Extra Credit Blog

I would have to say that out of the literary and artistic works that we studied, the most demonstrative of being "virtuous, lovely, of good report, and praiseworthy" is Michelangelo's Pieta. I see this work of art as an invitation to come unto Christ. Mary hand is outstretched as if she is offering her dead Son to whoever is viewing. The peace that shows on both the face of Mary and the face of Jesus reminds me that death was not the end of Christ, neither is it the end of man. It also makes me think about how peace can be found through the sacrifice of Christ. Showing the mother and the Son together is reminiscent of the holy birth, and the goodness and purity of Mary, who was chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. I think Michelangelo understood that through his art he could show things that follow the admonition of Paul as well as what is stated in the 13th article of faith.

The Kiss

Here are some compelling arguments I thought of that are against displaying The Kiss in the BYU Museum of Art:

1) BYU should maintain a high moral standard to prevent problems in the future. If they allow sculptures of nudes one time then they will have to allow them all the time or appear hypocritical. Allowing just some nude statues to be displayed would leave the moral line very ambiguous. So, by not allowing the nude statues to be displayed at all, they make the standard very clear.

2) What is displayed in the BYU Museum of Art becomes representative of the institution as a whole. If nude statues were dispalyed in the museum people might start to have misconceptions about the beliefs, morals, and teachings of the school and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


3) Because the BYU Art Museum is open to the public, and children frequently attend, it is understandable that the administrators at the university would want to censor such things from a younger audience. It is different when college students are studying the art in a historical and artistic context. Allowing all audiences to view it without a structured curriculum would be considered inappropriate.

Blog 5 Part 2

In Rome, every one dresses smartly, above his means, and sometimes something more than what is enough is taken out of another man's pocket. This failing is universal here: we all live in a state of pretentious poverty." This quote demonstrates the similarity between Rome and our society in that there is a push to be better than your neighbor and this often leads to debt. People are so caught up in having the newest fashion that they spend more more than they have. Juvenal does not address the issue of unnecessary war, but this quote also reminds me of that issue in that it goes back to irresponsible and leads to debt.




"Besides all this, there is nothing sacred to his lusts: not the matron of the family, nor the maiden daughter, not the as yet unbearded son-in-law to be, not even the as yet unpolluted son; if none of these be there, he will debauch his friend's grandmother." This problem is similar to the same sex marriage issue that we have in our society today. Although the Romans were not advocating for actual marriage, we see that the moral decay and breakdown of the family are similar to what our society is facing now.


"Quick of wit and of unbounded impudence, they are as ready of speech as Isaeus,[9] and more torrential. Say, what do you think that fellow there to be? He has brought with him any character you please; grammarian, orator, geometrician; painter, trainer, or rope-dancer; augur, doctor or astrologer" Juvenal does not really address unemployment, but this quote made me think of the various skills that people  have, but that are not put to use, in a way reminding me of the issue of unemployment and dependence on government welfare we see in our country today.


I cannot abide, Quirites, a Rome of Greeks; and yet what fraction of our dregs comes from Greece? The Syrian Orontes has long since poured into the Tiber, bringing with it its lingo and its manners, its flutes and its slanting harp-strings[6]; bringing too the timbrels of the breed, and the trulls who are bidden ply their trade at the Circus. Out upon you, all ye that delight in foreign strumpets with painted headdresses! Your country clown, Quirinus, now trips to dinner in Greek-fangled slippers,[7] and wears niceterian[7] ornaments upon a ceromatic[7] neck!" This quote reminds me of the issue of illegal immigration that we face in our country today. In the U.S. we see changes come about to accommodate the needs of foreigners coming in from other countries. (For example street signs that are in English and Spanish.) 

Blog 5

What are the five most challenging social problems facing the United States today?

1. Unnecessary Wars

Modern Warfare has crippled the U.S. economy and has left us with no clear victory and no clear benefit.

2. National Debt

Debt takes the control of the destiny of our country out of our own hands and into the hands of those who own the debt. It lowers income, weakens the value of the dollar, and drains wealth along with other negative consequences.

3. Same Sex Marriage

The prophets have taught that homosexuality is contrary to God's plan for families, which are the basic units of our society. The practice of homosexuality seems to always lead to the destruction of a society... I mean look at Sodom and Gomorrah.  

