musicpoliticsreligion

1 Corinthians 2

2011-10-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Flubber/Hawk

2011-10-10T18:27:00.001-07:00

I watched part of a familiar movie yesterday, “The Absent-Minded Professor”, an old B&W Disney affair. You may know the plot. Fred McMurray plays the title character, Prof. Brainard, a science professor at a small college that is in danger of folding who has invented an anti-gravity substance. The villain, Alonzo P. Hawk, played by Keenan Wynn, is a tycoon that sees dollar signs in this invention, flubber. When Hawk discovers the invention, he implores Brainard to partner with him to make millions as contractors to the government. Hawk essentially steals the invention to prevent the patriotic Brainard giving it gratis to the Pentagon. There are a few other angles in the movie, including a love triangle with a woman, Brainard, and an extroverted English professor from the competing and not struggling college.I distinctly remember the Hawk character recurring in Herbie the Love Bug movies. He is always a rapacious capitalist, threatening to destroy whatever is good and, essentially public sector. I pondered at how this movie could not be made now. I think it would be seen as “socialist”, unkind to the “job-creators”, etc. Moreover, this was a G-rated family movie. It just shows how things have changed. We have embraced the Hawks of the world, and now the professors are the villains. That was another really neat thing about the movie. Everybody knew who the professors were and they had a place of respect in the community. Um, not s’much anymore, I think.

Dem Dems?

2011-09-29T16:08:00.001-07:00

I've got to get to the music and religion a little more, but here's something I wrote to a friend this morning:

I have to say that I am feeling deeply disillusioned about the democratic party right now. I have been for a long time, but I felt pretty hopeful in '08. I have never seen such an opportunity squandered as I have with the Obama administration and the dems control of the executive and legislative branches at the beginning of his presidency. I guess I'm pretty far to the left of the spectrum right now, but the federal dems seem to be doing not much more than saying we're not quite as bad as the republicans, rather than denouncing the palpable evil that seems to be possessing that party, and their plans to destroy all of the civic and cultural institutions that we have built over the last century. But, as we found in 2000, our system does not accomodate 3rd parties very well. So I'm a reluctant supporter, with hopes and prayers that a new day will dawn...

Civic Nihilism/Parasitic Vines

2011-08-16T10:32:00.001-07:00

This civic nihilism that we call libertarianism is like a parasitic vine that we have allowed to creep up and eventually cover and kill the tree. Rather than robustly respond and destroy it, we have, in a sense, nurtured it.
The tree becomes nothing more than food for the vine, and eventually dies and is subsumed by the vine.
We are now (and have been) to the point where, instead of working on how to improve and refine the elements of our society, as we did in the past, we are dismantling and destroying all that generations have built up.

To: To the Best of Our Knowledge re: Does the Soul Matter

2011-08-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

The existence of the soul to my mind is a universal idea throughout cultures societies and religions until modern European culture. Most still have a traditional belief in an inner person that is separate from the physical body. Moreover, the materialist impulse has a profoundly bad track record. Why not, then, have a guest that does believe in an actual soul? To those of us in the arts, materialism explains such a small subset of reality. In a way, the lack of a traditional perspective might feed into the idea that NPR represents a small band of thinking.

To Diane Rehm re: Obama Discussion

2011-04-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Note to Diane Rehm, 21 April 2011:

I have always admired your ability and courage to call people out and keep them honest, but I have to say I was really disappointed with the disconnect between the eloquent and heartfelt comments from listeners and the predictable, dismissive, tired, and ultimately connected and insider responses from the panelists (with a few exceptions). The impression one gets is of a group of people who are overly invested in the status quo and who marginalize anyone who challenges it, even if they are slightly different flavors of whatever the "center" happens to be at a particular moment. Those of us who are branded "liberal", or "far left" right now are part of the intelligentsia of this country that has been responsible for much of the change throughout history that has made a life of dignity and prosperity for the human species that we now enjoy. The establishment currently has found success in marginalizing us as fringe, or outright branding us as dangerous. Those who are less intellectual in inclination have been marginalized, manipulated and distracted into ineffectiveness.
I realize NPR is struggling for federal dollars with a hostile right wing, but if a call-in show is not open to ideas from its listeners, and if NPR in general is not representing truth and resisting phony binaries (left/right, fringe/center, etc.) it is giving up what makes it worth the federal dollars.

Note to Schumer

2011-04-20T14:45:00.001-07:00

I just got your message re: republicans voting to end medicare. The republicans have just handed you the '12 election on a silver platter. For heavens sake, don't blow this one. The republicans are fundamentally bullies and are pushing for very bad things. Please, please, stop giving in and conceding to them anything. The only way to get them to act for the public interest is to stand up to them. And at this point, it means defeating them soundly. If democrats don't do it, who will?

Coming up: Secularism

2011-03-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

Don't worry. I have plenty to go around.

Here's the Link

2011-03-10T22:56:00.001-08:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/phil-zuckerman/why-evangelicals-hate-jes_b_830237.html

Why Evangelicals Hate Jesus

2011-03-10T22:06:00.000-08:00

Wow. This is an amazing article, one that I've been waiting for for a *long* time. I honestly don't know how evangelicalism has done as well as it has, dominating politics, culture, etc. I wasn't long on my mission before I realized that evangelicalism was (in addition to being morbidly anti-mormon) to religion what professional wrestling is to sports. But the movement has taken such a profoundly dark turn since then. It really does seem at times to be the Church of the Devil (or the "Great and Abominable") described in the Book of Mormon. At various times we thought it was the catholic church, or soviet communism. These definitely had their moments. But the dominant force for evil right now in America has to be some weird combination of anti-sermon-on-the-mount evangelicalism and populist Nietzschism as embodied by the Grover Norquists/Newt Gingriches and their ilk. Inasmuch as peace is possible, it is being held back by these greedy rascals.

I happen to love Jesus. I can't get enough of Him. Of course I believe He is the Savior and that his atonement makes immortality and eternal life possible. I believe that through some miracle, meditation on his person brings joy and light, even though I have no recollection of meeting or seeing Him. But I also believe just as much in his challenging and transcendent teachings in the sermon on the mount. I am in no way better than anyone I know at living them. But I steadfastly believe that there is some efficacy in acknowledging how much I fall short and accepting the challenge of these teachings even if it takes an eternity to measure up to them. I don't quite understand what one gets out of twisting these pure teachings to justify one's hypocrisy. Why not just acknowledge that we have a ways to go?

Let's look at the basis of evangelicalism as it was explained to me by countless adherents on my mission:
People were created by God.
People are bad.
We need to be saved by "accepting" Jesus into our heart. By doing so, we get several things:
a. we become "Christians" (Mormons don't understand why they say we aren't Christians. The problem is, Mormons don't understand that evangelicals have a very specific definition as to what it means to be a Christian. It has nothing to do with adherence to an ethical formula or a belief in the divinity of the individual, Jesus).
b. we are forgiven of our sins (past, present and future)
c. we are guaranteed a place in heaven
d. we are not responsible for either our good works or our sins. Our good works are simply God working within us. Our sins are simply the leftover effects of our sinful nature and are already forgiven anyway. The worst thing we can do is to think that we can "work our way to heaven", i.e. that our good works have anything to do with our eternal reward. This is presumptive and arrogant. This is described by evangelicals as the main problem with Mormons. (I do think this is somewhat problematic to a lesser degree with my people).

This is an important ingredient to the understanding of why evangelicals hate Christianity (the ethical system Jesus taught).

