From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V2 #87 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 Wednesday, June 18 2003 Volume 02 : Number 087 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2003 13:16:35 -0500 From: "Preston Hunter" Subject: [AML] Director Announced for _Baptists at Our Barbecue_ When popular LDS novelist Robert Farrell Smith contacted us about his plans for producing a feature film adaptation of his comedic LDS novel _Baptists at Our Barbecue_ (Bookcraft, 2002), I was excited. This is a truly hilarious novel with an unusual, interesting premise. Spartan Jones is a 30-year-old single Latter-day Saint tired of everybody around him trying to set him up and with dates. That's not the original or interesting part. What's so interesting and funny about the novel is the place that Spartan ends up when he decides to move out of his mom's home in Provo and get away from it all. He's a ranger, and he takes the first Forest Service job that opens up. He ends up in Longfellow, New Mexico (called "Longwinded" by everyone) -- a town of 558 people, evenly divided between Baptists and Mormons, each of which has exactly the same number of members. With Spartan's arrival, the scales are tipped by one person in favor of the Mormons. Spartan finds himself in the middle of a decades-long feud between the two denominations. He also finds that nearly every citizen of the town is flat out bizarre, each in a different quirky way. Spartan wonders about the wisdom of coming to such a place, until the breathtakingly beautiful Charity shows up. She's the twentysomething granddaughter of one of the branch members, and Tartan decides that maybe things aren't so bad in Longwinded after all. This is a very fun read, and I thought it would make a great movie. The book tackles a number of worthwhile themes and subjects which have never been in a film. We were flattered that the Robert Smith and the producers of the movie would ask for help in finding a director for this half-million dollar project. This movie is a first in contemporary LDS Cinema history in that it is the first time a movie project has been instigated and driven by something other than the director. The 8 LDS Cinema film projects which have been released to theaters thus far were all started by the person who ended up directing the movie. But Smith, although a talented author, knew he did not want to direct. He wanted to get the best director possible for the project, one that would do justice to the material and create an entertaining, worthwhile movie. Smith also wanted the possibilities to be wide open. He had no predetermined "short list," and was willing to consider directors with any educational background or level of experience. He would even have considered a Baptist director, but there aren't any. We sent information about the project to the LDSFilm.com mailing list, as well as many directors who might be interested. Directors were asked to send Smith and the producers their resumes, samples of their work, and a brief description of how they might approach a low-budget comedy feature of this type. Subsequent rounds of interviews and meetings eventually led to a choice who might seem surprising, but whom the authors and producers are confident will be the best person to adapt this novel: Christian Vuissa. Christian Vuissa's upbringing as a Catholic in Austria may seem far removed from the rural Southwestern culture of feuding Baptists and Latter-day Saints. But the same can be said for his award-winning film "Roots & Wings," which won the Film Award from the Association for Mormon Letters last year. "Roots & Wings" is entirely about a family of Mexican-Americans living in a suburban United States town. Most of language spoken in the film is Spanish, a language Christian does not even speak. Yet the film has been acclaimed for the power of its almost documentary-like realism. Ang Lee isn't green, and he's not from New Mexico either, but he was tapped to helm "The Hulk." (In fact, "The Hulk" and "Baptists At Our Barbecue" have a lot more in common than simply their locale and being helmed by a foreign director.) Vuissa's most recent short film is "Unfolding," which is a serious drama (with some humor), as was "Roots & Wings." The film adaptation of "Baptists At Our Barbecue" will be Vuissa's first comedy, and his first feature film. If anybody has any reservations about Vuissa's abilities to help a feature film of this type, or if anybody is tempted to conclude "not another lame LDS movie idea"... I would invite them to watch either "Roots & Wings" or "Unfolding." Anybody who does so will be left speechless. Vuissa's films have exhibited unique commitment to excellence. His first feature film, based on Smith's wonderfully fun novel, will easily rival and quite possibly surpass anything that has gone before it. Preston Hunter - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 23:03:03 -0600 From: "Susan Malmrose" Subject: [none] <5eafevkf7gb7oghh7msvc3vdahkq7f9rrn@4ax.com> Subject: Re: [AML] Mormonism and Feminism Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 08:53:55 -0700 Sender: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: aml-list > but I didn't, really. Although it was an unfortunate experience, the=20 > =3D reason that it was so stunning to me that women *weren't* being=20 > asked to =3D speak was because, in all the other wards I'd been a part > of, women were =3D an integral part of sacrament meeting and Sunday=20 > school and doctrinal =3D discussions. This experience was noteworthy=20 > because of the way it =3D It's been rare for me to attend a SM that didn't have women speaking. I remember one recently, though, that really stood out to me. The subject for the talks that day was the Priesthood. They had men speak who represented the Aaronic and Melchezidek Priesthoods, which was a good enough concept when I thought about it at first. But it didn't take me long to turn to my husband and say, "I can't believe they're having talks on the Priesthood and no woman is speaking!" We both felt a real lack because of it. Women are integral to the Priesthood. Susan M - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 22:35:19 -0700 From: Randall Udell Larsen Subject: Re: [AML] Redeemers Listmembers,=20 Putting a literary twist on this discussion,a book-- the Wilford Woodruff Journal-- mentions that this question was discussed in the Salt Lake School of the Prophets. The question of Saviors on "other worlds" also comes up in apocrypha such as The Books of Jeu and the 2nd Coptic Gnostic Work. In the books of Jeu a "Gnostic" explains that "as Jeu's become Fathers [of worlds] in time they appoint Jeu's for other worlds who will in time become Fathers." =20 In various journal accounts of his discourses Joseph Smith is reported to explain that a world "is a company of spirits." So there is even the possibility [though the methodist in us doesn't like the idea] that this earth has seen worlds and Saviors before this one. =20 =20 Well what does this do to the message of a Universal God. The question came up in the question and answer session after one of Nibley's=20 1966 talks on New Testament Apocrypha. Nibley's reply as I recall, "there's only one ruling mind." Though there be God's many and Lord's many there is only one God (and one Savior) with whom we have to do. Of course Brigham Young taught a lot about saviors on other worlds to the anointed school and to tabernacle audiences, but as=20 George Q. Cannon said in the 1899 Sunday School convention, the brethren have thought it wise not to advocate these matters (especially in Sunday School). The advice of Elder Cannon has been followed to such an extent that many Adult latter-day Saints have never heard the ideas mentioned discussed anywhere. The School of the Prophets minute--somewhat accessible in the 1970s to Quinn and other researchers-- are now pretty much off limits as I understand it. Every effort has been made to put the cats Brigham let out of the bag back in the bag. =20 Perhaps its wise "not to reveal all truth." Missionary work apparently requires we minimize the differences in our view of the Godhead from the traditional Christian views in order to maintain some common ground to discuss 1st principles with the Christian world. =20 Nevertheless, I sure would like to read more of what Brother Brigham had to say on the subject (if only for its value as literature). In one not so widely published discourse Brigham compares Exalted gods to Bees who swarm from the redeemed earth to Colonize other earths. =20 =20 kind regards,=20 Randall Larsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 23:04:41 -0600 From: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com Subject: [none] <567B6188DF98CA488F39B9769E2AB231045F9A99@utah01.utah.unicity.corp.num ico.com> From: Christopher Bigelow To: "'aml-list@lists.xmission.com'" Subject: [AML] (S.L. Trib) Mitt Romney autobiography Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 10:20:37 -0600 Sender: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: aml-list The Tim Robinson mentioned in the following story worked as a Deseret Book editor for a time. Romney plans autobiography about Games=20 By Lisa Riley Roche Deseret Morning News Add Mitt Romney to the list of politicians turned autobiographers. Romney, now governor of Massachusetts, may be joining former first lady Hillary Clinton on the best-seller list with his story of transforming the 2002 Winter Games into one of the most successful Olympics ever. Tentatively titled, "Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership and the Olympic Games," the book is being ghost-written by Romney's nephew, Tim Robinson of Alpine. Romney contributed 300 pages of notes transcribed from thoughts he recorded about his time in Salt Lake City. Romney doesn't have a book deal yet, but Robinson said a top agent at William Morris is representing the governor and anticipates striking a deal with a major publishing house within a few weeks. The intent is to get the book in print by next