Happy Valley Photo Essay

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_Radex
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Radex »

I'm new here (obviously), so I hope you'll forgive me for breaking any already established folkways of MormonDiscussions.

I do wish to comment on a couple of the photo captions, if no one minds.

The caption under photo three states
L: Preston, my brother, and Annette, married less than an hour earlier, sneak a kiss before their wedding reception. The LDS church strictly forbids premarital sex and many forms of physical contact between the sexes. July 2005 R: My niece Sophie. December 2006


To me, this is misleading. It implies that snogging is forbidden before the wedding reception. There is only one circumstance where I could imagine this being the case, and that is if the reception was planned and carried out prior to the actual wedding ceremony.

The caption under photo four states
My sister Rachel has prepared a nicely sliced and plated vegan burger for her husband. Mormon authorities still prescribe traditional gender roles for their members. May 2006


This seems a bit daft. What does plating a vegan burger have to do with traditional gender roles? Can a man not plate a burger for his significant other just as easily as a woman can? Is plating a vegan burger beneath her? It is not beneath me, as I have plated many a meal for my dear better half.

The caption under photo sixteen states
L: My nephew Jonah, dressed in Sunday attire in the parking lot of an LDS church, leaves his Uncle Preston’s wedding reception. Newlyweds often hold the reception in the gymnasium of LDS churches because it’s free. July 2005 R: Golden, another nephew. December 2006


The "gymnasium," usually called the cultural hall, is a very functional part of the meeting house which is used for many purposes. Calling it a gymnasium makes LDS people seem they're only willing to pay peanuts for their weddings. I think this is a bit misleading, don't you?

The caption under photo seventeen is perhaps the most misleading
L: Amelia runs around the neighborhood on a sunny, wintry day. The LDS church behind her is one of two churches within less than a quarter mile of my niece’s house. December 2007 R: Rachel, my sister, on the bed as her husband Chris rushes out of the shower and into the closet without his garments. Mormons are commanded to wear garments, which are a sacred underclothing, for life after going through the Endowment Ceremony. July 2005


The first observation is really a question: How was the brother-in-law caught in the nude, and why was a photo taken of his buttocks? Was the photographer waiting in his brother-in-law's bedroom for the "perfect shot?"

The second observation is the misleading caption. Stating that Chris "rush[ed] out of the shower and into the closet without his garments" and then stating that "Mormons are commanded to wear garments, which are a sacred underclothing, for life after going through the Endowment Ceremony." This makes it read like Chris felt guilty for showering without his garments, or that he had limited time with which to shower because of the garment commandment.

The caption under photo nineteen reads
On the Sabbath, all "worldly" activities, such as buying things, watching TV, playing video games, or even visiting friends, must cease.


This is certainly untrue. Visiting friends, especially those in need, is explicitly encouraged. Watching tele or playing videogames, in my opinion (and many other's whom I've asked) is not breaking the Sabbath. The photographer must have lived in a very strict, but uncommon household.

That is all.
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_zeezrom
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _zeezrom »

Welcome Radex!

Ummm, what is snogging?

oops. I should have looked before asking.

caressing, cuddling, fondling, hugging, kissing, petting, smooching, snuggling, necking - affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)

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_Dr. Shades
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Dr. Shades »

Radex wrote:The first observation is really a question: How was the brother-in-law caught in the nude, and why was a photo taken of his buttocks? Was the photographer waiting in his brother-in-law's bedroom for the "perfect shot?"

My feelings entirely. I found that photo to be utterly bizarre.

But an even more baffling question about that photo is this: After the brother-in-law exited the shower, why were his legs still slathered with barbecue sauce from the knees down? More rather, why did he slather his legs with barbecue sauce in the first place?
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"

--Louis Midgley
_Runtu
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Runtu »

Radex wrote:This is certainly untrue. Visiting friends, especially those in need, is explicitly encouraged. Watching tele or playing videogames, in my opinion (and many other's whom I've asked) is not breaking the Sabbath. The photographer must have lived in a very strict, but uncommon household.

That is all.


I suppose it depends on the family. In our home when I was growing up, we were not allowed to watch TV on Sundays until the Disney show in the evening (I'm showing my age). And we were not allowed to play with other kids, go over to other people's houses (except for church related things like home teaching, or when we occasionally had Sunday dinner with my aunt and uncle). We were the only Mormons for a few miles, so on Sundays we were either in church or at home reading, most of the day. Shumway's family doesn't sound all that different from mine.
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If you just talk, I find that your mouth comes out with stuff. -- Karl Pilkington
_Runtu
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Runtu »

Dr. Shades wrote:My feelings entirely. I found that photo to be utterly bizarre.

But an even more baffling question about that photo is this: After the brother-in-law exited the shower, why were his legs still slathered with barbecue sauce from the knees down?


I don't know, it just seemed like a snapshot of daily life. Nothing particularly bizarre about it.
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If you just talk, I find that your mouth comes out with stuff. -- Karl Pilkington
_Stormy Waters

Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Stormy Waters »

Runtu wrote:I'll say it again: that first photo is heartbreaking.


I agree. I never understood the church's position on this issue. If the church cared about the family as much as they claim to, they'd let people with part member families have a ceremony outside the temple, without the one year penalty. Regardless I've always thought that the ceremonies outside the temple were much more beautiful then the ones done inside.
_Morley
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Morley »

Radex wrote:I'm new here...<snip> ...but uncommon household.

That is all.

Welcome to the board, Radex. It’s good to have you here.

The author was trying to give his readers a taste of Mormon culture.

I’m curious if there could have been any photos that Shumway could have presented that you wouldn’t have found mildly offensive to accompany the statements you quoted:

The LDS church strictly forbids premarital sex and many forms of physical contact between the sexes.

Mormon authorities still prescribe traditional gender roles for their members.

Newlyweds often hold the reception in the gymnasium of LDS churches because it’s free.

Mormons are commanded to wear garments, which are a sacred underclothing, for life after going through the Endowment Ceremony.

On the Sabbath, all "worldly" activities, such as buying things, watching TV, playing video games, or even visiting friends, must cease.


Was it the photos or the (admittedly imperfect) revelations about Mormons that bothered you?
_Dr. Shades
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Dr. Shades »

Runtu wrote:
Dr. Shades wrote:My feelings entirely. I found that photo to be utterly bizarre.

But an even more baffling question about that photo is this: After the brother-in-law exited the shower, why were his legs still slathered with barbecue sauce from the knees down?

I don't know, it just seemed like a snapshot of daily life. Nothing particularly bizarre about it.

You think "daily life" includes slathering your legs with barbecue sauce from the knees down, or that there isn't anything particularly bizarre about doing such a thing?
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"

--Louis Midgley
_Morley
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _Morley »

Dr. Shades wrote:My feelings entirely. I found that photo to be utterly bizarre.

But an even more baffling question about that photo is this: After the brother-in-law exited the shower, why were his legs still slathered with barbecue sauce from the knees down? More rather, why did he slather his legs with barbecue sauce in the first place?

They look like tan lines.
_sock puppet
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Re: Happy Valley Photo Essay

Post by _sock puppet »

Morley wrote:
Dr. Shades wrote:My feelings entirely. I found that photo to be utterly bizarre.

But an even more baffling question about that photo is this: After the brother-in-law exited the shower, why were his legs still slathered with barbecue sauce from the knees down? More rather, why did he slather his legs with barbecue sauce in the first place?

They look like tan lines.

It depends on how hungry Dr Shades must have been when looking at the pictures.
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