From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V2 #253 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, February 4 2004 Volume 02 : Number 253 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 23:59:53 -0700 From: "Gae Lyn Henderson" Subject: RE: [AML] Mormon Near-Death Literature --why the question? For near-death info the best website I've found is http://www.near-death.com/ I've read most of the books on the subject but there are more and more appearing all the time. The book that upset me the most was written in response to Betty Eadie's _Embraced by the Light_. The title of the response was _Embarrassed by the Light_. It was written by a church member who wanted to discredit what Eadie had said in the book and show that it was not doctrinal. And it is true that Eadie's account, while following much of church doctrine about the purpose of life and the picture of the pre- and after earthlife experience, does deviate in certain key details. I well remember the sarcastic tone of the book and the judgmental attitude towards Eadie. The author asked why Jesus would talk to or communicate with a person as unworthy as Eadie. He gave some of the facts of her life which included the fact that she had been an unwed mother. I was embarrassed by _Embarrassed_, that in the name of doctrinality such judgmental attitudes could emerge. But since Sam is an MD and he was the one asking the question, I'm wondering why the question? Gae Lyn Henderson - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 23:50:58 -0800 From: Matthew Durkee Subject: [AML] Re: Mormonism and _Angels in America_ Initially, I was very offended when I saw the garments, but the more I thought about it, the less I felt that way. For one thing, I don't recall ever having to show my recommend when I have walked into a Beehive Clothing store and made a purchase. Any production designer who knew this could have simply walked in and bought them. And in addition to Thom Duncan's comment that none of the actors had made any commitment to keep them sacred, it's also worth noting that the significance of the symbols (which weren't featured prominently anyway) were not discussed at all, which is, I think, the most important sacred detail. I still think a more respectful approach would have been to use less literal facsimiles of the garments, and it does seem that with even just a little research they could have done so, but overall I don't think any great violation was committed. "Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do" is quite apropos, and I suspect He will (though of course I would never presume to know). I must confess, however, that I now understand in ways I never did before why Native Americans get offended about how names and burial grounds get used casually or even flippantly by other cultures. I used to think they were being overly fussy. But now that something sacred to me has been misused, I feel the same kind of sting. And since I'm bothering to post at all (since I do so quite rarely), let me add a word of disagreement to Jonathan Langford's review of _Angels_. I found it quite refreshing to see a portrayal of Mormons by a non-Mormon in which they were more than just cookie-cutter stereotypes of well-meaning, naive, moralistic missionaries (full-time or "member missionary"). It was refreshing to see someone recognize that Mormons are three-dimensional people with faults AND sincerely felt ideals that they wrestle with. Joe and his wife (I forget her name, and imdb.com is down) have real testimonies of the gospel, they know what they ought to do, but they struggle mightily with the execution of it. This is a welcome counterpoise to the standard stereotype of people who feel oppressed by their religion and are desperate for an excuse or desperately in need of an epiphany to get them out of the Church. I guess you could argue that Joe and his wife do leave the Church, but I don't think the outcome is made clear. It's not always a matter of in or out. Their marriage was a disaster, certainly, but just because they ended it does not mean they left the Church. I tend to think they didn't. Joe's experiment with homosexuality did not go well for him. His wife understands that she needs to start over, but I don't see her blaming the Church for what went wrong in her life. She is as likely to turn to it for strength. Additionally, the staid mother, in the last scene with her, becomes quite open-minded yet it's clear that she has not abandoned her faith. Again, I think this is counter to the stereotype we nearly always see--either you're in the Church and are a close-minded reactionary bigot or you're enlightened, open-minded and therefore you are out of the Church. All I know is that I do know Mormons like this (I mean Joe and his wife, in particular), and perhaps this is the point I disagree with Jonathon on the most. These people know the Church is true, but they are tempted to resent the fact. They mock themselves and their Mormon culture. They find the Church to be inconvenient or even depressing, yet their testimonies keep them in it. They move as far away from the diaspora as they can get. But they still go to Church and they continue to do at least the bare minimum to keep a recommend out of a sense of duty if nothing else. In the parlance of Lehi's dream, they are people who are on the path or have tasted the fruit and are now giving serious thought to what the people in the great and spacious building are saying. They haven't left, and maybe they don't think they would ever leave, but they listen too much to what is being shouted at them from across the gulf. From a writer's perspective (as perversely unfeeling as that might be), these kinds of people make for great characters in story. They defy stereotype. They are complex, and theirs is an honest