This has been a big week for the arts! I know, sometimes it’s too easy to mock really bad art, yet so deliciously fun!! Speaking (as Holly did) of religious/sexual imagery, check out some of the pastels by Sister Mary Lisa on her new art website. Dayle’s art is perhaps a bit less explicit (but impressive nonetheless). And have a look at Froggie’s beautiful photos from the Jordan/Provo River Parkway. In other arts, listen to this poignant song about a sweet Mormon boy or read this poem about leaving the fold.
Speaking of leaving the fold, it seems that Outer Blogness has seen a lot of philosophical musings this week. Todd has found himself out of step with queer. Craig has gone beyond liberal (to social anarchist). Kullervo has an interesting theological point (that I could swear was already made by Benjamin Franklin). Sean has some thoughts about subtle bias and Mr. Snitch comments on Mormons and Porn (one of our most popular topics lately!).
And how about that Book of Mormon? Historical or not? And what are the implications for Mormonism?
There have also been some fascinating political discussions this week. On a not-Mormon-related blog, there was a really interesting discussion about whether the burqa should be banned on the basis that it obscures your identity — 104 comments and counting! Ultimately, I agree with the commenters who argue that people should have the right to obscure their identities in public, yet I’m not sure you can totally dismiss the potential danger of having a huge portion of the population totally obscuring their identity all the time. In other civil liberties conundrums, the far right is having a bit of confusion over what rights suspected terrorists should have (hint: none except the right to bear arms). On a related note, Glenn Beck (of all people) is annoyed at other people making Nazi comparisons.
On to tales from Mormon life! Both the girl with kaleidoscope eyes and the guy with the hair have attended family baptisms this week and lived to tell the tale! Lastly — those of you who have Mormon jobs on your resume — surely you have some good advice for the Urban Koda!
Chanson,
Thank you for posting a link to my website and my art! I was surprised to see this post but I love that you did it. I love the creativity of the peeps of the DAMU.
🙂 Lisa
That pastel series by Sister Mary Lisa is amazing. My wife’s birthday is coming up and I think I’d like to order prints of “Master, the Tempest is Raging” and “Gently Raise the Sacred Strain” (to be hung as an educational diptych over the marital bed). And believe it or not, I happened to stumble upon that Franklin quote in the course of totally unrelated meanderings: “Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Does the Book of Mormon provide similar proof? Apparently. According to #49 over at that mindblowing Mormon Matters BofM thread, “what it [The Book of Mormon] does far outweighs what it is.” Yup, sounds like beer. Moving along alphabetically, that burqa thread reminded me of former (Mormon) governor Evan Mecham and his education adviser, James Cooper, who opined that, “If a student wants to say the world is flat, the teacher doesn’t have the right to prove otherwise.” Ah, modernity: so many sensibilities left to offend, so little time. Of course, the only thing more fun than scoffing at Arizona fatwas is watching Lewis Black mock the ever fatuous Glenn Beck. Good times.
Super awesome read! Really..