I just got a forward. I normally delete these suckers through a filter on my email that deletes all messages with FW: or FWD: (I’ve never gotten one that was worth it), but this one was sent via the Facebook which doesn’t have filters. I hate two things about forwards, 1. I don’t know who the original sender is and 2. the person sending to me rarely thinks about me when they send it. The person who sent me assumes that just because I am Mormon, that I’ll take up their cause; they obviously don’t know me very well. So, here is the forward plus comments in italics:
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I’m asking for your help- for about 3 minutes of your time.
Too late for that already.
HBO’s new series, “Big Love”, is about a polygamous family and is set in a Salt Lake City suburb. Concerning the likely impact of this sexually driven show, the New York Times said, “We may never look at Utah and think white bread again.”
Parodies of beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints occur- belief in priesthood by a man blessing his hunting rifle, belief in personal revelation from the Holy Ghost by dramatic visions that the polygamous leader discusses casually with a friend. Talk of “celestial
kingdom”, “free agency”, and the “Choose the Right” slogan are included.
To me, the inclusion of belief doesn’t constitute parody. About the rifle thing, I’ve heard of weirder things happening. I could be wrong on this. BTW, “free agency” isn’t a LDS term.
There is a brief disclaimer stating that the polygamists don’t have an active connection with the LDS Church. But if the writers don’t intend for viewers to make the connection, one wonders why they set the show in Salt Lake City, the Church’s world headquarters, and why they included distortions of LDS beliefs.
Could you have this show anywhere else? You do a show about polygamy in the U.S., it has to be set in Utah to be believable. As much as we Mormons may hate to admit it, polygamists exist - and they originated from us. Since they originated from us, they hold forms of our beliefs and practices. I can understand the concern (I realize the Church is worried that its efforts in distancing itself from polygamists may be set back by the show), but I personally am not offended at the portrayal of Utah polygamists. I am not a polygamist. I am Mormon. From reading the episode guide you can see that the show does draw a distinction between the polygamists and the Mormon community by showing a Mormon friend’s disapproval.
NBC recently cancelled a show about a dysfunctional Episcopal priest who saw a “Jesus”, after almost 700,000 people emailed and complained.
Don’t kid yourself. The show was cancelled because its ratings were terrible. If letters cancelled shows, Will and Grace would have been cancelled years ago. You are much more effective in protesting your local TV affiliate/cable provider. They have the option of carrying certain shows and sometimes they use it. Good luck with HBO, however. Cable works differently than broadcast stations.
Couldn’t we do the same for this show? If you agree, will you:
- forward this email to at least 8 people
They always want me to forward! What’s so magic about the number 8?
- print this out
Because….?
- email a polite protest to HBO:
Go to www.hbo.com, scroll l to bottom of page, click Contact Us, click on The Sopranos (unless Big Love is listed when you do so), scroll to the light blue box near page bottom, on the line just under Submit an Email, click on Contact Us. Then enter your information, specify it’s about Big Love, and leave a message asking them to cancel this offensive show.
One or two sentences is all it takes. Or feel free to copy or edit this message:
I am offended that you would produce the series Big Love. It demeans and distorts sacred beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By setting the show in Salt Lake City, it blurs the line between the Church and polygamy, which Latter-day Saints do not practice. Please cancel the show immediately.
“Please cancel the show immediately” isn’t all that polite.
For “extra mile” effort and effect, call HBO’s operator at 212 512 1208 from 9am to 5pm Mon-Fri EST and ask to leave a message asking them to cancel Big Love.
Thanks!
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Now, the reason I got so riled up about this was that I know the person who sent me this has not seen the show (nor have I) and it frustrates me how people are willing to make judgments based on second-hand information. It is because people do this that people still think Mormons are polygamists (haven’t been for over 100 years, now) and not because of shows like Big Love.
That being said, one of the things that frustrate me is when people show intolerance for religious beliefs. If you are going to do a show like Big Love you better make sure that you have done your homework. It would be just as irresponsible to portray unfounded stereotypes in this situation as it would be if you were doing a show about Islam, etc. You don’t have to be a minority to be the victim of prejudice. The Church has issued an official response which I think is fair.
In the big picture, this probably means that the LDS Church has finally come to the mainstream. I mean really, HBO is not even doing a series on Mormons is doing a series on a Mormon splinter group. By being in the spotlight, you also have to take a few hits. How many portrayal of pedophile priests has the Catholic church had to endure?
One of my friends overheard some people discussing the series and used it as an opportunity to correct some misconceptions that they had (learned in church, no less) about Mormons. Maybe it is true, it doesn’t matter if it is good news or bad news, as long as they spell your name right. (It’s actually the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, not the Mormon Church, by the way.)
I want to see an episode of the show. Just to see. It’s a great thing I don’t have HBO. I continue to stand firm in my belief that this show will open opportunity for people to talk about the church that maybe wouldn’t have otherwise even approached the subject. Yes, it will bring with it negative media, and it’s a shame that Utah will no longer be looked at as “white bread,” but we can’t fight this, and if we do, we will end up looking like we trying to hide something, so I say try and use it as a conversation-opener if nothing else, and try to get something positive from the media hype. Wow…I almost sounded optimistic there…crazy!!
Yeah, I want to see it. It’s sad that I don’t even care about this show. People can think what they want to think. This is what I’ve learned living in Utah: People are easily offended. They are mad if they don’t feel the spirit at a fireside. Um yeah, I don’t know what my point is. I guess I don’t have one…except that, eh? It’s a show…and people can think what they want to think…yeah….
~S
I’m not Mormon, nor have I seen the show. However, I thought I would mention that a day or 2 ago there was quite a long article in the NYTimes. Apparently, they got together some women who were either currently or previously living in plural situations. They put them up in a hotel room and asked them to watch the show and then talk about it. According to the article, they responded that for the most part, the show was fair. The drama stems from the setting up of obvious conflicts, but that’s why we watch TV afterall. It also noted that Tom Hanks and the other executive producers spent 3 years doing research for the show, which seems to imply a desire to be accurate as much as possible.
The central characters of Big Love are not “Mormons,” or, more properly termed, Latter-day Saints. HBO has said the script makes it clear that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don’t practice polygamy. Still, placing the series in Salt Lake City, the international headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is enough to blur the line between the modern Church and the program’s subject matter and to reinforce old and long-outdated stereotypes. In the latest episode I watched briefly a bit of it. I saw the husband walking out of the church from a priesthood meeting and what do you know the sign said “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints” and HBO definately zoomed in on the sign. So I really don’t think HBO is trying to distinguish between the two at all.
Disclaimer: I’m not LDS but went to college at the U in Salt Lake. I have many mormon friends, am farmiliar with the religion, etc. I have also watched the entire first season of big love.
People who actually watch this show are not going to mistake this family for an actual LDS family. Their differences with church is a HUGE part of the show. The entire concept in one episode, for instance, revolves around a non-polygamist aunt trying to make sure the family’s children don’t become polygamists.
Nobody is going to hear about this show and suddenly thing, “Wow! Mormons are polygamists? I’ve never heard that rumor before!” They have probably already heard that rumor, and if they actually sit down and watch the show, it might actually help dispell it. And by the way, the episode where they show the LDS sign up close was not put in the context that was described in the earlier response.