There seemed to be a lot of posts (and exhibits) about feminism this past week. Topics included women’s bodies and what they choose to wear on them. Also, power dynamics between women and men, not to mention women’s speech, women’s invisibility, with a dash of discussion on race and transgender issues. A father wonders how he can be part of the feminist movement (hint: not this). Is it all somehow connected with all of the horror stories about Mothers’ Day? (Unless you didn’t go to Sacrament Meeting.)
It looks like the faithful are doing some “boundary maintenance” again. Huntsman described his Mormon membership a little too vaguely for some people’s tastes, leading other people to wonder why he can’t just be sorta Mormon. Y’know, like John Dehlin. Oh. Oh, yeah, this.
Next up, some insightful ideas and discussion topics! The prodigal son reinterpreted. Is religion “natural,” and — if so — what should we conclude about it? Does civility mean silence? What a disturbing parody. Let’s have more discussion of the fun doctrines! And answer me this: If the Book of Mormon is anti-Mormon dreck, is it better or worse than EFY and Thor?
Oh, and some folks are coming out!
What a wild week it’s been!! I hope you’re all having as much fun listening to the Book of Mormon soundtrack as I am, and that you’ll all tell us which is your favorite song!
Wow, Tal Bachman really, seriously, totally hated Thor. My son and I were a bit meh after watching, but c’mon, Tal, isn’t Jotunheim (home of the Frost Giants) one of the nine realms? I thought Dad made it pretty clear he didn’t want Thor trashing Asgard or any of the realms. And, yeah, S.H.I.E.L.D. let Thor go after his break-in … so they could follow him, duh. That said, I agree with the criticism of S.H.I.E.L.D. and/or the U.S military being AWOL during the battle with the Destroyer. As fight sequences go, that one was kinda weak, and would’ve benefited from some classic footage of alien tech blowing up U.S. tanks.
Minor quibbles with Bachman aside, I think the real message for us and our kids is that even though Thor is fiction (as are his powers), the film contemplates a correct principle:
True miracles and Godly power are wholly compatible with true science.
Brigham Young taught:
There are parallels between the fictional Thor’s journey and our own.
We have both been sent to Earth by our fathers to learn humility, peacemaking, and selflessness (Abraham 3:22-25).
God chastens us out of love, for our profit, that we may return and receive glory from him (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, Hebrews 12:9-10, D&C 95:1).
There is no greater love than to be willing to die for one’s friends (John 15:13).
How cool is it that our journey, unlike Thor’s, is totally not fictional?
That is great! Do all Meridian Magazine movie reviews have a doctrinal message?
I think you’d have to ask the Pauline Kael of the Meridian set, aka Mormon Movie Guy, but it does look like both his recent reviews delve into deep doctrine. For example, check out MMG’s suggested Gospel discussion re Vin Diesel’s Fast Five (some scrolling at the link req’d):
Fascinating stuff. Too bad he forgot to mention that Paul Walker was raised LDS. Or maybe Mormon Movie Guy intentionally avoids any mention of famous exmos like Paul.
Anyway, I’m glad you asked the question, because — in a bizarre twist — Meridian Mag has actually urged against this sort of thing:
Then again, they’re talking about Sac Meeting, not a movie review; and everybody knows the Force is not the Holy Ghost, it’s the Priesthood. Duh.
That is too funny!
“God is a space alien” was actually one of the things I liked about Mormon theology back when I was a believer.