A Challenge To LDS Artists

Hello,

I'm a proud, full-fledged member of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We are also called Mormons or LDS. I will use Mormons or LDS interchangeably throughout this essay. Many times in the LDS Church we hear from our leaders about the dangers of the outside world. This usually refers to inappropriate music, movies and TV. As members we are often discouraged from seeking such worldly entertainment. However many LDS people have a hard time staying away. Why is that? Well, obviously because it's entertaining. For instance, my favorite band of all-time is Led Zeppelin. They are so good and have so many great songs. However most of their songs are about sex. Another artist that I like is Lady Gaga. She also has so many great songs, her songs are so much fun. Her music is the kind of music that people like to dance to. However her lyrics are hyper sexual.

A few definitions first as Mormons have a lot of jargon. I want to clarify what I mean by artists. Those people who are the creative force behind movies, books, music, plays, art work, sculpting and anything else that qualifies as art. The outside world is essentially anyone outside the boundaries of the LDS Church. The outside world can also refer to art that may tear down the beliefs of a faithful LDS member.

I started thinking about this yesterday as MTV has made a TV series titled "Skins", which sounds like just a nasty, nasty show. MTV is pushing boundaries in an attempt to make a buck. That is shameful which is why LDS people are urged to stay away from so-called worldly entertainment. Now many people would say that we are prudish. Well if you are LDS and actually are living your religion, I suggest that would be a fair statement. We also are urged by our leaders to error on the side of caution in choosing what entertainment to bring into our home. I realize that Mormons aren't the only people who have these kind of values. I appreciate and am grateful to all others that share similar values.

I remember growing up, barely!, and remember all the tantalizing things the world puts in front of kids. Intense sexuality, the seeming lure of beer commercials, parties, violence and whatever else. Many of these things end up leaving one feeling empty after experiencing, but they are so tantalizing. Kids in their early teens are curious anyway. In my challenge to LDS artists, please give us high quality entertainment that we can share with our kids to explore these themes in a safe environment. I keep on prefacing entertainment with high quality, I do that because there's a lot of Mormon produced entertainment. Unfortunately a large portion of it is pure dreck.

What are the options for a Mormon to do in regards of non-LDS entertainment? 1) Completely avoid it. 2) Let it selectively into the home. However with TV and the internet almost omnipresent, controlling what entertainment comes into a house is nearly impossible. Here's the point of this blog, Mormon people need to create high quality and wholesome entertainment. It has to be as good or better as non-LDS created entertainment. So far it's pretty lackluster quality produced by LDS artists. What I'd like to see is what I will call the Stephenie Meyer model.

Meyer, author of the hugely successful "Twilight" novels, is a very devout Mormon that has created these well loved novels. This isn't entertainment just created for LDS people but for anybody. However how many other LDS writers can you name, which exactly is my point. There's Orson Scott Card, who wrote the hugely popular "Ender's Game". Other than that I would suggest that a non-LDS person couldn't name any other LDS authors.

In music, the most famous LDS singers are probably the Osmonds. Again that's my point. Marie Osmond just released a new CD, does anyone know that outside of Utah? Maybe a few other Mormons know that, but that's it. Other famous LDS musicians include the brutally bland David Archuleta, the converted Gladys Knight and possibly members of The Killers and The Used. Do you see what little there is to work with? Do you now understand why LDS people now go outside Mormon culture for entertainment. Hmm let's see who would I rather listen to Archuleta or Lady Gaga? As my kids would say "Duh"!

Let's not even talk about LDS TV and movies. They've been few and far between and not real high quality. About the only quality LDS film maker has been Richard Dutcher. He made the great "God's Army", exploring an LDS mission. It captures many of the trials and temptations encountered by LDS missionaries. He also tried to expand beyond his LDS roots, by making a more traditional film in "Brigham City". He was stretching artistically. He captures these stories with warmth and humor. He has since left the church. He has his reasons, but I'm still incredibly sad about this.

What I would like to see is him or another high quality LDS based film maker make a film based on Richard L. Bushman's "Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling". This book is written by an active Mormon, but thoroughly provides insight into all parts of Joseph Smith's life. He led an amazing life and I think his life could be an amazing movie. The beginnings of the LDS Church would also be a great story. This would give all people a chance to understand the roots of the LDS Church. It's a pretty harrowing story. One has to have lived a life of a Mormon to fully understand LDS doctrines and some of the reasons we view things the way we do.

Here's my challenge to all LDS artists: Make the same high quality entertainment that's available all over the world. In other words follow the Stephenie Meyer model. Whether you agree the "Twilight" series is good or bad, no one can deny the impact it has made on popular culture. For instance, it has made the strange looking Robert Pattinson a well known actor. Without knowing it, many non-LDS people are experiencing LDS values. That's why Bella and Edward don't have sex until marriage.

Where are the Stephenie Meyer's for music, movies, plays etc. Please if you are LDS and have any artistic ability, please start working on things that can edify everyone. Especially our children. I realize this is the parent's job, but high quality and moral entertainment will help us in this regard. As Dutcher has, unfortunately at the loss of his faith, more LDS artists need to stretch their wings. Let's turn the tide that shows like "Skins" has caused.

themusicaddict