FX to Broadcast Temple Ceremonies

Latter-day Saints are finding themselves in a bind today after a trailer was released revealing that FX will be broadcasting temple ceremonies as part of its new show “Under the Banner of Heaven.” The television program is based on a sensationalized book about a Latter-day Saint detective, that includes substantial themes around his faith. While the depiction of sacred ceremonies of the Church are clearly inappropriate, Latter-day Saints are stuck wondering if they should simply ignore the program, or highlight the offensive nature of it, giving the show the attention such a provocation was clearly designed to elicit.

Joseph teaching Joseph

Donny Osmond is evidently teaching youth Sunday School these days, and as the story of Joseph has come up, it was perfect for the actor and performer who originated the part of Joseph in the Broadway production of “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat” to bring his old costume out of storage. I teach Sunday School for the 15, 16 and 17 year old teenagers at our church. This day was the story of Joseph from the Old Testament. What better way to teach that lesson than to wear my Joseph coat. So I guess you could say, Joseph taught about Joseph. ? pic.twitter.com/NQJ69UO6i0 — Donny Osmond (@donnyosmond) March 29, 2022 We hope his students enjoyed the rare spectacle.

Is the Church safe for LGBT+ youth?

Prominent Salt Lake attorney, Eli McCann tweeted a widely shared and remarkable claim. I frequently have Mormon parents of lgbtq children reach out and ask what they can do to be affirming and make sure their child feels safe. I am so sorry to say that there is absolutely no healthy place for their child within the church. — Eli McCann (@EliMcCann) March 29, 2022 While variations on this theme have frequently appeared in pop media, the reality is that his claim has been not only thoroughly debunked,  but the opposite shown to be the case. Hal Boyd at Deseret News writes: https://twitter.com/halrobertboyd/status/1508775258467311618 So not only might The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints be among the safest places for LGBT+ youth, the kind of rhetoric that McCann is employing here has been found to be itself dangerous.

Scottish Papers Fixate on Religion in Abuse Case

A small note today. Both The Courier and The Times in Scotland have run headlines largely advertising the faith of a couple cleared of abuse charges. Mormon bishop and midwife from Dundee cleared of abuse charges after five-day trial Mormon bishop and wife cleared of child assaults This is no surprise, as our study showed, media outlets are much more likely to use the word “Mormon” in connection with negative news.  This illustrates the long-felt frustration that Latter-day Saints’ faith is only public in negative circumstances. This frustration perhaps is doubly felt this week, after the recent Washington Post article about influential Latter-day Saint journalist, Jack Anderson, left out his faith entirely except to note that he could not be assassinated by poison, because he didn’t drink.

Do We Still Need Religion+ Today’s Digest

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: Do We Still Need Religion Robin Dunbar – The Guardian In our increasingly secular age, does religion still have a place? Robin Dunbar argues that a vibrant religious life is essential for society, and plays a foundational role in the arts and sciences. The Constitutional Roots of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Public Faith Justin Collings & Hal Boyd – Religion & Politics Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson’s faith played a prominent role in her recent confirmation hearings. Her answers, which echo the feelings of most Americans, place personal faith and religious freedom as among the highest of our civic virtues. The Rise of the ‘Umms’ Mike Moore – Christianity Today COVID-19 reshaped our national religious landscape. Mike Moore turns his focus on a group—individuals of strong faith who don’t currently have a church—and asks what happens to them next. Looking for God in Our Everyday Lives Wallace Goddard – Meridian Magazine One of the great promises of the Restoration is the accessibility of Heaven. Are we doing enough to look for God’s influence in our lives? Religious Liberty Tested in Finland Anders Lundberg – Law & Liberty Two Finish Christians have been brought up on charges for advocating for a traditional Christian view of marriage. Swedish lawyers, Anders Lundberg looks at how religious liberty is developing in the Nordic nations.    

African Women are the Future + Today’s Digest

Public Square Bulletin recommends: Why the Future of The World’s Largest Religion is Female And African Gina Zurlo – Religion Unplugged Religion Unplugged looks at the demographic reasons why the near-term future of religion resides in the women of sub-Saharan Africa, and the significant impacts they’ve made to the world of faith. No need to be wordy with God, simple prayers are great, too RJ Jacobs, SJ – The Jesuit Post Jesuit student, RJ Jacobs, reflects on the simple and meaningful prayers he heard while helping out for Ash Wednesday in the hospital where he volunteers. Updates in the bible of journalism style Terry Mattingly – Get Religion How we understand faith is downstream from how it is described, especially by the journalists we read. The leading light of religion journalism criticism, Terry Mattingly, looks at how the newest changes to the AP style guide may affect our discourse. Orthodox Geopolitics and American National Security Dan Harre – Providence The religious elements undergirding the Russia-Ukraine conflict are deep and complicated. Dan Harre does an excellent job of explaining them with clarity. The Nixon White House plotted to assassinate a Latter-day Saint journalist 50 years ago Mark Feldstein – Washington Post One of the most sobering incidents in recent political history, the Washington Post recounts how President Nixon saught to kill Jack Anderson, one of the leading investigative journalists at the time, and faithful Latter-day Saint.    

Welcome to the Public Square Bulletin

Welcome to the Public Square Bulletin, where we’ll bring our search for civility to the daily in the public square. As always, we’re particularly interested in the intersection of faith and the public square. And we’ll bring our point of view as Latter-day Saints to it all. We hope you enjoy this new feature and join us in the conversation!