Richard K. Miller’s LDS blog, “Mormonism and the Mormon Church,” has a helpful post about LDS seminary videos at Google Video. I watched some of the one on Captain Moroni. Much better than the old resources when I was in seminary. There were even a couple Mesoamerican-style weapons in the battle scenes, though still plenty of European-style swords. Thanks, Richard!
LDS Seminary Videos
Unfortunately, my favorite seminary video isn’t on there. I don’t know the name, but it shows a man taking his younger self back in time to learn about how animal sacrifice foreshadowed Christ’s sacrifice.
Also, on the link section on the blog you referenced, check out the *Mormon underwear* link. Good site.
So are these videos copyright infringement? Did the LDS church allow them to be posted? Or don’t you care about copyright in this case?
Yes, permission was given by the church to post these videos as well as the homefront TV commercials
Floyd,
The name of that video is “Sacrifice and Sacrament.” It was made for the 1995 Seminary school year and shown during the August 1995 CES Symposium at BYU as part of an address by Steve Iba. The full video was released to CES instructors on a symposium videocassette. I was teaching early-morning seminary that year and got one. I wish I could convert it to digital video/DVD for backup purposes.
An abridged version is on this year’s Gospel Doctrine videocassette. If you ask your ward’s Sunday School President, he may let you borrow it.
Seminary videos are great, but they drive me insane some of the time. Many are done very well and I have no complaints about, but some, I do. For instance, why was the actor who played Moroni constantly shouting dramatically like a poor shakespearean actor? What’s with the hokey, “inspirational” montage at the end? Things like these always made it hard for me to watch without getting annoyed or feeling manipulated. Maybe I’m snooty. I did like the Pride Cycle. It was well done, fairly well acted, had a good message, and didn’t really have anything in there that distracted or annoyed. I don’t expect an oscar-worthy production every time, but I hate the feeling that someone is trying to manipulate me. Once I have that feeling, defenses come up and any impressionability is actively quashed. I realize that manipulation is part of every movie (which is why there is a soundtrack, special effects, ect.), but I don’t like to notice it when its happening, especially when it includes lame music.
emarkp,
Ha, whoops. Maybe you should’ve checked that out before crying hypocrite.
Oh man, we saw the most amazing video in seminary today. It was this set of pictures (all from ruins in Peru) narrated by a BYU archeology professor. I can’t remember the names, but the lecture it was from was done in the 70’s or earlier.
There was some really great things in it, like elephant bones, an actually white indian tribe, a giant wall with forts every so often on the top, and this tower on the edge of a valley where things even just whispered from could be heard from miles away. I enjoyed in particular this legend the professor shared from the white indian tribe: They tell how after a great war, their “brown brothers” killed all of them who wouldn’t deny their God; they (this particular tribe) are the ones who escaped and hid.
I wish I knew what the video was called… In any case, anti-Mormons who use archeology as so-called proof that the Book of Mormon is false really need to do better research.
Generic,
That was probably the video by Jack West, who never taught at BYU. Was it like a fireside slideshow and all you heard was his voice as he narrated it? If so, be suspicious of the information he presented. Check out FARMS for the full scholarly scoop on BoM archaeology.
Does anyone know which video has the song “His Hands” by Kenneth Cope?