4. Unemployment

Unemployment forces people to rely more on the government, particularly welfare. People not being self-sufficient leads to idleness. 

5. Illegal Immigration

Illegal Immigrants take jobs away from American citizens, don't pay taxes, and receive education and health benefits from the Federal Government. There is nothing wrong with foreigners coming into our country, but it should be done legally.

Blog 4: Oedipus Rex

I really enjoyed  learning about the Greek tragedies, particularly reading Oedipus Rex. There is something satisfying about reading a story in which someone of great importance discovers an error in his or her  ways and then is brought low so that fate or "the will of the gods" can come to pass. It is an interesting position as the reader, already knowing what is going to happen to King Oedipus, and then seeing the plot unfold and the character gradually discover the truth about himself. It seems that this gradual enlightenment of the main character is what made the story so suspenseful, thus keeping me hooked as I read. Seeing that the Greeks used these tragedies as entertainment as well as part of their religion shows a lot about the ancient culture. I feel so much pity for King Oedipus as he rebukes the prophet, calling him blind and accusing him of having no skill in prophesy. That pity only increases as more characters come and reveal to Oedipus what the reader already knows about the oracle.

I personally admire the Greeks for their belief about the importance of  exercising humility before the gods as well as respecting those called to reveal the oracles of the gods. Humility is one of the Christ-like attributes that is so often overlooked. I have found in my life that seeking the will of God and humbly accepting his will brings so much peace and comfort. I also feel blessed to live in a time when prophets do reveal the will of God. Following the teachings of the prophets really does bring happiness. So, I know that if I try hard to rid myself of pride (or hubris) and follow the prophet I, unlike Oedipus, can avoid a tragic end.

 Using specific examples from the art and literature, bot the early Homeric period and the later 5th-century Athenian period, determine what the role of women was in ancient Greek society. Is that role similar today?


We learn from The Iliad and The Odyssey that women had a number of different roles in ancient Greek society. Particularly in The Iliad, the very fact that not many women appear in the story shows us that women did not have a place in war (although ironically they worshiped Athena, a goddess of war). Women had a responsibility to stay at home, act as a comfort to their husbands, and nurture the children. Women were also seen as prizes to be won in battle. This is evident as Achilles and Agamemnon repeatedly argue over the women they have captured after they have conquered a city.


 In The Odyssey we get a wider view of the diverse roles that women played in society as we are introduced to a number of female characters. Calypso, Circe, and Nausicaa show us that women were seen as seducers and temptations for men. In contrast, Penelope shows us the ideal role of a woman at that time; completely faithful while her husband is away, as well as a responsible caretaker of the home.


The change of women's roles in society is evident in the post 4th century style sculptures. Praxiteles for example sculpted Aphrodite completely nude. Before then, sculpting a nude female figure was not accepted in Greek society. Only the men were sculpted in such a manner. This evidence suggests to me that women probably began to take on more of a equal role with men in society, possibly taking on leadership positions and being involved in politics. 


I submit that in our society today women are expected to play both the Homeric period role of women as well as the later 5th century Athenian period role of women. Especially in the church, women are expected to be nurturers, comforters, and child-bearers while at the same time being involved in the community and in politics.

Epithets

Bossy Brian
My room mates have definitely helped me realize that this is an accurate adjective to describe myself. At home I am the one who is always getting on everyone’s case if there are dirty dishes in the sink or trash that needs to be taken out. For some reason I find a kind of satisfaction when I give others a hard time about personal cleanliness in the common areas of the house.

Lover of Song
Singing is one of my favorite things to do. I have thought about changing my major to vocal performance, but I realize that I would probably enjoy it less if it was something I was forced in school. For now singing is just something I do when I'm bored or when I find an awesome song that must be performed. 


Horse Whisperer

I'm a wanna-be Arizona Cowboy, however I really enjoy horseback riding. It is a dream of mine to own horses when I'm older and not living in BYU approved housing.

King of the Mountain

Hiking, canyoneering, and repelling are some of my other hobbies. I have hiked the Grand Canyon 4 times and have done countless other hikes throughout Arizona and Utah, but ironically I've never hiked to the Y. Maybe I will some day.