On my mission evangelicals mocked our testimonies of the Book of Mormon. In mormonism, we derive our religious commitment from a transcendent experience, a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the miraculous manner in which it was brought forth. Millions of people will attest to this witness and will make great sacrifices based on it. Once you experience direct communication from the Holy Ghost, you realize that nothing else, including the 5 senses, can be as certain. The pioneers staked everything on it. When they left Missouri and Illinois, it was with the knowledge that at any time they could renounce their witness and they would be left alone. I was told by evangelicals that my spiritual witness was some kind of brainwashing, or some other such nonsense. It really put them in a difficult position vis-a-vis their own shaky faith grounds. I would then ask two questions, which would driven them berserk:
1. How do you know the Bible is true?
2. Why did God create us?
The second question is really problematic if you believe that we are naturally bad and can only have any value if we go through an empty ritual of assent to a completely weird and abstract concept. What kind of God would play such a cruel joke on his creations? Is He so desperate for praise that he made a bunch of beings who can't achieve anything on their own, and that the only thing they can do worth doing is "getting saved"? This God sounds a lot more like the Satan of my theology, the one that wants nothing more than naked and empty obeisance and hates nothing more than freedom and agency. And regarding question 1, if you don't believe in spiritual witnesses, then what hope do you have that the Bible isn't an empty collection of stories and traditions?

I'm sorry to be so hard on this religion. I have met some wonderful, and, yes, very Christian evangelicals, who serve others, who are kind, and who really do embody Jesus' teachings. But the movement has had such a baleful effect on our society as a whole since 1980 that I feel it needs to be called out. Part of me thinks that, in some diabolical irony, evangelicalism will bring out the very tribulation that it purports to be preparing for.

Corrosive composition careerism

2011-03-07T01:01:00.001-08:00

The following is from a very interesting email discussion with LDS composers about funding, grants, etc. of new music:

I have to admit, this has been one of my least favorite subjects of late. I think our art form has become infected with a depressing careerism which has crowded out the things that got us into this in the first place, which I guess would be the love of sounds. Clearly the support for the arts, and all other superstructure, has been on the wane in this country steadily since 1980 and this trend shows no sign of changing. Clearly there has been a steady philistinization of our culture. There are fewer resources to go around so it is natural that the competition gets stiffer.
Moreover, the music "industry" has been in a freefall for a few years now.

Attali suggests that the economy of music-making is a harbinger of economic trends in the culture at large. Does that mean that our society is in for complete economic collapse in the future?

Well, maybe music should be modeling something better, more sustainable.

I lived in Seattle in the '90s during which time I had a chamber opera company that did some unusual and really interesting events. They were all completely funded by ticket prices except the last one. There were three composers, a writer and some singers that came together simply to create some musical works and present them to audiences. We discovered that it was quite easy to rent a small theater and to make a simple arrangement for percentage of ticket sales for each participant in the productions. We were all invested in the success of each other. We always managed, even with all the expenses, to pay everybody involved, albeit modestly.
For the last show I was involved in, we applied for and received a grant from King County, but that piece was the most difficult to produce and the most problematic (maybe partially as a result). I think it was quite good, but the funding had many strings attached and added a kind of weight to the whole thing. The previous shows were much more fun.

I went to a conference of university music professors recently where a well-known composer gave the keynote address. The gist of it was that, it doesn't matter how good your music is if you don't know how to "get it out there", or "sell it", and that this is what we should be conveying to our students. It was kind of a depressing talk. I thought, why not talk about music, or sound, or harmony, or timbre. That's what I'm interested in. If I have to spend more time thinking/talking/teaching about self-promotion than this transcendent art form, then I want out, and I don't want to recommend the activity to my students. It all has to start with the work. What I would like to call sharing of this work can only occur when there is something of value to share.

Excessive self-promotion and grantwriting can be harmful to the imagination and spirit in my experience because you are forced to focus so much on yourself. Plus you end up trying to second-guess other people, and thus begin to self-censor your work. I guess this is where I think collectives that are run by composers (like Salty Cricket, and, I think, Seattle Experimental Opera) are quite good. You minimize the red-tape and help/support/nurture other artists. It's so much better than competing, trying to beat other artists in zero-sum-gain situations. If you create a performance situation using the same level of creativity that you bring to your composing and promote fellow artists' work in the process, then you get away from the kind of self-centered thing that I think is so corrosive.

I'm not against grants or applying for them, but I think we need to get our values straight and put music-making first. If fighting tooth and nail for a few dollars and trying to beat out the other guy crowds out the time, energy, attention and joy of imagining, making and sharing sounds (not to mention family, religion and other pursuits), then maybe we need to find other ways of making music.

Choose or find some sounds to make
Find/choose a time and place to share these sounds
Find people to make and hear these sounds

Do this a lot. After doing your best, working hard and listening to inspiration, don't worry too much about:
1. If people like it
2. If you'll become rich and famous
3. If it will lead to more "opportunities"
4. If it's any good
These are all by-products of inspired, diligent and joyous work. The rewards should be in the work itself, not so much in the byproducts, because they are unpredictable.

Man's Dominion

2011-02-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

I encountered this by Hugh Nibley that appeared in the 1972 New Era. It almost doesn't seem possible that that magazine published such things at one time. I'm not sure what combination of things have changed. Check it out:

http://lds.org/new-era/1972/10/mans-dominion?lang=eng&query=demon+possession

Egypt

2011-02-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

The events in Egypt were wonderful and, at the same time, revealed some serious disconnects in our policy, and our beliefs. For decades we have propped up local dictators in order to stop international conspiracies, specifically communism and Islamic fundamentalism. This just doesn’t look so smart anymore and, in fact, the United States, which has in some ways, been the most benign imperial power, comes off looking really bad in the third world. It is looking more and more like the “Do what is right, let the consequence follow” is the way to go. I am reminded of ol’ King Benjamin’s words:

it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people.

If W. had anything right, it was that he maintained through much skepticism that people of Arab decent and the Muslim religion are just as capable and deserving of democracy as anyone. His mistake was, of course, trying to weirdly “impose” it on someone. I continue to hear euro-American pundits and smarty-pants people generally assert that “jacksonian democracy” or whatever they like to call it will take a long time to take root among people with “thousands of years”, or “many generations” of supposed “tribal” traditions, etc. that are supposedly against it. These are, however learnedly couched, little more than racial stereotypes.

I believe that all people are endowed by their creator (not by anyone else – they are gifts, birthrights) with certain inalienable rights. And among these(!) are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If anyone does not enjoy these rights on this earth, it is because some other person has stolen them. In the immortal words of reggae master, Carlton (of the Shoes), whom I have quoted elsewhere on this site, “God made man and he gave them all an equal share of blessings. Some men want to take it all and keep the rest of the world in bondage and oppression. But the Father, he’s not sleeping. He’ll set his people free. Better days are coming. Better days for you and for me.”

I am also reminded of Gandhi’s immortal and hopeful words:
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS.”

The Egyptians have proven that it is very difficult to govern the vast majority of a people for very long without their consent. Not only do they have people power behind them, I think they have a little bit of divine power. I have, in my adult life, watched the Berlin Wall and the iron curtain fall, something that very few anticipated. (Think of all the “sovietologists”.) I have also seen almost every Latin American country go from military junta to democracy in a very short period of time. I see no reason to expect repressive regimes that deny civic and religious freedom to continue in the Middle East, all the fossil fuel in the world notwithstanding. Things will change despite our bumbling (at best) efforts, not because of them. The march of freedom will continue until it rings “from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, until all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews, [Muslims) and Gentiles, Catholics, [Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, Animists, Secularists, Mormons,] and Protestants - will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”

Budget appeasement

2011-02-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

I wish I could put more positive posts up here, but I just heard a story on NPR about the budget and the defect, etc. What a sick bunch of people are running this place, tripping over each other to prove how nasty and heartless they can be to the poor. The democrats, including Obama are almost the worst, because nobody is making a case for why "social programs" exist and why the republicans are so bloodthirsty to get rid of them. Actually, I don't hear anybody talking about this.

I'll make an attempt. The libertarian view that has kind of taken over our public discourse is that people should fend for themselves and that when they get help from the government, they lose their will and their creativity. There is a feeling that anyone can just "go out and get" a living somewhere. This may have been true earlier in our country's history in the days of homesteading, when there were abundant free natural resources. ONce you have an industrial society, you have to run things differently. Most of us can't grow our own food, cloth, and forage for building materials and fuel. We're way past that now. We already cooperate and specialize whether we like it or not. And industrial societies make extended family networks unviable. People have to move around to work among other things. So a government that facilitates a safety net is essential in an industrial or post-industrial society.

