(Another article I wrote a while ago and simply didn't publish until I discovered it today)
February 2002. "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" had been in theaters for months, following 18 months of promotions and anticipation. Having been in Korea for 23 months, I was oblivious. I returned home from my mission completely naive to everything Lord of the Rings. When first told the title, I said "Isn't that the book about the boys on the island who kill each other?" I was quickly informed that I was thinking of "Lord of the Flies," and that "Lord of the Rings" had something to do with a ring that was evil, people who wanted it destroyed and....HOBBITS! Finally, at least a word I recognized, though I still knew nothing of what they were. I soon saw this "Lord of the Rings" movie and blossomed into a full blown Tolkien nerd. After the trilogy ended, I knew in my heart of hearts that "The Hobbit" would eventually be turned into a movie and my anticipation began.
Nearly a decade later, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" opened in cinemas and the wait was over. Not nearly as well received as "Lord of the Rings," it opened to lackluster reviews (though must unfairly critiqued the film based on its 48 fps format). Now that the trilogy is over, it is barely an afterthought in the minds of most movie goers. Lacking the fanfare, epic scope, and critical acclaim of "LOTR," its flaws are often to blame. I personally enjoyed "The Hobbit" trilogy, and will share what I thought were its best qualities, as well as what I feel could have improved or downright changed.
What I Liked:
Bilbo - Could Martin Freeman have been more perfect as Bilbo? No. From his first exchange with wishing Gandalf a good morning at Bag End to his final scenes with Thorin and the dwarves, he NAILED IT.
Smaug - Again, absolute perfection. Smaug was brought to life in all the terrible glory I imagined him in. The effects, the voice, the dialogue....everything about Smaug was amazing. There never has been and likely never will be a more perfect dragon on the silver screen.
Radagast - You either love him or hate him. I love him and was so grateful to see another good wizard brought to life and a peer of Gandalf. I only wish there had been more of him.
The White Council - Some scoffed at perceived padding added by Peter Jackson to extend the run time and make more money, and many pointed to the White Council as an example. Straight from the appendices, this was no mere fluff, and it dealt with heavy material that I loved seeing dealt with on screen. The cleansing of Dol Guldur by the White Council in the final movie made my ticket for that film worth it all by itself.
Middle Earth - What more can I say. A journey back to the beauty, grandeur, splendor, and sheer majesty of Middle Earth/New Zealand is always welcome. Being back in Bag End and the Shire was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. Journeying to new locations and environments, especially Beorn's house and the Woodland Realm, was exciting. Beyond the scenery, the attention to detail and love of their craft by WETA was also apparent in the props, costumes, and art design. Just stunning and beautiful.
Tauriel - Among Tolkien purists, you either love her or hate her. She was not in the book and created solely for the movie. But did I think she felt contrived? No. I thought her character was not out of place and that she was developed in way that the spirit of her character harmonized very well with the spirit of the book and its characters.
What I Didn't Like:
CGI and Green Screens - Way. Too. Much. Period. Gone were the awesome "Bigatures" of landscapes they used in the LOTR trilogy (remember that 20 foot model of Minas Tirith?).
Smaug's Demise - Why did Peter Jackson put Smaug's death at the beginning of the final movie? Especially when, in "Return of the King," he cut out Saruman's death scene from the theatrical edition for the stated reason that he didn't want to kill the second film's villain at the beginning of film 3. That's exactly what he did with Smaug! Not only did that leave us with an unusual and abrupt cliffhanger ending, but it was resolved in the first ten minutes of the third movie and bore no real narrative influence on the remainder of the film. I saw no reason why this editing choice was made.
The deaths of Thorin, Fili, and Kili - In the book, Thorin dies heroically, and Fili and Kili fall in defense of his slain body. Not only is the order completely reversed in the movie, so is any degree of noble sacrifice or heroism in their deaths. This fact alone probably cost the final film half of the emotional resonance and power that it could have otherwise had. UPDATE: In retrospect, I have softened on this after hearing the reasoning for this change to make the battle more realistic and some other reasons. I still would have preferred it more heroic, but have at least softened in my criticism.
Alfrid - He was given too much screen time and too many lines in the final movie. I wouldn't have shed a tear to have seen him go down with the Mayor of Laketown in the opening scenes. During every one of his scenes, I asked myself, "Is this scene really more deserving of inclusion in this film than more scenes of the dwarves, or elves, or the White Council, or Radagast, or of watching the grass grow?"
