Shane Whelan, the author of a book on plural marriage titled More than One: Plural Marriage A Sacred Heritage, was excommunicated in August and attended Sunday's rally. Whelan said church officials thought his book was an embarrassment. They requested that he take down billboard advertisements and dissolve his business. Whelan refused, though he still believes in the tenets of the Mormon faith. "I feel we have a right to study and say what we like," he said. "As Latter-day Saints, the right to exercise our free agency is paramount." 'More Than One' writer cut from LDS Church By Geoffrey Fattah Deseret News staff writer [This is some pretty frank, thorough, fair-minded reporting for the Church-owned newspaper. If I'd read it blind, I would have attributed it to the Trib, not the Des News. CB] A local author and marketer says he was ousted from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last fall after he authored a book about polygamy. Shane Whelan raised many motorists' eyebrows last summer when he rented several billboards along I-15 in Utah and Salt Lake counties proclaiming polygamy as a "sacred heritage" and advertising his book, "More Than One." The couple had also bought KSL radio ads about the book. When the Deseret News interviewed them last July, Shane Whelan and his wife, Rhonda Whelan, said they could find no LDS publishing house that would carry their controversial book and ultimately took out a second mortgage to publish and promote the book themselves. At the time, the couple said they were members in good standing with the church, even if they were urging main-stream LDS members to embrace polygamy as a proud part of their past. Whelan's book, one of dozens on polygamy, was among the first to be geared for a general LDS audience. Despite its controversial subject, Shane Whelan said he had the support of his bishop and wife about the endeavor. But just after media attention concerning his ad campaign and book, Whelan said he was surprised when he was called by church officials to attend a disciplinary council last August and that he was charged with apostasy and conduct inappropriate of a member of the church. Although the apostasy stemmed directly from the book, he said, the conduct charge stemmed from an incident involving his 15-year-old step-daughter, who ran away from their Woods Cross home. Despite allegations made by family members that Whelan was verbally abusive to the girl, the matter was later dismissed out of 2nd District Juvenile Court, according to Whelan. In a letter from Woods Cross Utah North Stake President Brent Cleverly on Aug. 28, the couple was instructed not to promote the book and "leave the subject matter of plural marriage alone." The couple was also told to send a letter to their stake president "renouncing your involvement in the activity of promotion of this book including recognition of its negative impact." Shane Whelan said he was stunned. Church leaders gave him the chance to reconsider and keep his membership in the church, but Whelan said he refused, mainly because he felt that he was religiously inspired to write the book. "They wanted me to take the billboards down," including the Web site, he said, "and I refused." Membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is strictly voluntary, and although a disciplinary council may vote to revoke the membership of a follower as ultimate punishment, it in no way "involves the person's civil rights as a citizen," said LDS Church spokesman Dale Bills. Whelan, a lifelong member of the church, said he never intended to write a book against the church and says his book was taken strictly from a "historical perspective" and does not advocate the practice of polygamy. Whelan was excommunicated from the church last August and his wife was disfellowshipped soon after. In a letter to Cleverly dated Sept. 1, Rhonda Whelan apologized for any harm the book may have done to the church and renounced her involvement in the book and Zion Publishers. Since last fall, Rhonda Whelan filed for divorce, which was finalized last week. Shane Whelan claims his ex-wife was encouraged to divorce him by her family members and church leaders. Because LDS Church discipline is considered confidential, Bills said he could not comment on specifics. "Matters of church discipline are handled on a confidential basis between members and their local leaders. Local church leaders determine what, if any, disciplinary action is appropriate," Bills said. According to a letter written by Cleverly to Whelan on July 7, Cleverly calls his book "beyond informational" and encouraged Whelan to use his writing talent to "write concerning the life, mission and atonement of the Savior or the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith." "It's pretty much destroyed my life," Whelan said, but he added that he fully intends to continue to promote his book. "I believe everybody has a right to free agency," he said, although he is saddened to lose his church membership. Whelan said he plans to have yet another billboard up on State Street in Salt Lake City within a few weeks. [Forwarded by Chris Bigelow] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:40:17 -0800 From: "Susan Malmrose" Subject: Re: [AML] Titanic > Susan, I have seen both of these films, own the Spitfire Grill and loved > both of them. The fact that Sam Waterston is in August King helps. :-) > How would you like them picked apart? > Debbie Brown > > > I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments on it, though. And I wish you'd all > > pick apart some other movies as well--like, maybe The Spitfire Grill, or the > > Journey of August King. > > > > Susan M They're two of my favorite films. I'm no film critic--I'd just love to see these movies discussed, and it was sort of a backhanded comment, since I consider them much more worthy of discussion than Titanic. (Richard Dutcher can scold me for saying that now, since I've never seen Titanic. :) It's been awhile since I've seen either movie, but I saw the girl in The Spitfire Grill as a bit of a Christ figure...or maybe it was one of the other characters. I'll have to rent it again, can't hardly remember what happens in it now. But both movies deal with redemption, one of my favorite themes. Sam Waterson is great--so is Thandie Newton and Jason Patric. And Spitfire has Will Patton, another favorite of mine. Susan M - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:48:32 -0800 From: Kathy and Jerry Tyner Subject: Re: [AML] Titanic Well Richard, I hope you do. Ditto me and my husband. But we old married types have had the wonder of refining that steamy window thing into an art form. Titanic was cheap sex. And unrealistic. And I'm not against love scenes! But give me a better context, please! I realize some of our fellow Saints are against bare feet and open-toed shoes being shown in movies, but I'd have to say I'd love to see two commited lovers in each other's arms, doesn't happen often in cinema. For me, one of the most poignant scenes in Brigham City is where Wes goes into the closet and touches his wife's clothes. Without words, it showed he missed her, ALL of her. I was touched by it. Most everyone would like to know someone longed for them in that and so many other ways. BTW, the nude scene didn't bother me, just the ridiculous steamy window scene. Maybe I'm just jealous. Kathy Tyner Orange County, CA - ----- Original Message ----- > > Personally, I kind of liked the steamy windows. > > In fact, on my final day in mortality, I hope my wife and I get to steam up > one last window. > > Richard Dutcher > > > > > -- > AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature > - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #924 ******************************