Moreover, libertarianism only accounts for the able-bodied adults. It doesn't make any sense for anyone else, for children and adults that are disabled or victimized.

Nobody is talking about making cuts in the bloated military, which, by some accounts spends as much as the entire militaries of the rest of the world combined. This is a result of the persistent jingoism and fear-mongering that we experienced in the Bush years. It just feels like collective insanity.

Nobody is even talking about the fact that Clinton balanced the budget, an accomplishment that was viewed as impossible. Bush created the deficit by means of tax cuts for the filthy, obscenely rich and war. If a republican were in the white house, all you'd hear about was how the previous administration messed everything up.

Maybe what it all comes down to is that democrats spend so much time trying to convince republicans that they are not too liberal instead of trying to convince everybody of the tenets of liberalism, or even just basic civic decency.

Advise the Advisor

2011-02-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

Response to David Plouffe's email requesting feedback on the subject of "innovation," specifically answering
* How is American innovation affecting your community?
* What are the obstacles to innovation that you see in
your community? And what steps can be taken to remove them?

My Answer:
Job prospects are poor and watered down versions of libertarian principles will not create career jobs with living wages. It used to be that the government set an example and raised the bar by providing decent jobs.

The way to remove barriers is to stop trying to appease or please republicans and start representing a sane and compassionate vision for our shared society. Put it on the table at least. Speak truth to power. The widening gap between rich and poor and the scandalous level of wealth enjoyed by some are ugly unsustainable.

Civil Servants

2011-02-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

At the superbowl they recognized Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor since 'Nam. I always feel a sense of gratitude when I see members of the military and was predictably teary. I had to make sure my family didn't notice my sappiness. I started thinking about the many souls who serve us in non-military capacities, the people we used to call "civil servants". Surely they deserve some recognition for the things they have done for our society, the postal carriers, the government workers, the people that try to keep our food and water safe, even the IRS auditors. Yet, these people are kind of vilified right now, since "the government" is supposedly "the problem". In a strange moral inversion, it now it seems the most morally suspect among us, those that fleece themselves on the labors of others are the fabulous "job creators" and the people who quietly take care of things that need to be done are viewed almost as parasites who must face up to the "hard choices" that our supposedly broke society must make. It is very sad to be old enough to watch this moral inversion take place.

"Government jobs" used to be viewed as stable, but boring sort of dead ends that nonetheless provided decent compensation and excellent benefits. They also had a very beneficial effect on the labor market, pushing wages and benefits up a bit, setting a good example for the public sector. After a 3-decade process of layoffs, reductions in pay and benefits, and replacing salaried positions with contractors in the public sector, I think we are left with a very bleak and unfriendly employment environment. What a sad devil's bargain.

Look To God and Live

2010-11-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

The following are notes for a talk I gave yesterday:

LOOK TO GOD AND LIVE (Al 37:47, Alma to Helaman)

SCRIPTURES/EXAMPLES

Humans differ other animals, gaze up
-secular world traces the origin of religion to this attribute, that observance of the stars was the origin of deities, heaven and ultimately religion

The story of the fiery flying serpents in the book of numbers was beloved by the Book of Mormon prophets. It gave them a vivid image of the damaging effects of some of the skepticism and lack of faith that we all have, and, more importantly the means of deliverance from the troubles that afflict our fallen species.

Num 21
5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7 ¶ Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Nephi talking to his brothers recounted the miracles of the exodus included:
1 Ne 17
41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

The meaning of this event was given by Jesus as he spoke to Nicodemus in the night:
14 ¶ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

Alma to the poor of the Zoramites: Alma suggests that there is more to this story, that, in fact the serpent raised on the pole represented Christ
Al 33
19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.
20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.
21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?
22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

IMPORTANCE/MYSTERY

The command to always remember him (and to take his name upon us) has always been a strangely difficult to articulate yet palpable and powerful concept
I have always been somewhat attracted to things I don’t fundamentally understand yet are powerful, and compelling, and right. In music I have many colleagues who are interested in figuring out music, in explaining every aspect of it. I prefer music that I can’t explain or analyze, but that is nonetheless powerful
Why should fixing our mind on Jesus be efficacious? And yet it is. It works.

White Handbook/Brigham Young
If you go on a mission to preach the Gospel with lightness and frivolity in your hearts, looking for this and that, and to learn what is in the world, and not having your minds riveted—yes, I may say riveted—on the cross of Christ, you will go and return in vain.

Looking to the savior is not just for those who are beginning on the path of conversion. It is just as important for those who have been on that path for some time. Perhaps we need to depend on him more and more the further we go on that path.

-Joseph Smith’s dream of the apostles with sore feet not looking at Jesus who was in their midst:
1/21/1836: “I saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who are now upon the earth, who hold the keys of this last ministry, in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and feet swollen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold Him. The Savior looked upon them and wept" (HC 2:381)

Often people are brought to look because of hearing or feeling:
-Nephites watching him descend (after hearing and heeding a still small voice, they cast their eyes, 1Ne11:8)
-Alma, Paul, Lamoni, etc. all became immobile after hearing, whereupon they saw visions, they let go of control and looked to God
-Jesus said that he would lifted up that all men would be drawn to him

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

-God being judged, humiliated , punished by his children, as well as raised from the dead, and ascending – 3 events of being raised:
demonstrated the worst that could happen and a response to that, the victory over death, and the presence of worlds beyond this one
– he became a impossibly compelling presence in the world – despite all of the attempts to the contrary (obscure, unsubstantiated)

To look up:
-Lift thine eyes unto the mts. Whence cometh help – something bigger than ourselves – reminder of the ascendancy of God, that we are part of something bigger – the sublime
-get outside of yourself (Matt 10:39)
-other religious traditions are very good at this – Buddhism – observing what is outside and what is inside from a sort of objective place
-meditation, pondering
-it’s very difficult to observe things and to try to control them at the same time – maybe that’s what the “easiness” means: don’t try to control, let God take over – recognize the distance between your effort and the outcome
-also listening – listen to God and (be awakened) live
-see divinity in all things
-see divinity in all people
-overcome prejudice – recognize uniqueness of things
-scales fall from eyes – let them be burned away by light
-remove the beam from your own eye
-if thine eye be single vs. evil – i.e. w/o prejudice
-lift up your head (and rejoice)

WHAT IMPEDES

What prevents us from looking to God?
Fear:
-don’t bury head in sand, i.e. don’t be afraid
-military: keep your head down, avoid being noticed, mocked by great and spacious
working at desk or in field, or, in trench (i.e. military, don’t get head shot) – metaphors
Distraction
-head down: working at desk or in field, computers and other technology
Al 10 (Amulek)
5 Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his amysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.
6 Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was acalled many times and I would not bhear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know

Disbelief

This is, strangely what I think impedes the those who are on the path from looking up most. We have many problems. As we know, problems do not go away as we go down the path. Perhaps they even multiply. But we need to remember that we are always dependent on God, that we can’t ultimately solve any of our problems without him. We are told that all things must fail, and we know this from experience, but charity, or the love of God never fails and is the only thing that never fails. This is where we stumble because of the “simpleness or the easiness” of the way.

SIMPLENESS/EASINESS
Judging:
We judge others, and find fault, maybe not so much because of malice, but because we feel unsure about our own standing. But it is hard to look up when we are looking down our nose. It is hard to look at all when we have a beam in our eye.