Too Much Legolas Action - I have ZERO problem with Legolas being in these films. To me, it would actually make LESS sense for him not to be. Thranduil is, after all, his father, and Legolas is, after all, a powerful prince in the Woodland Realm with a lot of responsibilities. So why wasn't he in the Hobbit book in the first place? Simple--Tolkien hadn't created him yet. BUT, I felt that in the final movie, there was too much time spent on Legolas battling Bolg and his antics were a little far fetched, even for me. Yes, elves are lighter and nimble, so could he have pranced up those stones as they collapsed from underneath him? Perhaps. But couple that with his other antics from the film--riding the bat, using arrows to affect a perfect landing on a small platform, falling from it and then controlling a weird troll....as a whole, it just added up to too much for me. Each of those individually wouldn't have been nearly as unbelievable as all of them together in a 5 minute span.
All the Unfair Criticism - OK, so this is really more of a positive regarding the films themselves, but I really did NOT like all of the rehashed criticism regarding the stretching of this into 3 movies and inclusion of things not in the original Hobbit book. I mean, this is a world created by Tolkien, there is PLENTY of material to cover 3 movies. And yes, some of it was NOT in the appendices and was indeed created by Jackson himself. You can have a beef with that if you want, but most people complained that Jackson had the audacity to even change anything from the Hobbit book at all. It was as if he was trying to change the Bible, not a fictional fairy tale written purely for entertainment. My response to that complaint? Tolkien himself did THE EXACT SAME THING. After the Lord of the Rings became so successful, Tolkien went back and began to make edits to the Hobbit to do exactly what Peter Jackson sought to do--to bring it in better harmony with Lord of the Rings. Tolkien actually spent years making small revisions to the Hobbit, many of them unpublished in its current copyrighted form but available nonetheless in other sources. In short, Tolkien NEVER considered the Hobbit completely finished.
There is more to both categories, but I will finish. Ultimately, was the Hobbit as epic as LOTR? Of course not. It's not supposed to be. It's the story of an adventure, not a millennium in the making showdown of the united evil and good forces in all of Middle Earth. But was the Hobbit as good of a film as the LOTR? I don't think so. I wanted it to be, and hoped it would be, but it was not. Were they bad films? No. Could they have been better? Yes. But do I still love them, own them, and will repeatedly watch them? Of course. I cherish any journey I can take into Middle Earth.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Family Vacation--Glacier 2014!
Only 2 months ago, we had no vacation planned for the summer, but in a matter of weeks, I put together a 5 day vacation to Glacier National Park. We haven't been on a family vacation outside of annual family reunions for 5 years! The last time we went on our own family vacation beyond a single night or two was in 2009 to Mesa Verde. Even though vacations usually take a lot of planning, I was fed up with depriving our kids of the opportunity to travel as a family so on a whim I requested a full week off work and after it was approved, I let Alice know (yes, it was at work where I had this massive surge of motivation to do this vacation, so I submitted the request immediately, and then let Alice know once it was approved that day).
So, after having the week set, we then had no idea where we were going! Tommy had mentioned earlier this year wanting to go to Goblin Valley for a day or two, so we considered that but realized that could be done as a weekend or shorter trip, and we had 5 days, and we figured we should take advantage and go out of state. I talked to the boys about Glacier, Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain National Parks and showed them pictures of all of them and they chose Glacier because they thought it was the prettiest and looked the coolest. Of course they picked the one the farthest away! Fortunately, right on the way was the Sacagawea Heritage Center located in her birthplace of Salmon, Idaho, and so I knew immediately we would spend a day there due to Tommy's interest in Sacagawea after reading a couple biographies about her last year.
After settling on a location, the planning began! And I spent quite a bit trying to plan just the car ride as I knew we'd be in the car a lot and I did NOT want to rely on technology to keep the kids entertained! My goal was no portable electronic devices and no movies for the first day and to limit them after if we needed to. We knew we had an 11 hour car ride and had our work cut out for us. Thanks to some Google searches, we got a few different car bingo games, scavenger hunts, and even printed out a little mini van picture that we attached a string we tied across the car and let the kids move along to follow our progress so they knew how close we were getting. We also limited sugar intake of sweets by making tickets that they got every 30 minutes, or they could earn more by finishing some of the activities. With those tickets, they could purchase some sweets for either 1, 2, 3, or 4 tickets. The healthy snacks they could have any time they wanted. I think the tickets were the biggest hit--all the boys loved them, followed closely by bingo. Tommy was diligent and completed every one of the activities, including multiple scavenger hunts and even the license plate game (which took us 4 days to finish).
