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Boyd Petersen wrote a terrific post on the new AML blog. I was particularly struck by the first half of this paragraph:
My experience teaching (mostly) Mormon college students has been that we as a culture are often more concerned that we might read something bad than we are about seeking out the good. It’s as if we believe we could gain salvation while remaining in the Garden of Eden. Needless to say, I don’t share this opinion. I am particularly fond of Travis Anderson’s call to “seek after the good in art, drama, film, and literature.”
I thought he had hit upon a metaphor I have been struggling for for ages, and so I clicked the link he provided and read in a breathless rush sixteen of the best pages on Mormons art consumption ever written.
As I was reading, I was thinking I would have to make a list of all my favorite lines and share them here, but, in fact, that would still be ten pages long. You'll just have to read the whole thing yourself.
I hereby to seek after the good. And when just-one-sceners complain about my liberal search, I will say that I am seeking after the good.
The essay truly can't be "summed up". Just read it.
I'm so glad someone was able to articulate what I've been trying to say all along. Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteThat's a brilliant article. I'll return to it often, I'm sure, in my efforts to teach. It's too bad nothing like it is likely to make it into the Ensign for the reading pleasure of the general membership.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link.
I agree--that's a fabulous article. I kind of want to send to all of my overly uptight (in my opinion) friends, but I think that would be somewhat passive aggressive.
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ReplyDeleteOr possibly redemptive!
I compromised and posted a Board question about it. Maybe that will get a conversation started. :)
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ReplyDeleteClever.