Reader comments
Do we want an LDS Bard?

Robert Oh | 9:27 a.m. Feb. 26, 2009

The Church has a one size, one way, one thought fits-all attitude. There is little room for difference.

Those that think a little bit more about things around them, people who find beauty in things a little differently than those who worship next to them, and those who find purpose questioning and figuring things out for themselves will always be pushed to the sides.

One or two leaders may appreciate these differences now and then, but as a general rule creativity is culturally stifled.

Artists generally push us to examine our own limitations and beliefs. Art demands questioning ourselves, our surroundings, and our beliefs.

Within a one-way, only true church, follow our leaders unquestioningly culture, this is not a possibility.

Limited Imagination | 11:38 a.m. Feb. 26, 2009

When you think you know all the truth or that you have the only truth, thier leaves no room whatsoever for imagination. Like trying to paint the sky when you got a roof over your head. Artist are inspired by a the true spirit of free agency, not the dark ways of a life that has each step planned out.

@Robert Oh | 12:16 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

What a complete load of Tripe. I am not your standard conventional stereotypical LDS. I play rock music, HARD rock music. The people in my ward accept me for who I am and I am able to have some great conversations with some of the most conservative members of the ward about music and other topics. I know other musicians that are even further into thier art than I am that are also strong LDS. They also have not be shunned.

I dont push my vision of Art on them and they dont shun me. Win win.

Comments continue below

@limited Imagination | 12:19 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

You see thats where your thinking goes wrong. We dont claim to have all the truth. We have whats necessary for us here on this earth but all the truth ? not hardly.

Truth is also found in greater or lesser measure in almost all religions. We encourage people to embrace the truth that they have, and invite them to find even more truth for themselves.

God is an Artist | 12:46 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

And He is a poet and singer and song writer and dancer and probably plays the guitar as well. I don't know. All the good of this earth is a part of heaven. LDS artists (and artists from every religion and background who have life inside themselves through hope and clean living) will become the best that there is if they haven't already, and we could say the same for scientists and athletes. The Jews have flourished for centuries in many areas because they know sin is real (and family and generations matter)and once you acknowledge that then the creativity really opens up. And some art may be dark because we do live in a dark world, a beautiful one during the day, albeit dark in other ways.

Robert Oh | 1:10 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

How many times have you performed your music at a Ward function?

When rules are made that you can't play woodwind or brass instruments in Sacrament meeting some strings are OK, violins but not guitars, there is a built in ranking of what is good or acceptable and what isnt.

Things are just as bad with visual or written art.

When Auguste Rodins The Thinker is banned from an exhibit at BYU because of some nudity, you cant tell me that there is an open free forum for the artist in the Mormon church.

@Robert Oh | 1:37 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

I wasn't aware of any rule banning woodwind or brass instruments in Sacrament meeting. My neice plays the clarinet and one family in my ward plays the flute. All have shared their talents in Sacrament meeting on several occasions. I've even seen an acoustic guitar being played in church.

What you call rules are actually interpretations made by a local bishop who may have good intentions but is probably overzealous. Isn't there a symphony group that plays in the conference center some times?

The main point is not the instrument but the music being played on it and how it affects the reverent atmosphere.

BYU,the Oral Roberts of the West | 1:51 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

The only reason we banned Auguste Rodin's The Thinker was because there was unnecessary nudity in the sculpture.

To Robert Oh 1:10 | 2:16 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

There's no ranking of good/acceptable implied in what's allowed at a Sacrament meeting. That's a very specific meeting, with a specific purpose. Music is planned to create a particular mood in that meeting, and instruments which might detract from that mood are not included. It's not a value judgement so much as a judgement of what will best support the purpose of the meeting.

As to the Thinker, again, it's not a value judgement in the way you think. Students in BYU art classes learn to draw the human figure from real models. Brigham Young sent artists to Europe to learn, and they drew nudes to learn. BYU as a whole has a higher standard than the church - i.e. my husband has a full beard he'd have to shave if he went there, but also a temple recommend and a calling. It may have been seen as a distraction for some students, although it would have been fine if just in the art department.

Read OSH's fiction, you might get a better idea of us. Full of thoughtful morality - without shying away from themes of sex, violence and language.

Robert Oh | 2:36 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

When someone else is involved in deciding what may or may not be appropriate art. The creation of art is stifled. I agree the point isn't what instrument is allowed or not but that someone other than the artist controls that.

I agree there are places where certain art many be more appropriate, but the instrument shouldn't determine that. Even if it was local leaders, the culture of someone else making rules for an artist discourages creativity.

Sometimes an artist needs to go the extreme to find their place in the middle somewhere. If they are not allowed to explore that, they may never find their place.

And again someone else determining acceptable art saying The Thinker had too much nudity... how much less would have been OK and who gets to decide?

This culture discourages artistic expression and creativity with rules like these even if they are not official.

Irishman | 3:17 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

I play the clarinet and 2 weeks ago I played it, and it was great and a quiet and respected meeting. My brother played the piaqno, and my sister the violin, each of us have either done it together as a group, or individual. At Christmas we played along with the choir of our ward and it was wonderful. If you look at the Tabernacle Choir it has a Orchestra with it... So do not jugde all members or Bishops the same. Each has their own way in preparing the meetings. And that is also done through the stake.

History student | 5:13 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

Art is first of all entertainment. A close second, art is a way to earn money. Most people judge art by they like it or they don't. Some art may "push us to examine our own limitations and beliefs" and may "demands questioning ourselves, our surroundings, and our beliefs." Most does not. Bugs Bunny cartoons are art. A work of art that is appropriate for one forum may not be for another forum. That is not a judgment of the value of the work. Movie makers and musicians speak of the integrity of their art but they will alter it for the right price for commercials and television.

Robert Oh's conclusions about people in church show him to be very judgmental. He should get off his pedestal, open his mind, and try talking to more people before making such generalized conclusions. Everyone I know sees things differently from how I do. That is not bad, it is individuality.

Anonymous | 9:06 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

Mormon "Shakesphere's"?

Ever seen the paintings of Greg Olsen?

That guy is absolutely phenomenal!

And what about that guy (Christiansen)? He paints and sculpts.

Brilliant!

Ing | 9:53 p.m. Feb. 26, 2009

If you're talking about a Shakespeare FOR Mormons, there will never be one. Robert Oh is right in saying that the nature of a relatively closed, conservative congregation will never allow that kind of creative greatness to happen inside its confines.

If you're talking about a Shakespeare who happens to BE Mormon, it's very possible. Maybe there already is one, and we just don't know it yet.

Odds are that whatever this eventual titan does won't be featured in sacrament meetings, but that's fine. As several people here have pointed out, being a faithful Mormon doesn't mean you have to restrict yourself to only ever doing/thinking what would be allowed in Sunday meetings.

Worship not art | 9:19 a.m. Feb. 27, 2009

Robert Oh seems to be mistaking a musical number in sacrament meeting as art, when it is anything but that. Musical numbers in sacrament meeting are for worship only--they are not performances or art. That is why there are restrictions there, but you won't find the same restrictions for firesides, or other meetings.

Eric | 10:02 p.m. June 3, 2009

I don't know much about art, but I know what I like. And I don't like most "Mormon Art." It all seems to come from the same cookie cutter. At least that's the impression I get when I walk through a Deseret Book store.

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