spring, in time to tie into the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece, as well as the congressional hearings into the disarray at the U.S. Olympic Committee. Plus, Robinson said, the bribery trial of former Salt Lake bid leaders Tom Welch and Dave Johnson should be over by then. The pair are set to go to trial in October in connection with the more than $1 million spent to woo the votes of the International Olympic Committee. Robinson said the book will focus on the business skills Romney brought to the Salt Lake Games. Romney came to Utah in February 1999 to take over the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, then struggling to survive the bid scandal. The story, Robinson said, "is how he was able to take an organization that was basically a laughingstock internationally and pull off Games that were successful" using the same management principles that made him a wealthy businessman in Boston. Such key principles as the need to "cherish your detractors" and "lower expectations" will be detailed for readers in an attempt to broaden the audience for the book. "I convinced him to spin it as a kind of lay management book," Robinson said. Romney, he said, is an instinctive leader. "He flies by the seat of his pants," Robinson said. "He doesn't think about the principles or their application. He just does what he thinks is right." He won't be the first Olympic leader to have written about the experience of running a Games. Peter Ueberroth, head of the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, wrote a best seller a year later and was discussed then as a potential presidential candidate. Politicians, of course, often write books in advance of a campaign. The publicity generated by a book can't help but boost Romney's political profile. A Republican, he has long dreamed of a run for the White House. That could come as soon as 2008 - the very same year some speculate Hillary Clinton, now a Democratic senator from New York, might seek her party's nomination for president. Not so fast, said Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom. "He is not writing the book to raise his national profile," Fehrnstrom said. "There's an important story to tell and there are many lessons learned that Governor Romney wants to share." So the book isn't gearing Romney up for a presidential run? "No," Fehrnstrom laughed. "We're worried about re-election in 2006." Forwarded by Chris Bigelow - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 10:59:32 -0600 From: Barbara Hume Subject: RE: [AML] _Paint Your Wagon_ (Review) At 07:35 PM 6/16/03 -0400, you wrote: >This "guy we've never heard of" was Harve Presnell--one of Broadway's >great=3D20 leading men n the 1960's... Didn't he play Brigham Young in a production put on at BYU? He certainly=20 had (has?) a powerful voice. barbara hume - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 11:06:46 -0600 From: Jennifer Vaughn Subject: RE: [AML] Mormonism and Feminism D. Michael Martindale wrote: >All feminism means to me is I don't give a rat's behind whether a=20 >person is a woman or a man, unless there is a very compelling,=20 >objective reason to make the distinction. Otherwise, they should be=20 >treated the same. I believe that men often make this mistake in communicating to women as if women are men--there *is* a very, compelling, objective reason to make the distinction. I'm sure you are familiar with Deborah Tannen's books, which, unfortunately, are sometimes lumped in with the poor-in-science/rich-in-zeitgiest genre of self-help books. But basically she states that women's communication styles often reflect a relationship-maintaining objective and men's communication styles often reflect a get-the-job-done objective. Personally, I believe that both styles are needed, and an imbalance of one style can be ineffective. Literature tie-in--as a woman, I would much rather read about relationships (any Oprah Book) than objectives (Tom Clancy). - --Jennifer Breinholt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 14:13:44 -0700 (PDT) From: "R.W. Rasband" Subject: RE: [AML] _Paint Your Wagon_ (Review) - --- robert lauer wrote: > This "guy we've never heard of" was Harve Presnell--one of Broadway's=20 > great=3D20 leading men n the 1960's...and someone who still has a film > career as a=3D20 > character actor. He starred in both the orginal Broadway version of > THE=3D20 > UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN (for which I believe he won the Tony Award) and > in=3D20 > the film version with Debbie Reynolds. In recent years he starred in > the=3D20 > disastrous Broadway flop "ANNIE II" as Daddy Warbucks. An extremely > gifted=3D20 > actor with a great voice and fantastic good looks, he arrived in > Hollywood=3D20 > fresh from numerous Broadway successes just as the film musical died. > PAINT=3D20 > YOUR WAGON, in fact, was one of the last nails in the coffin. >=20 He was also the formidable father-in-law in the Coen Brothers' classic "Fargo"; AND he played the title role in the unforgettable "Brigham!" the pageant BYU put on in 1975 to celebrate BYU's centennial (I was there in the Marriott center for all three interminable hours of it:-) =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D R.W. Rasband Heber City, UT rrasband@yahoo.