Readers Sound off on Sugar, R-Rated Movies and More
Published Friday, June 5, 2009

Pictures Give Member Opportunity to Participate in Small Way

Thank you for sharing some of the youth celebration with us. Due to our stake having Stake Conference, we were unable to view the broadcast. Having had family members in this production I felt so sad, yet wanted to still be obedient to our local leaders. I feel as I viewed your wonderful pictures that I was able to capture and participate in a small way with this great event. Thank you for sharing your talents!

-Carrie Clark

How I Will Miss Truman Madsen
By Scot Facer Proctor

Student of Brother Madsen Remembers Him With Joy

I had spent part of the day of Brother Madsen's passing reading his latest book, "The Temple, Where Heaven Meets Earth." I was a chaperone on a science field trip in the woods with my 11-year-old, and while the teacher occupied the students on a project, I sat alone and read. There among the beautiful swaying pines, I was flooded with memories of Brother Madsen as my philosophy teacher at BYU.

Back then, I was a convert of only six years, a returned missionary, and his class opened my mind to a whole fresh way of thinking, and understanding of the gospel, church history, and especially Joseph Smith and the Savior. I left every class feeling that I had been transformed, that I was a different person than when I had arrived. Often, I felt stunned with the recognition of the profundities of the eternities, and my unique place in it all. Brother Madsen was my most influential teacher. To this day, I strive for that level of teaching effectiveness in my own gospel classes, although, I know I fall far short.

The end of the science class brought me back to the present, and I put my thoughts of Brother Madsen and the temple book aside. However, near midnight, as I drove to the airport to pick up my husband, and with the roads nearly empty, I had time to reflect again on Brother Madsen, and my love and appreciation for him. I found myself overcome with joy, and then something very sacred. It seemed as if I could feel him, or his spirit. I thought to myself, "Why is this happening? How is this possible that I feel so close to him? Why can I can feel his spirit so strongly?" It was as profound a spiritual experience as I have ever had, but I reveled in it and wept with happiness all the way to the airport. When I picked up my husband, I was quiet and contemplative, and he asked if I was OK. I didn't have the words then to explain what I had just experienced, and I was afraid I would start crying again if I tried to speak about it.

It was only the next morning when I logged on to Meridian Magazine that I learned of his passing the previous day. I didn't even know he was ill. I believe my experience speaks to Brother Madsen's irrepressible personality and the generosity of his spirit. Even on one of the most magnificent days of his life, he seemed to be thinking of others.

Thank you for your wonderful tribute.

-Susan Reeve
Tabernacle, NJ

Tender Moments Touching

Beautifully written. How sweet to read of this wonderful man and to become part of your tender moments with him. Thank you.

-Anonymous

Sugar's Subtle Seduction and How to Get Dr. Stan's Solution
By Dr. Stan Gardner, M.D.

“Sugar Fasts” Help to Curb Sweet Tooth

I am definitely a sugar addict. When I get started, I can't seem to stop until I have a headache and feel really bad. I find myself looking forward to my next sugar fix. The only way I can control this addiction is to completely cut out white sugar. I still use honey, molasses and maple syrup. This allows me to have some sweets, but I pretty much have to make them myself, so that limits my consumption a lot!

Using this rule, I cut out all the junk served at church and most social occasions. Now I mostly eat fruit for my sweet tooth. My joints have stopped aching and I just feel cleaner. I first stopped sugar on my mission and I did it for a month. More recently I did a “sugar fast” and dedicated it to asking the Lord for special health blessings for my husband. After that fast was completed, at the end of his chemo protocol, I went back to eating sugar. Now 10 pounds heavier, I am back to my sugar fast, but this time it is for myself.

I appreciate your research and how you are helping people to get off sugar. For me, it has to be all or nothing, but letting myself have some honey or maple syrup on my oatmeal in the morning makes it doable for me.

-Kristen Jenson

Moderation in All Things is the Key to Health

I am not a health expert, a scientist or an English major, but have we not heard of moderation in all things? I am a 65-year-old male in good health and within weight range for my age and height. I disagree with your article. All bodies are different and have different requirements. My sugar intake, salt intake, or whatever food you want to talk about, is not the same as it is for my wife, for instance.

A lot of folks do not have the will power to regulate their intake of food products. They can break the Word of Wisdom in many ways. Overeating, for instance, like eating a lot of potatoes or meat.

