‘Brave’ Hollywood Takes It To The Mormons
by Pam MeisterMormon church leaders are criticizing HBO for including a private, sacred ceremony in its show Big Love, the drama about a polygamous Mormon family in Utah. Apparently only church members “in good standing” are allowed to enter temples and either witness or take part in the rite called the “endowment ceremony.”
HBO, of course, apologized for offending Mormons but defended its use of the ceremony because its depiction is “critical” to the show’s story line. Ah, the quintessential non-apology apology, used frequently by politicians: We’re sorry if we offended anyone, but we’re not going to do anything that will actually rectify the situation. Be sure to tune in, though, and boost our ratings!
What I’m more interested in learning, though, is if there are any shows or movies in the works about the “sacred” rite of female genital mutilation – more kindly known as female circumcision – or “honor killings” in Islam. I’d even settle for a program that just depicts a polygamous Muslim family living somewhere in rural America.
I’ll wait. I have plenty of time.
Back in 1997, Law and Order aired an episode about an American man, married to an Egyptian immigrant, who murders the doctor brought over from Egypt by his wife’s family to perform female circumcision on his daughter. That was before 9/11, however, and since then it’s become politically incorrect to say anything unflattering about Islam or Muslims, no matter what the context.
Note that the Church of Latter Day Saints outlawed polygamy back in 1890 while Islam, to my knowledge, has not. Americans were horrified when a rogue Mormon sect not sanctified by the church was discovered in rural Texas and hundreds of children were removed as authorities investigated allegations of abuse and the forced marriage of teen girls to much older men.
But just this week, ABC’s Good Morning America focused on Daad Abdul Rahamn, a Muslim in Dubai, who is getting closer to his goal of fathering 100 children. He’s only supposed to have four wives at a time, but “he has had 17 and is looking for more.” Diane Sawyer practically swooned in wonderment. (Maybe she’s thinking of applying to be the next Mrs. Rahamn?) But perhaps this case is different because the local sheikh approves and Rahamn is not ashamed to accept the sheikh’s handouts to help finance his growing family. Liberals love socialism in any shape or form.
And yes, I know Good Morning America is officially under ABC’s news division, but how many people actually watch it for its contributions to serious news?
Remember when South Park aired its now-infamous Scientology episode that not only skewered top dog Scientologist Tom Cruise but the depicted the “sacred beliefs” of the religion started by second-rate science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard and followed by a growing number of Hollywood glitterati? Comedy Central pulled the episode from its initial rerun schedule because of pressure from Cruise, although it did end up rerunning it later in the season. But that wasn’t the only fallout. The late Isaac Hayes, who voiced the character Chef and was a Scientologist, quit the show in protest of its “intolerance and bigotry towards religious rights of others.” Show co-creator Matt Stone responded by saying Hayes had “no problem – and he’s cashed plenty of checks – with our show making fun of Christians.”
I guess it doesn’t pay to annoy the wrong people.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the leftist entertainment industry has no qualms about airing what is supposed to be a sacred Mormon ritual on television because Mormons are not on the list of protected victim groups. Don’t believe me? Remember what Mitt Romney had to endure during the last presidential election regarding his religion. I’m not suggesting that production companies avoid producing entertainment that negatively focuses on a particular religion because its followers might be offended. However, I am offended by the double standard that means certain groups are considered fair game while others are left alone in the name of “multicultural sensitivity.”
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213 Comments
You are absolutely correct. Making light of that which others consider sacred is never appropriate unless they are a Christian. Let's see how many non-LDS christians jump to their defense.
Some of this stems from the Church's support of Prop 8 in California. The church had to give up this practice and women's sufferage by the way, to become a state. They were all democrats back then. But to become a state they had to have a certain number of republicans. The congregations were divided down the middle. the republicans have thouht God is on their side ever since.
I think that many opposed Prop 8 hoping that it would open the door to other non-traditional domestic relationships as well. Poligamy Chief among them.