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 15:05:49 -0700 (PDT) From: "R.W. Rasband" Subject: Re: [AML] William F. BUCKLEY, _Getting it Right_ I'm not sure Buckley has a very deep or realistic understanding of LDS mission life. If a 19-year-old elder were to be discovered having sex on his mission it would probably lead to excommunication and being sent home. Even if it were not discovered, for most people the spiritual, psychological, and emotional consequences would be so great that a fundamental reordering would take place of the individual's relationship with the church. Buckley's Mormon protagonist is the good guy. He considers himself a faithful Mormon (whatever that is) even though he drinks and fornicates through the novel (although he refuses to use cuss words.) There is a tradition in fiction about Catholics something called a "whiskey priest" (especially in the novels of Graham Greene, i.e. "The Power and the Glory".) If I understand correctly, such a priest can be dissolute, even alcoholic. He is torn by doubts. But because he is still a priest conferred with the authority of God, God can work through him and he is still good for a miracle every once in a while. Such an understanding of sin and authority might have influenced Buckley's thinking about the personal morality of his Mormon characters. It could be argued that if you go down this road far enough, you end up with the clergy sex scandals that have plagued the Catholic church in recent decades. Of course the orthodox Mormon view is that personal righteousness is inseparably connected to the powers of heaven. The moment you try to exercise unrighteous dominion over another, the Spirit withdraws. I would never try to judge what that point is for another person. But I'm pretty sure I know where my tipping point is. [R.W. Rasband] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 18:27:36 -0400 From: "robert lauer" Subject: Re: [AML] SSA TRAVIS MANNING asked: > Generally, how would writing about fictional SSA Mormons=20 >substantially >contribute to the >body of Mormon lit? Yes, there are gay Mormons, but how would >creating art with them be both "inclusive" and "liberating"? Such literature would be "inclusive" and "liberating" (both rather stale=20 political terms in my opinion) because it would be an acknowledgement of the=20 fact that some Latter-day Saints are indeed homosexuals. If one believes=20 that acting upon homosexual feelings is a sin and if one of the missions of=20 the Church is to perfect the Saints, then this continued pretending that=20 there are are no homosexual Latter-day Saints or (even more destructive yet)=20 the continued pretense that an individual can easily (if he only has faith=20 and is committed) overcome, ignore or repress these feelings--such fanciful=20 pretending not only undermines one of the Church's stated missions, but it=20 further isolates homosexual Latter-day Saints from their brothers and=20 sisters in the Gospel. The homosexual Saint feels unwelcomes to share with=20 others his/her most profound spiritual struggle. To be able to give voice to our greatest struggles (whatever they may be) is=20 a very liberating in a spiritual sense. It also builds those feelings of=20 brotherhood and friendship that should be the hallmark of Latter-day Saint=20 society. But when an individuals must suffer alone and in silence (and individuals dealing with homosexual emotions struggle--and struggle much=20 more profoundly than others because, unlike heterosexuals, there is=20 absolutely no morally acceptable way for them to express their deepest emotions and desires) is to gradually excommunicate such Saints (not=20 officially excommunicate, but excommunicate de facto) from the body of the=20 Church. In this discussion, we might think upon what the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote=20 in a letter to Nancy Rigdon in Nauvoo...for it had to do with the subject of=20 human sexuality, though the portion of the letter most often quoted is seldom put in that context. The Prophet (a married man at the time) had=20 proposed marriage to Nancy. She was morally repulsed by the idea of plural=20 marriage. In a letter to further his defense of plural marriage, the Prophet=20 wrote: Happiness is the object of our creation and will be the end thereof, if we=20 pursue the path that leads to it;and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness and keeping all the commandments of God...what is=20 wrong in one instance may not be wrong in another....God is much more=20 liberal in his sympathies than we suppose. ROB. LAUER - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 00:05:14 GMT From: Darvell Hunt Subject: [AML] Re: Restrictions on Being Alone - --- "D. Michael Martindale" wrote: >[..] If an adult