It is not the sugar, it is the whole food industry with their processing of our food. There again, moderation in all things is the basic answer. I enjoy candy and sweets and partake of them when I wish, but I do not overdo it. Let's not go overboard on any one issue. The body at times requires sugar and since the beginning of time everyone has enjoyed a sugar product of one type or another.

-Derrick Pickles

Prayer Helped to Overcome Sugar Addiction

After I read Dr. Gardner's previous article on sugar and listened to Elder Hales' talk in General Conference (after my hot fudge sundae of course), I made the commitment to go sugar free and rejoice in fruit instead. I prayed to have the power of the atonement help me overcome this addiction. I have done it for two months now, and feel totally liberated. I am appreciating and delighting in Heavenly Father's wonderful creation of beautiful food and letting it meet my needs rather than the chemicals of man.

A word of caution--I found that the emotional addiction to sugar was very high indeed, and my body initially freaked out at the sudden “loss of love.” So I don't know if cold turkey is the best way to go, but now that it's over, I'm glad I did it. If I can do it, so can you.

-Kathy Newton
Lindon, UT

Poll Question: R-Rated Movies

Watching “Satan Produced” Movies Leads to More Being Made

I chose the last option. The movie rating system is messed up so I use my own discretion. However, I never watch an R-rated movie unless it has been cleaned up and the violence is removed.

I have to use my discretion with PG and PG-13 movies. Many of them seem fine, and then in the middle they are disgusting.

I strongly believe that the fewer people who watch these "Satan produced" movies, the fewer will be made. Whenever we watch these movies, we are paying people to make more of them. I also believe we have a duty to write and voice our opinion about perfectly decent movies being ruined by unnecessary language, violence and sex. E.T. was a cute movie, except for the language. Why let garbage fall out of a child's mouth, except to convince a gullible public that those words are normal and acceptable? If we do nothing, we are culpable.

-Cathy Winward

Follow the Prophet

President Hinckley asked us to not view R-rated movies. Enough said. I agree. Garbage in, garbage out.

-Nona Kelly
Eastland, TX

Are Cleaned Up R-Rated Movies OK to Watch?

There are many good movies with good messages but are rated R because they added offensive content. I did see an R-rated movie on the plane once. It had a good plot and story line, and all the offensive content was removed to make it a G-rating. Is there anything wrong with seeing those movies?

I really enjoy Meridian Magazine. Thanks for your work in providing these uplifting articles. They really help me in my goals.

-Karen Spilsbury

Clarity Needed From the Ratings Board

The Sunday, May 3, New York Times had an article called “Memos to Hollywood : Words to Watch By.” Their memo to the Ratings Board expresses the frustration I have with the ratings system:

To: The M.P.A.A. Ratings Board:

What the heck? “Some language?” “Thematic content?” “Dangerous situations?” Yes, it's hard to keep up with substance abuse, sexual mores, violent behavior and Angle-Saxon idioms, but come on. What started out 40 years ago as a common-sense, informative alternative to censorship has turned into a maze of mystification and technicalities, wherein perfectly wholesome dramas are stigmatized while violent, sadistic trash merits an implicit seal of approval. Stop trying to read our minds or guess our values: just give us clear, rational and consistent information.

My biggest beef with the ratings system is that it does not reflect LDS standards or sensibilities. Some “permissible” PG-13 movies are grossly inappropriate as are some PG films. It is the responsibility of LDS people to read about the movies and base their choices on our standards and not simply rely on a mere letter.

The arbitrariness of the rating system is legendary. The R-rated film “Witness” has a fine example about sexual restraint that many LDS did not see because of the R-rating. After viewing it , I went home and took my teenage kids to that movie the following night. Why? I wanted my children to see what self-respect and restraint look like.

There is a scene between Harrison Ford, the fugitive policeman and the Amish woman where the sexual tension builds and their desire is unmistakable. Ford goes to her room but simply stands in the doorway, yearning to enter. He turns away, offering no explanation. The next day he simply says, “If I had stayed, either you would have had to leave (your life with the Amish) or I would have had to leave.”

In a closing scene, the audience sees Ford kibitzing with his buddies while the girl watches. Their eyes meet and they both know they are worlds apart in spite of the physical attraction. With so many films showing indulgence, this portrayal of restraint in “Witness” is a fine example of two people thinking through the consequences of their actions.

-Liz Dayton
Santa Clara, UT

National Program Needed to Discourage Watching of R-Rated Films

R-rated movies will flourish as long as they make money. The only way to impact the industry is through our pocketbooks. My wife and I will not go to an R-rated movie even if all our friends tell us we need to see it. We refuse to financially support the industry.