It isn't that Mormons consider the endowment secret, it is sacred. You can find just about the entire ceremony word for word in the D&C.Since the Mormon church does not practice polygamy those people who do are not allowed to enter the temple. I see this as Tom Hanks way of sticking it to the Mormon church for their support of Prop 8. Since he couldn't publicly say what he really wanted to without hurting his image, what better way to do it than to portray those very un-American people he so dislikes in a very negative way by making light of something they hold sacred
in the name of “multicultural sensitivity"
Multicultural sensitivity does not apply if the subject matter has anything to do with Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. That is not news of course, it's been going on for several years now.
Pearls before swine. And yea, this means you Tom.
great article, extremely accurate
[...] topic.If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!» ‘Brave’ Hollywood Takes It To The Mormons“What I’m more interested in learning, though, is if there are any shows or movies in the [...]
Wow, how edgy is that ? HBO has made some great stuff, but usually violent like the Sopranos and the Wire. When it comes to something as complex and personal as the story in Big Love, which I avoid, I imagine that it's pretty much alot of snickering and peeks under the curtain in someone else's life. That is just plain immature. They are out of their depth and someone thought this up as a pander to the new Prop 8 "community" and the best they could do was to invade someone's privacy. The show has been made a tool to advance an agenda against the recorded voice of the majority in California. It won't change any votes, it will just be a vindictive,spiteful slam against people who don't believe in same-sex marriage ( like Barack Obama).
They can do what they want because they know that the Mormans will not take to the streets or kill anyone over this.
Point taken.
On the Big Love v. Mormonism thing, I think people are getting bent out of shape over nothing. Lots of people assume the family on Big Love is a proxy for Mormonism. But they're NOT mormons. The show makes that point repeatedly. They came from a strange polygamist cult, from whom they've broken off, and from whom they are attempting to gain their freedom.
At no point does the family claim to be active members of the Mormon Church. To the contrary, one of the repeating story lines has been how they need to hide from the Mormons they encounter, and how various family members want to be rid of the polygamy thing and become normal Mormons.
Most of the criticism of this show seems uninformed to me.
BevfromNYC, you are exactly right. Hollywood types are a bunch of wimps. The Mormons are unlikely to behead anyone over this. A program even hinting at the horrors of genital mutilation or "honor killings" would, literally, prompt many Muslims to go medieval on their ass. It's safer to whine about "Christian fundamentalists."
If anyone should be offended it should be the Freemasons that had their ritual(s) hi-jacked by the founders of the LDS, and then passed off as some religious ceremony when it was only a fraternity ritual to begin with. By the way, I feel fine critiquing any belief system, and if someone wants to base their religion off of teachings designed for a fraternity, then that shows a great deal of intellectual dishonesty. Likewise, if people in the third world want to listen to a cleric that isn't educated to even a third grade level, that's their own shortcomings and they deserve whatever is handed them.
True, they make it clear the main family isn't LDS, but not clear enough for the majority of their audience. And, the episodes I've seen of it, there were "members" that were also polygamous.
are you sure? will that always be the case?
here's the thing. If this family, as portrayed in the show, believes that the teachings of the main church are not correct (since poligamy should be practiced, and the main church doesn't allow it.) Why would they want to take part in a temple ceremony anyway? And, since they are not in good standing in the main church, they would no be allowed in the temple to begin with. The "respectful" and "accurate" portrayal of the Church and this group of fringe practitioners by HBO in this episode as described in media reports, is wrong from the get go. Why go through the charade of pretending to be accurate when the whole premise is flawed.
Correct. The mild-mannered LDS people will not take to the streets. They will work other angles that are much more subtle.
It is easy to attack those that don't appear to fight back.
I will just ignore it. So often, when outsiders think they are destroying the LDS faith, they wind up helping it. (Kind of like how Obama helped Rush's ratings by attacking him.)
I can't force anyone feel the same reverence I have for the temple ceremony. (So i guess I won't be strapping a bomb on one of my kids and sending them off to where ever HBO films this "example of fine television programing." )
I will just ignore it.
(Or maybe I'll draw a cartoon about it.)
Part of the story line involves the members of the family who do not like the polygamous lifestyle and want to return to the main church. The story relies on the tension that the family does not belong in either world — the world of the Mormon Church or the world of the cultists where the father grew up.