moral struggle. It's proof that Kushner deserves at least some of the praise he's received for crating a story peopled with such characters. [Matthew Durkee] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 09:01:31 -0600 From: "Angela Hallstrom" Subject: [AML] Newsweek Mention of Sundance I just got my Feb. 2 issue of Newsweek in the mail, and under = "Newsmakers" they had a blurb about Sundance with the headline "Sundance = '04: Pure 'Dynamite'"--the dynamite reference a nod toward _Napoleon = Dynamite_, which they call "one of the two comedies topping the list . . = A quirky gem from a 24-year-old Mormon director named Jared Hess, = about a high-school geek." A picture of Hess was also included. I'm not living in Utah so I haven't read a lot of Sundance coverage, but = have any of you seen this movie? What's your take on it? Just curious, = and hoping that with the good press it will get a wider release and I = might be able to see it. Angela Hallstrom - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 16:27:18 +0000 From: ThomasDuncan01@comcast.net Subject: Re: [AML] Mormonism and _Angels in America_ > I completely agree with Jonathan's analysis of _Angels in America_. I saw > part one as staged by a community college [the acting was quite good, > actually]. I had heard about the play before I saw it, but I didn't know > much about it. I had a vague notion that there would probably be some > offensive stuff about Mormons, but wasn't sure how that would be > manifested. In all, I found it a powerful experience, but not wholly > satisfying. For one, the Mormon elements worked exactly as Jonathan > described them -- interesting, perhaps, in the context of the play, but > bearing no resemblance to the Mormonism I knew. You've never met smoking Mormons, or drug-taking Mormons or closeted gay Mormons? What part of Mormonism as portrayed wasn't accurate in your view? Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 09:38:43 -0700 From: "Brent Nelson" Subject: [AML] LDS Publications Query I was wondering if there was a list out there of LDS magazines or other publications that took free lance work. I have a couple articles that I would like to see published and am interested in what the scope of publication is. Thank you. E. Brent Nelson - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 23:02:47 -0700 From: "Sharlee Glenn" Subject: Re: [AML] Worthwhile Theater Project Nan McCulloch wrote: > Since I am a theater person I am interested in what others are doing in = > this area. I have followed with interest the activities of talented = > Erica Glenn a senior at Pleasant Grove High School. Erica, an actor and = > playwright, has founded a performing-arts group for people at the Lindon = > Care and Training Center, a residential facility for people with mental = > and physical disabilities. Nan, how kind of you to take the time to comment on Erica's project! The program she founded is called The DreamMaker Theater Workshop. She has now worked with two different troupes of special needs actors--the "LCTC Players" at the Lindon Care and Training Center and the "Viking Entertainers" at Pleasant Grove High School. Watching this whole thing unfold has been pretty amazing. For those of you who are interested in the details, here is a write-up (from last summer) on the workshop: _____________ While many of their peers have been hanging out at the mall or sunning themselves at the pool this summer, a dedicated group of high school, middle school, and elementary school students have been working hard at making a difference in their community. These kids are the founders of the DreamMaker Theater Workshop, a theater production company for people with special needs which is dedicated to the idea that all human beings have dreams, untapped potential, unique abilities and feelings that should be allowed expression. The DreamMaker Theater Workshop is the brainchild of Pleasant Grove High School Senior, Erica Glenn. Erica has been involved in drama since she was a little girl and has experienced, first-hand, the joy that can come through theater experiences. Last year Erica worked with a special needs class at her high school and discovered that these kids love to perform. "Almost every day we would act things out" she said. "They just blossomed when they could be 'on-stage'." It struck Erica that many of these young people would really benefit from an established theater program. It wasn't too far of a jump from that idea to the notion of a theatrical troupe made up exclusively of people with disabilities. Erica contacted the Lindon Care and Training Center and presented her idea to the Activities Director there. After getting the go-ahead, she began rounding up volunteers to help with the project. Surprisingly, that wasn't too difficult. Many of her friends and drama associates were more than eager to jump on board. She even got her three little brothers--ages 10, 12, and 14--involved. Next she had to find a suitable script. This proved more challenging. Given the special needs of the troupe members, the script would have to be simple, accessible, and based on familiar material. Also, because Erica had seen how well people with disabilities respond to music, she wanted the play to be a musical. After looking at several possibilities that would require fairly substantial royalty payments and that didn't really meet the needs of the troupe, Erica finally decided to write the play herself. The result was a simple but lively one-act musical based on an amalgamation of fairy tales entitled "Between the Lines." After several preliminary planning meetings, the DreamMaker Theater Workshop was ready to be launched. The volunteers found an eager group waiting for them at the Lindon Care Center. "One of our biggest challenges has been containing the enthusiasm of