As much as it pains me to even mention this subject again on here so soon, this story just begged for a good blogging.
While I have my issues with Deseret Book and some of the products they insist on carrying (as well as some of the products they have historically refused to carry, for inexplicable or ridiculous reasoning), it seems, at least in my view, they've finally done something right: According to this article in the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret Book has pulled all Twilight books off the shelves (and even their website!), indicating that these books will only be available by special order. Rumors naturally abound, including some that intimate that SM stole the idea from a former roommate years ago and that she's facing a lawsuit, but she debunks the suing rumor on her blog. Personally, I think DB just finally realized the books have adult content aimed at a teeny-bopper demographic and that they're peddling smutty, alluring, mediocre romance novels. I think it's a little shameful if any of them are hiding behind a ruse of legalities. Just stick up for the standards which your institution is supposed to espouse in the first place and call a spade a spade!
Now and then the universe seems to make sense.
I can't help but feel my opinion has been just the slightest bit validated.
UPDATE: The SL Trib website seems not to be featuring this as a main article anymore, so I decided to post the blurb just in case any further deletions from the website are made... Oh, the politics:
Deseret Book demotes 'Twilight'
Posted:04/22/2009 11:57 AMBy Ben Fulton
The Salt Lake Tribune
Twlight series author Stephenie Meyer broke with horror-novel tradition when she created vampire characters impervious to the sun.
Deseret Book, however, has decided that Meyer's best-selling vampire romance books will no longer see the light of day -- at least on the shelves of its chain stores. Customers may instead request Meyer's 2005 novel Twilight -- or its three companion volumes, New Moon , Eclipse and Breaking Dawn -- by special order for either store pick-up or delivery by mail.
"We're never really given a reason for these things," said Steve Hartvigsen, manager of the Deseret Book store at Valley Fair Mall. "We just get a return sheet and send books back."
Owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the bulk of Deseret Book's business comes from the sale of religious titles. Meyer, who graduated from Brigham Young University after earning a bachelor's degree in English, is a member of the church.
Why are Stephanie Myers books smut? I just don't see it. They are not my thing but there is nothing smutty about them. They lack pre-marital sex and they actually have a character who promotes the idea of waiting untill marriage, while also staying true to the non-religous type of characters that they are. People like you think that Mormons should only write like Richard Paul Evens.
ReplyDeleteThere was a time when BYU would not allow the music single "Let's Do the Twist" because it was to risque, now it is seen as wholesome because it is an "Oldie". It is time our church stopped espousing conservative morals and started espoussing true morals.
InterESting. I wonder how many bishops had to call church headquarters after they had confessions from young girls and married women about how the books sent them on the road to porn addiction for that to get done.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, what in a Stephanie Myer book would lead someone to Porn? That is a rediculous comment. No wonder our church has a problem with so many being less active; it is hard to be around inflamitory people like you. I bet your CTR ring is bigger than everyone else, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteANONYMOUS!!!! OMG, I have missed you soooo much! Silly me, I should have known all I had to do was post an opinion, especially one about SM's books, and you would return, true to form! Thanks again for gracing us with your presence and, as usual, not bothering to do your research. Any of my reviews on these books/movie indicate exactly why I feel these stories contain material inappropriate for the exact age group they're intended for.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I also think that Mormon literature (like Richard Paul Evans and others of his ilk) is also largely a waste of shelf space and on the whole artless. There's so much great literature in the world, life is too short to waste it on rubbish reading.
It is foolish to blame church inactivity on anyone else but the inactive. If they are offended by comments someone made, they choose to be offended, end of story. I could choose to be inactive because of you making fun of the size of my CTR ring, but instead I say you are "rediculous" and move on. (Truthfully, I'm a little more offended by your apparent lack of grasp on the English language.)
Some might think "conservative morals" and "true morals" are synonymous. Interesting use of the word inflammatory (or, "inflamitory") though, since it applies directly to you as well. You are amusing.
