It’s the week after General Conference — traditionally the week to chew on all the interesting nuggets that people have teased out of the mass of pablum! Weirdly, though, it seemed like not much happened. Maybe they’re doing a better job of vetting the talks…?
Probably the highlight was the new primary presidency in their primary colors!
Also, some liked the talk on how Mormons should help refugees, some didn’t.
Ordain Women tried asking the first presidency nicely for the right to perform Mormon rituals that don’t specifically require the priesthood — we’ll see if that goes anywhere! Dana Haight Cattani also recounted what happens when you try to give feedback to the CoJCoL-dS through the official channels.
In church watch there was some discussion on BYU’s rape policies and the CoJCoL-dS is still trying to find a strategy for controlling the story.
Here’s a tidbit of odd news: the man planning Mormontown, Vermont also has plans in Utah!
In LDS culture, conservative Mormons don’t seem to like Trump (and Palin has her problems as well), and Mormon Jesus celebrated his birthday!
God’s favorite musical has some explaining to do. Around here, the focus has mostly been on the accuracy of the portrayal of Mormons, but this new review highlights a different problem:
I studied the crowd after the performance. Some folks were hurrying to beat the exodus from the parking structure, but many small groups were laughing as they recounted different scenes. But not a single black audience member was smiling. Most looked shell-shocked.
There was potential in this play. There was a level of depth and complexity that went into the portrayal of the white Mormon missionary characters and a sophistication to the humorous critique of Mormonism and American proselytizing that didn’t make it to the other half of the cast. The Ugandans were played for cheap laughs, and these jokes could’ve been written by just about any racist and homophobic 12-year-old.
In life journeys, we have a the story of a transgender man facing excommunication, Jeremy Runnels’s disciplinary council is coming up, Brandon Pearce gave some advice on a life of full-time travel, and Dad’s Primal Scream described ancestors who left the world with a Mormon testimony on their lips.
In books, Runtu is serializing a new story: The Incidental Prophet. And writers take note — the Mormon Lit Blitz has just announced its call for entries:
Submissions for The Fifth Annual Mormon Lit Blitz Writing Contest are due by 7 May 2016 to everydaymormonwriter@gmail.com. Submitted works may be in any genre so long as they are under 1,000 words and designed to resonate with an LDS audience in some way.
In fun, here’s a new hymn parody!
Happy reading!!
I’ve said thanks before for doing this weekly roundup, but it deserves saying again, so thanks!
This post is quickly becoming the only place I look for a quick weekly update (this coming from a multiple times per day checking exmo reddit).
Thanks — glad you like it!!