touches a child (especially if it's a man doing the=20 >touching), he's probably a sexual predator. [..] >So no one touches anyone anymore. Not sure if this is getting off-topic, but I feel unnaturally constrained by our current society's fears. I am often away from home for work and I see families all of the time. As a writer, I like to watch people. I miss my four young kids considerably and pay close attention to the little kids I see. Sometimes I even talk to them, but I don't dare get friendly with them. I'm a mid-thirties white male and society has told kids to fear me if they do not know me. It makes me sad, but I just smile at them, maybe say hi, but keep my distance. That's not what I want to do, as I pose no threat whatsoever to them. But their parents don't know that and frankly, I don't want to open kids up to future danger by dispersing their fear of strangers. I also stop to help people along the highway because too many times that person on the side of the road has been me. I like to pay the favor forward. I've also passed by someone because it didn't feel right. There are good reasons to not stop and help people. I have NEVER thought NOT to help because of the gender of someone in need. But if I were female, I probably would rarely stop to help anyone. Darvell Hunt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 00:19:53 GMT From: Darvell Hunt Subject: [AML] Re: Director Announced for _Baptists at Our Barbecue_ - --- "Preston Hunter" wrote: >When popular LDS novelist Robert Farrell Smith contacted us about his >plans for producing a feature film adaptation of his comedic LDS novel=20 >_Baptists at Our Barbecue_ (Bookcraft, 2002), I was excited. This is a=20 >truly hilarious novel with an unusual, interesting premise. >Preston Hunter That's GREAT news! I personally have considerable difficulty finding an LDS book that I enjoy reading. _Baptists at our Barbeque_ was one of the rare ones. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good read and I very much look forward to a film adapted from it. I think it's a story well-suited for the big screen. (But I'm sure it was published before 2002, possibly by another company, Aspen maybe.) If you like comedy and like LDS books, this one is a MUST. Darvell [Hunt] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 20:50:09 -0600 From: Marny Parkin Subject: [AML] Mormon SF Bibliography My bibliography of Mormon speculative fiction has a new URL: www.MormonSF.org. Come have a look and see all the new titles I've added recently. And let me know if you've published something I've missed. Marny Parkin - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 21:08:00 -0600 From: "Annette Lyon" Subject: Re: [AML] Restrictions on Being Alone Dianna's comment how a bishop hearing confessions may lead to this kind of preaching struck a chord. I remember one college bishop telling the ward that without exception every morality-type confession he had ever heard began with, "well, we were alone in his/her room doing homework" or something along those lines. He was one of those bishops who draw the line fast and hard, but I understood his reasoning. I don't always agree with the restrictions of never being alone w/ a person of the opposite gender. That said, I know of a few cases where it has led to serious problems--and in each one, the people involved had seemed the very least likely to ever do anything improper, even to themselves. "I'd NEVER do anything like that. I take my marriage seriously. That could never happen to me." Well, it did. Not everyone who gets sunburned is going to get skin cancer. Call me paranoid, but if putting on sun screen will keep me from even having the risk of it, I'll slather it on, thank you very much. Annette Lyon - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 09:59:06 -0500 From: Jonathan Langford Subject: [AML] Out of Town Folks, I will be out of town for the next three days. In my absence, Jacob Proffitt will be proceeding as assistant moderator. However, if he (or you) has anything that raises questions for my review, I won't be able to get back to them until the weekend/Monday. Just so you know. Much thanks for Jacob for taking on this responsibility, and to all of you for your patience with us. Jonathan Langford AML-List Moderator - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 08:14:53 -0700 From: "Jeff Needle" Subject: RE: [AML] Mormon SF Bibliography What a splendid effort! I learned that Parley P. Pratt wrote fiction! Never knew it! May I make a suggestion? When I went to the link for the review of Linda Adams' "Prodigal Journey," found it went to a single review of the book, when in fact there are three reviews, and there is a link to the list of the three reviews. Would it be more helpful to go to *that* page instead of the single review? Thanks again -- much appreciated! - ---------------- Jeffrey Needle jeff.needle@general.com (or, if there's a bounce) jeffneedle@tns.net - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V2 #87 *****************************