the troupe members," says Erica. After auditions and role assignments, they began rehearsing--twice a week for two hours at a time. "This has been an awesome experience," says 17-year-old volunteer, Katie Morton. "To be honest, at first I was kind of nervous because I've never been around that many people with special needs before, but this has really opened my eyes to their goodness and zeal for life. These people are so loving and happy. You can't be sad around them because they just make you feel loved." "This has turned out to be a great opportunity for both the volunteers and the troupe members," says Erica. "I think we have learned as much from them--about openness, and love, and joy--as they have learned from us. I thought the best thing about this whole experience was going to be the final production, but, really, it's been the road getting there." And it's not just the volunteers that are learning the joy of service. The troupe members are getting a sense of it as well. One of the cast members, Cindy, kept asking who they were going to perform for. Erica explained that they would put on one performance for their friends at the care center, and then they would take the show to some local nursing homes. "You mean we're going to do it for the old people?" Cindy asked. "That's right," Erica said. "But why?" asked Cindy. "Because it will make them very happy," replied Erica. Cindy was clearly thrilled by that idea, and at least a couple of times every rehearsal after that she would suddenly pipe up: "We're going to make the old people happy, huh?" Happy volunteers, happy troupe members, happy audiences. It sounds like a win-win-win situation for the DreamMaker Theater Workshop. And as for the future, Erica says she plans to move the program to Pleasant Grove High School once school starts and form a new special needs troupe there--the Viking Entertainers. "I graduate this next year," says Erica "but I hope this program will continue on long after I'm gone." - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 10:16:27 -0700 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: [AML] (DesNews) LDS Film Festival Winners 'Promethean' wins LDS film award By Jeff Vice Deseret Morning News "The Promethean," a short film that retells a Greek myth, was the big winner at last week's LDS Film Festival in Provo. Kohl Glass' 13-minute drama took first place in the three-day event's short-film competition, winning the event's Lightbox Award, as well as a $1,000 cash prize. T.C. Christensen was honored twice in the same category - taking second place in the juried competition, as well as winning an Audience Choice Award - for "A Pioneer Miracle." Taking third place in the competition was Calvin Cory, from "Rulon's Game." Also receiving Audience Choice Awards were Dave Skousen for "Rain," and Chris Coy for "Remembering Vinnytya." In the festival's 24-Hour Filmmaking Competition, Alisa Anglesey and her crew took first place with "Time After Time: A Clown's Request." In that competition, filmmaking teams have one day to write, shoot and edit a short film. Taking second place and an Audience Choice Award in the 24-Hour competition were Andy Nicholson and his team for "Jumpstart." Third place went to Dave Bisson's group for "The Making of a Tyger Poster." Two highly anticipated LDS-themed features were also shown: "The Best Two Years" (which opens locally Feb. 20) and "Saints & Soldiers" (which has no firm opening date). Films were screened in the Provo City Library, as well as some special screenings at the University Mall Cinemas in Orem. This was the third year for the short-film festival. For information on upcoming "best-of" screening programs, go to www.ldsbox.com. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 13:51:22 -0500 From: "Tony Markham" Subject: RE: [AML] Mormon Near-Death Literature Kathy Tyner asks: I really don't why she would have to "own up" to being LDS. Her first book was prominently displayed at any LDS book seller that I went into at the time and was discussed by word of mouth amongst most of the Mormons I knew. She even had the privilege of being criticized by some LDS intellisgentsia including a certain BYU professor by the last name of McConkie. I came away with the feeling that they didn't like a woman without an official title encroaching on their turf. I considered it a compliment, and if I were her would have worn it like a badge of honor. Tony responds: I don't know either. The dynamics of the book-signing were odd. I was living in Wretched City, South Dakota at the time, teaching at the same college that Jack Weyland was at. Oddly enough, Eadie was also from Rapid City and going back there was difficult for her, a sort of hurdle she had to get over. She is part, if not all, Native American and left the impression that her childhood was difficult and returning to her home place was in the way of a catharsis. Anyway, I'd read her book and had the impression from it that she was LDS, but knew nothing of her. This was in the days before internet and Google. So I wanted to ask her. I waited in line with everyone else who just wanted her signature. I didn't care about that, I just wanted to ask if she was Mormon. I didn't even bring my copy of the book with me. So when I got to the table I asked her if she was LDS. She said yes. I asked her if there was a reason she didn't put that anywhere on her book. She said she didn't want the church to create any barriers for her readers who may have preconceptions. Then, because it was a Saturday, I asked if she had plans to go to church tomorrow and did she know where the chapel was. It was like the door slammed shut. She got defensive or offended or something and said she was far too busy to spend any more time discussing this and turned to the next autograph seeker. I have always thought