Looking beyond the mark:
-want to show off (virtuosity) – broaden phylacteries, borders of garments, etc., greetings in markets
We like to show off how busy and important we are. We focus on position and achievements and connections. I think this is because of pride, but also because we feel we need assurance of our progress and standing with God.
These make it hard to look up.
Moreover, it is hard to look up when we become obsessed with our many goals, tasks, and projects.
No matter how wonderful or important we think we are, the salvation of our children, our neighbors, the people of the world, or even ourselves does not hinge on anything we do. Salvation of any kind comes depends on God. We can be of great assistance to Him and to His children, we can accomplish great and wonderful things, we can have great influence on others, but the ultimate power to save, to bring about the most important transformations comes from Him, not from us.
Our example will have more positive impact than anything else can if we look to God.
If our many projects, however noble, deter us or others from looking to God and living, then we should question their necessity.
Oaks:
“In choosing how we spend time as a family, we should be careful not to exhaust our available time on things that are merely good and leave little time for that which is better or best. A friend took his young family on a series of summer vacation trips, including visits to memorable historic sites. At the end of the summer he asked his teenage son which of these good summer activities he enjoyed most. The father learned from the reply, and so did those he told of it. “The thing I liked best this summer,” the boy replied, “was the night you and I laid on the lawn and looked at the stars and talked.””
- Ballard quote: “The instruction to magnify our callings is not a command to embellish and complicate them. To innovate does not necessarily mean to expand; very often it means to simplify.”8
-Uchdorf: OF Things that Matter Most:
Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.
It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks.
My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most.

Finally, I want to emphasize the last part of the scripture, “look unto God and live.” We don’t have to wait to live. Every moment, every breath is a marvelous and miraculous gift. Jesus said that he came to give us life, and to enable us to live more abundantly. This means, in part, that we should get out and experience all that life has to offer, to take in the variety of experience, of sounds, sights, smells, feelings, associations that even the most ordinary of lives offers. The sun, the moon, the stars, the air, snow, and rain, animals, and plants and people— all things which come of the earth are made for the benefit of man… to please the eye [and the ear] and to gladden the heart.

May we all look to God and live.

Terrestriality

2010-10-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

In High Priests Group today, the subject came up of disaffected people's objection to the persnicketiness of mormonism. Coffee, baptism, etc. My comment was that when people say drinking coffee or not getting baptized are no big deal, they are right. Living an ethical life, treating other people kindly, etc. these are requirements for a terrestrial life.

The afterlife is strangely a subject that is glossed over sometimes by many religions. They don't like to talk about it too much, and view it as maybe a bit beside the point. In fact, mormonism is usually viewed as kind of silly because we have such a detailed and seemingly complex map of, not just the afterlife, but of an existence before birth. I think it reminds people of pagan mythology. Yet, our fate after death looms hugely in our minds, whether we talk about it or not. I came to find this out on my mission. People were very concerned about if there was a life after they died and where their dead loved ones were, etc. The major problem with sectarian Christianity is that it has never proposed anything other than a heaven and hell. The extreme granularity of this formulation has frustrated and scared and disaffected people for ages. Yet, the book of Revelation, where some of Christianity's cosmology comes from, says that at some point hell will deliver up the dead that are in it. Mormonism teaches that hell is a temporary place where those who have not availed themselves of the atonement of Jesus Christ will suffer for their own sins. But after this is over they, along with those who have repented and everyone else, will go to heaven, a place of unspeakable bliss, i.e. one of the three kingdoms of glory.

The genius of mormonism is that it affirms the idea that it doesn't matter which church you belong to, what you believe in, etc. as long as you live a good life. That is, in fact, the law of the terrestrial kingdom, and of terrestrial beings. These beings live with Jesus Christ in a realm very much as traditional Judeo-Christian-Islamic descriptions of heaven. They will live in the millennium. etc. There is nothing wrong with aspiring for a terrestrial life. It is admirable and wonderful. And this kingdom itself, if we understand Jesus and latter-day prophets, is not singular. Everyone will be rewarded for everything good they have ever done, whatever kingdom they go to. The Celestial kingdom, is a very special case. It has additional requirements on top of the requirements for the Terrestrial kingdom. It requires an incredible suspension of incredulity (i.e. faith) in order to do many things that most people consider a bit crazy. i.e. like abstaining from coffee, believing and reading books with unsubstantiated and miraculous origins, participating in arcane rituals, etc. So naturally a small minority of humanity will participate in a lifestyle that is required for Celestiality. Of course we desperately hope that everyone will join in, but we also are incredibly glad for all of the good that exists in the world and the joy that each kind and good act will bring temporally and eternally, from whatever source or religion.

Wall Street

2010-10-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Don't bother. I liked the original Wall Street. This was a real mess. Completely disorganized collection of non-sequituurs. The weirdest thing is that it doesn't make a point. It doesn't even seem to be committed to a critique of the excesses that led to the 2008 meltdown. Oliver Stone's movies have gotten more and more rambling, as have a lot of Hollywood movies. I get the impression that they are so flush with money that they create to much stuff and then try to edit a 5 hour movie down to 90 minutes. It never works. I prefer the opposite. An economy of means.

I'm listening to a wacky Braxton piece. Composition 173 for actors, instrumentalists, video projections and constructed environment. He uses the term mythodology. I think that's the only word to describe this.

Glenn Beck at Ozz

2010-03-19T01:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight (or I guess last night) I played some wonderful pool with our former home teacher who gave me some great mentoring in the game. As we were getting ready to leave and as the juke box stopped playing, I noticed a somewhat familiar and sickening sound coming from one of the tv's. It was Glenn Beck fomenting about some ghastly conspiracy pulled directly from his butt at that very moment. I just remember hearing the word "soviet" and a bolshevik and a few other things that made no sense. The lady at the desk was very nice. I asked her if she ever played MSNBC. She said that Fox News scared her "s' much". So I said "Well, why don't you change the channel." She said she wouldn't watch or listen to "any of the other ones anymore."

The whole thing reminded me of nothing so much as the the Book of Mormon, specifically when Amalikiah takes over the Lamanite nation by treachery and then, by means of weird, yucky, but effective propaganda, gets a reluctant people to go to war with the Nephites against their own best interests, scruples, and judgment:

Alma 48
1 And now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah had obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites.
2 And thus he did inspire their hearts against the Nephites, insomuch that in the *latter end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges, he having accomplished his designs thus far, yea, having been made king over the Lamanites, he sought also to reign over all the land, yea, and all the people who were in the land, the Nephites as well as the Lamanites.
3 Therefore he had accomplished his design, for he had hardened the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds, and stirred them up to anger, insomuch that he had gathered together a numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites.
4 For he was determined, because of the greatness of the number of his people, to overpower the Nephites and to bring them into bondage.

I honestly don't know how anyone listens to even 15 seconds of the political pornography on Fox News or right wing radio. It is so toxic and hate-filled, whatever your political beliefs, that I can't imagine anyone consuming it without being injured. This is particularly true of Glenn Beck, who is, I suppose, more disturbing to me because of our shared faith.

I call it political pornography. I used think of it as the news equivalent of professional wrestling or televangelism. The wrestling is phony but ultimately benign. The televangelism rips dumb people off and turns smart people off of Christianity. But right wing tv and radio darken and pervert minds the same way pornography does. But as damaging as pornography is, it is not destroying civil discourse, thus democracy, thus America, and thus the world.
* * *
I was also reading in the Book of Acts today while my two youngest kids climbed around the play structure at Carl's Jr. What an inspiring book. I think Acts is my favorite. Primitive Christianity was so inspiring and pure (it rocked). The right wing evangelical movement has nothing discernible in common with Christianity as described in Acts, other than the names of Deity. The early Christians were strict communitarians. I mean, really strict. I'm not sure, honestly I have no earthly idea where the capitalism/Christianity connection was concocted. Here are just a few excerpts from Acts:

Acts 2
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 4
32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 5
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

Thoughts

2010-03-13T01:30:00.000-08:00

I went to the temple last week and had a couple of thoughts.

God created things that sustain themselves and are themselves creative. We can and should create things that do the same, that bloom and blossom more abundantly with time on their own, that are themselves creative entities. Maybe this is what eternal increase is. I think Emily Dickinson said that she only planted perennials.

Our future is formed by our sacrifices, whether we realize it or not. Sacrifice and creation are one in the same. I am defining sacrifice here by the traditional LDS concept of "giving up something good for something better."