I don't know how (or if) they got into a temple — haven't seen that episode.
But…aren't weddings sacred? And baptisms? And funerals? We've seen those sacred rituals filmed countless times for sympathy (Taking Chance) comedy (Princess Bride) and drama (baptism sequence in the Godfather). If the ritual is done respectfully and accurately, wouldn't it more enlightening than not? Besides, as others have said, the show doesn't claim to represent the actual Mormon church. Tempest in a teapot, IMHO.
Word.
Remember this?: http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Humor/Images/Sligh...
Tom..your ignorance is showing when you mention "secret underwear". The correct term is "sacred garments" and they are a symbol and reminder of covenants that members make in the Temple. (Super secret covenants like obeying the commandments, being true and honest will our fellowmen, living a loyal and chaste life to our spouses) (Don't tell anybody I told you that) As for protecting our loins from Demonic assault, I have never heard that phrase used. You would be better served to talk to a Temple recommend holder in good standing to find out what the purpose of these garments are for. …and yes I am wearing mine today and I have worn them every day since converting to the Church in 1985. HBO will answer for its deeds some day but as normal the Church will leave vengeance to the Lord himself. In theological perspectives The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the ONLY truly Christian church today. All you have to do is compare the Church in Christ's time and all others today and as they say …the shoe fits. And by the way, there is no such entity as the "Mormon Church".(Yours was a good post anyway!!!!)
I don't know how they could have made it clearer — they don't attend a church, their neighbors keep trying to recruit them to the Church (and are suspicious about their living arrangements), the one wife's family has disowned her, the wife lost her job when it was revealed she was a polygamist, the daughter started secretly going to Church and meeting LDS members, and almost every episode is about how they need to keep from themselves.
Oh my gosh Joe….please don't let that out of the bag…People have been trying to disprove the Book of Mormon and First Vision and restoration of the Priesthood authority for 150 years. OH MY GOSH…you found it..we are all toast………..ROFL
By the way, on the other issue, I do find it amazing that our "couragous" liberals, who love to claim to "speak truth to power" will do nothing to expose true evil on this planet. They've ignored Sudan, Rawanda, the Taliban (when they got started), genital mutilation, all of the evils of Russia under communism, the evils in China today (except Tibet).
I wonder how they would explain this?
You are welcome, invited even, to see an LDS baptism. Anyone can. They are open to the public. And LDS funerals are also festival seating. But no one, not even a member of the LDS Church, can go into the temple unless they have a current (good for two years) temple recommend. When a temple was built in East Germany, before the Berlin Wall came down, the Communist Government showed more respect to the Temple Service (it was not censored nor published) than the producers of Big Love have. Kind of telling, in my opinion.
Time for the religious right to prove that they're just as dangerous as radical Islam? Ya, that's what I thought.
mmmmmmmmmmm, Funeral Potatoes
Was visiting a friend the other night, and while waiting 10 minutes in his front room watched a small hunk of 'Law and Order'- and guess who the bad guys were? If you said Elders of the LDS you would win, as Don Rickles would say, a cookie… what little I saw was beyond offensive, and even though being a 'traditional' Christian (whatever that is) I saw an implied attack on the church, marriage, and white men of faith- all in 10 lousy minutes. Now you know why History Channel in HD is what I watch. most all of the time…
Well done, Pam. I had similar thoughts when I read the AP article about this show.
We need to remain vocal about this topic, or there's going to be prayer towers in a town near you.
Actually, the media should focus on *both* extremists — Mormons *and* Muslims. I agreed that there is double standards among the MSM regarding the practice of polygamy. Either way, we must condemn both. We just cannot dismiss Mormoms because they are the "lesser of two evils". Both are repugnant and revolting.
Did anyone else know that the Mormons slaughtered a group from Arkansas that was en route to California and in the process, stole their supplies, took their children to be raised by Mormons as well as dressing up as some local Indians in an attempt to deceive the defendants that the murderers were Natives? This happened on 9/11 … believe it or not, it happened on September 11, 1857. And did the Mormons admit it? They, technically, never did.
