Monday, October 20, 2014

293: LESS FOCUS ON CHRIST... AND MORE ON POPULARITY?

Over the years I have been surprised to see who the Church invites to be the headliner for the annual Christmas concert at the LDS Conference Center. From Dancing with the Stars to American Idol singers...It seems like the trendy entertainers and popular singers are selected.. (possibily to help with DVD sales and CDs that are sold through Deseret Book?)  This year is no exception. Who better than to invite one of the actors/voices from the hit movie Frozen.

From the  lds.org website is the following news release. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square have announced their guest artists for their annual Christmas concerts. Broadway star Santino Fontana who played Hans in the animated Disney movie Frozen will join the choir for several concerts in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on 11, 12 and 13 December 2014. The artists will also appear on the weekly “Music and the Spoken Word” broadcast and mini-concert on Sunday, 14 December.



In addition to the Frozen Prince, the “Sesame Street” Muppets will also join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for the Christmas concert in the Conference Center this year.


Anyway.. I probably should just LET IT GO...  but if there is ever a time of the year that we try and focus on Christ, or should focus on Christ.. is Christmas. It is becoming harder and harder as the world and commercialism has taken over. Good thing that LDS Church provides its annual Christmas Concert to help us forget about what is popular in the world, and focus on the birth and life of our Savior and worship our Lord, remember His mission, His message, and His ministry.

You can apply to get your tickets HERE

15 comments:

Dox said...

I don't think that picture is of Santino Fontana.

https://www.google.com/search?q=santino+fontana

Anonymous said...

Has it now become your MINISTRY to fight the against LDS faith? While many of your messages have been thought provoking, Christ or gospel-centered generally, which is always delightful and interesting when they are; it seems now days your mission is mainly intended to throw the LDS church under the bus, at any occasion, either by open criticism or by camouflaged insinuation. Why this apparent obsession with injuring the LDS faith? Is this all you intend your ministry to be anymore? May I suggest that you're way more affective when you keep your message focused on Christ and interesting, less considered gospel concerns and topics! I hope you'll reconsider using your talents to build, rather than damage.

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

updated. thanks for the correction

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

Not fighting against.. but trying to preserve.
Hopefully we as a church can awake to our aweful situation, repent, and arise.....that should be the MINISTRY for all of us.

Bryce Stevenson said...

If a post like this injures a person's faith, then their faith was not in Christ anyway and it needs to be injured if it is ever going to do that person any amount of good. Faith in an institution that hires muppets to sell Cd's rather than to just sing praises to our Lord and Savior, is idolatry and nothing more!

24 ¶No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Too many examples of how the Corp has been loving mammon of late. Thank you Bare Record. One day maybe I will be able to Let It Go as well.

lemuel said...

Am I a Mormonnnnnnn, or am I a muppet?
If I'm a muppet, then I'm a very mormon muppet
If I'm a Mormon that makes me a very muppet of a mormon

Anonymous said...

I know you particularly appreciate and respect the Hebrew language, coupled with the word of God. There’s a Hebrew term called Lashon Ha-ra, which forbids evils peaking—even if the information is true. It even includes speaking in a derogatory way; even to the face of the guilty party. As a supreme example, you recall that Jesus was carried before Pilot and other political leaders for examination before His crucifixion, though He could have truthfully openly examined each of THEM individually, and condemned them for their moral corruption and murderous actions; He remained silent. Yes, I realize there are examples to the contrary of Jesus speaking in quite negative terms to “the church” leaders—but, He was God. We're given a different rule: “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matt 18:21-22); I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men. (D&C 64:10)

May I invite you to Goggle the term lashon hara, then, do some prayerful soul-searching as I too have done, and you may find some things out. You have a great talent in bringing great thoughts and imagery to light; to the mind and to the heart of the soul, but there are so many other things that could be said (or the way you say them) that would accomplish what you desire, just the same and in a more sanctified way—without offending those who you most want to touch.

I’m your friend; I’m not trying to oppose you and the truths you’re trying to portray; but there’s more than one way to skin a cat. I completely understand you’re trying to preserve a proper allegiance to Jesus Christ—and to Him only! But, you don’t have to damage another person (or corporate entity) to accomplish that. Rather, you can be positive and build; and your readers (even those who may disagree with your views of current-day Mormonism) will see the good and rightness of the messages you wish to give—IF THEIR HEARTS ARE PURE. Otherwise, you’ll turn off those who you most want to hear your message and you’ll be left with only the choir cheering you on, because, those you most want to hear will eventually tune out. What then have you gained? At that point it only becomes negative speech and promotes more of the same from those of like-minded displeasure.