During the drive we also enjoyed cloud painting with the huge, fluffy clouds in the large sky and listened to a lot of movie soundtracks and I had the boys see what songs and composers they could remember and I would quiz them. Our first day drive took us to Salmon, Idaho, and took about 6.5 hours. The last few were on a highway and we didn't pass a single structure or other vehicle for about an hour. I loved it!
We went straight to the Sacagawea Heritage Center in Salmon and arrived there about 4:00. The boys spent well over a half hour in the Interpretive Center, despite its small size, playing with the fishes and other activities they had for kids. We then departed for the mile long walk through the outdoor area that takes you past various exhibits teaching you about Native American culture. It was hot! It was over 90 degrees and had little shade, and Tommy was asking to turn around after seeing the tipis, but we pushed ahead and finally arrived at a shaded area with several people who were staying there for the week in tipis they built themselves and were teaching Native American hobbies and crafts. The boys made some bead necklaces and had a great time playing with the dogs there as well! I enjoyed seeing the re-built sweat lodges by the river, as the sweat lodges were very spiritual places for the Shoshone people where they went to pray, be purified, worship, and learn from a higher source.
UPDATE, APRIL 2016: Well, I forgot two things: First, to finish this post. Second, to actually post it! So, I will post now what I wrote a while ago, and perhaps will get around to finishing the post. We shall see, but I wouldn't count on it (I know myself too well).
So, after having the week set, we then had no idea where we were going! Tommy had mentioned earlier this year wanting to go to Goblin Valley for a day or two, so we considered that but realized that could be done as a weekend or shorter trip, and we had 5 days, and we figured we should take advantage and go out of state. I talked to the boys about Glacier, Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain National Parks and showed them pictures of all of them and they chose Glacier because they thought it was the prettiest and looked the coolest. Of course they picked the one the farthest away! Fortunately, right on the way was the Sacagawea Heritage Center located in her birthplace of Salmon, Idaho, and so I knew immediately we would spend a day there due to Tommy's interest in Sacagawea after reading a couple biographies about her last year.
After settling on a location, the planning began! And I spent quite a bit trying to plan just the car ride as I knew we'd be in the car a lot and I did NOT want to rely on technology to keep the kids entertained! My goal was no portable electronic devices and no movies for the first day and to limit them after if we needed to. We knew we had an 11 hour car ride and had our work cut out for us. Thanks to some Google searches, we got a few different car bingo games, scavenger hunts, and even printed out a little mini van picture that we attached a string we tied across the car and let the kids move along to follow our progress so they knew how close we were getting. We also limited sugar intake of sweets by making tickets that they got every 30 minutes, or they could earn more by finishing some of the activities. With those tickets, they could purchase some sweets for either 1, 2, 3, or 4 tickets. The healthy snacks they could have any time they wanted. I think the tickets were the biggest hit--all the boys loved them, followed closely by bingo. Tommy was diligent and completed every one of the activities, including multiple scavenger hunts and even the license plate game (which took us 4 days to finish).
During the drive we also enjoyed cloud painting with the huge, fluffy clouds in the large sky and listened to a lot of movie soundtracks and I had the boys see what songs and composers they could remember and I would quiz them. Our first day drive took us to Salmon, Idaho, and took about 6.5 hours. The last few were on a highway and we didn't pass a single structure or other vehicle for about an hour. I loved it!
We went straight to the Sacagawea Heritage Center in Salmon and arrived there about 4:00. The boys spent well over a half hour in the Interpretive Center, despite its small size, playing with the fishes and other activities they had for kids. We then departed for the mile long walk through the outdoor area that takes you past various exhibits teaching you about Native American culture. It was hot! It was over 90 degrees and had little shade, and Tommy was asking to turn around after seeing the tipis, but we pushed ahead and finally arrived at a shaded area with several people who were staying there for the week in tipis they built themselves and were teaching Native American hobbies and crafts. The boys made some bead necklaces and had a great time playing with the dogs there as well! I enjoyed seeing the re-built sweat lodges by the river, as the sweat lodges were very spiritual places for the Shoshone people where they went to pray, be purified, worship, and learn from a higher source.
UPDATE, APRIL 2016: Well, I forgot two things: First, to finish this post. Second, to actually post it! So, I will post now what I wrote a while ago, and perhaps will get around to finishing the post. We shall see, but I wouldn't count on it (I know myself too well).
