Church To Release Feature-Length Film (Commercially!)

[Gervin]

Oh balderdash! 1 Nephi has murder, thievery, family squabbles on par with a Eugene O'Neil play, good guys, bad guys, mob bosses, angels, weeping mothers, hard choices, gold and silver, sacrifice, and on and on and on.

But, there's no dialogue.  Without that you don't have a strong narrative story.  There are no strong women (and little in the way of women representation).  So there's the gender skew that has to be compensated for.  And a story requires setting ... and that seems up for debate.  

 

Just my observations.

[mormonnewb]

I doubt 'normal' exists anywhere in the Church outside of mormonnewb's head. To add to your examples, the Young Men presidency in my ward currently consists of the following:

• President: from Samoa, came here as a missionary but then stayed after getting one of the ward members 'with child'
• 1st counsellor: from America, divorced and remarried, former heroin addict
• 2nd counsellor: from India, came here to study, former atheist (I gave him a Book of Mormon on campus eight years ago, but he only got baptised last year)

Those are our kinds of cookies.

And your point is that your ward/branch is TYPICAL?

Perhaps, it is outside of the US, but not within the Mormon corridor, where just a mere HALF of all Mormons live.

My understanding is that the plan is to release the film in "select theaters." I'll bet you a shiny new nickel that one of those theaters will be in my home town. And if someone in my town goes looking for the black bishop, they are going to be VERY disappointed to find our stake's highest ranking (i.e., only) black MPH -- ME.

Of course, they will be even more disappointed trying to find a female boxer. Now, I know that all non-U.S. wards and branches are teeming with female wrestlers, sword swallowers and contortionists, but here in the Mormon heartland, we're just simple orthodontists, computer programmers and housewives.

I know that depictions of such "simple folk" wouldn't make the most interesting documentary, but it might make the most TRUTHFUL representation of Mormons.

[Calm]

"where just a mere HALF of all Mormons live"

CFR

[Scott Lloyd]

Well, but you are not European. You're British. There's a difference!

And I lived and went to school in Gloucestershire back in the day, and I never could get into rugby. Odd-looking sport -- although I could tell it could be very brutal.

Our high school student played Rugby last spring. And we live in the Salt Lake Valley.

[Scott Lloyd]

"where just a mere HALF of all Mormons live"

CFR

That caught my attention too. I've seen him use the term "Mormon corridor" twice now. I don't think he knows what it means.

Less than half of all Mormons live in the entire United States, much less the Mormon corridor.

[Hamba Tuhan]

And your point is that your ward/branch is TYPICAL?

 

Yes. Completely.

 

I've been a member of nearly 20 different wards/branches on two continents and four islands. There is absolutely nothing atypical about the members of my current ward.

 

By the way, I was living in Utah (I think that may qualify as the 'Mormon corridor'?) right before my mission, and my elders quorum president was a long-haul truck driver who had previously drunk beer and chewed tobacco. He also had been excommunicated for adultery -- a blessing, as he repetedly taught us, that had finally woken him up to reality and brought him back to activity. He was a good and frank man who served faithfully and tirelessly and inspired me to do the same.

 

I may be going out on a limb here, but your comments seem to imply that, beyond your extremely narrow view of who actually comprises the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints generally, you may not actually know the members of your own ward/stake very well. You may be surprised at their stories when you get to know them as real people and not just the stereotypes you've assigned to them.

 

Perhaps, it is outside of the US, but not within the Mormon corridor, where just a mere HALF of all Mormons live.

 

I'll join the CFR chorus here.

 

I know that depictions of such "simple folk" wouldn't make the most interesting documentary, but it might make the most TRUTHFUL representation of Mormons.

 

I find it interesting that you would class as more 'truthful' a depiction that simply does not match the experiences of the rest of us.

[cdowis]

Or because, as my former bishop, a sports-mad sports instructor who grew up in cricket culture, once said, it's a bit like watching the grass grow.

 

He hasn't watched Jamaican cricket.  Ouch!

[Stargazer]

Our high school student played Rugby last spring. And we live in the Salt Lake Valley.

 

I wasn't claiming rugby wasn't played outside of GB, Scott.  Just that it is an odd game.  IMHO.

[Alan]

Well, but you are not European. You're British. There's a difference!

 

 

Very true my friend, very true.

[Alan]

Let's put some pads on Manchester United and see how well they hold up against the Seattle Seahawks defense -- full contact.

 

Or.... take all that cotton wool off of those Seahawks and pit them against the Leicester Tigers (rugby union) third string womens team.

[Avatar4321]

You put God's Army in the ranks of good LDS movies?

We really are in bad shape aren't we?

[Avatar4321]

And we do this by creating our own misperceptions? Just wait until people come to our meeting houses looking for the black bishop, the female boxer or the Himalayan anything. It should be titled "The Mormons You Will Never Meet."

I applaud the effort at outreach but not the effort to show our "diversity." We are people of the iron rod. We don't believe that all roads lead to Heaven but rather that we have the roadmap -- baptism at 8, priesthood at 12, Eagle Scout at 16, mission at 18, married at 21, BYU degree at 24, bishop at 35, etc.

And no, I'm not mocking the path. It works for MILLIONS. So why are we constantly to show the world that we are "just regular people like you?"

As for me, I didn't join this Church so that my wife could learn to throw a better left hook (her left hook is just fine as it is). I joined to learn how to become a better husband, father, neighbor and disciple. This Church does a great job of installing those values even in us "boring" members, so why not let the world meet the REAL Mormons?

