Hum together, right now

While the candidates have been talking the talk about cooperation and unity, a few humble LDS editors have been walking the walk.

Specifically, the editors of Sunstone, Dialogue, Irreantum, Segullah, Exponent II, and (brand-new) Mormon Artist have been gathering at The Red Brick Store for discussion and collaboration. The blog is the brainchild of Stephen Carter, editor of Sunstone, who wants to teach our mini-world to sing in perfect harmony. Or, at least, hum together on a regular basis.

The Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois was constructed and owned by Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint restoration movement. It was a center of economic, political, religious, and social activity in Nauvoo, and was host to a number of important events, including the organization of the Relief Society on March 17, 1842, and the first performance of the Nauvoo Endowment ordinance on May 4, 1842.

The Red Brick Store blog is a common area for discussion of all things related to Mormonism – economic, political, religious, social, artistic, historical and contemporary. Our magazines and journals nurture good writing and good thinking, and we seek to share our thoughts here.

This is a goldmine for every bloggernacle brat, esp. those who love to read, write, and/or talk about issues relating to and springing from Mormon literature. The blog compiles subscription info and submission guidelines for all the contributing publications, offers up the latest calls for submissions and other announcements, and features weekly reprints from back issues as tasty appetizers. So far we’ve shared personal essays about the role of conviction in spiritual growth, and the complexities surrounding the question of when life begins. Best of all, we host probing-yet-friendly group discussions on a wide range of topics. Recently we’ve chatted about the pros and cons of stereotyping LDS publications, and the connection between literature and compassion. And we’re just getting started!

Don’t miss out. Grab our feed or visit often–every weekday we’ll be gathered around the coal stove for choir practice, we’d love for you to hum along.

**Big shout-out to Rory Swenson, blogmaster extraordinaire**

12 comments for “Hum together, right now

  1. Kathryn,
    I don’t feel I have much to contribute there, but have really enjoyed reading it. It’s a great site. I’ll continue to lurk.

  2. Is the red brick store also the Masonic building where the temple endowment/eternal marriage was elaborated and the relief society was organized? Or am I confused?

  3. While the candidates have been talking the talk about cooperation and unity, a few humble LDS editors have been walking the walk.

    Not to be a wet blanket, but all the participating groups lean toward the left of the political spectrum. It’s easy to “talk about cooperation and unity” when your candidate has won.

    By contrast, I’ve seen a surge in really ugly, hateful comments by conservative Latter-day Saints against the new president-elect. I hope I don’t have to put up with four (or eight) years of “that guy in the White House” comments in Sunday Schools.

  4. Mike P., McCain spoke beautifully about bipartisan cooperation in his concession speech. Let’s hope Obama-disliking LDS get a clue. In the meantime, representatives of independent LDS pubs. of several different stripes are having a grand time hobnobbing at the RBS, respecting differences and emphasizing similarities. Hey, we’ve gotta start somewhere.

    mike, the purpose statement quoted in my post answers your question.

    mmiles, so glad you’ve been stopping by!

    Kaimi, thanks for the thumbs up.

  5. Yeah Mike Parker,
    Because we know those comments from a left wing nut jobs in sunday school the last 8 years about “that guy in the white House” have been so encouraging. It’s all fair play. If you all are going to constantly complain about Bush for 8 years, expect the same about Obama’s pie in the sky save the world empty promises.

  6. Kathryn,

    I watched McCain’s speech, and I agree with your assessment (even if his audience booed him on that point). I hope his supporters will follow his counsel.

  7. Liberalslayer, while there have been many democrats and republicans who soundly criticized President Bush, that doesn’t mean that those who voted for McCain have to follow suit and bash Obama. To be a truly moral and ethical person, one must do the right thing regardless of what the other side is doing. I voted for McCain and was disappointed with the election results. BUT, I hope with all my heart the Mr. Obama will be an excellent president who will help our country. I want him to succeed.

    As for the Red Brick Store, I hope that a spirit of kindness will prevail.

  8. It is very nice to see so many new magazines oriented to a Mormon audience starting up.

    I do disagree with the observation that they all have a “liberal” bent. From what I see, Irreantum, Segullah, and Mormon Artist are pretty much a-political. Just because you discuss the arts doesn’t make you liberal.

    Is the idea behind the Red Brick Store to let anyone running a magazine or journal for a Mormon audience join?

  9. Thanks, Kent.

    I used to think Segullah was smack dab in the center, but I’ve been hearing the funniest stories lately about our raging radicalism …

    And yes, any LDS pub can join the blog, as long as the editor knows the secret handshakes.

  10. “mike, the purpose statement quoted in my post answers your question.”

    Yep, seems that it does.

    I must be getting old. I read that and it did not stick in my mind. Thank you and sorry about the question. Perhaps there is a lesson in this.

    The other day a presumably unloaded semi-automatic 9mm hand gun was placed on my desk less than 2 feet in front of me in the course of, shall I call it a stressful conversation and the barrel was pointed almost in my direction. The gun had nothing to do with what was being discussed. But you might think that the gun would hold my full and undivided attention. I do not carry a hand gun but some of my coworkers do and I am not that relaxed around them. Then a few minutes later I noticed the gun had mysteriously vanished. I had no recollection of who had taken it or when. In fact I wondered if I had not imagined it ever being there.

    So my lesson is that even eye-witnesses are not always very reliable. Just because you read something through, you might not understand it. Our minds constantly filter what sensory data is presented to us and to an enormous degree. This can be a bigger problem than we think and it probably goes a long way in explaining why people have such strong but divergent thoughts about Obama and McCain.

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