Hey Anon #1- So you think it is ok to read books and watch movies with people having perverse, explicit sex in them AS LONG as they are married in them? My stars, what have I been so worried about then? And if you missed what the post was about, Deseret Book removed every book from every store... the number 1 best selling book in the world... written by a mormon... why else would they have done that unless they felt it inappropriate? I don't see them taking Harry Potter off their shelves.
ReplyDeleteAnon #2- Your comment is rediculous. You just accused Cami of the very thing you have just committed. I worry for you if you feel like other member's comments can get to someone enough to make them leave the church. Last time I checked, humans were imperfect, which is why we need the atonement, so leaving the church over getting offended would mean that person does not have the spirit or a proper testimony, because the church isn't about the people, it is about God.
The church also isn't about smutty teen novels. My guess is one of the 12's granddaughters finally explained the plot in detail to them, and they were so shocked this had been in their own store, they pulled every last book off their shelves. I mean, they didn't just stop ordering it... they pulled the books off the shelves...
Anyway, anonymous, we are having an anti Drew's blog meeting next Monday night. You are all asked to bring a friend, a desert, and in this case 10 arguing points of how we use old, repeated arguments to make our point more clearly, because this Drew character just drives us crazy with his outlandish opinions! Please bring a desert.
Yes! Finally some sense. We were happy to hear the news as well.
ReplyDeleteMaybe now people will think twice about reading the series for RS book group, of all the ridiculous things.
I like how people say Twilight is such a good example of good Mormon standards because there's no pre-marital sex. But what about the part where Edward shares her bedspace every night, hmm? All of the supposed good Meyer does in promoting waiting for the sex until after marriage is undermined by all the *other* stuff in the books. Like that long khaki skirts are actually fashionable! OY.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is incredible. Have you ever read Les Miserables, Jane Eyre, War and Peace? All of these books are far more explicit and have more premarital sex than any Stephanie Meyer book. Yet most LDS people are glad to have their kids read them. All of which are carried by Deseret Book, but because they are "Classics" they are seen as OK.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, if you say that the only reason that people are less active is because of themselves than I think that you miss the point of the doctrine of tolerance, love, and kindness. You think that judging people by your own particular set of opinions, condemning people when you disagree with them, is just OK. "It is their problem if they go less active". Ultimately everyone has to work out there own salvation, but you are blind to think that people do not affect each other. He who is without sin, throw the first stone. And don't act like you are innocent, if Stephanie Meyer read what you say about her, with no tact or tolerance, I mean you act like she is the spawn of satan, she would likely be offended. Do I need to remind you that you will stand before God for that, for all things that you write and say. You rip on me for simply misspelling a word, as if you have never done that. Ask yourself what spirit you are judging people in. I do not think it is by a spirit of Charity.
You act like Stephanie Meyer is not a real person because she is famous. And you lash your tongue like it is not hitting people.
Wow... seriously, all I can think of to say at the outset is wow...
ReplyDeleteI won't even go into how the major difference between those books you cited and SM's books is that those books are actually well-written and worthwhile literature.
There certainly is a lot of condemning and judging language in YOUR comment though. It's ever more interesting that you can accuse us of doing something while doing exactly that very thing in the same breath. I have no animosity for Stephenie Meyer as a person (which I have said before), but I do have problems with her influence and what morals (or lack thereof) she advertises with it. I would tell her this to her face were I to meet her in the street. And if she were offended, that would be her choice. She could always just brush it off, exactly as I am doing with the hateful and vicious diatribe you're directing at me and my loved ones. You certainly are defensive.
... Stephenie, is that you? Tell the truth.
Well, all of those classics teach good principles, and while they deal with heavy topics, none could be called explicit. I hardly think any of those books are "promoting" premarital sex. How ridiculous. The Twilight books are ROMANCE NOVELS (light as they may be) and that is all.
ReplyDelete