So … Muslims and Mormons are both equally evil and repugnant at its best. Condemn both.
R-
it's their prop 8 retribution. one of many more to come, i'm sure. no doubt the writers (and the libs who love them) think this is a brilliant gotcha. gosh, wonder what they'll do next? write a really bad SNL skit? wait….
Wow, I didn't think anyone in the country was this dumb anymore. Wanna round up Catholics too?
How do you know that the Freemasons didn't steal the ceremonies from the ancient Israelites, and that the Mormons didn't actually restored the ceremony to its true and sacred form?
Actually Hollywood made a movie about it in the hopes that it would hurt Romany's chance for the nomination and election if it went that far.
Really?! Come on man, do some research. The Church last year issued several statements about the event. And, looking through the prism of never having endured massacres (part of the reason for the polgamy was the vast numbers of men being killed) and being run out of the country really show your lack of perspective.
I totally agree. Hollywood does a large gay community and given how often gay characters show up (or have shows all to themselves; Will & Grace: The L-Word: Queer as Folk) it's a pretty fair assumption a lot of writers are also gay and have a grudge against the Mormon community. The black community was also said to have turned out to vote against prop 8, but we already know that Hollywood won't go after them any more than they will go after radical Muslims.
What is a Christian? I find it sad that someone has to meet some definition, usually that they sit next to me on Sundays, to be a member of the Christian Family. Why can't self described Christians or those that have Christ in the name of their denomination be included?
Or how about those Jews that practiced polygamy (read your Old Testament) ? Man, this could be fun to round up all kinds of people. At least until there is no one to turn to when your name ends up on that same list.
South Park's lampooning the Jonas Brothers and purity rings tonight. Should be good!
We could round up all those who decend from the Polygamists in the Old Testament. It might be fun to create the list. At least until, my own name shows up on it. Who will support me then?
Oh come on, we all know Ancient Astronauts gave us ALL ceremonies. It's true… go look it up on the internet!
I dumped HBO for so many reasons….Bad enough I pay their parent company, I couldnt stand the thought of all my cable/internet money going to people like Maher and the other moonbats.
Oh, gawd. TPC, so far the Catholics has not done anything wrong in this country. I'm aware that the Catholics perpetuated some despicable actions upon individuals in Africa, Asia and Europe but I am not aware of any wrongdoings by the Catholics that were done in this country. I care less if the Catholics did do something bad to the folks in Switzerland but I do care about the ones in my backyard.
Mormons are responsible for what they did to people over the years. Go read Jon Krakauer's Under The Banner of Heaven, that's for the start. The author complained about the MSM's attention about this Muslim guy who had 17 wives and wanted 100 children … what of the MSM's lovefest with the descendants of Brigham Young? We should condemn them as well.
The point is that we need to be firm in rejecting the extremists of all religious backgrounds. But it appears to me that some of you wanted to focus only on Muslims.
R-
I missed that. Do you recall the name?
John_McClain: That's not even true. The Massacre at Mountain Meadows were documented for many years. I doubt that Hollywood made this film in an attempt to hurt Romney's chances for the nomination.
Only one Mormon was judged on the killings of folks in the Mountain Meadows. Brigham Young got away with murder and all that. The Church can issue whatever they wanted to absolve their responsibilities in harming the Americans from day one including the recent Prop 8 fiasco as well.
R-
Sorry, Gravedancer, I dont buy the Church's "several statements". Trying to portray themselves as "victim" may work on some people but certainly not me. The Church is responsible for their actions. It has nothing to do with the "lack of perspective" — the Church allowed the FLDS to grow over the years by not doing something about it legally. They allowed Jeffs to run the towns in southern Utah. They chose not to do something about it for years. They knew about it. And yet, you tell me to read and understand the Church's rubbish perspectives?! LOL. You funny!
R-
Yeah, I guess there were no Catholic atrocities at all on this continent. The key is to look at what is being done now. To look at the actions of a persecuted people from 150 years ago, and compare them to the current situation, is a weak justification.
