Free to Choose

Honestly, ever since I started looking into movie ratings, I just keep going off on tangents and finally decided this is growing like a book!  So I've decided to just stop the mulling and pondering and thinking and checking and just write a mini-book.  right here.  right now.

     Chapter 1 

 Broadway

Chapter 2

 Sometimes I think I might have enjoyed the Law of Moses.  A very long to-do list set in stone and I just monitor my life by checking over the do's and don'ts.  A no brainer.  Just do it.  Cut and dried.

I realize that I actually enjoy "Commandments" that are pretty much cut and dried.   no deciding.  it's there.  In black and white.  the do list....tithing, moral worthiness, tell the truth, Sacrament, Word of Wisdom, Temple Recommend worthiness list etc. etc.   The don't do list... Word of Wisdom no-no's, no robbing banks or killing others, no fibbing, no adultery  etc. etc.

These clearly defined codes of behavior/belief  are time savers.  Learn/read/study/ pray and then do or don't but no figuring any of it out.  Select, proceed with your choice, and get on with the day.

The time consumers are those hazy/gauzy/filmy items that don't have specifics attached.  no measuring guide.  Like....how much time to spend in Church calling?/what constitutes a "good" VT/HT?/how many events at Church am I going to attend?- every single baptism/all Ward dinners/singing in Ward Choir?  How much overall involvement will I decide to do?

And then beyond those questions...what will I do with my personal life?  What is appropriate for an LDS person to expose themselves to in the arena of entertainment in say...Movies and plays?

Truly I so appreciated in 1986 when the Prophet, Ezra Taft Benson, spoke to the young men of the Church and said, at a General Conference  (so that's in cement for me)....

"Don’t see R-rated or vulgar videos or participate in any entertainment that is immoral, suggestive, or pornographic. Don’t listen to music that is degrading."

There had been a lot of nit-picking amongst members up to that point.  It was such a relief to just have that cut and dried counsel.  No guess work.  No defending your choice.  No judgement.  No questioning etc. etc.  Well, you know that sort of ill-behavior persisted in spite of prophetic counsel but for me it was a breath of fresh air.  Whew!  Wonderful!

Then I noticed that the fox was in the hen-house.  The wolf was garbed in  sheep's clothing and things sort of lost their footing and yet the hue and cry was....BUT it's PG-13 so that's okay.  The Prophet said not to go to R-rated.  PG-13 is okay. 

Chapter 3

Not having had teens in my home for years, I don't know when that was changed.  I mean the Church guidelines of no R-rated movies.  2001?  and then updated in 2012? 

Each event will have to be judged on it's merit and content.  Measuring it against the 13th article of Faith.  Well, that's what I got out of it.  So no more set in stone and now I must decide what I want to put in my mind.  This whole Les Miserables BookClub  and discussion of movie really made me think.

I blogged a couple of days ago about the fact that I wanted to keep my memory of the play intact with nothing marring it, as the entire experience with my daughter was just so fantastic.

Chapter 4

Then I decided to look up some reviews and see what people were saying.  I found there are all sorts of places a person can go to check out all the details of the happenings that you will see on screen to enable you to make the right choice for yourself.  The only thing we might agree on is the fact that we aren't seeing eye to eye in the least bit on what is okay or not okay.  Possibly what is fine for me would be on your black list.

Off and on over the years I've had people say in conversation...I look forward to the Book of Mormon being made into a movie.  To see Nephi, and Samuel standing on the wall, and King Benjamin on the tower, and on and on.  I've always said way to much of it would be to gory for me and I wouldn't go.

As I've thought about my personal understanding of what I will and will not put in my mind, hold in my heart and think about, in light of theater, viewing it live or on screen --these thoughts just popped into my mind when I asked myself...what parts of this book, a sacred book to me... a book I share that I know it's true... the Book of Mormon- would be hard for me to view --if brought to life on a movie screen or stage?

Without looking at the book here's the order of things that just whipped into my mind... kidnapping, harlots, missionaries breaking rules, burning people, nudity, covering self with blood, scalping, killings (lots of them.  thousands of them.), murder, rape, drunks, stoning, family estrangements, parental heartbreak, disobedience to Gospel standards, human sacrifice of women & children, horrific results of natural disasters.  Later I thought of cannibalism.  Of course, that is just a dab of what is actually in the book, that I would not care to see brought to life.

Even these 2 verses, Alma 14:21-22 have way to much for me to see it enacted on screen.... You'd have to see the back story, watch the results, witness the happenings and the sufferings- in order to bring it to life.

And yet I can read it in seconds and move on looking for the redemptive heavenly help.  Help that surely will come.  Really searching for the meaning of the story in it's entirety and what I can learn for my own "profit and learning".