Friday, June 20, 2014
Summer 2014 Upon Us
I know this summer is going to be over in a flash--it arrived in a flash! It was just winter yesterday, or so it seems. Life has been BUSY for us, and I mean B-U-S-Y! I started a new job on April 7 and have been working 40 hours a week since, quite a change having worked from home for a while and balanced part-time jobs. Alice has been VERY busy and diligent preparing our home to sell, although we are both fairly confident we'll still be here when the dust settles. We were already considering a move in the previous few months, and recently she began to feel very good about looking to build a home and move, and then we found out a month ago that our HOA is considering a lawsuit against the contractors of our development and if it goes forward, it will prevent any bank from lending on properties on our complex so we wouldn't be able to sell it then. So, here we are, having furiously cleaned and packed half our house, even renting a storage unit and truck and moving some furniture and boxes out of our home. It has been nice having a much more open, clean, and far less cluttered home, though I must admit, I miss my many books and bookshelves where they were housed (Alice, on the other hand, has experienced ZERO sadness at the removal of my massive library from our home :-) ). In addition to trying to clean, I have been busy repairing small things and touch things up, while also balancing my new job and trying to maximize my small amount of daily time with the boys before putting them to bed shortly after returning home from work.
In addition to these time consuming responsibilities and changes, I have also started to seek treatment again for my AD/HD and tried a new medication after 3 previous ones produced no result. Vyvanse is what I've been trying for a few weeks and while I initially thought it was having no effect, I decided to take one before bed to see if it did anything and it sure did! I laid awake ALL NIGHT so stinking tired and feeling like I was on the verge of falling asleep, but I never did. So while it hasn't given me the focus boost and energy boost it is supposed to, it still did something that kept me awake all night despite my feeling so tired! It has been hard to determine how it has affected me because with everything else going on, especially the job, I have been more stressed than ever before and not dealing with it well, so my stomach has felt knotted up, tight, and sick for about 8 weeks now except for a brief respite in Park City and an occasional 30-60 minute break, but even that has only happened about 5 times. I am more familiar with the phrase "sick to my stomach" than I wanted to be, as it has been my constant companion since April. It has been an emotional, and even physical, roller coaster ride for all of us over the past couple months.
Throughout all of this, the boys have stayed as happy and joyful as ever. Of course, they have had their bad days, but even still, my gratitude and love for them has never waned nor been forgotten even in the moments of greatest frustration when dealing with their cries and screams and their occasional disrespectful attitude they show towards either me or Alice. I must admit, I have contributed to this on the nights where I don't want to put them to bed knowing I won't see them for 12 hours so I keep them up to play games or stargaze with me. One night in early June, we spent 2 hours underneath the sky gazing up into the heavens until midnight. It was a glorious experience with my boys, all of whom fell asleep on the blanket before we were done!
Being at work distracts me from what I know I'm missing at home because it's so busy and there is so much to do, but I do miss seeing the simple things such as karate lessons, library craft days, and swimming lessons that the boys enjoy during the day time in summer. Memories such as those are so precious, and I am grateful for every one that I have and all of those ones that I will yet create in the future. Summer will be over before we know it, and we'll likely still be in our home, then simply remodifying our loan rather than moving, and maybe even with me starting an online graduate program and seeking stress relief and emotional rejuvenation through academic historical research--yes, studying history relaxes me and imbues me with a sense of purpose and connection to eternity and understanding of things beyond myself and even our own modern time and place. So life will roll forward this summer, and despite the bumps we may experience on the way, I'll be more grateful for the good than the bad, and remember for much longer the smiles, laughs, and fun times than I will what I did at work, how much I made, or how much time I spent there.
In addition to these time consuming responsibilities and changes, I have also started to seek treatment again for my AD/HD and tried a new medication after 3 previous ones produced no result. Vyvanse is what I've been trying for a few weeks and while I initially thought it was having no effect, I decided to take one before bed to see if it did anything and it sure did! I laid awake ALL NIGHT so stinking tired and feeling like I was on the verge of falling asleep, but I never did. So while it hasn't given me the focus boost and energy boost it is supposed to, it still did something that kept me awake all night despite my feeling so tired! It has been hard to determine how it has affected me because with everything else going on, especially the job, I have been more stressed than ever before and not dealing with it well, so my stomach has felt knotted up, tight, and sick for about 8 weeks now except for a brief respite in Park City and an occasional 30-60 minute break, but even that has only happened about 5 times. I am more familiar with the phrase "sick to my stomach" than I wanted to be, as it has been my constant companion since April. It has been an emotional, and even physical, roller coaster ride for all of us over the past couple months.