 

Considering most of the members of the Church are converts, I don't think that path reflects the reality of the Church.

[Avatar4321]

Actually, it's the Americans who are provincial in my experience. If you're not, then you are an exception to the general rule.

The film appears to feature a "football" coach/player. You guys are the only ones who play that game..... the rest of us think it's a stupid game. We play proper football; or rugby if we want to draw blood.

 

And we realize how stupid those games are;)

[cinepro]

Let's put some pads on Manchester United and see how well they hold up against the Seattle Seahawks defense -- full contact.

 

You'd need to give Manchester some proper coaching, like the Hotspurs did...

 

 

"Can I get those IN THE WOMEN'S SECTION, JOHN?!"

Edited August 26, 2014 by cinepro

[VideoGameJunkie]

I live in a very wealthy ward, where everyone seems rich, but my family. haha I feel like the diverse one in my ward.

[Rain]

It doesn't take much time on the internet to find many church members who feel different than those in their wards. Some would call me Molly Mormon and even I feel different at times, but I recognize that through Christ we can all have unity.

When moving here I was told Gilbert, AZ was stepfordish. Hate when people make that judgement so I felt drawn to it to prove people wrong. We lived there in a rental for 3 months. At first people in the ward looked all the same, but after a few weeks I found differences and loved how the gospel drew people together. I suspect had I stayed there longer I would have found more differences. Ironically, we didn't buy a house because so many of the houses looked alike and had HOAs.

We found a home in Mesa. Here some of the differences are obvious as we have spanish, navajo and tongans in the ward. Then I discovered the former heroin addict, the bishop who has been through much tragedy in the last couple of years. The high tech workers and those with no tech experience. Pioneer descendants and those who are the pioneers. And I love discovering the uniqueness behind everyone's faces and how we all work together!

I had the opportunity of seeing the movie last week at Education Week and after seeing this thread I briefly thought of doing so. Unfortunately, it was during the one class I really felt I needed to go to.

I imagine, after spending my time on another non LDS related message board that there will be many who view it on netflix etc. And I can see much discussion coming from it. My only concern is that those who have left the church on that board will give it a beating just as they do with everything lds related.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Rain

[Tacenda]

Found what I needed!

Edited August 28, 2014 by Tacenda

[mormonnewb]

It doesn't take much time on the internet to find many church members who feel different than those in their wards. Some would call me Molly Mormon and even I feel different at times, but I recognize that through Christ we can all have unity.

When moving here I was told Gilbert, AZ was stepfordish. Hate when people make that judgement so I felt drawn to it to prove people wrong. We lived there in a rental for 3 months. At first people in the ward looked all the same, but after a few weeks I found differences and loved how the gospel drew people together. I suspect had I stayed there longer I would have found more differences. Ironically, we didn't buy a house because so many of the houses looked alike and had HOAs.

We found a home in Mesa. Here some of the differences are obvious as we have spanish, navajo and tongans in the ward. Then I discovered the former heroin addict, the bishop who has been through much tragedy in the last couple of years. The high tech workers and those with no tech experience. Pioneer descendants and those who are the pioneers. And I love discovering the uniqueness behind everyone's faces and how we all work together!.

I agree that there is more diversity under the surface in my ward, but I think that, most often, this diversity is a SIDE EFFECT and not an intended effect of Church teachings. Certainly, the Church isn't encouraging us to become heroin addicts because "we value diversity."

Over the summer, I've noticed a surprising "diversity" in fashion when I see sisters out and about in the community. Some women wear sleeveless tops and short shorts (God love 'em). Others wear capped sleeves and longer shorts and skirts. And even a few look like extras on the set of Little House on the Prairie. Yet, this diversity in dress is not the result of the Church's teachings, but rather IN SPITE of it. If the Church had its way, the summer would have been far less, shall we say, "visually diverse" for me (Don't judge me! PRAY for me!).

And this often seems to be the case when we taut the diversity of our members. They are diverse DESPITE the teachings of the Church and NOT because of them. The aspiring Mormon rapper -- Notorious BRIG -- is not the product of our For Strength of Rap program nor is he wearing a Choose the Rap ring. He is rapping DESPITE the counsel to avoid listening to the "wrong" kinds of music.

Once again, I'm not condemning the Church's standards or decrying that we have them. I'm simply arguing that you can't attempt to impose rigid standards and create a diverse community. The two goals are incompatible.

[Hamba Tuhan]

Once again, I'm not condemning the Church's standards or decrying that we have them. I'm simply arguing that you can't attempt to impose rigid standards and create a diverse community. The two goals are incompatible.

 

Nonsense. Obedience to God's commandments generates the greatest diversity possible.

 

As Elder Maxwell clearly taught: 'There is more individuality in those who are more holy. Sin, on the other hand, brings sameness; it shrinks us to addictive appetites and insubordinate impulses'.

 

I find it interesting that the only kind of 'diversity' you seem capable of detecting is sin/rebellion -- the very things that engender the most stifling and rigid uniformity. My mate who is the former heroin addict is the first to insist that he's become more unique, more real, more interesting, and more himself since he came back to church and embraced the Lord's standards. I'd go so far as to call him quirky. To a person, all the quirkiest, most different-to-me people that I know are faithful, obedient Church members.

 

Elder Maxwell again: 'So many of us are kept from eventual consecration because we mistakenly think that, somehow, by letting our will be swallowed up in the will of God, we lose our individuality (see Mosiah 15:7)'.