Chapter 5

We are counseled to teach and we have to understand before we can teach. In Doctrine & Covenants 88:79...things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms...  (true this is taken out 88: 78- to say 82 or thereabouts.  a snippet but it shows some of what we should learn about)  A study of things which have been  and also a study of the wars and the perplexities of the nations, opens up a study that will include human suffering...Nuremberg, slavery, Auschwitz, all sorts of wars and that horror.

Chapter 6

When Lincoln came out I really wanted to see it.  I felt it would be pretty factual.  I had confidence/respect for the book author that was used as a resource.  My one concern was the brutality of the Civil War.  Civil war to me, is the most horrifying of all wars.  I wondered if it would be violent to the point that it would be so gory I couldn't take it.  I actually thought it was amazing in the way they filmed it.  True it had the hand to hand combat and I just had to close my eyes at times.

When Lincoln rode down the trail after the battle with the horse clopping along and silence and slain soldiers by the roadside, for what seemed endless miles, I shed tears.  It reminded me of the picture depiction of Moroni on that heap of bodies, vultures flying overhead and the flag waving and him pointing off into the distance.

I learned a lot from Lincoln, enjoyed the movie and would see it again.  This, in spite of the fact,  there was a lot of swearing.  My Dad swore and maybe that makes me not pay attention or be shocked by it.  Not saying it's right.  Just saying it was in the movie.  Had it been laced with today's 4 letter word it might have impacted me in a different way.  No might about it.  It would have.

Chapter 7

Originally I didn't want to go to Les Miserable because of leaving a memory intact.  As I've thought about this blog, for several days, I now realize that there are things in Les Mis that I don't really want to see on film.  True it is also about a Civil War/Revolution but there is also a lot of living going on, in the setting of that day, that I don't want to see and most especially on screen.  That being said though, I would most likely go to a great stage production again.  I openly admit that it took forever to stop singing the hook line on Master of The House.  True Bring Him Home and all the others whirled through my mind but their lyrics were so wonderful but that Master one.  oh, my!  My mind just latched on to it and the shenanigans that accompany it.  Not for my old feeble mind!!

(A Chapter for some other book?)

We used to have season tickets to the Capitol Theatre.  A beautiful old theatre.  they brought in touring companies and there were some great productions.  I had a friend that also had season tickets.  Then they got new management and they decided to update things and bring in more "modern" shows.  Racy shows.  Questionable shows.  Shows that made you uncomfortable.  We left at intermission on one.  My friend, who had her neighbors with her, had a time that she also walked out.  We never got Season tickets again.

Capitol Theatre contacted us and asked why and we told them...we did not support their choices and would not be attending anymore.  Since that time they have tried to bring back some of the less edgy productions and have told us so but I'm not interested in supporting them for a season but will go to selected plays that I really want to see.

Chapter 8

Doesn't this entire subject fall under the not have to be commanded in all things/do many things of their own free will/agents unto themselves?  (Doctrine & Covenants 58:26-28)

Also there are a lot of  "free to choose" scriptures with reminders if you pick up one end of the stick you also pick up the other.

and of course Joseph Smith -- I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.

Chapter 9

 Places you can check for content of what you are longing to go see.  Places to help you make your decision, if you are the least bit curious, as to what you'll see/hear.  There are a lot more!

review of Les Miserable

www.lyrics.com

http://www.kids-in-mind.com/

Must be something in the air with all this movie chatter!  Just read about this on Friday.... a book listing 250 absolutely clean movies.  That is a lot of movie watching!!  
Read about the book    http://www.ldsmag.com/index.php?option=com_zine&view=article&ac=1&id=12050&Itemid=

Chapter 10

 the 13th Article of Faith 

Chapter 11

Don't judge each other on what we individually choose to watch! 

*******************************

some of things I read...

Research!!

Unmarked Footnotes/Appendix/Addendum or what to call it????

President Ezra Taft Benson. April CR 1986  (to the young men of the Church)

“The lusts of your eyes.” In our day, what does that expression mean?

Movies, television programs, and video recordings that are both suggestive and lewd.

Magazines and books that are obscene and pornographic.

We counsel you, young men, not to pollute your minds with such degrading matter, for the mind through which this filth passes is never the same afterwards. 

Strength of Youth- 
updated 2001 (must have been when R rating was dropped?)  
2012 came out with new hard copy of standards

For the Strength of Youth  Entertainment   

Additional emphasis on following the guidance of the Spirit, keeping covenants, and being worthy to attend the temple

Choose wisely when using media because whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Select only media that uplifts you.

Satan uses media to deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal, humorous, or exciting. He tries to mislead you into thinking that breaking God’s commandments is acceptable and has no negative consequences for you or others. Do not attend, view, or participate in anything that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in anything that presents immorality or violence as acceptable. Have the courage to walk out of a movie, change your music, or turn off a computer, television, or mobile device if what you see or hear drives away the Spirit.

 The thirteenth article of faith [A of F 1:13]. Just ask yourself, Is this virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy? If so, “seek after these things.”