DiscussMormonism.com

I’ve been seeing a lot of whinging that Mormons aren’t being accurately portrayed in media. DCP lamented that whereas in the past Mormons were characterized as milquetoast but good natured Americans, now they’re being shown as violent, power hungry, and cultish.

But Mormons don’t really have a problem with stereotyping. They’re all too happy to assume why, for example, ex-Mormons leave the church. DCP (with no evidence) asserts that most likely the vast majority leave for personal reasons. They leave because someone upset them, or some commandment was too difficult to obey, or some addiction/vice was just too alluring. Perhaps they didn’t have the fortitude to attend church for two hours a week.

As we all know, if you actually ask any ex-Mormon what they think of DCP’s hypothesis and they will laugh out loud. But the Mormon narrative about ex-Mormons isn’t just wrong, it’s offensive. It’s an effective tool to shut down critical thinking among believing members, lest they be infected by the virus of doubt and start closely examining their faith.

In short, I hope DCP feels a little bit of what it’s like to be stereotyped. Perhaps it will allow him and the rest of the Mormons who are so upset to have a little empathy next time they’re repeating these stereotypes about ex-Mormons at Church.

Has there really been a transition like the one he's suggested? I'd like to see evidence of that. How much TV programming is there really about Mormons?

Were the sister missionaries in Heretic power hungry and violent? (I haven't seen it)

The Expanse had Mormons, its last episode was 2022 and they were the milquetoast sidekicks that he likes.

How were they going to make a milquetoast version of Mountain Meadows?

More to the point is that TV drama has changed a lot since the 90s, and morally conflicted characters and dark plots are more fashionable. The fact that Mormons were portrayed is incidental.

But yes, there is some stereotyping going on at SeN.

drumdude wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 16, 2025 9:16 pm

I’ve been seeing a lot of whinging that Mormons aren’t being accurately portrayed in media.

I don't think they mean "accurately portrayed" in the sense that they want people to see how Mormon's have really behaved. They are using the term "accurately portrayed" to mean "how we want Mormons to be portrayed in a faith promoting way". Do they really want to see televised an accurate retelling of how Joseph coerced families into letting him wed their young daughters? Do they really want to see televised a 30 year old Joseph Smith marrying a 14 year old girl? Do they really want to see televised Mark E Peterson talking about black people? Etc. No, they mean they want a whitewashed version of reality when it comes to portraying Mormons. A sanitised, non-uncomfortable, only-good version of events.

I Have Questions wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 17, 2025 8:47 am

drumdude wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 16, 2025 9:16 pm

I’ve been seeing a lot of whinging that Mormons aren’t being accurately portrayed in media.

I don't think they mean "accurately portrayed" in the sense that they want people to see how Mormon's have really behaved. They are using the term "accurately portrayed" to mean "how we want Mormons to be portrayed in a faith promoting way". Do they really want to see televised an accurate retelling of how Joseph coerced families into letting him wed their young daughters? Do they really want to see televised a 30 year old Joseph Smith marrying a 154 year old girl? Do they really want to see televised Mark E Peterson talking about black people? Etc. No, they mean they want a whitewashed version of reality when it comes to portraying Mormons. A sanitised, non-uncomfortable, only-good version of events.

That’s exactly what Six Days in August was. And it made for an incredibly boring watch.

Everything is going to have a bias, and it’s the responsibility of the viewer to be informed enough to know that and think critically about anything they watch.

I Have Questions wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 17, 2025 8:47 am

Do they really want to see televised a 30 year old Joseph Smith marrying a 154 year old girl?

I doubt it. The corpse of a 154 year old girl would be moldering and putrid by then. It might be interesting to find out why Joseph Smith would want to marry a dead body, though.

Dr. Shades wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:02 am

It might be interesting to find out why Joseph Smith would want to marry a dead body, though.

Even the Church draws the line at 110.

Dr. Shades wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:02 am

I Have Questions wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 17, 2025 8:47 am

Do they really want to see televised a 30 year old Joseph Smith marrying a 154 year old girl?

I doubt it. The corpse of a 154 year old girl would be moldering and putrid by then. It might be interesting to find out why Joseph Smith would want to marry a dead body, though.

I will go back and edit my post…