Tom failed to mention flying underwear, the sex slaves in the temples and the bowling alley in the temples. Let's just get all the silly ideas out there for once. As a non practicing Mormon surrounded by practicing members of my family they have never spoken of this sacred ceremony to me.
I have not seen a majority of my family members be wed in the Temple and I hold no ill will towards them for that. Unfortunately nothing is sacred any more and everything based in Christianity can be marginalized at will by Hollywood.
Mormons are some of the friendliest people you will run into and the most helpful. When those pesky and annoying missionaries show up at your house and ask if there is anything they could help you with they mean it. Which could possibly be even more than people that you know are willing to do for you.
I've never watched the HBO show but under the premise that I've read in here I'm not sure how polygamist are going to get into the Temple in the first place.
Because goats cannot be the same as sheep.
The Church has no legal standing or authority to do anything. They did what they could, namely excommunication. What additional authority do you think they have? Besides that the church believes in allowing others to worship "how, where or what they may." If you want to worship a tree and call yourself a Baptist, I would not have any reason to think the Southern Baptist Convention or any other for that matter, to have anything other than a religious recourse. Are they going to sue them for excerciseing their right of worship?
but aren't they both kosher or halal?
but aren't they both kosher or halal?
Oh yeah, I forgot the "Chariot of the Gods" theories, thanks.
The main point of it is that it is sacred and private. It's not something that is supposed to be viewed by anyone who doesn't have a Temple recommend. We have seen many sacred rituals performed and taped but they were open to public display. Wedding ceremonies taking place inside Temples are not intended for public display. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints doesn't need to enlighten the general public on this ceremony because it's not for the general public.
Theories? Now he tells me.
I guess it depends on your use of the word extremists. You note something that the LDS church has acknowledged and apologized for, not to mention it was over a century ago.
While real extremists do exist today in our society and would never be marginalized. I still go back to one thing, IF Christians adhered to the Bible on a word by word basis and started killing individuals for portraying Christianity in a negative light liberals would love them for it and be much more understanding and tolerant. That is where the strange double standard lies.
It sure is hard to make fun of those crazy mormons with so many of them watching. Awful lot of them up in here.
I think the Indians would disagree with your take on the Catholics. The gays would disagree on the fundamentalists. The Mormons probably aren't too happy about being driven out of Missouri in 1838 — with their leader being killed and all. The list goes on and on. And why exclude what they did in other countries? What sense does that make when you've decided to hold something that happened 150 years ago against an entire group of people, then there's plenty of blame to go around.
Also, you did not limit your post to just extremists, you said: "Muslims and Mormons are both equally evil and repugnant at its best. Condemn both." That statement is worse than anything Hollywood says about religion.
Finally, I've met many Mormons and to label them extremist is ridiculous.
That's disturbing and funny all at the same time. Perhaps it loses something in translation from Arabic to English.
Is the answer for the Church to get a militia together and go and kill them. They are all excommunicated that is all that the Church can do. Some where I guess it should be mentioned that LDS leaders are a religious organization and not a government authority.
It's the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and yes it really happened. I read about it in "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer, but I'm sure you can read up on it in other sources as well.
You guys crack me up…lol….who said comedy was dead….LOL
No such thing as the "Mormon Church"…FYI
Ellen said she didn't want to marry a goat. But that doesn't mean others don't. Polygamists, NAMBLA and others opposed Prop 8 for that very reason.
Ridor…Did you know the state of Missouri had an execution order signed by the Governor to make it legal to kill Mormons, did you know well meaning bands of Christians raped and pillaged and murdered women and children in Missouri and Ohio. Did you know the first church President was Murdered for his beliefs in custody of the State of Illinois.
Did you know that Mormon Missionaries were regularly tarred and feathered and killed for their beliefs in the early days of the church. I could list many more outrages against a group of people who basically only wanted to be left alone. Do the Mormons have dirty laundry…yes they do but you need to think before you cast the first stone and try to paint a group of people a certain way for something that happened 150 years ago.
I'ts Hollywood, and I don't EVER expect anything decent to come out of there.
