From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #26 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 Saturday, April 29 2000 Volume 01 : Number 026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 03:15:54 EDT From: CDoug91957@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Comments? (Reading the Scriptures) In a message dated 00-04-27 15:51:33 EDT, Jonathan Langford writes: << I'd be interested in knowing who your audience is for this book, what the overall purpose of the book is, and who you're planning to have publish it. That will have a major impact on what you can assume about what the audience will accept and be open to. >> Yes, exactly. I've wandered all over the map looking for the answers to just those questions. I think what I'm trying to do is go over the same ground that C. Skousen covered in _The First Two Thousand Years_, but--how can I say this delicately?--drawing upon the larger world of Biblical, ancient history and prehistory, and literary studies, something like (I say this with due modesty) what a Mormon Will Durant might have done. To do that, it is necessary to challenge traditional LDS approaches to certain issues, such as the mechanics of creation, the age of the earth, the absolute chronology of human events before Abraham, the nature of the genealogies in Genesis, interpretation of the Table of Nations, the date and extent of the Flood, the whole mess surrounding Pharaoh's curse, and on and on, and to do that it is necessary to discuss the nature of revelation and scripture, and that means entering into the landmine-strewn labyrinths of Biblical studies, literary theory, Church history, and on and on. Obviously, I'm never going to finish this project in this life, but pretending that I'm writing a book does help give my reading and thinking some focus. So far as I can tell, the audience for such a book would be maybe four people who have appeared regularly on this list. I have managed to complete a few fragments that I see as belonging to this large whole, and I just thought the one I posted might provide grist for some interesting discussion. <> Actually, it was all those sorts of cases that I had in mind. The main point I intended was that the "single model" of God as the direct author of all scripture is inadequate. I also had in mind D&C 132, as an example. It is presented as a direct dictation by the Lord: "Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph...." Verse 55 reads: "I will bless him and multiply him [Joseph] and give unto him an hundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of eternal lives in the eternal worlds." The parallel construction implies that houses and wives are of equal value, and I suspect that the Lord might have preferred that that not be implied. By considering Joseph, not the Lord, as the author of this passage reporting what the Lord said to him, I am freed of the necessity of a perhaps unconvincing attempt at harmonization, by acknowledging the possibility that Joseph's report was influenced by the prejudices of his place and time, or that in the emotion of the immediate crisis (needing to give Hyrum something to show to Emma to placate her anger about plural marriage) he made a rhetorical misstep. If such a passage as this cannot be taken as an absolutely reliable recording of divine dictation, untainted by processes of the human mind constituting experience, even revelatory experience, through the mediation of language, then what can be? If the possibility of contamination is always present, then it seems to me it is safer and more productive to treat the scripture as having been authored by a human being and to let my interpretation and use of it be informed by personal revelation, apostolic commentary, scholarship, experience, and reason. What other escape is there from the embarrassments incurred by fundamentalist notions of scriptural literalism and infallibility? [Colin Douglas] - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 08:20:00 -0400 From: Mike Nielsen Subject: [AML] MN DUTCHER, _God's Army_ (Park City UT Record) Park City Reviewer Likes God's Army (Notes from the dark: *** 1/2 "God's Army") Park City UT Record 8Apr00 A4 http://search.newschoice.com/storydisplay.asp?story=/newsarchives/pkpr/mov/20000408/214625_moviereviews.txt By Rick Brough: Record Guest Writer PARK CITY, UTAH -- In a review of God's Army, guest writer Rick Brough reacts to the independent film about an LDS elder serving a mission in Los Angeles. The film is unlikely to have an impact on box offices outside LDS circles, and like the recent spoofs "Orgazmo" and "Plan Ten", it does not escape the limits of being an "insider's" view. Nevertheless, the movie succeeds in its effort to go beyond a caricature of missionaries, showing the emotional ups and downs of mission life. In this regard, the film is objective enough that advocates and opponents of the church alike will note elements consistent with their views. The featured missionary, Elder Brandon Allen (Matthew Brown) learns quickly that missionaries' proselytizing efforts are unpopular. His tough-minded compansion, Elder Mark Dalton (writer-director Richard Dutcher) brings out the fact that Allen does not know why he is serving a mission, and much of the flim's focus is on such matters of faith and doubt. The script addresses some