Throughout all of this, the boys have stayed as happy and joyful as ever. Of course, they have had their bad days, but even still, my gratitude and love for them has never waned nor been forgotten even in the moments of greatest frustration when dealing with their cries and screams and their occasional disrespectful attitude they show towards either me or Alice. I must admit, I have contributed to this on the nights where I don't want to put them to bed knowing I won't see them for 12 hours so I keep them up to play games or stargaze with me. One night in early June, we spent 2 hours underneath the sky gazing up into the heavens until midnight. It was a glorious experience with my boys, all of whom fell asleep on the blanket before we were done!
Being at work distracts me from what I know I'm missing at home because it's so busy and there is so much to do, but I do miss seeing the simple things such as karate lessons, library craft days, and swimming lessons that the boys enjoy during the day time in summer. Memories such as those are so precious, and I am grateful for every one that I have and all of those ones that I will yet create in the future. Summer will be over before we know it, and we'll likely still be in our home, then simply remodifying our loan rather than moving, and maybe even with me starting an online graduate program and seeking stress relief and emotional rejuvenation through academic historical research--yes, studying history relaxes me and imbues me with a sense of purpose and connection to eternity and understanding of things beyond myself and even our own modern time and place. So life will roll forward this summer, and despite the bumps we may experience on the way, I'll be more grateful for the good than the bad, and remember for much longer the smiles, laughs, and fun times than I will what I did at work, how much I made, or how much time I spent there.
Monday, November 18, 2013
SHOUT OUT! $100 Amazon Gift Card!
It's been nearly 2 years! And I'm shouting out to anyone who may see this to know if our blog still has any followers. If so, let me know and I'll give you a $100 Amazon gift card if you respond before the deadline...which is NOW. Oh, dang, you just missed it...
Debating whether to start posting again and uploading pictures, etc.
Debating whether to start posting again and uploading pictures, etc.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Violence, Sex, & Profanity in the Media....Some Thoughts on Personal Limits
This morning on the Doug Wright show he was talking about personal limits about where people draw the lines in their movies and TV shows. Most often, the categories people use are sex/nudity, violence, and language. Of course, as a film critic, Mr. Wright (who is an active Latter-day Saint) is often required to see films with objectionable content. However, even still he indicated there are limits on films he will not see. Despite criticism from many LDS listeners to his show, he has been reassured by several high-level and prominent members of the LDS leadership (he did not want to use specific names) that he is a watchman on the tower and that, ultimately, it is up to individual people, not the leadership of the Church, to know their OWN limits and their OWN preferences and be their OWN policemen in determining what they view. Ours is a Church, uniquely so, of personal revelation and inspiration.
With that said, I will share some of my thoughts that influence my personal efforts at exercising my moral agency responsibly for what I view in movies and on television. First, of the three categories, the one to which I am most sensitive is sex and nudity. I am more offended at a bare rear end or women's chest than I am at war level violence in some historical films. Why is this? To me, it is very simple--the sex and nudity are real, the violence is not. Naked bodies are not achieved with make-up and effects, they are only achieved by asking someone to irreverently and inapproriately display one of God's sacred creations and gifts to us, our body. Often, this is done in ways that are not only offensive to the creation itself, but also mock the powers of creation and disrespect the sanctity of the beauty of our body. Violence, when I view it on the screen, is seen as an artificial depiction of reality. Even still, I have my limits when it comes to violence as well. I am not a blood and guts, gory movie loving type person. But there is a distinct, and to me important, distinction between these two categories in film.
Heavenly Father has created all life, and there are two powers associated with life--that of creating it and that of taking it. Of those two, he shares with us only one, the power to create life. He reserves for himself the power to take it. I also am sensitive to situations that profane either the creating or taking of life. Bedroom scenes and the like are an offensive profanity in my eyes that mock that sacred power of procreation. Heavenly Father has entrusted us with a sacred, intimate act which is meant for only two people....not two people and a viewing audience. Where some people feel it is "beautiful" to see tender depictions of sexual love, I feel it is a mockery, obscenity, and profanity of the highest order towards to the most sacred power of all that we have been given by our Heavenly Father.