Your comments make a strong case for birth control…how can you be so stupid?????
the man's take on Mormonism is really a 'worst hits' collection- the massacre did happen, it was a terible and regrettable experience anf folks I know (I'm not Mormon) are very well aware of this. Polygamy is extremely rare and has been banned from the church for a century or so… my only problem with them is they don't drink… but they are good citizens and who gives a rat's rear end what their particular catechism is… heck, they might even be right…
I'm with you on this one Dave, I laughed, but I'm not sure I should have.
Actually Moroni, they're everywhere. Probably, one of them signs your paychecks.
I like most Mormons I know, but don't care much for their religion– theologically weak, y'know. But to insult them by televising a portrayal of a private ceremony is very bad manners. Why am I not surpised that the channel that gave us Bill Maher gives us this nasty little insult?
Wow Law and Order, is that still on??
Time for the Mormons to put a death-sentence fatwa on Tom Hanks.
Violence, or the threat of it, is how you get your way.
You really have no clue do you?
The offshoot sects have their own temples, or equivalent holy places, where they carry out rites originating from Joseph Smith days, which they all believe in.
Mormonism extremist? You really should quit reading your anti-Mormon stories and find out the real truth.
The outrages were true, but the Mormons didn't want to "basically be left alone." They came pouring into Jackson County, Missouri, amassing a potentially dominant and subservient voting bloc, and telling/threatening the long-time inhabitants that the land was promised to the Mormons by God.
Also they were intent on converting the natives, and the Joseph Smith, when asked by his close assistants about the extent of "Zion," said it encompassed North and South America.
And any fair account of the time will show that the Mormons gave about as good as they got.
Your comments actually illustrate some of the problem well. It is just as easy for me, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to claim that you are a "christian in name only" because I consider your characterization of the divinity of Christ to be flawed. Frankly, if there was some universally accepted, non-heretical, set of beliefs regarding doctrine, there would not be the multitude of christian traditions.
The soft bigotry displayed by those who refuse others the privilege of defining their own beliefs in terms acceptable to them is disheartening. Please don't tell me that I'm "christian in name only" when I believe in the divinity of Christ, when I acclaim and proclaim Him to be my Lord and Savior. I recognize and agree that you and I disagree on points of doctrine, but I won't disparage the sincerity of your beliefs by saying you don't believe in the "real" Christ.
I am reminded of Christ's admonition to John not to rebuke the others who were casting out devils in Christ's name without being in Christ's fold. "Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part." (New Testament | Mark 9:39 – 40)
Gutless cowards. I'd like to see the haters of Christianity reveal their courage by waving a damned Allah cartoon in Iran. Come on, guys. I double dare you. Surely with your 'courage' against the Mormons, you'd have the cojones for that. Right? Right?
The truth has been written, told and published one too many times. Only you and your so-called fake Church denied it from day one.
Again, I'm not affilitated with any religious groups. IN fact, I'm Deist, here's a start fer ya. But I had been to Utah several times in the past. You claimed that all the Church has to do is to excommunicate. That's not wholly true. The Church "officially" excommunicated people who disagreed with the views of the LDS. Unofficially, the Church also gave the orders to their believers to do their whims when needed. They will drive people out of Utah just because the Church tells them that it is the right thing to do. They will prosecute people when the Church tells them to. They will do whatever is in their powers. You see, the majority of people in Utah is LDS — they simply follow the orders.
That is why Brigham Young easily orchestrated the massacre at Mountain Meadows from day one.
R-
Officially, the LDS is a religious organization. Unofficially, Mormons often took the orders from the Church over the government's position. They will seek the Church's position on this, that and there — which is why they practically ruled the government in Utah, like it or not.
R-
TBM: What people in Missouri did was wrong, no question about it. But two wrongs does not make it right, honey. The first Church President was murdered not for his beliefs — he was basically lynched because he was a pedophile. He founded the so-called religion in order to manipulate, control and own women as his wives. When he attempted to get a younger girl in his "harem", all hell broke loose and he was, like it or not, lynched.