The sages say: “It is forbidden to speak Lashon Hara against one another, even if the information is true, and even if told to only one person - all the more so is it forbidden to speak L"H before a group of listeners. The greater the number of listeners that one gathers to hear his L"H, the greater his sin, for the subject is further disgraced by the heightened publicity against him. Also, the speaker causes more people to sin by putting them in the position to listen to lashon hara.” Please see: http://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter1.html

God bless you in your efforts, and may He help you to fine-tune your messages, which I believe will lend more power to your God given talent. Your words will be sanctioned and sanctified by God, and will carry a much greater power to the reader.

Anonymous said...

Elder Oaks is that you?

Anonymous said...

To the blog owner, yes you should let it go. You got some heavy studying to do find the truth before you can bare record of the truth.

BARE RECORD OF TRUTH said...

Don't forget to add prayer and fasting to your advice. Thanks.

Unknown said...

Thank you for these posts! Many times as I've been frustrated with today's growing mantra to "Follow the Prophet", I've found comfort in knowing there are others who share my thoughts and feelings! Thank you for pointing the light where it belongs, on our Lord, Jesus Christ! We pray for you and your' family and look anxiously for your new posts for inspiration!
Much love from the Sonoran Desert!
Gary

Annalea said...

(Last try. Blogger is glitchy for me tonight.)

Anonymous 10:32, what of Luke 12:1-3 -- "Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy. The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!"

This is Jesus' warning to those He made His leaders of that day.

There is also provision in the law that you cannot remain silent if speaking the lashon ha-ra will prevent serious harm to another. Idolatry is spiritual adultery. It is the ultimate bait-and-switch, rewarding Telestial damnation in place of the promised Celestial exaltation.

Evil speaking is making junk up in order to damage. It is not speaking truth in order to prevent catastrophe. And, IMHO, the loss of a soul is catastrophic.

Case in point:

http://mormonyeshiva.blogspot.com/2014/10/one-of-biggest-misinterpretations.html

Anonymous said...

Annalea

Thanks for your comments; there was a time when I would have completely agreed with you, but not now. May I say, I believe you misread or read-OVER what I actually said. I invite you to reread my last comment to Bare Record of Truth. In it, I recognized the fact that Jesus upbraided certain people individually—publicly. It’s true the Sanhedrin and other leaders were completely injurious and mislead the entire church from their only true Messiah. They worshiped the law more than the creator of the law. They loved their priestly garb and the authority they inherited from their high and priestly standing in the church. They assumed they were God’s only pure and holy people. Of course, there are multiple scriptures attesting to this; I understand. However, you may also recall that I pointed out that He (Jesus) was God; He can do as He sees fit; but, He has asked something different of us: “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men. (D&C 64:10)”

Does that mean we should be silent in the face of evil? Of course not; we should cry repentance; we should bring to light the hidden things of darkness; but, are we required to single out individuals or friends publicly, because WE judge that they deserve it? I’m not accusing you of anything here, but would you want your individual sins singled out publicly? Are you not a beggar as I am? And if we break even one point of the law, are we not all guilty of all

With all this being said, I’m unaware where the Law allows lashon hara. Lashon hara is literally evil tongue against your friend or neighbored—even if it’s true! You say there’s a provision in the law that allows it; would you be kind enough to share the passage/passages with me? Yes, I completely understand we are to raise a warning voice; to speak out against evil; to cry repentance to this wicked generation; to teach and instruct, etc…, but, where does it say we are to speak with an evil tongue against any individual or a friend, especially publicly—even if it’s true?

Anonymous said...

Seriously??? the Muppets at the Christmas concert? I cannot even conceive of why this would even be considered! What a distraction to the actual focus of the Christmas concert!
It should not be to entertain in the very most general sense, but to uplift our spirit toward Christ and to nourish our soul to reach more earnestly and sincerely to Him who is our Savior and Lord, especially at Christmas. The Muppets??? Wow.
Will not be purchasing tickets.

Garmel

Ben said...

I attended this concert tonight. My kids enjoyed the muppets. And I enjoy Sontino Fontana.

However.

It was much too secular for my taste. The whole thing was based around convincing the Muppets that there was "more" to christmas than just the concert going on the stage. The "more" was:

* The lights on Temple Square
* Kindness
* Sharing

Basically the kind of "more" you find on prime-time TV christmas specials like the Grinch. Not the kind of "more" you expect from any religious production.

Now, in their defense, the last 2 numbers were more religious, without the Muppets on stage (Infant Holy, reading of Luke 2, and Angels from the Realms of Glory).

Even so, his actual name "Jesus" was not mentioned once. Christ, yes. Baby, yes. Jesus, no.