RNC Fundraising Powerpoint Cynicism

2010-03-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

This slide from the recently leaked RNC fundraising powerpoint
presentation lists only extremely cynical or ignorant reasons for
contributing to the republicans. I think it is a window into the
extreme cynicism of the party and movement:

http://images.politico.com/global/slideshow/100303_slide5.jpg

Economists

2010-02-22T10:31:00.001-08:00

We've had a series of Nobel laureate economists that have dictated some very damaging policy to pretty much the whole civilized world (and the discipline of economics) for decades. I'm not super impressed with the discipline in its current form, I have to say. It comes off as kind of junk science when it oversteps its reach. Economics starts from a set of weak premises, the main one being that individuals don't matter and that prosperity of some makes up for the poverty of others. The discipline also seems to be saddled with a metaphysical dogma that one would assume to be anathema to a scientific pursuit. The dogma I am speaking of is the idea that "markets" are magical or divine and that any tampering with them is like steadying the ark of old. Never mind that there never has been a purely free market and there certainly is nothing like that in our modern highly complex and interconnected world. If economists could think about individual human beings and actually solving the myriad problems faced by humanity, we might make some progress.

Poverty and the Old Testament

2010-02-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

I have been teaching and learning about the Old Testament recently, as have many mormons. I am constantly impressed with how much of the scriptures dwell on the subject of poverty.
The lack of poverty is one of the two defining traits of Zion:
Moses 7: 18
18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

Moreover, one of the main sins of Sodom was the simultaneous existence of wealth and poverty:

Ezek. 16: 49
49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

I don't think I have a problem with wealth, but I have a major problem with poverty and wealth existing side by side. I believe that any society that tolerates poverty when it has resources to eliminate it will be judged of God. And I don't think God gives a darn about labels like socialism or capitalism, or whatever. Those are all man-made words that actually don't mean a heck of a lot.

Letter to President Obama

2010-02-22T10:22:00.000-08:00

Why are democrats always on the ropes? The republicans are constantly attacking us with false and hypocritical claims. I honestly believe that the best defense is a good offense. And a good offense is an honest one. The rhetorical strategies of the republicans are so bad and dishonest, that they provide an opening for an offensive that might change the rhetoric of our whole political sphere. Please use the bully pulpit to make it difficult or impossible for republicans to continue to lie and distort with impunity. Make them pay for it. Then we can potentially have some sane political discourse, and we might be able to actually solve some problems.

Thanks for all that you do.

Christian Asplund

Correspondence with Curt Bramble

2010-02-13T22:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Curt,

Thanks so much for responding so quickly. I have written many letters
to politicians, but have never received a response so quickly.
Moreover, most of the responses in the past have been form letters.
So, thanks for your concern.

I was most troubled by the bill to sponsored by Carl Wimmer to "opt
out" of any federal health care reform and thus most like lose
medicaid. The "Medically Needy" program of medicaid has already
apparently been cut.

Then there was the proposal to eliminate 12th grade. Or the voting
down of a proposal to limit the sale of unhealthy soft drinks in our
schools. Or the proposal to get rid of laws requiring booster seats
for children.

There are more. They are all examples of people getting carried away
with reactionary ideology, that I could ignore if the efforts were not
so damaging to our state and even life threatening to so many people.

I just wish the legislature would try to think of ways of improving
our quality of life, instead of how to make it worse, under the ruse
of "limited government."

I am a Christian and a Mormon, and I believe in the sermon on the
mount. I am somewhat sympathetic to the idea of limiting government's
reach, but my belief in caring for the needy by whatever are the best
means at hand, including the government, is much stronger and more in
line with my religion. That is why I mentioned un-Christlike. Each
proposal I have mentioned, and the arguments made for them are mean
and heartless an anathema to the philiosphy that Jesus taught.

I keep hearing that we are a Christian nation. We aren't, but we should be.

Thanks again for taking the time and for the service you do for our
district and state.

Sincerely and respectfully,
Christian Asplund
- Hide quoted text -

On 12 February 2010 13:14, Curt Bramble wrote:
> Dear Associate Professor Asplund
>
> Thank you for sharing your view of our legislative process. Perhaps you
> could be more specific regarding the shame and un-Crist-like attitudes as
> evidenced by a "manifestation of ideology at its ugliest, meanest and most
> damaging". These are rather serious criticisms that I would like to better
> understand, particularly from an Associate Professor at BYU.
> I would be better able to address your concerns with some clarification of
> those concerns.
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Curt Bramble
> Senate District 16 (Provo/BYU)
>>>> Christian Asplund 2/12/2010 11:05 AM >>>
> This legislative session has been a manifestation ideology at its
> ugliest, meanest and most damaging. I am so ashamed of my state when
> I hear what is being discussed and proposed. Shame on the legislature
> and their un-Christ-like attitudes.
>
> Sincerely,
> Christian Asplund
> Associate Professor
> Brigham Young University
> 1182 Locust Circle
> Provo, UT

Awful Supreme Court Decision

2010-01-23T10:37:00.001-08:00

I haven't written for a long time, but I am just kind of beside myself. The supreme court just set aside a century of legislation and legal precedent to allow unrestricted corporate meddling in the political process. I think this will be viewed as an absolute cataclysm. The 5 conservative justices should be ashamed of themselves. The stupidity of this should be absolutely apparent to all but the most idiotic. The reasoning assenine on two levels:
1. Corporations are not human beings and therefore do not have individual rights
2. Money does not equal speech
This essentially legalizes the most expansive bribery and destroys democracy. And apparently its not just federal, but state and municipal. So forget about standing up to corporations in your hometown when it comes to zoning, etc.
Other countries have completely banned lobbying of any kind, very successfully. What the heck is wrong with us?

Note to President

2009-09-05T08:43:00.001-07:00

I just sent the following to Pres. Obama:

Every time the right denounces you, you should view it as an opportunity to completely change the debate by criticizing the awful rhetoric they use. Your doing this could change our political life for the better for years to come. We have all been waiting for years for a democrat to do that, but we keep getting weak democrats. Please be strong for our sakes. Everybody wants a strong, courageous advocate.

Questions on Healthcare for President Obama

2009-08-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

Why have you not been emphasizing the "same insurance that members of congress get", rather than the "public option?" Or, why not simply expand the availability of medicaid or medicare, and charge premiums pro-rated to income? Why not sell the whole thing as a reduction in bureaucracy, and a simplifying of an overly complex system, by combining medicare, medicaid, VA, federal employees, and the armed forces health system into one system. You would then have the rhetorical upper hand in all these discussions. The idea of extending coverage would be less of a focal point.

PianoBlog

2009-08-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

I am starting a new project called PianoBlog, consisting of recorded, mostly extended technique, piano improvisations.

2009-06-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

Doctrine and Covenants 104
16 [B]ehold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low.
17 For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves.
18 Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.

Information Technology and Freedom

2009-06-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Iran is showing that information technology, from movable type, to mobile phones and the internet have always played a pivotal role in the march of freedom. I think I remember President Kimball saying that the Lord had provided inventions to enable the gospel to be preached to more and more people. This has been dramatically shown to be true over the years. Now I am seeing that information technology is opening up formerly closed societies, hopefully bringing about their access to the gospel.

"Winners" and "Losers"

2009-06-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

I am continually shocked at the cavalier way the terms "winners" and "losers" are used in public policy debate, particularly regarding healthcare in the United States. If someone dies because of a healthcare snafu, isn't everyone a loser? Isn't there any sense of collective responsibility or collective benefit, or collective loss. Is the vestigial anti-communism so deep and so compulsive that we our discourse on public policy has to assume we are all monads, or nuclear family groupings. The terms "winners" and "losers" come directly from sports. The mythology in America is that participation in organized sports by children is the highest and best way to foster "values." But there is no query into what these values are. The most fundamental value that underlies organized sports (i.e. that lead to tournaments, etc.) is the zero sum gain, that there is one winner and one loser. This concept is behind all the problems I see in America (and increasingly, the world) today. It justifies greed, and doing horrible things to other people and the earth. We believe competition is a positive in itself, a cure-all, and you can't get in its way or you will cause all kinds of problems.

When I was a kid, I loved to play sports mainly for the exhilaration of various types of physical activity, the miracle of motion of bodies, balls, wheeled vehicles, etc. Friendly competition could make it fun and a little more urgent. But organized sports were always unpleasant to me, not so much because of the competition between teams, but because of the negativeness within a team--getting benched, etc.

