“What attitude should we have about applying our talents professionally when the result may not reconcile itself with gospel standards?” New Era, Nov. 1971, 6–7
“What attitude should we have about applying our talents professionally when the result may not reconcile itself with gospel standards?”
Answer/Robert F. Brunner
Fortunately, in my present employment I have never found any conflict between assignments given me and my Church standards. I realize, however, that this isn’t the case in much of the entertainment industry.
When I was working as a group singer, I used to receive calls to sing on radio and television commercials. I was always hopeful that I would not get a call for a commercial promoting cigarettes, cigars, alcohol, tea, or coffee. Fortunately, I never did receive such a call. I know that I would have turned it down even though, due to the highly competitive nature of this business, those who do not accept almost every job offered them are soon thought of as “not available” and are numbered among the ranks of the non-working.
As a priesthood holder, I would not feel right about lending my God-given talents in the creation and promotion of an R- or X-rated film, were I called upon to score one for another studio. I would not even feel right about going to see one of these films, much less taking a date to one. Elder Richard L. Evans has said, “Part of the reason why evil is possible is because it is made to be profitable … and if we patronize or partake of anything that isn’t good for people, we are helping to expand it by helping to make it profitable.”
By not viewing R- or X-rated films, I have made my reconciliation between my field and the Church standards. I may miss some interesting musical scores, but it seems to me that there is so little time in which to improve ourselves and in which to work toward the promotion of those things that are pleasing to our Heavenly Father that I see no purpose in implanting in my mind, nor in lending my talents to help implant in anyone else’s mind, those things that we know through gospel principles are injurious to the soul and the spirituality of man.