Culture Vs. Faith: Deseret Book is not the Answer
Well, I’m finally getting around to writing a post on my favorite topic here in the Utah Valley: my growing and ever present distaste for the way my religion is marketed around here. Yeah. I know. Its stupid and has been hashed around a ton all over the blog world. But I’m just a little cynical.
It’s come to a head recently when I’ve heard good LDS people talk about non-cannon literature like its essential to my faith. “Have you bought the latest Sheri Dew book? I read it every night before I go to bed.” Its not even a part of the core doctrine. Its just nice fluffies. And that’s fine. But I don’t need an elaborately framed and ridiculously priced picture of Christ hanging in my living room to make me a good Mormon.
I think religious imagery has its place. I want to hang a small painting of the Savior in our baby’s room so he/she can start to learn about Jesus and have good associations. But I see no need to spend countless dollars on products that do nothing more than propagate a need that should never have existed in the first place.
My brother was in Deseret Book lately. He shares my feelings about the marketing of our faith. He remarked, sarcastically, to a very wholesome saleswomen, “Oh look, they have Jesus on calendars now.” To which she replied, “Oh yes! And on book marks too!”. She didn’t get it.
Now, to close this post on a lighter, less “I’m going to hell” note, a while ago I brainstormed an idea for a killer company here in Utah. It would be called “The In-Sign” and mostly play off those vinyl lettering stickers with the campy sayings that are so the rage these days. You know? The ones that say “Return with Honor”? Here’s are a few spin-offs that would look lovely accross a living room wall:
*”Return with honor or don’t return at all”
*”Its nice to be important but its more important to have money and fame.”
May 7th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
so funny. Sometimes when I don’t want to watch any more basketball on TV, or I think I’ve eaten too much ice cream Brandon tells me, I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.
May 7th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Which Jesus are you going hang up in Jr.’s room? Black Jesus, Jew Jesus, or White Jesus? Or were you talking about Jesus the mexican boy?
May 12th, 2009 at 5:18 am
I have to say, I love how people take the things that are said by mormon authors as if they’re doctrine. Makes me nuts.