Since the beginning of Mormonism, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has never shunned modern technology. Its foundational text was printed by press. During the trek West an Apostle developed a way to record mileage. Once in the West its leadership rejoiced in the building of the first intercontinental railroad. Soon to follow was telegraph wires reaching out to communicate around the nation. During the age of the radio, then President Grant utilized it to make addresses and let the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing to whoever wanted to listen.

Visual mediums were no less serviced for the good of the Gospel. Early films by the LDS Church might be lost from history, but there is no denying ambitious undertakings. Probably the greatest coup in the golden era was influencing a Hollywood film about Brigham Young that remains classic even with shortcomings. A Mormon is credited with inventing the television used in almost every American or European household. He warned of its perverted use and cursed that it wasn’t used for more educational purposes. Regardless of the predominant negative effects, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir plays on national television as the longest running program. Satellites send out General Conference messages all around the world.

Handcarts to airplanes and beyond sets up the modern era of mass communications and computers. It makes taking the Word to the world that much easier. How blessed to live during a time when resources can be found at the click of a button. Bad or horrible has come with the good, but turning into farming Amish will not extinguish the existence of the harmful. Better to engage in the hopes of a small improvement than languish in inadequacies. For the faithful there is so much more than ever imagined. Continue reading →

For more than a month there has been a push by some Mormon authors to get people to read more Mormon fiction. What has been called the Mormon Lit Blitz has in some corners gone full steam. They have sent books to family and friends, discussed to varied degrees what is available, and generally advertised the movement.

Despite all the work that has gone toward the Mormon literature blitz, not much seems to have changed. As one participant stated with sadness and confusion after books were returned by parents without having read them, “My assumption is that they were offended by the book (though maybe not, maybe it was something else). But I still don’t know what to make of the book’s return. I’ve never had my parents return a gift before. I’m surprised that was what they decided to do.” Not speaking for the parents, but for Mormon readers, it isn’t that surprising considering the tortured history of Mormon fiction. It is filled with missteps, bad literary output, mirror image antagonism, and general frustration. The Mormon author that wants to get published is either faced with the cringe worthy fluff of Mormon publishers or the appetite for the salacious in national publishing. Continue reading →

Rarely do I quote extensively from news articles or other blogs. When I see multiple copies posted without commentary, it can be boring and waste of the reader’s time. Frankly, most people don’t even care to comment probably because they have seen it a dozen times.

I am going to break my own rule here. Partly its because the writing doesn’t show up other places to make it tedious. Mostly, however, what the writer says is much better than anything published in all the op-eds about Mormons from newspapers and magazines. Whatever this writer’s specific views, the post is better than Joanna Brooks’ (who seems to be the go-to for such things) similar published thoughts. Please visit the Mormons in the Media post after reading to thank her for the wonderful commentary. Sadly, the system she uses doesn’t allow me to post.

Her point is simple. What Mormons believe is different. That difference isn’t unique for everyone is different. Most of all Mormons are different among themselves. In other words, although she never says it directly, Mormons are part of the human race: Continue reading →