In regards to violence and the taking of life, this is an act which can occur, sadly, in the life of any righteous Christian or Latter-day Saint when serving their country in war or on a law enforcement agency. When I see depictions of violence, I am sensitive to whether it is actually profaning life itself or accurately depicting the consequences of an unrighteous exercise of one's agency. Some films with extreme violence I feel actually display the consequences and causes of that violence, while others glorify that violence. Simply put, I can usually tell by how I feel. I have seen some historical films where I had a disturbing spirit while I viewed them which told me that the violence was there for show, it was there for reasons of macho bravado. While other films just as violent have left me feeling that the depictions of violence were used to discourage violence, not promote it. Through showing the causes of that violence, whether bigotry or hatred, we can better avoid it. And through showing us, accurately, the consequences that violence can have on people, we are more motivated to work towards preventing it.
Latter-day Saints may be asked to face violence in real life, and continue in faith to be a defender of a peaceful life. Latter-day Saints, however, will never be asked to witness the intimate acts of procreation for any individual other than themselves. Facing and dealing with violence is much more pervasive in this world than is witnessing actual acts of physical intimacy. Through viewing accurate depictions of violence--not only in the physical act, but in its causes and consequences--I feel I am better prepared to prevent acts of violence, help those who deal with it to cope better, and teach my children qualities to prevent the allure of fighting to take hold in their heart.
I do not see many violent films, but I have seen some that are quite violent. I would not watch them on a whim, nor would I watch them for mere entertainment. I watch them to be changed for the better, to be molded by the sheer power of emotion they cause me to feel. They are tough to watch and emotionally draining, but they have an impact on me which teaches me and molds me into a better person. They leave indelible and unforgettable impressions which remind me of the importance of peace and they motivate me to work towards ensuring that peace. These movies will have different impressions on virtually every individual that views them, but that is how it is for me. Everyone is taught different; we all have different perceptions and unique perspectives. The Spirit speaks to all of us in the language of our own heart and mind, a language which is as unique and catered to us individually as is the uniqueness of each star that shines in the heavens above.
The views and standards I hold may be shared by some, but even then, to differing degrees. We are not only all different, but all fully capable of being aware of our own sensibilities to sex, nudity, and violence. No one else can feel what we feel or think the thoughts that we think. Likewise, no one else can know what influence they are having upon us--whether that of strengthening us in righteouesness or weakening us to the decaying morals of the world. It is up to us, through prayer and spiritual discernment, to evaluate and act upon the promptings we receive based upon the media we view. How we feel is important, but even more important is how does it motivate us? How does the stirring of emotions you feel move you? Do they move you to a life of peace and righteousness, or do they move you to act out, lose patience, and lash out towards others? We all become something a little different after every film or TV show we watch...and hopefully that is something a little bit better and not a little worse. We have the ability to discern what it is, and then the responsibility to control what it is and direct it towards righteousness.
With that said, I will share some of my thoughts that influence my personal efforts at exercising my moral agency responsibly for what I view in movies and on television. First, of the three categories, the one to which I am most sensitive is sex and nudity. I am more offended at a bare rear end or women's chest than I am at war level violence in some historical films. Why is this? To me, it is very simple--the sex and nudity are real, the violence is not. Naked bodies are not achieved with make-up and effects, they are only achieved by asking someone to irreverently and inapproriately display one of God's sacred creations and gifts to us, our body. Often, this is done in ways that are not only offensive to the creation itself, but also mock the powers of creation and disrespect the sanctity of the beauty of our body. Violence, when I view it on the screen, is seen as an artificial depiction of reality. Even still, I have my limits when it comes to violence as well. I am not a blood and guts, gory movie loving type person. But there is a distinct, and to me important, distinction between these two categories in film.
Heavenly Father has created all life, and there are two powers associated with life--that of creating it and that of taking it. Of those two, he shares with us only one, the power to create life. He reserves for himself the power to take it. I also am sensitive to situations that profane either the creating or taking of life. Bedroom scenes and the like are an offensive profanity in my eyes that mock that sacred power of procreation. Heavenly Father has entrusted us with a sacred, intimate act which is meant for only two people....not two people and a viewing audience. Where some people feel it is "beautiful" to see tender depictions of sexual love, I feel it is a mockery, obscenity, and profanity of the highest order towards to the most sacred power of all that we have been given by our Heavenly Father.