I would suggest that the collaboration involved in creating new things is a much better way to teach values to children. Collaboration, working with people toward a common and creative goal, being respectful of what others have to offer, these are what children need to learn to foster a better society.

Coming Up: My Problems with Hip Hop

2009-06-16T20:21:00.001-07:00

Automation and Utopia - The End of Jobs

2009-06-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

What happened:
We have automated most of our work. We don't need to do much work anymore. At first we used technology to create more work for ourselves. During the past few decades, while most actual work was shipped overseas, most of the labor of the bourgeois was spent in speculation, trying to work the system to amass more resources. Information technology enabled/forced us all to become bankers/accountants/attorneys, etc. But eventually the "winners" won out. They amassed the most and there is not really any work to be done for hire. The result of automation was supposed to give us huge amounts of free time, resulting in a flowering of the arts, leisure, good deeds, etc. Mankind has been developing technology with the eventual goal of utopia. What other possible goal could/should there be? But, because of the cold war, any kind of macroeconomic cooperation or planning is branded as "socialism" and we are frozen in dogma. I just don't see jobs returning to our economy, and they shouldn't. We need to accept that the essentials of life need not be tied to work. Everyone has to work, but we need to come up with another model for how to incorporate work into life.

Debussy's Clouds

2009-06-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

I just played Debussy's Clouds for my theory students today. In my older years I am blown away by how evocative his music is. It really grasps sensations - sight, sound, kinetic energy, smell, temperature, moisture, etc. I always thought that was corny and preferred absolute music. I told my students I used to think his music was effeminate. Now I love natural sounds and sensations more than ever and see a bit more the divinity in them. I think L. taught me the concept that there is divinity in the earthly and even the worldly. Humans are children of God, and thus what they do is always touched with the divine.

We also listened to the first page of all 24 Preludes. Such a wealth of textures, and, again, so evocative.

Yesterday we listened to Sirenes from the same set as Clouds (Nocturnes). I couldn't get the vocal melody out of my head all night and into the morning. Again, an almost magical feat, considering the subject matter. I'm saying this because, again, I have never really "gotten" Debussy, and I think I'm starting to.

Bird and Insect Sounds

2009-06-08T19:57:00.001-07:00

Last night I slept on our back porch for the first time this season. I love falling asleep and waking up to the beautiful sounds of wind, rain, insects, and, at dawn, the birds. Last night was a full moon which made it a bit tricky to fall/stay asleep, but it was worth it. Try as we might, we will never measure up to the beauty created by God.

Better Days

2009-06-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school I was turned on to reggae by friends. I couldn't afford new records, so I bought various obscure reggae/rock steady compilations from used record stores. One of them had a really beautiful song on it by an artist I had never heard of before, nor have I since, in fact I had to intuit it from google. The artist is Carlton and his Shoes, and the song is Better Days. The groove is one of the best in existence, but there are some very out of tune backup vocal interludes. I still like it. But the really amazing thing is the lyrics which kind of sum up so many aspects of our sojourn here on earth. The lyrics include the following:

God made man and he made us all
An equal share of blessing.
Some men want to take it all
And keep the rest of the world
In bondage and oppression.

What more can one say. It starts in kindergarten, I guess. Perhaps the "some men" learn it from their fathers who do it in their homes. The song ends very optimistically, though, with "Better days are coming for you and for me."

The Millennium

2009-06-01T16:11:00.001-07:00

MILLENNIUM LESSON SUMMARY

I’ve been teaching the Sunday School lessons in the LDS services in the Forensics Unit of the Utah State Hospital lately. Today’s topic was the Millennium. I’ve always been fascinated by the millennium. I wonder if I have a fascination with the kinds of topics that people of my demographic subgroup, the liberal intellectual Mormons, tend to shy away from? I’ve never been much for Unitarianization of Mormonism. I’m becoming a bit more Unitarian as I age, but I still like the quirky, memorable concepts/events/images that radiate other concepts.

I tend to use a Socratic method and I tend to challenge the students more than some might think is advisable. My theory is that everyone is susceptible to thought and changes in their thinking, and that most people are smarter than we think. I also don’t mind if some students don’t get everything, I guess because I tend to “get” about 60% of what I read or pick up from talks, graduate seminars, conference presentations, etc. I find that I think about things I don’t quite get off and on for long periods of time. It often results in a cumulative epiphany which is the source of a lot of what I come to know.

Here is a bit of an outline of what we discussed today. First, I asked them to list the things that are wrong with the world. They included war, disease, economic problems, greed, natural disasters, pollution, etc.

Second, I asked them to list things they would like to change about the world. They included peace, generosity, kindness, no more disease, a hospitable climate with clean air, water and land, etc.

Then I asked why things are the first way and not the second way. We kind of determined that most people want things the second way, but it takes just a few ill-intentioned people to bring about things in the first list. There’s a reggae song by Someone and the Shoes, that I remember from a record I had in high school that said something like “God gives all men an equal share of blessings. Some men want to take it all and keep the rest of the world in bondage and oppression.” There’s a really interesting scripture in Alma 46 about Amalikiah who makes a goal to conquer both the Lamanites and Nephites and comes pretty close, causing untold suffering and upheaval along the way:

9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men.

Of course he doesn’t do it all by himself. But the important thing in discussing macro problems involving countries in the world, is the source or the impetus of mischief, which always tends to be a few really bad apples. Nevertheless:

10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly.

Then I asked why the few are allowed to ruin everything. I got two different lines of thought on this. One is that, because of free agency, some people will end up doing dumb, bad, and often very damaging things. The other was that their actions fulfill our need for opposition in all things. One remembers the parable of the wheat and tares, that tares (weeds) grew up next to the wheat. The workers asked the master if they should pluck up the tares who told them not to, because they would likely also pluck up the wheat with the tares. Better to let them both grow up together and separate them at reaping time.

What starts to take shape is the very clear tripartite division of the world into celestial, terrestrial, and telestial people, each of which has a role. I think that terrestrial people make up a majority of the world. These are the basically decent people who don’t join the Church, but are guided by ethical and/or religious principles, that listen to their conscience, that are reverent and basically kind to other sentient beings. Then there are the few to whom I have alluded, who bring most of the mischief, suffering, etc. into the world. The people who seem to want to spread violence, immorality, dishonesty, inequality, etc. and who are largely successful, inasmuch as Satan gives them power over parts of his realm. These are the telestials. Because of them, the world is essentially a telestial place. Mankind has always dreamt of reaching a terrestrial state, but it seems like it is impossible as long as there are telestials here to muck things up. Celestial people should focus on working with the terrestrials more, because we have essentially the same goals. And we will be living together in the millennium.

I was reminded of a study recently of foreign aid by country as a portion of GDP. The top countries were all Scandinavian. The U.S. was at the bottom of the industrialized countries (though, I should say, at the top in actual aid dollars). Scandinavia, and Western Europe in general, seem to be essentially terrestrial societies. They are mostly secular and not very open to the restored gospel, but they seem to be working toward, or to have achieved aspects of terrestrial life. America seems to be more of a mix of the three types.

We then talked about characteristics of the millennial (or terrestrial) world, which matched up pretty well with the things we had discussed earlier. The one that interested me was in D&C 101:
26 And in that day the enmity of man, and the enmity of beasts, yea, the enmity of all flesh, shall cease from before my face.
Imagine if the conflict not only among humans, but among all life forms disappeared. What a remarkable, fascinating place the world would be.

Then I asked if we know when the second coming will happen. The answer is, of course, no, and the scriptures state that neither we, nor the angels, nor even Jesus know the day or the hour. I then asked why not. My idea was that maybe there is no set time for the second coming. Maybe it is contingent on human events and human will to some extent. What is interesting is that the events to precede the second coming involve an increase in wickedness on the part of the telestials (wars, pollutions, etc.) and an increase in righteousness on the part of the celestials (preaching the gospel to the whole world, etc.)

