History Channel Short-Form Documentary: "History of the Mormons | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E7)"

[smac97]

Apparently the History Channel has a YouTube series entitled "10 Things You Don't Know About ____________."

• Benjamin Franklin's Biggest Secrets | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E1)
• Abe Lincoln's Secrets Revealed | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E2)
• John F. Kennedy's Secret Past | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E3)
• J. Edgar Hoover's Dark FBI Secrets | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E4)
• Gunfight at the OK Corral | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E5)
• FDR's Secrets Revealed | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E6)

And, as of a few hours ago, Episode 7:

• History of the Mormons | 10 Things You Don't Know About (S1, E7)
   

Each "thing" is briefly described, then a poll number is given indicating what percentage of those polled did not know about it.  For those of you who don't want to watch it (it's only 22 minutes, but still...), here are the 10 things:

1. "Joseph Smith is a Treasure Huntr" {Yes, it references him the present tense, and spells "hunter" without the "r"} {Poll: 78%}
2. "Book of Mormon Says American Indians Were Jewish" {This one includes a brief interview of Patrick Mason} {Poll: 90%}
3. "Masonic Rites Inspire Mormon Rituals" {Another brief bit by Patrick Mason} {Poll: 78%}
4. "Mormons Are Targets of Genocide" {Poll: 85%}
5. "Joseph Smith's Wife Threatens to Take Multiple Husbands" {No poll number given}
6. "Mormons Agree to Leave the United States" {Poll: 95%}
7. "U.S. Deploys Troops to Subdue the Mormons" {Poll: 82%}
8. "Mormons Massacre 120 Innocent Pioneers" {Poll: 81%}
9. "Mormons Own Brothels" {Poll: 81%}
10. "Mormon Banks Finance Mob-Owned Hotels and Casinos in Las Vegas" {Poll: 88%}

The accuracy of these items is hit and miss, and there are more than a few rather patent inaccuracies. I don't really care for the flashy and frenetic whip-pans and other editing gimmicks, and the treatments of these historical items are necessarily superficial, so this is not really my cuppa.  However, on balance it is surprisingly even-handed in its treatment.  

Thanks,

-Smac

[blackstrap]

11. One can find a whole lot of iffy stuff about Mormons on the internet. ( 5% ) 

[Kenngo1969]

26 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

11. One can find a whole lot of iffy stuff about Mormons on the internet. ( 5% ) 

Gee, ya think?  

[Nevo]

11 hours ago, smac97 said:

The accuracy of these items is hit and miss, and there are more than a few rather patent inaccuracies. I don't really care for the flashy and frenetic whip-pans and other editing gimmicks, and the treatments of these historical items are necessarily superficial, so this is not really my cuppa.  However, on balance it is surprisingly even-handed in its treatment.  

I think this is one of the more accurate shows that has appeared on the History Channel. However, the last item is not accurate at all. A president of the Bank of Las Vegas, E. Parry Thomas, was born to a Latter-day Saint family in Ogden, Utah, but apparently stopped attending church at age 14. His partner, Jerome Mack, was Jewish. Thomas's predecessor, Walter Cosgriff, was Catholic. In no sense, then, was the Bank of Las Vegas a "Mormon bank."

But the other items mostly check out (with the odd exaggeration here or there; e.g., "Smith had a tendency to fall rapturously in love with lots of women"). 

(For an interesting blast from the past, here's the previous thread that discussed this in 2012: https://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/57554-history-channels-h2-program-10-things-you-dont-know-about-mormons/ )

 

[bluebell]

12 minutes ago, Nevo said:

I think this is one of the more accurate shows that has appeared on the History Channel. However, the last item is not accurate at all. A president of the Bank of Las Vegas, E. Parry Thomas, was born to a Latter-day Saint family in Ogden, Utah, but apparently stopped attending church at age 14. His partner, Jerome Mack, was Jewish. Thomas's predecessor, Walter Cosgriff, was Catholic. In no sense, then, was the Bank of Las Vegas a "Mormon bank."

But the other items mostly check out (with the odd exaggeration here or there; e.g., "Smith had a tendency to fall rapturously in love with lots of women"). 

(For an interesting blast from the past, here's the previous thread that discussed this in 2012: https://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/57554-history-channels-h2-program-10-things-you-dont-know-about-mormons/ )

 

I stopped watching the History channel years ago.  It made itself into a joke.

[smac97]

38 minutes ago, Nevo said:

I think this is one of the more accurate shows that has appeared on the History Channel. However, the last item is not accurate at all. A president of the Bank of Las Vegas, E. Parry Thomas, was born to a Latter-day Saint family in Ogden, Utah, but apparently stopped attending church at age 14. His partner, Jerome Mack, was Jewish. Thomas's predecessor, Walter Cosgriff, was Catholic. In no sense, then, was the Bank of Las Vegas a "Mormon bank."

But the other items mostly check out (with the odd exaggeration here or there; e.g., "Smith had a tendency to fall rapturously in love with lots of women"). 

(For an interesting blast from the past, here's the previous thread that discussed this in 2012: https://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/57554-history-channels-h2-program-10-things-you-dont-know-about-mormons/ )

 

Oh, so this is old content that the History Channel is just now posting on YouTube?

Thanks,

-Smac

[Navidad]

On 1/3/2023 at 10:27 PM, blackstrap said:

11. One can find a whole lot of iffy stuff about Mormons on the internet. ( 5% ) 

As you can about any religious group. How much iffy stuff has been posted about Evangelicals by Mormons? Me thinks when it comes to Faith, iffy stuff is ubiquitous! Correctness takes a back seat to expediency and generalization.