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My talk on Sunday went well… I think. I had a lot of people come up to me and say they enjoyed it. Hopefully, they’re not all behind my back stabbing me and saying something, but amongst the stuff people said to me personally was… “You’ve got it.”
“Best talk I’ve heard in a long time. But you need to look up more.”
“Enjoyed your talk [or words to that effect] but a bit out of the box” (is that last bit good or bad? Could be either)
“I thought your talk was really good, and I don’t say that to just anyone.”
And it was also on something Pres Uchtdorf had done, so bonus… However, while I kept the theme of the talk, I suppose I was quite liberal with the content. I didn’t say anything however, that was undoctrinal, and kept the message fairly clear throughout.
I referred to Arthur “Killer” Kane of the New York Dolls, which was a proto-punk band. They had a wild lifestyle, with the lead singer Johnny Thunders dying of a heroin overdose. But Arthur went and joined our church, and one of the last pictures taken of him, was as a temple worker, and had a really strong testimony of the Book of Mormon.
http://theculturalhall.com/?p=132 In other words, the point was that anyone can be saved, even somebody as wild as he was. It was quite funny, I could feel people shifting, as I mentioned aspects of his life style, and the band’s major influence on punk and heavy metal (which we never mention in church!), so I had to point out something more “edifying” was coming up.
I also got to talk about moths (don’t ask), and how Jesus came to the rejected and outcast, not to the Pharisees, who I said put on a good show, but Jesus could see into their hearts. I think in our church, we can end up being Pharisaical, if not careful, while those who are a bit different, or untidy get cast aside. Which might include ex-punks who were a bit washed up, and used to live outrageous lifestyles!
My first talk in sacrament meeting, ever btw.
I think they might have been more horrified, if I’d included some of the following images…
[img]http://www.onepotatoproductions.com/NewYorkDoll/images/arthur_on_bus2.jpg [/img] This is the band performing in their heyday…
That’s awesome! You win an award for best use of punk rock theme, and honorable mention of cross-dressing in a SM talk. I would have loved to hear the talk, Sam – and I need to add my “Amen!” to Brian’s nomination criteria. I really like that example – and I might find myself using it at some point in the future.
I love it too — I’d be engaged with all the music references and the ideas we don’t hear much at Church. Brian mentioned one EQ brother used the word beer more times in an announcement or lesson than anyone on record…gee…maybe we should start a contest! What’s the next word you have to use over and over again just to push the envelope — disaffected? TBM? Marijuana? (just kidding). It sounds like a really interesting talk. How did you weave the moths into it? I’m curious.
Thanks guys… Quote:How did you weave the moths into it? I’m curious.
Aviation (it was supposed to be based on one of Dieter Uchtdorf’s talks.) As I was writing the thing, or at least thinking about it, a beautiful moth flew in, and tried the old kamikaze routine on my lightbulb. I made a double point out of it, that the moths keep on making the same mistake, plus they’re actually underrated creatures (even if they do chew clothes – but then again, cats and dogs wreck the furniture too) partly because they’re not as gaudy as the butterflies who are the show offs of the insect world.
If I get asked to talk about another talk I hope it is one of Uchtdorf’s. I like the man, and respect him very much. Failing that, Jeffrey R Holland’s decent as well!
I loved being able to talk about Arthur Kane… great inspiring story and rock legend (although admittedly, there are one or two videos of them in clubs where they’re worse for wear, but their recordings are great)
Makes a change from Gladys Knight and the Osmonds I suppose.
At least people were nice to my face, although I wonder what they say behind my back!!!
I love this and love that you were able to bring the point home that even people like him can change, and can be saved. Johnny Thunders was the lead guitarist (who put out at least one fantastic solo album called LAMF). The singer was David Johansen (who has appeared in such great movies as Scrooged as the ghost of Christmas past/taxi driver and the Tales From the Darkside movie and also went by the name Buster Pointdexter, from whom we have the terrible, awful song “Hot Hot Hot”).
Don’t mean to be a accuracy Nazi, just a big Dolls fan!
No problem, DT, I always get Thunders and Johansen muddled up. Johnny Thunders did have a solo career as well, and somewhere in my CD collection I’ve a recording of him singing Chinese Rocks. The “Chinese Rocks” did for him in the end though. I’ve loved their music since I saw a clip of them doing “Jet Boy” on TV almost twenty five years ago. One other nitpick (to myself), I did say he was a temple worker. Seems he was a family history consultant. I’ve no idea if he worked in the temple as well, but I certainly think he got his TR…
I think the main point comes through all the same. If he could make it, then most folk could. His story is inspirational to me. Sid Going got a mention in last GC, but AFAIK, Sid’s always been a faithful active member. Very famous outside the LDS, probably not well known in the LDS due to playing the wrong sport.
Sid Going in action –
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