As for the “tribulation”, or the dangerous events that precede the second coming, I suggested that we not worry too much about them specifically, any more than one should worry about death in general, or auto accidents, or cancer, etc. World War II alone would certainly be anyone’s definition of fulfillment of the negative signs of the times. I’m not saying things won’t get worse, but I think there is a lot to be hopeful about. For example, the gospel will be preached to every nation. Well, every nation that has had the gospel has moved toward democracy and away from oppression. We can expect the most oppressive regimes to go away as they did behind the former iron curtain. One thought is that while freedom is creeping over the earth, I don’t see a lot of will to solve environmental problems. I also see a lot of economic inequality that no one seems that interested in getting rid of. We’ve all got to die some time and some will die in auto accidents, cancer, and other ways that are more or less unpleasant. The righteous (i.e. the terrestrials who are, as I said, more than half of the world) are promised a great degree of protection.

In other words, I think the day or the hour is unknown because it is yet to be determined, for the most part by the actions of the celestials, i.e. in bringing about the great work of sharing the gospel, perfecting the saints, temple building, etc. We should never assume anything is a done deal. The story of Jonah proves that prophecies are always contingent.

A couple of other questions I asked were:

Do we have to wait for the millennium to live a terrestrial life?
We can certainly make our homes and communities better. Again, I think that while Scandinavia is not celestial, or on the way to being so, it seems (from my limited vantage point) to be pretty close to terrestrial in some ways. Our homes can certainly be terrestrial or even celestial.

I didn’t get to the two really nice quotes:

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: “How do you prepare for the Second Coming? Well, you just do not worry about it. You just live the kind of life that if the Second Coming were to be tomorrow you would be ready. Nobody knows when it is going to happen. … Our responsibility is to prepare ourselves, to live worthy of the association of the Savior, to deport ourselves in such a way that we would not be embarrassed if He were to come among us. That is a challenge in this day and age” (Church News, 2 Jan. 1999, 2).
Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve gave the following counsel:
“Teenagers also sometimes think, ‘What’s the use? The world will soon be blown all apart and come to an end.’ That feeling comes from fear, not from faith. No one knows the hour or the day (see D&C 49:7), but the end cannot come until all of the purposes of the Lord are fulfilled. Everything that I have learned from the revelations and from life convinces me that there is time and to spare for you to carefully prepare for a long life.
“One day you will cope with teenage children of your own. That will serve you right. Later, you will spoil your grandchildren, and they in turn spoil theirs. If an earlier end should happen to come to one, that is more reason to do things right” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 72; or Ensign, May 1989, 59).

Hospital Branch

2009-04-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote responses to a few questions regarding my calling with the LDS branch at a state mental hospital:

1) What is special about the branch?
>
There are really two branches within the branch:
1. The adults in the main building and the youth and children
and
2. The people in the Forensics Ward.
Having church is very basic. Patients have to work pretty hard and overcome opposition to attend meetings and stay focused. Meetings tend to be shorter. The concerns of branch members are very real, very basic, sometimes harrowing, sometimes humorous. The gospel becomes very real and very practical. Spirituality is not an extra. It's not superstructure. Spirituality is something that many of our patients crave in a visceral way. They are reduced to a cathartic state for many reasons, including the large amount of self-reflection, the feeling that they are not in control of their lives and bodies because of the hospital's structures and because of medication. It brings to mind Alma 32: 6
6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word.
In the forensics ward, many of our patients are visibly contrite and maybe a bit harrowed by things that they have done.
One of our principle duties is to escort patients from their units to the chapel or conference room (depending where the meeting is being held). This is sometimes a mildly tedious process, having to go through security checkpoints, convincing patients to join us, being told that certain patients have not "reached their levels" and therefore cannot leave the unit. Once they are off unit, we are technically responsible for them and for their safe return. Someone will sit at the back and maybe follow patients if they go out. The reason I mention this is that the volunteers in the branch are "shepherds" in a kind of literal way, leading groups of people here and there, preventing them from getting lost. The "quality of instruction" or discourse etc. in our worship services can vary, but we are more focused on creating an experience and environment for the patients that choose to and are able to attend.

> 2) What have your learned working there?

I have learned a lot, but I am still in the thick of it. I have learned that many of the formal aspects of the church don't matter that much, and that once those aspects are gone or are in flux, it can be very disorienting, yet liberating and uplifting. You get so that you focus on more basic things. I have been very interested as an artist lately in intimacy as a means to reach the unseen, as opposed to pageantry, which I think sometimes blinds us to the unseen by providing a kind of surrogate. Our meetings and interactions are intimate and basic. Our goals are certainly very basic, but I think this enables or forces us to encounter the unseen as a way to accomplish these very basic goals.
I have also learned how teach lessons in a more engaging and universal way. We have such a diversity of intellects and attention spans that it forces you as a teacher to come up with lessons and strategies that work for a wide variety of people.
I think the thing that I have learned most is not to judge other people. This is a hard fought lesson, because I have a problem with judging. This particularly comes up in the Forensics Ward where we have people who have killed people and committed sexual crimes. We also have people who have committed pretty minor offenses while a bit loopy, trespassing, petty theft, etc. Because of the unusual nature of our branch, we don't have disciplinary councils and we don't withhold the sacrament from anyone. At first it was a little strange, but then I came to find it very liberating and it helped me to realize that God is the only judge and that we don't need to worry about other people's worthiness. It's really not our concern, and thank heaven for that.
>
> 3) How has it shaped your ideas about forgiveness and accountability?
>
I remember someone asked me if I felt the spirit in the Forensics meetings, considering the nature of some of the attendees actions. I think I replied that it was hard not to feel the spirit there. The people that attend the Forensics meeting are very humble and often want to bear their testimony and express their gratitude. They are reaching out for deliverance from pain, and, I think, struggling with complex issues of accountability relating to their own actions vis a vis their mental illnesses and mistreatment they have gone through as children and adults. These are things that I have not had to deal with. It means that their search for redemption is much more urgent and heartfelt than anything I have experienced. It also means that they grapple with riddles more complex and yet more basic than the ones I grapple with. It has taught me that, while obedience is better than forgiveness, forgiveness is more miraculous than obedience.

> 4) What should people who have never attended a ward like this know?

Wards are too big to really do the kind of service for their members that is needed. It is hard not to shake someone's hand in our branch. If you have something to say, you will get a chance to say it. If you have a concern, it will be heard and answered by a friendly, helpful person. All of the fancy programs that are enabled by the economies of scale inherent in large wards are of little benefit, compared with the personal interaction afforded by a small unit.
"When 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there am I..." is literally true. That phrase says nothing about worthiness, only about multiple people gathered in the name of Jesus. That's it. And that's enough. There is inherent virtue in gathering in Christ's name at any time, with anybody, under any circumstances. Any time the accessories of these gatherings bog down the fact of gathering in Jesus' name, I think we have a problem. Any time we start to experience such gatherings as performances, concerts, lectures, programs, etc., I think we have a problem.
>
> 5) Describe three memorable experiences from your time there.

There are so many that it is hard to pin 3 down. We have given many blessings to people after meetings that have been very powerful. Fast and testimony was the first meeting I went to. Fast and testimony in any ward or branch is usually an opening for nuttiness. But maybe that's the way that God intends. Maybe the crazy run-on testimonies are what we need to hear. Well, as you can imagine, testimony meeting at a mental hospital is extra nutty, but I think it goes over the top to a new sort of transcendent level. We had two native american men in the Forensics Ward who really bore their souls and documented the kinds of mistreatment at the hands of people and institutions, including what can only be described as torture at the hands of the criminal justice system, as well as redemption and the reality of spiritual forces. I have noticed that our patients are apt to get up twice in a testimony if they feel they have forgotten something the first time. With some exceptions, they don't tend to go on very long, though. Their testimonies can be nutty but strangely put together. You know me. Not very strong on the narrative/story telling side. Prone to abstraction. I wish i could get some of your narrative mojo, make things come to life, show don't tell...

