Since the 1970s, Mormons have flocked to showing of the Star Wars films, feeling a particular kinship to the fantastical tales, and to Jedi Master Yoda, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Spencer Kimball, the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from 1974 to 1985. To discuss this and other moral dilemmas of the day, the Reverends Emmett G. Price III and Irene Monroe joined Jim Braude and guest host Andrea Cabral on Boston Public Radio for their regular Monday feature, All Revved Up.
JIM: Knowing very little about mormonism, except what I learned when Mitt Romney ran for governor...apparently, Yoda looks exactly like Spencer Kimball...explain that to me.
EMMETT: Yeah, there’s this pull towards sci-fi and this fantasy world that’s part of this mormon theology and kind of aesthetic there, but I didn’t see any connection.
JIM: According to the Washington Post , Kimball was short, with large ears, thin white hair, and a slightly squashed and wrinkly face.
ANDREA: So was Ross Perot, frankly.
IRENE: He’s otherworldly, but the interesting thing is, they talk about these fantastical tales, and we have fantastical tales in the Christian bible. I mean, the wheel of Ezekiel, that’s a whole story about UFO’s.
EMMETT: But this is not a competition.
IRENE: No, it’s not, but to me, it’s about fantastical tales that we align with, and give it a sort of religious meaning, but I just think he’s an ugly man. To be honest, truth be told.
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To hear All Revved Up, click the audio link above. Rev. Emmett G. Price III is a professor of music at Northeastern University, and the author of The Black Church and Hip Hop Culture . Rev. Irene Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist who writes for Huffington Post and Bay Windows .