of the moment as when I was "Brushed Off by the Light." As far as being criticized by McC. I never knew about any of that. I have a vague memory that her book depicts an afterlife dominated and administered by men only. It's been years since I read it. Doesn't strike me as a woman encroaching on man turf in either this life or the next. Tony Markham Delhi, NY - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 13:09:06 -0700 From: Margaret Young Subject: RE: [AML] YOUNG & GRAY, _Standing on the Promises_ Thom, thanks for answering the question on whether or not BYU was = forcing the teaching of evolution. Yep, Thom's right. BYU did NOT want it taught--at least not in 1911. A friend of mine says his father did = teach it in 1925. But that was after the superintendent of Church Schools = (Horace Cummings) was no longer on the scene. I actually composed a response to = the original question, but BYU's e-mail has been incapacitated by the doom virus, so none of my messages has gone out, as far as I know. But I'm = glad Thom answered it for me because it gives me a chance to reiterate the = fact that his play about the controversy, _Survival of the Fittest_ is indeed = a fine play. It won an award at a Mormon Arts festival several years ago = and was minimally produced. I read an early draft of it and when I have = time (I hope that happens before I die), I would love to read the final draft. = But even the early draft brought _Inherit the Wind_ to mind, and I told Thom = he didn't fare badly in comparison. I would love to see a full production = of it. Maybe when Ann (my new co-author) and I finish our book, we can do = a whole event about Chamberlins, Brimhalls, and high drama. Btw, if anyone = has a current statement by BYU on the teaching of evolution, I'd love to see = it. I understand there was a compromise worked out between the departments = of Religion and the departments of Life Sciences. I've never seen the = official document and would love to. My daughter informed me last night that her seminary teacher announced that there was no such thing as genetics, = that it was all a satanic ruse to make us believe in Neanderthals. Well, I = guess something in that last sentence does help me believe in Neanderthals. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 14:17:00 -0700 From: "Nan P. McCulloch" Subject: [AML] re: YOUNG & GRAY, _Standing on the Promises_ I just received Deseret Book's February mailer and on page 14 there is = an ad for the _Standing on the Promises_ series. The blurb goes: This groundbreaking fiction series chronicling the history of = African-American Latterday Saints from 1830 to the present has = been called "an important addition to both Mormon and = African-American literature." In the words of one reader, "Until = you've read this book, you only know part of Church history." = Celebrate Black History Month with this carefully researched, = beautifully written trilogy of novels. You'll understand why = another reader said, "I can think of no other source that could = claim to be its equal in celebrating the family of man to which we = all belong. Bravo!" I don't know if Margaret and Darius are pleased, but it seems positive = to me. =20 Nan McCulloch - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 22:29:08 -0700 From: Jacob Proffitt Subject: Re: [AML] YOUNG & GRAY, _Standing on the Promises_ On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 20:49:45 -0800, Jongiorgi Enos wrote: > The only reason I'm responding today is in regards to your fears > about "our culture". Generaly, I agree with your statement, but I > also think that we as artists are quite frequently too quick to > blame the lukewarm response to our work on a "bad house" (to use > the metaphor from my theater days). I will grant you that the > "house" IS very often bad. (I'm in complete nose-dive in my > pessimissm with regard to LDS film at the moment, for example; we > can't sell tickets to save our lives.) That said, however, I think > that what these difficult conditions do is force us to get much > more creative, much more concerned with the marketing of our > products from a very early phase in the development of our > creations, much more open-eyed in our analysis of market > conditions, and much more brutal with ourselves in our analysis of > the work we ultimatley offer for consumption. > > I am not inclined to give up on the hard subjects quite just yet, > but I do think we have to build a better mousetrap. I don't think that you need to build a better mousetrap. I don't think that= it is a question of quality or even of marketing. I think it might be a= question of trust. We, culturally, don't trust our artists much. I have= theories on why that is, but not much certainty. I think most of us would= agree that the lack of trust exists, though we might attribute it to= different causes. As artists, we can bellyache about that. Gripe and moan about why people= aren't flocking to our superior work. I don't think that's going to do us= much good, though. It'd be more useful to start with things we *can*= affect. If someone doesn't trust you, it is probably wise to work on that= trust *before* you try to teach, inform, or even to share. It'd be wiser= to build community--find common cause. I'd say that anyone wishing to deal= with anything weighty, the hard subjects so-to-speak, had better take some= steps first to build a better relationship with the Mormon audience before= they waste their time building intricate, potentially caustic mousetraps. = I hear a lot of impatience from artists who wish to jump right off the bat= into the most controversial work they feel capable of tackling. I wonder= if we wouldn't benefit, both as artists and as a culture, if some of our= artists slowed down, relaxed, let us get to know and trust them before they= set out to "correct", "teach" or "inform" us. Jacob Proffitt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 00:47:06 GMT From: "Jeffrey Needle" Subject: [AML] WEBB, _Desert Noir_ (Review) Brief Review Title: Betty Webb Author: Desert Noir Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Year Published: 2001 Number of Pages: 252 Binding: Hardback ISBN: 1-781890-208639 Price: $23.95 Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle Not long ago I had occasion to spend several hours at the San Diego Public Library. Frankly, I have so many books at home yet to be read that I don't normally spend much time at the library. So I decided to make my way through the desks and halls and see what was to be learned. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of resources available, and the immense number of portals available from my home computer. I decided to search the library's collection for the keyword "Mormon" -- what a surprise to see titles I'd never heard of. And an author -- Betty Webb -- author of two books containing some Mormon content. The two books are murder mysteries starring private investigator Lena Jones. Her associate, Jimmy Sisiwan, is a native Pima Indian who was raised by a Mormon family, but who later left the Church to return to his Native American roots. Jones is an ex-cop. She was wounded in the line of duty, and forced to leave active duty because of the injury. She and Jimmy formed their agency, Desert Investigations of Scottsdale, Arizona. Interestingly, Jones was also raised by foster families. When she was just four, she was shot in the face, leaving a scar that persists to this day. She never knew who her mother was, never knew who shot her, and was passed from one foster home to the next. Two people with very troubled backgrounds, uncertain childhoods and lasting trauma, teamed in the work of investigation. What a set-up. In this first volume of the Lena Jones mystery series, Jones' neighbor, Clarice Kobe, is killed in her art gallery. It is a brutal slaying. Clarice's husband is a wife-beater and abuser, a violent and angry man. Police suspect him right from the start, and initial clues point to him. but Jones is not convinced. At the behest of one of her benefactors, Jones begins an inquiry, and also begins a journey, not just into the complex world of greed and family dysfunction that brought about Kobe's death, but also into her own past, and eventually to some answers about her own childhood. Betty Webb spared nothing in researching Native American customs and ceremonies. She delves into the mystical roots of the native religions, and the intricate relationship of the people to the land. Webb is clearly disdainful of the ongoing urban sprawl that has reached out and destroyed some of the pristine, ancestral lands in Arizona. But the book, while it focuses on the murder-mystery aspect of the story, finds itself a minor social commentary on the nature of greed and hatred, the sometimes-weak bonds that hold some families together, and society's disdain for culture and history. "Desert Noir" is a very good book. There are sub-plots and twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. Webb does not telegraph the solution to the murder mystery, and the ending seems to come as much of a surprise to the protagonist as it does to us. In particular, there is a final scene in the book, wherein Lena Jones is rescued from near death in the desert, where the intense spirituality of the people, and of sacred places, shines forth. The next volume, "Desert Wives," concerns polygamy, and it surely will have more Mormon content. The blurb on their website indicates that the issue of contemporary Mormon polygamy is being addressed. I have the second book and will report on it when I'm done. If you're looking for a fine read and some thoughtful meditations on spirituality, tradition and family, this will be a good read for you. - ----------------------------------- Jeff Needle jeff.needle@general.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2004 14:04:00 -0700 From: "Richard R. Hopkins" Subject: [AML] _Singles LDS_ Call for Writers Recently I let you all know about Cornerstone's new publication--_Singles LDS_, a magazine targeting LDS singles, especially in the Wasatch Front region. It will be coming out this April and writers are needed immediately. Several members of this list responded to my earlier notice. However, we had a computer virus problem and had to clean our computers. Unfortunately, in the effort to do that those email responses were lost. I'm hoping those who responded before (and others who are interested) will respond again as we need to move ahead immediately. Thanks. Richard Hopkins - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 16:05:35 -0700 From: "Marianne Hales Harding" Subject: Re: [AML] Mormonism and _Angels in America_ >You've never met smoking Mormons, or drug-taking Mormons or closeted gay >Mormons? >What part of Mormonism as portrayed wasn't accurate in your view? I'm not the "you" of this question, but just off the top of my head....I've never met smoking Mormons who considered themselves and were considered by all to be active Mormons in good standing. So that would be one thing. There were other quirky little details that made me go "hmmm" but it has been quite a while since I studied the play so they aren't on the tip of my tongue. Marianne Hales Harding _________________________________________________________________ Let the new MSN Premium Internet Software make the most of your high-speed experience. http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=3Den-us&page=3Dbyoa/prem&ST=3D1 Sender: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: aml-list - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V2 #253 ******************************