Electric Cars and the Detroit Bailout

2009-03-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

I just sent this message to the White House:

Have you seen the movie, "Who Killed the Electric Car?" This was an amazing all-electric car, the EV1, made by GM, that got more than 100 miles per charge, that was essentially destroyed by GM and, I suspect, the Bush administration in 2001. Electric cars have been around as long as gasoline cars. They are quieter, more efficient, non-polluting, etc.. They have many advantages over hybrids, in that they don't carry all the weight of a gasoline engine. Possibly the most important advantage is that they would generally be charged at night when most electricity gets wasted. Why not make GM bring back the EV1? This could completely change the equation for US automakers, if they created truly transformative vehicles that gave their brands more prestige. And, for heavens sake, why are our corporations paying for health care when the government covers it elsewhere. That has to be the main reason our companies can't compete in a global market.
Thank you for bringing sanity back to this country and for being so open.
Sincerely,
Christian Asplund
Associate Professor
Brigham Young University

Big Love/temple

2009-03-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

I didn't see it, but I personally think it's an outrage. We don't get to decide what other people consider sacred and in an undertaken so incredibly capitalized, public, etc. as internationally distributed television, there is no ethical reason for something like this to happen. I just don't believe in giving these hacks a pass on everything for supposed aesthetic grounds.
I guess I currently don't view the medium of television as an art form, and thus am not willing to grant it a lot of leeway. As an artist, I am pretty saddened that what we used to consider to be mass-produced disposable popular culture designed to sell stuff has now substituted for art, simply because the sets, cameras, and editing are more sophisticated.

Everything's gonna be alright

2009-01-25T21:40:00.001-08:00

I have to apologize for some negativity. After the elation of Obama's election, I was disheartened by some of his appointments, but maybe I was so inspired by the inauguration. What a beautiful man, and what a beautiful moment for this great country. I always kind of knew in the back of my mind that America would come through, although, as Churchill said, after they had tried everything else. The more I live in this country, the more I see racial shadings to almost everything that happens here. And they are much more complex that simple racism. And I am constantly amazed by what people will go through to try to save face. There are many reasons Obama won. After Bush, I figured that any democrat would be a shoe-in, but there was the nomination. People talked about the whatever-effect, you know, the African American candidate, I believe it was for mayor of L.A. who polled well but lost the election because white people either couldn't bring themselves to follow through when in the booth, or because they were embarassed to say what they really thought to pollsters. Of course, we were all scared that the election would be stolen as in 2000 and 2004. I think Katrina was the watershed moment in public distaste for Bush and all he and his era represented. To my mind it felt more tragic than 9/11. More people were killed on 9/11, but we did everything we could to help. Katrina was a tragedy of blatant disregard for the lives of poor people of color. I think it cast a mirror on the ugliest and most hidden racisms that were both institutional and personal in America. And I think that America didn't like what they saw and started coming around. And I think that elections have a bizarre way of expressing a collective unconscious, of communicating things that are difficult to articulate collectively. Obama is an incredible man, a poet, a statesman, a strategist, a man of faith. We have been assuming that his one-in-a-million qualities enabled him to overcome the racial biases of white voters. Can we interpret his election and his unprecended popularity as our collectively subconscious response to Katrina, and all of the ugly racism that led up to it. Electing Obama does not atone for atrocities committed against African-Americans since the 17th century, but it does represent something very hopeful. When Barack talks about the "unlikely story that is America," race is the undercurrent, the backstory, the hidden plot behind everything else. Like many great stories, this one has had its harrowing moments; the last 8 years stands out, but ultimately it looks very hopeful. I wish there could be an Obama for Israel, Russia, Africa, Iran.

Another item came up regarding race, this one having more to do with people of northern european descent. I was reading an article about white people being ashamed of their bodies. This is nothing new, but maybe something not explored sufficiently. White Americans hate their bodies. If you read fashion magazines, they have many articles describing how to hide or distort different parts of the body. Eating disorders are the ultimate body hating concept, trying to make the body disappear. We don't like like the body to have any shape or any features that protrude, buttocks, hips, breasts, nose, ears. Whenever the subject of singing or dancing come up, we are at pains to point out how awful we are at both, or how we are not professionals at either. I was listening to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" this morning, and I found that most jokes were deprecating some physical aspect of white people. We basically don't sing, dance, dress up, or do anything that involves sharing our physicality with others. I know this goes back to the puritans, etc., but I have found this tendency growing geometrically since the 1980s. The article alluded to pointed out how African-American and hispanic-Americans are much more comfortable with their bodies, and more willing to show them off. Disparaging comments were made on "Wait Wait" about Aretha's hat, and Michelle's dress. It seemed like these white people were unable to relate to adornment in any kind of positive way. Critique was the only mode of discourse. There was Aretha, certainly over 300 lbs., pretty old by now. Her features were never classically pretty. Yet, how can you critique anything she does. It's not really possible. She's fascinating and beautiful and an artist, powerful and expressive, and wonderful to look at, listen to, and watch. Objectively the bow on her hat was absurdly large, but who cares.
There's too much picking apart, analyzing, not enough holistic experience, of process, of living. People should do a lot more singing, dancing, dressing up for each other, and less critiquing. We should start to enjoy our bodies, instead of trying to figure out how to hide, punish, or get rid of them. After all, we are in God's image.

President Kimball and War

2008-12-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

I think Mormons aren't nearly radical enough. Every single page of the Book of Mormon preaches doctrines on the subjects of war and poverty that are more radical than anything discussed in any mainstream political discourse in America
We don't need to buy in to all the crap that's fed to us to justify running around the world killing and exploiting people. The endowment makes it pretty clear that most of the mischief in this world, on all sides, is the work of Satan and his minions.
The Nietzshean rascals that run things create a bizarre coalition by conning their evangelical dupes by throwing a few fake bones their way. Mormons think that, because they share a few trivialities with evangelicals they must swallow the hideous anti-human policies and the deathly philosophies that justify them. Mormons have the Book of Mormon, continual revelation, and personal revelation. We don't need to buy in to these lame and pernicious doctrines. The author of them certainly doesn't believe them.
The Bush Doctrine has roots in an older concept invented by you-know-who, a doctrine that he taught to Cain, that you can get gain by murdering.
Our role in this world is not to be the lapdogs of modern-day Gadianton robbers and murderers. We are supposed to be the salt of the earth, the leaven, the peculiar.
Am I pessimistic? We generally muddle along with good, bad, and mediocre governments. But the Kingdom of God continues to go forth "boldly, nobly, and independent" bringing freedom, democracy, etc. in its wake to every country it visits.
You have to read Pres. Kimball's talk all the way through to realize how radical he is.

Fred Ho

2008-12-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=5784

Here is a very interesting interview with baritone saxophonist, Fred Ho, in which he talks about the role of the avant garde in society. The most interesting idea he talks about is that guerilla-type artists thrive when the mainstream is in disarray. I have always felt this to be the case. So there is cause for hope in the current turmoil.

Bailout

2008-11-25T09:22:00.000-08:00

I am hearing various learned and rich defenders of capitalism saying how we don't have any evidence that government can solve blah blah blah. Now we are giving them hundreds of billions. All of their laissez-faire blather is starting to ring hollow. When are we going to realize that there is a class of people that have simply found ways to game the system. They are not interested in free exchange of goods and services. They are interested in manipulating the markets to their advantage, getting government handouts, obtaining monopolies, etc. Yet they self-righteously preach free market fundamentalism. What a bunch of dupes we are. They get us to buy into this system by giving us a bunch of shiny crap and gizmos--corian countertops, iCrap, cars, junk food, McMansions, energy drinks, giant tv screens, etc., and make us go into debt to get them and eventually we cling desperately to their lies, go without healthcare, education, arts, etc. They somehow have used some deep-seated anti-communist feeling to cut off any discussion of how the private and public sphere should interact, as if the only options are extreme laissez-faire capitalism and totalitarian communism. There are some countries that have established pretty decent balances between government expenditure and free markets. Can you stinky post-Milton Frieburgites shut up already. We're not interested in your false religion. We don't need the super-rich on this planet. All they do is hoard and hog and then con us unto believing that any little scrap (or crap) that we have is because of their largesse. They corrupt our morals by making us covet their sick lifestyles, and forego any kind of happy productive life while we desperately try to ape them, dreaming of someday having "passive incomes" like them.