of the controversies associated with the LDS world-view. One missionary reads and studies anti-Mormon literature and consequently doubts his faith. Another is alluded to have been convicted of child molestation. And a black Edler (DeSean Terry) professes a strong testimony but does not respond convincingly when faced with questions about LDS positions on blacks and women. In this regard, the film's major omission is its avoidance of homosexuality, especially notable because of the church's recent efforts against California Prop 22. The film seems sanitized when the missionaries encounter hookers, and the practical jokes become devolve to weird levels as one missionary snaps a photos of the other on the toilet. They also have a tasteless fondness for leper jokes. Brown does well as Elder Allen, illustrating an increasing faith borne from struggling with doubt. Richard Dutcher's character combines humanity, bluntness, and wisdom, and as a filmmaker Dutcher creates some good movie moments, illustrating daily mission life with polite respect. The most noticeable flaw in the movie is its melodramatic ending, when a major character is healed of a fatal illness, as though to reassure the audience. From Mormon-News: Mormon News and Events Forwarding is permitted as long as this footer is included Mormon News items may not be posted to the World Wide Web sites without permission. Please link to our pages instead. For more information see http://www.MormonsToday.com/ Send join and remove commands to: majordomo@MormonsToday.com Put appropriate commands in body of the message: To join: subscribe mormon-news To leave: unsubscribe mormon-news To join digest: subscribe mormon-news-digest - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 23:03:11 -0400 From: Shawn Ambrose Subject: RE: [AML] Comments? (Reading the Scriptures) About how scriptures come to be: the incredibly real thing is that the Lord knows the end from the beginning. All scripture fits together, regardless of the viewpoints or perhaps even because of the differing viewpoints of the people who wrote the scriptures down. As Nephi said when he was making the second, smaller plates, for a wise purpose "which I know not" but which is known to God. Moroni apologizes for his weakness in writing in the middle of one of the most heavily quoted chapters in scripture. If it is scripture, it can be taken literally in the Lord's time. Melinda L. Ambrose - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 22:05:18 -0800 From: Karen Rosenbaum Subject: [AML] Correction of Dawn Sandberg's address In my recent posting on the April 26 death of Karl Sandberg, I inadvertently included an incorrect address for Dawn Sandberg. The correct address is 199 West South Circle, #39, Saint George 84770. I do not have an e-mail address for Dawn. Their son Mark may be e-mailed at sandberg@socrates.berkeley.edu Karl will be buried next Wednesday at a military cemetery in St. Paul, Minnesota. There will be a memorial service for him in St. George in June. - -- Karen Rosenbaum - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2000 17:44:59 -0700 From: Rachel L Knecht Subject: Re: [AML] Julie KIRK Wow! Julie Kirk, I had no idea you were on this list! Okay, I admit I don't read most of the posts so you've probably been on it for years and i'm just too spacey to notice the names. It truly is a small world (wide web). Anyone in the Southern California area: go see Julie's work. She's incredibly talented. I went to a street fair similar to this one in Mission Viejo (I think) last year where she was also the featured artist. I was very impressed with her ability to work in such an interesting medium. She's literally sprawed on the sidewalk creating these beautiful pictures--chalk dust everywhere, people stopping and looking, asking questions, the sun beating down. It made me want to buy art supplies and sun screen. I was also very impressed with her being able to have that much confidence in her work that she could let go of it. There she was, drawing in chalk on a sidewalk in a park. Art doen't get more temporary than that. People would walk over it. Rain could come. Any number of things could happen and in about a weeks time there would be no sign of her hard work. We become very protective of our work. We dread criticism and scrutiny. We want it to be admired and remembered but we are not willing to let it be touched. It shows great strength when an artist can say, "Here it is," and leave it to the masses, not looking back and KNOWING that she won't see it again. Keep tooting your own horn Julie. Rachel Knecht - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2000 22:57:34 EDT From: Larry Jackson Subject: [AML] CARD, _Ender's Game_ On the last page in the May 2000 National Geographic, there is a photograph of a young boy in a small boat reading a book. The ad says, "Get caught reading" and is by The Association of American Publishers. The photograph is by Gregory Heisler. The title of the book is legible in the photograph and is the thing that first caught my eye. The book is Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. The photograph is titled, "Jake Lloyd reading ENDER'S GAME." I wonder if the photograph will have any effect on book sales? Larry Jackson - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #26 *****************************