Yes, what folks in Missouri did was wrong but let's face the truth, John Smith was one big-time pervert. You could list many more outrages against a group of people who basically only wanted to be left alone? Please. They wanted to be left alone in order to create a theocratic state. That is what happened in Utah. If you wanted to be left alone, then tell your Morons, I mean, Mormons and the LDS leaders not to push for anti-gay marriage bans in many states. What happened in California which Mormons did was very shameful — it contradicts what Mormoms wanted in the first place — to be left alone — perhaps these people deserved to be tarred and feathered all along in the first place?
Speak for yourself.
R-
I think I'm pretty much educated on the history of Morons in general — more than you do, that's for sure.
After all, I have 4 books about the history of Mormons, Utah, FLDS etc and I also enjoyed watching the history of LDS on PBS a little while ago. Did you? I doubt so.
R-
Carolyn, I would take your dare gladly and rub it in these Muslims' face … here in good ole USA. I did poke fun about Allah in front of Muslims when I was in college … nothing happened. So what is your point?
R-
"Remember what Mitt Romney had to endure during the last presidential election regarding his religion."
I honestly don't recall the MSM going after Romney that hard because of his religion. Mostly, it was negative press coverage of orthodox Christian groups (aka "the religious right") who rejected Romney's candidacy because they (we) didn't want a Mormon in the White House.
Looking back on it, I think we were sadly mistaken. Isn't hindsight great?
Mormons are "christian" in name only; not from a considered theological perspective. That is, their doctrine is heretical concerning the divinity of Christ, among many other things. This would only matter to an orthodox Christian; it would certainly be a moot point to members of the mainstream Press.
The question I would have loved to have seen asked of Romney during the campaign: "Mr. Romney, do you believe in special underwear to protect your loins from demonic assault? And, are you wearing yours now?"
But I don't recall that one ever having come up in the primaries.
Growing up in a small, democratic town in the south, I've endured so much bull for being LDS, this just honestly doesn't surprise me. I knew when the show first started it would pick at things in the church one piece at a time.
Another thing, the church never told anyone to vote yes on prop 8, they told people to felt how they felt was right, some members supported prop 8 and some didn't. No leaders are supposed to tell people how to vote.
Gotcha. But…stupid question here–isn't it officially called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? How is it not a "church" if church is in the name? It's like a restaurant calling itself House O' Pies, but not selling pies.
That very reason? Please get a clue.
R-
I think Tom Hanks did just fine in making light of something the Church hold sacred.
After all, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are not real. They're cult, basically.
R-
I thought each church was basically independent?
Comedy is only dead over on the HufPo site. Stick around, there are a lot of funny people who visit this site.
Actually, you're partially right. Mormons may be some friendliest people you will run into … unless they found out that you're gay or not a believer in Jesus Christ — that's where they ultimately treat you differently. I know this for a fact. I have a good friend who is gay Mormon — he still have friends who are Mormons but they basically tone the relationships down to minimum level to a point where my friend cannot rely on them for help in the long run. That's how it functions on their part — they will create obstacles to avoid being cordial when necessary.
R-
That would be cruel.
That's not what happened on September 11, 1857.
R-
No, that's a lie, ASP. The Church did make a plea to their congregations to donate, support the Prop 8. Don't bother to distort this fact.
R-
Grow up people
Seriously.
Your statements are so childish it's not even entertaining. If you actually knew what you were talking about it might be an interesting discussion, but your baseless accusations make me cringe.
I am so glad South park returns tonight. And I remember that Law and Order episode. Aside from correctly showcasing the issue of female mutilation, it was the first major role Emmy Rossum ever had (being the young girl in question.) So, I am doubly thankful for that episode.
FWIW, the movie was an indie called "September Dawn." Technical-wise it's a Hallmark-channel quality production and it's hammy and heavy-handed as all hell (Terrance Stamp is Brigham Young and Jon Voigt is the main baddie, that kinda says it all) but it's pretty effective at points. It's main through-line is beating you about the head with the fact that it was a religion-based massacre that occured on September 11th of it's year, right down to a Joseph Smith quote about wanting to be "The American Mohammed." Can't say it didn't work, though – I saw it in a theater, and there were audible gasps when the title-card informing us of the date came up.
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