While serving as Bishop in a student ward, I initiated a program “UR/UC” (you are what you see). We had lapel pins and stickers students wore, as well as a signed commitment not to view R-rated movies or read R-rated literature. I would love to see a similar non-denominational program started nationally. It's a major issue that we need to address.

-Steve Pohlman

You Weren't Born That Way, It's Something You Learned

Some stories are made with just enough R-rated content to get the rating because most movie goers watch those kind. It's like I tell my relatives: You weren't born that way, it's something you learned.

-Ken Hilbert

Seeking Shepherds: No hirelings Need Apply
By Susan Law Corpany

Working to be Less of a Hireling Toward My Mother-in-Law

Thinking of being able to be one of the crowd in line to greet you in Heaven just let my heart “burn.” Until then, dear Susan, happy anniversary.

Thank you for helping me think of being a loving shepherd to some old people, whose diapers I might eventually change. Loving appreciation for your helping me to be less of a hireling toward my mother-in-law.

- Regina Faresin

H1N1 Flu – Some Good News, and a Warning
By Carolyn Nicolaysen

Blessings Came From Swine Flu Scare

Living in Mexico City during the Swine Flu epidemic, I found blessings in the scare. I wrote the following thoughts and wanted to share. Perhaps you will find it worth sharing, perhaps not.

My husband is a physician with the State Department and we'd been living in Mexico City for about 18 months when we received word that schools would be closed due to the flu. Of course the kids were overjoyed and, I admit, I was a bit relieved not to have to drive to early morning seminary. My husband was out of town on a business trip that first Friday and I was home alone with our five children. I really didn't know much about the flu, but my children kept in touch with their friends constantly IM'ing and kept me up to date on the latest. There were several deaths, it was an epidemic. What was this flu? I had received many phone calls throughout the day from neighbors and ward members asking me if it was safe to go out, should their church still hold their choir concert, etc. My friend asking about the choir concert decided to hold the concert stating happily, “God will protect us.” I heard a scripture enter my mind, “Faith without works is dead” and then the thought, “How can I protect you, if you don't do your part?” I knew nothing about this mysterious illness, but the panic began to swell as I realized this was a more serious thing than I had first envisioned.

I received a call from the head of the embassy clinic and my husband's co-worker wondering when my husband would return home. I began asking questions trying to understand what this new flu was. I asked her if I should attend our church conference the next evening, and she confided as a friend that she would not attend. I began to make preparations to stay home from Stake Conference that weekend, and when my husband called just before leaving his conference, he confirmed, from what he knew, that this was a wise decision. Saturday morning I realized we were almost out of milk and made a mad dash to the store to stock up on things we may need over an extended period of time. We were planning an international move in a few weeks and had been eating down our supply of food, as we had a very limited weight allowance for the move.

On Sunday my husband arrived home in the evening and a peace came over me just knowing that our family was joined together again. Monday we received word that the schools would be closed for another week and a half. Again the kids were overjoyed, but soon found that the teachers knew how to use the internet and they were loaded with schoolwork. I continued to receive word of this newly named "Swine Flu" from my husband. While ultimately it was a relatively benign epidemic, it offered a myriad of lessons for this Mom.

Over the more than two weeks the children were out of school, we spent nearly all of that time in our home as most public places were closed down. About the only time we ventured out was the occasional trip to the store. I had a peace and calm come over me as I realized what a blessing the H1N1 Flu really was to us. We always talk of being prepared, but how prepared are we? I was so grateful for electricity because without it my children would not have received their school assignments that kept them busy most of the time. I wondered, if this had been an earthquake, what would I have done with my children? I realized I wasn't prepared to entertain them in a disaster. While we lived in the United States we had a hearty food storage, but now with the State Department and constant moving ,we were forced to dissolve ourselves of all but one lone 50 lb. bag of wheat, which was nearly gone. I realized how much we depend on the grocery store now. This was very evident as there was talk, for a time, of closing all public transportation, which in effect would have closed down all businesses, as most people would not have been able to get to work.

As the H1N1 Flu scare is winding down, I am so grateful for the blessing of having a "dry run" to see how prepared we really are and where we are lacking. What a blessing to find our weaknesses and make them strengths before the disaster is really more serious. What a blessing to have a prophet on the earth to be a mouthpiece for the Lord. What a blessing to have the scriptures that tell us what we need to be prepared for and to be a source of strength and peace in a time of turmoil and confusion.

While the H1N1 Flu turned out not to be as serious as first expected, it was great for something and truly a blessing from heaven.