In regards to violence and the taking of life, this is an act which can occur, sadly, in the life of any righteous Christian or Latter-day Saint when serving their country in war or on a law enforcement agency. When I see depictions of violence, I am sensitive to whether it is actually profaning life itself or accurately depicting the consequences of an unrighteous exercise of one's agency. Some films with extreme violence I feel actually display the consequences and causes of that violence, while others glorify that violence. Simply put, I can usually tell by how I feel. I have seen some historical films where I had a disturbing spirit while I viewed them which told me that the violence was there for show, it was there for reasons of macho bravado. While other films just as violent have left me feeling that the depictions of violence were used to discourage violence, not promote it. Through showing the causes of that violence, whether bigotry or hatred, we can better avoid it. And through showing us, accurately, the consequences that violence can have on people, we are more motivated to work towards preventing it.
Latter-day Saints may be asked to face violence in real life, and continue in faith to be a defender of a peaceful life. Latter-day Saints, however, will never be asked to witness the intimate acts of procreation for any individual other than themselves. Facing and dealing with violence is much more pervasive in this world than is witnessing actual acts of physical intimacy. Through viewing accurate depictions of violence--not only in the physical act, but in its causes and consequences--I feel I am better prepared to prevent acts of violence, help those who deal with it to cope better, and teach my children qualities to prevent the allure of fighting to take hold in their heart.
I do not see many violent films, but I have seen some that are quite violent. I would not watch them on a whim, nor would I watch them for mere entertainment. I watch them to be changed for the better, to be molded by the sheer power of emotion they cause me to feel. They are tough to watch and emotionally draining, but they have an impact on me which teaches me and molds me into a better person. They leave indelible and unforgettable impressions which remind me of the importance of peace and they motivate me to work towards ensuring that peace. These movies will have different impressions on virtually every individual that views them, but that is how it is for me. Everyone is taught different; we all have different perceptions and unique perspectives. The Spirit speaks to all of us in the language of our own heart and mind, a language which is as unique and catered to us individually as is the uniqueness of each star that shines in the heavens above.
The views and standards I hold may be shared by some, but even then, to differing degrees. We are not only all different, but all fully capable of being aware of our own sensibilities to sex, nudity, and violence. No one else can feel what we feel or think the thoughts that we think. Likewise, no one else can know what influence they are having upon us--whether that of strengthening us in righteouesness or weakening us to the decaying morals of the world. It is up to us, through prayer and spiritual discernment, to evaluate and act upon the promptings we receive based upon the media we view. How we feel is important, but even more important is how does it motivate us? How does the stirring of emotions you feel move you? Do they move you to a life of peace and righteousness, or do they move you to act out, lose patience, and lash out towards others? We all become something a little different after every film or TV show we watch...and hopefully that is something a little bit better and not a little worse. We have the ability to discern what it is, and then the responsibility to control what it is and direct it towards righteousness.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2011 Reflections...2012 is Here
(This is a very unfocused entry that could definitely be considered rambling on my part, aka mental jibberish, so feel free to not waste your time and wait for the next update which will hopefully be soon!)
As I look back on 2011, I'm not sure what to make of it. The one, most obvious aspect of my reflections are that I am nowhere close to being where I thought I would be at this stage of my life. Last year at this time, our lives were filled with a lot of uncertainty. I had lost my job, which means we also lost our benefits while we were expecting our third child, our computer crashed with no information on back up (this was painfully stressful, all our pictures, many journals, and all my historical research and work was on the hard drive), and we had medical debts we were struggling to pay. With such a bleak state of things at that time, I guess I really wasn't sure where we would be at this point in time. While many of the issues we have struggled with have simply persisted or grown bigger, we would really be struggling if it wasn't simply for each other. Isn't it great how family can take your mind off things and help you simply enjoy each day and find so much joy? Perhaps in my case, I use that as an excuse to not face the pressing things I should really be focusing on. But then when I tell myself that, I keep thinking that my children's childhood will never come again and I should cherish every moment and help make it the best it can be for them. Alas, one of my GREATEST weaknesses is FOCUS. I simply can't do it. I am as scatterbrained as Dory from "Finding Nemo."
Alas, here we are at 2012. I am going to try again to get into some graduate programs. I didn't try last year at all, mainly due to the fact I was employed in a good job until the end of the year and didn't have time to work on applications. Maybe this year will be the year I finally have some luck with continuing education. Alice is leery about such matters, I think she wants to just stay where we are and not deal with any drastic change. Fortunately, I know she'll support her hubby and remember that no matter where we go, we'll be together and have our beautiful boys to help us have tons of fun. So where may we end up? Phoenix? New York? Canada? London? Sri Lanka? OK, not Sri Lanka, but who knows. The primary issue I face is--do I just commit to a life of working hard at whatever job I happen to have or try to really focus on a vocation I love and work for a more purpose with more intrinsic motivation?
