How do you Celebrate Thanksgiving and Black Friday?

   There have been some heated arguments online this week about "Grey Thursday" and being "Part of the Problem." I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts.

   The world is careening down a path to increased secularism. We see it in how Christmas is portrayed in the media. When you think about your favorite Christmas Movies, there are very few that actually mention the birth of Jesus Christ. Usually they are about helping Santa save Christmas, getting along with family, or finding the special toy for your child. Although if Jingle all the Way is your favorite Christmas Movie you have a whole other set of issues besides increased secularism. Luckily there are still Christ centered Christmas films, (Amazon made a great list) but they are getting fewer and fewer.

   I see a similar thing happening with Thanksgiving. Although Thanksgiving has been celebrated in many ways since the Pilgrims, it was Abraham Lincoln who instituted that national holiday as we know it today.   During the Civil War when old and young were fighting, and dying, the President chose to set aside time to remember our blessings.  In an excerpt of the proclamation he states;

Why Did I Change My Blog Format?

   We have been getting a lot of questions lately about our format change.  For those of you who are new here, let me bring you up to speed.  Back in 2010 I started a Movie & Media Review Blog to help like minded individuals find content that is entertaining without being offending.  I love movies and I love writing about them!

Guest Post: Opt-In Pornography Should be Required in America

Source: This Week in Mormons

   Geoff and Al records a weekly Podcast about what is happening in the world of Mormons.   Currently there is a petition gaining signatures with the purpose of making online pornography an opt in feature with ISPs, just like it is Cable TV.  Geoff writes a convincing argument as to why this is in the better interests of our faith and society as a whole.  Geoff has written for us before on the revival of Arrested Development, this post is of a more important matter.

Thor: The Dark World (2013): Mormon Movie Review

Quality:

 

   Marvel has done a great job of establishing a cross franchise universe in Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, and the other Avengers.  Because of this success Thor got an extra 20 million in its budget and it really shows with some great actors.  There were some real missed opportunities though.

Ender’s Game (2013): Mormon Movie Review

Quality:

   My November 1st daily gratitude Facebook update was, “I'm grateful for books. For without them, we would not have awesome movies."

  In the near future, a hostile alien race has attacked Earth. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Graff and the International Military seek to find a future leader who can save the human race. Ender Wiggin, a shy but strategically brilliant young mind, is recruited to join the elite, where he's trained to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth

Repost Commentary: Wallflower

   One of the things a lot of people don’t know about me is that I’m a bit of an introvert.  Like my sister Summer at Made by Munchies Mama posted about herself two years ago we are really good at faking it.  For those of you who know me personally, or listen to the Podcast I seem pretty outgoing.  But here is my trick, I rarely initiate conversation.  I just don’t.  I don’t know what to say or even if that person even cares to chat. 

   Once the ice is broken (usually by the other party) I can hold my own and be very charming and entertaining.  For me to approach someone it is a very conscious decision that takes a lot of pumping myself up.  But here is the funny thing, I don’t really mind.  I can go through a church 3 hour block and be perfectly content to limit interpersonal conversations to a few handshakes, smiles, and a friendly nod of the head. 

Why Women Don’t Have to Objectify Themselves on Oct. 31

 

Source: Deseret News

   It is currently hard to be a man talking about the importance of modesty.  To admit that seeing a woman in revealing clothing makes our “minds wander” has recently been reflected back on to us.  As if to say inappropriate images leading to inappropriate thoughts are some how a sign of our individual deviant nature.  Us men who desire to live chaste lives have a lot to tempt us and it takes a lot of moral and mental strength to refocus our thoughts when presented with content that objectifies women.  It’s like having headphones on playing “I Like to Move it” from Madagascar on repeat… all day.   When they day ends and you are safe in the refuge of your home, what song do you think will be going through your head?  It is going through my head now.  Is it going through yours?