My mind is full, primarily with questions that I have no clue to what the answers are, but questions that should have been answered long ago. Interesting times. One thing I am definitely looking forward to in 2012 is the Titanic's Centennial. I am hoping to be busy during the coming months with my Titanic lectures. I am emailing all the universities and colleges in the state to line up some lectures and am reaching out to some television shows as well, both local and national. While there are several Titanic historians, I hope that my unique background and matchstick model will help with garnering some publicity.
With all the questions I face and struggles we have had, how grateful I am for Alice who has weathered more than she should ever have had to. She has been a rock. I know she may not have felt like it at times, but to be where we are now after what we've gone through certainly indicates that at her core she is solid. How grateful I am to her, and that she knows me so well, and that she is honest with me even when I may not want her to be! Life is grand together, and we love it.
And I could ramble on, but alas must do some other things before going to bed. Here we go 2012.
As I look back on 2011, I'm not sure what to make of it. The one, most obvious aspect of my reflections are that I am nowhere close to being where I thought I would be at this stage of my life. Last year at this time, our lives were filled with a lot of uncertainty. I had lost my job, which means we also lost our benefits while we were expecting our third child, our computer crashed with no information on back up (this was painfully stressful, all our pictures, many journals, and all my historical research and work was on the hard drive), and we had medical debts we were struggling to pay. With such a bleak state of things at that time, I guess I really wasn't sure where we would be at this point in time. While many of the issues we have struggled with have simply persisted or grown bigger, we would really be struggling if it wasn't simply for each other. Isn't it great how family can take your mind off things and help you simply enjoy each day and find so much joy? Perhaps in my case, I use that as an excuse to not face the pressing things I should really be focusing on. But then when I tell myself that, I keep thinking that my children's childhood will never come again and I should cherish every moment and help make it the best it can be for them. Alas, one of my GREATEST weaknesses is FOCUS. I simply can't do it. I am as scatterbrained as Dory from "Finding Nemo."
Alas, here we are at 2012. I am going to try again to get into some graduate programs. I didn't try last year at all, mainly due to the fact I was employed in a good job until the end of the year and didn't have time to work on applications. Maybe this year will be the year I finally have some luck with continuing education. Alice is leery about such matters, I think she wants to just stay where we are and not deal with any drastic change. Fortunately, I know she'll support her hubby and remember that no matter where we go, we'll be together and have our beautiful boys to help us have tons of fun. So where may we end up? Phoenix? New York? Canada? London? Sri Lanka? OK, not Sri Lanka, but who knows. The primary issue I face is--do I just commit to a life of working hard at whatever job I happen to have or try to really focus on a vocation I love and work for a more purpose with more intrinsic motivation?
My mind is full, primarily with questions that I have no clue to what the answers are, but questions that should have been answered long ago. Interesting times. One thing I am definitely looking forward to in 2012 is the Titanic's Centennial. I am hoping to be busy during the coming months with my Titanic lectures. I am emailing all the universities and colleges in the state to line up some lectures and am reaching out to some television shows as well, both local and national. While there are several Titanic historians, I hope that my unique background and matchstick model will help with garnering some publicity.
With all the questions I face and struggles we have had, how grateful I am for Alice who has weathered more than she should ever have had to. She has been a rock. I know she may not have felt like it at times, but to be where we are now after what we've gone through certainly indicates that at her core she is solid. How grateful I am to her, and that she knows me so well, and that she is honest with me even when I may not want her to be! Life is grand together, and we love it.
And I could ramble on, but alas must do some other things before going to bed. Here we go 2012.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
September 11
"As I laid down my head to rest in my small home as a missionary in Seoul, South Korea, on September 11, 2001, the people in the land I call home were just rising to begin their day I was now ending. Following a day of hard work and joy as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I anticipated another day full of joy in the service of my Lord. Completely unaware of the horror that was just beginning to unfold half way across the world, I slept that night with a peace….with a contentment….that I would never experience again; with a heart light in its naiveté of the true level of evil that existed in the world. A heart that would soon be weighed down with a sorrow and comprehension from which it would never again be free. As Americans awoke to the horrors of evil, I enjoyed my last night in the world as we would never know it again..."
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